“If someone needs help, don’t ask them about their nationality or religion. Just say: “Since you are in trouble, I will take care of you, because you and I are both human beings”, Louis Pasteur.

UN General Assembly Resolution No. 40/212 of December 17, 1985 calls on all countries celebrate the International Day of Volunteers (volunteers) every year on December 5.

In Ukraine, young volunteers become volunteers – this is probably the part of the youth that is the bearer of the ideals and values necessary for the development of society. We should not be mere spectators in this difficult life. We deserve to be participants, creators of what is happening to us.

The work of volunteers among young people is under the constant control of the regional commission for work with youth, which organizes its work based on the tasks of the most complete and effective solution to the problems of involvement veterans to educate young people in the spirit of national patriotism, respect for the older generation. I believe that in today’s cruel world, we should do everything so that good wins.

Volunteers are people who have come for the calling of their own souls, ready to help those in need and bring good to our world. This is a rare opportunity to help people, communicate with them, implement ideas and constantly act and move forward. Volunteers are always active, responsible and proactive individuals.

But even in such wonderful work there are disadvantages. Volunteers spend their own time investing in solving socially important problems. Also, it’s free labor. Volunteering is a waste of time. But not everything is measured in money. I believe that if you look around, more useful things have been done:

• An excellent example is the volunteer unit “Sunny”, whose motto is “Hurry up to do good” at the “Kharkiv Higher Vocational School of Garment Production and of life”.
• The educational institution has developed a Regulation on the volunteer movement, which consists of the general position, purpose, main tasks, rights and duties of volunteers, directions of their activities.
• The youth of the institution participates both in one-time charity actions: “Help your neighbor”, “Warrior’s flowers”, “Red Cross”, and in projects. The main goal of the project “Light your star of goodness” is to unite into a powerful center of assistance to orphans, disabled children, children who have the status of internally displaced persons, and the Armed Forces. As part of the project, young people take part in actions: “Hand in hand”, which gathers all kind and sincere people who want to help children.

Every year, September 1, December 5, December 19, On June 1, volunteers visit the Kharkiv Center for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation of Children and give them sweets and toys. Among the volunteers, there are also those who do not wait for the holidays, but at the call of their hearts, dial a phone number, make arrangements and go to their little friends.

“Help a friend” is a campaign to help those who, unfortunately, have to be called “children of war”, children of the East of Ukraine who now live in Kharkiv. Volunteers collect toys, children’s clothes and literature. And then they hand over the collected things to the “Red Cross” society of the city of Kharkiv.

Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Today’s realities have determined a new direction of volunteer work – patriotic, which includes support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Every year, on the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, on the Day of Dignity and Freedom, on the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, young people take part in the actions “Let’s help the wounded”, “Write a letter to a warrior” and buy medicines, sweets, write greeting cards, make amulets and visit the Military medical clinical center of the Northern region.

Volunteers are supported in their activities by Olena Pylypenko, Stanislav Pylypenko, members of the Kharkiv Public United Society “Prosvit named after T.G. Shevchenko”, volunteers who have repeatedly visited the East of Ukraine, and now make patriotic symbols, and hand them over to brigades formed on the territory of the Kharkiv region.

On the account of the regional commission for work with youth, much has been done, but it does not stop on what he has achieved and is moving forward.

Chairman of the Commission on Work with Youth of the Kharkiv Regional Council of Veterans of Ukraine. Director of the State Institution of Professional (Vocational and Technical) Education “Kharkiv Higher Vocational School of Sewing Industry and Household”.