Autumn is the perfect season for a Network Meeting and four of them will be organized before Autumn Agora Cagliari, namely NWM Aachen, NWM Brescia, NWM Ioannina and NWM Kharkiv. With an interesting name (“AEGEE – Your drug from commonness”), NWM Kharkiv will definitely explore how addictive the AEGEE world is. We spoke with Tetiana Shcherbyna, coordinator of NWM Kharkiv 2014 and Incoming responsible of AEGEE-Kharkiv, and their Network Commissioner (or Natcom, as they call her) Natalia Ivleva (AEGEE-Voronezh) to discover some of their secrets.

AEGEE-Kharkiv was brought to a second life in 2011 when four active girls who came back from a Summer University decided to give a new fresh boost to the local. NWM Kharkiv was supposed to be already organized in Spring 2014, but due to the instable situation in that part of Ukraine, it was moved to Lviv. However, this sudden change didn’t discourage the Eastern Ukrainian local to apply again for hosting the Autumn NWM and they effort paid off.

As it was mentioned above, the NWM has a unique title: “AEGEE – your drug from commonness”. As Tetiana says, “the title describes the meaning of such phenomena that AEGEE is. What is it? When you are tired from commonness, you feel bored and mad for travelling, AEGEE is the drug that can treat you.”

Natalia echoes: “Just imagine. You came back from your vacations/holidays or any other sort of trip. You try to start again you ordinary life with university, job, housetasks, and you feel that the day is almost the same as the previous one. This is exactly what we called commonness. But when you are in AEGEE you can find a lot of opportunities to make you life more active, find some projects which help you to realize every single one of your crazy ideas.”

Regarding the content, the main goal for NetCom Natalia is to give the participants all the means they need to understand better all the opportunities that AEGEE can give to its members. “We want to present all the AEGEE projects to participants, talk a bit about the history of AEGEE, discuss and share our experience of keeping members motivated and how to stay motivated for new projects”. This NWM will serve as preparation for the Agora. Even if Natalia will prepare their locals mainly by discussing proposals and candidates on-line, she plans to give an “Agora speed course explaining the general rules of an Agora, the different roles of participants and types of session such as plenaries and prytannia”.

Around 25 participants will be expected from the countries belonging to Natalia’s Network, namely Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Armenia, but organizers are expecting people from the entire Network to “show them our amazing city”. The current situation in Ukraine, since Kharkiv is located in the Eastern part of the country and relatively close to the area where the situation is particulary tense, can raise some concerns over the stability in the region.

As Tetiana says, “of course, you can never be exactly sure about the future, but thank God there is no war here. We hope that situation will not influence participants and they will come to our NWM to have a chance to support Ukraine, too”.

Unfortunately NWM Kharkiv won’t have the University or the Local Municipality support but they are cooperating with a “local youth organization called “The youth change the world” and we are trying to establish cooperation with other organizations to involve not only our members on events but other volunteers as well”.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Venezia

Since last november Ukraine has been in the spotlights because of the happenings in the country. Protests against the government led by former president Viktor Janukovich started in Maidan Nezalezhnosti, but soon spread all over the country. In Ukraine AEGEE is present with seven locals, namely AEGEE-Dnipropetrovsk, AEGEE-Kharkiv, AEGEE-Ivano-Frankivsk, AEGEE-Kyïv, AEGEE-Lviv, AEGEE-Odessa and AEGEE-Sevastopol. Most of their members were actively involved in supporting and helping their fellow countrymen during the difficult times. The Network followed the happenings closely and in the month of February, the seven Ukranians local were awarded with the Locals of the Months title. The AEGEEan spoke with the board of two of them: AEGEE-Kharkiv and AEGEE-Kyïv.

The AEGEEan: The whole world is focusing its attention over Ukraine. How do you feel the atmosphere is like? Does this affect the life of your local and your members  and, in general, how does this affects the live of a normal Ukrainians?

