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Youth Ecological Center of Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Youth Ecological Center of Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Youth EcoCenter is non-governmental social- ecological organization (NGO) It is promoting development of civil society in Tajikistan through the conducting of social- ecological and educational programs. The main task of EcoCenter is consolidate of efforts of students, teachers and sciences for the saving and restor of environment, assist on forming of action social- ecological position of citizen and careful attitude to environment on the base of the principles of ecological ethics and stable development of Republic of Tajikistan.

Youth EcoCenter was established in 1993 by the initiative of the members of International Social- Ecological Union and was register by the Justice Minister of Tajikistan as a NGO in 1997.
Youth EcoCenter is a member of International Social- Ecological Union which consolidate more than 300 independently acting ecological groups and organizations in the CIS countries, Countries of Europe and USA.
Our aim is to give such knowledges and values to youth which will be used by them in further life and work. That is why our training seminars (lessons) based on the principle of participation and cooperation of students and teachers. Such lessons give a posibilities for mutual desisions seach and expirience consideration of everybody. The teacher's role is very big. He makes speechs, advices, and is a trainer who assist students. Also trainer increase the strivings of youth to participate and learn. The name of such pedagogical approach is facilitational. Even a school student can be facilitator if he knows such a method. Educational effect will not reduce but increase. The principle - Youth teach Youth- is more effective for educational process.

The main directions of activity are: * The EcoCenter Resources Environmental Center working which is fulfilled the informational, consultation and technical supporting of the developing social- ecological programs and the ecological education programs in Tajikistan. EcoCenter is giving to activists and social organizations new information which is receiving by e- mail, the bulletins and materials of Non-governmental and governmental ecological organizations, data bases of funds which are render the financial and technical help of NGO.

* Press- service EcoCenter is gathers, analyses and spreads the information about the initiatives, projects and organizations which are working in social- ecological programs. Press- service is issuing and spreading the ecological bulletin "Tabiat", the bulletin for youth -"The way to success" and e-mail news letters and didjest. These materials are spreading among more than 100 NGOs in Tajikistan, CIS and USA.

* The Training Center of EcoCenter the main task of which is holding seminars and training for youth on civil, justice, environmental education and democratic leadership. For the Non- governmental ecological organizations, schools and Universities are holding training on consolidation of the possibilities of organizations and ecology. The EcoCenter created the "School of Young Leaders" -independent democratic union of youth which is working on programs of democratic leadership , civil education and developing voluntarism among tajik youth.
* EcoCenter is working on environmental programs . In frame of these programs are holding the works on organized of Nature Parks in Tajikistan and ecological expeditions for inspection the territories and gather an independent information.
Activities.

The focus of Youth EcoCenter's activities is the further development of School of Young Leaders. The School provides additional trainings for the approximately 700 young people. The main purpose of these training seminars and coordinated practical educational activities is to improve the organizational skills of newly created youth and student groups as well as to provide these groups with information on civic and legal education (tolerance, obedience to the law, democratic values, a democratic way of life). In order to do so, EcoCenter hold trainings, leadership and advanced training seminars, as well as publishing activities and a roundtable focussed on developing the NGO sector.

Teaching techniques is primarily interactive (group work, discussions, debates, role playing, and individual and joint projects); seminars are stress hands - on practical training and "youth -teaches- youth" techniques. Youth EcoCenter works with eight target groups (Dushanbe schools and student groups from Universities, and students from Orphanage school No.1) to strengthen their organizing skills and their understanding of democratic principles in their daily work with various youth organizations. Each group of 50 participants attend training seminars, and each was sign a contract with the seminar organizers which obliges them to form their own student council as part of their seminar work. These newly formed student groups then study civics or law, develop strategic or work planes or assist these groups in fulfilling government registration procedures. In order to increase the effectiveness of the seminars, the target groups are involved in all aspects of planning, carrying out and monitoring. Leadership seminars hold by EcoCenter. Topics of these seminars include: "Interactive methods for civic education of youth", "Democratic leadership programs for youth", "Practical organizing and the establishment of schools and youth councils". These seminars conducted by Youth EcoCenter's trainers, with specialists invited from the Association of Independent Judges (Tajikistan), the Association of Young Leaders (Kazakhstan), the "Golubka" Center (Russia), the Sharq Informational and Analytical Center (Tajikistan). Advances training seminars (each seminar has five or six hours duration) for a participants who have proven their skill in previous activities. Topics of advances training seminars include: "How to become a Leader" (democratic leadership); "The Leader as Organizer" (democratic leadership); "Youth and Democracy" (civic education); "Youth and the Law" (legal rights of youth); "Youth and Laws" (legal education); "Youth and Elections" (formation of a youth electorate).

Ecological training seminars conducted by Youth EcoCenter. Topics of these > seminars include: "Ecological System"; "Global Ecological Problems", "Ecology of Tajikistan".

Youth EcoCenter works with frustrated group of youth, it's an orphanages from Orphanage school No.1 of Dushanbe. This work provides for the support of weakens children and their social rehabilitation. They are from poor and many children families or whose parents were devoid of their rights. Internat provides children with general support, but can not provide them with their further development (placing in a job, home, income etc.).
It's a real problem that majority of children can not find a job, University after finishing of Internat and will be under the power of criminals.
These children will get skills of carpentry and shoe repair professions.
Internat has an extremely small funding and even can not provide children with a normal educational process, good food, clothes and shoes, and textbooks. Youth EcoCenter and Scientifically educational Society assist with social rehabilitation of orphanages through the conducting of ecological trainings, games, competitions, and travel for children.

Our contacts: EcoCenter. Contact person:
Yuri Skochilov
root@pamir.td.silk.org
tabiat@sv.td.silk.org
http://di-145c.mit.edu/projects/leep/Ngo/ecocenter/index.html