Board Meeting AEGEE-Kyiv

AEGEE-Kharkiv: Ukraine is everywhere these days: TV, social networks, media… And, of course, the atmotphere is rather stressful for Ukrainians. We have to adapt our AEGEE life to the situation in the country too. We had to move the spring NWM from Kharkiv to Lviv for example, because of the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine. As for our local we haven’t made big changes in general and we try to keep the situation out of our daily communication, work and projects. Of course we talk about it (it’s the main topic for all of us), but, there are different opinions sometimes. We still have a lot of ideas to realise in the future. In general, Ukrainians didn’t expect so much attention and a lot of people actually began to feel more patriotic and felt this historical moment. But, the life of the majority of Ukrainians doesn’t change: work, holidays, traveling, weekends and other things (except for some eastern parts of Ukraine, it’s a hard time for them).”

AEGEE-Kyïv: Indeed the situation affected the life of all our members and board in general. We, as local from the capital of the country and the heart of the riots, couldn’t stay calm and pretend nothing happened. As board, we had to make a statement to our members about our attitude towards the situation when all this started at the end of November. Living in the capital means having people with absolutely different opinions about the situation, to be honest even in our board (and we have nine people plus three members of the Revision Commission) we had some controversies. That’s why our statement to members was very diplomatic – we asked them not to keep silent and act, if they feel it’s time but to keep a cold head too as the situation was really dangerous. We also had to cancel many of our events, birthday party and some activities – it was just inappropriate to celebrate and party when people were dying on Maidan. The life of AEGEE-Kyiv changed from a local that always had a lot of motivated people, who travel, want to take part in organising their own projects to a local with members who were mostly tired of the situation. Until March we had only social meetings. And now we, as board, are trying to do everything for our members to act, to participate, to travel and open the world. We changed our HR-strategy so that each member could be heard. The same was happening to Ukrainians – after all they were really tired and some lost the hope. Elections and the latest events might change the situation, and we feel that the young generation finally believes that they can be the change and that their opinion, voice and actions are utmost important.

‘Inspired by SU’ social meeting AEGEE-Kharkiv

The AEGEEan: All Ukrainian locals have been selected to be Local of the Month. It is one of the many examples of AEGEE trying to do something in civil society. Do you feel the support from the network?

AEGEE-Kyïv: We were extremely pleased by everything that was done by AEGEE-Europe, many AEGEE-locals, Working Groups and particular persons, especially knowing that most of Europe didn’t have an appropriate picture of what was happening and trusted only our words and what we posted on social networks. It was inspiring. There was a flashmob, changing profile pictures to a black square with Ukrainian flag, donations that were made, reposts of articles written by Ukrainiasn and of course, the fact that Luis Alvarado Martinez, President of AEGEE-Europe, came to Kyïv. It’s a big step forward, and not just a quote from the Statement of Principles about AEGEE’s aims. It’s action, which means much more.

AEGEE-Kharkiv: Yes, during these months we really felt it. Speaking, for example, about Facebook, where we saw the support of hundreds of people every day: posts, photos, messages. It’s really a big thing for us. These things have made our days better for months.Thank you very much. It’s what happens in a big family too: some children get sick and the whole family does their best in order to relieve the suffering of their kids.

The AEGEEan: In the past, AEGEE has been helping with the improvement of dialogue in places as Cyprus and Western Balkans, while always paying special attention to youth. Do you think AEGEE could play such a role in Ukraine?

AEGEE-Kyïv: Yes. But now the most important for us is to show that it is not so dangerous to come to Ukraine as is shown in the media of many countries (of course Russian news as well, but that’s another story). The success of Election Observation Mission, that sent more than 20 members from different locals to our country, shows that coming here and seeing everything by yourself can have a more powerful impact and communication might be the key to understanding.

AEGEE-Kharkiv: We are young and we are open to the future. We learn something, sometimes make mistakes and after it, we become more experienced. And of course AEGEE can help us with pushing the limits of our mind, and to become more serious, responsible adults.

The AEGEEan: Could you say you feel more European because of AEGEE?

AEGEE-Kharkiv: AEGEE shares European values with us that we just began to learn (and they are not about economic and politic matters). We can take all the best from Europe, for example being more law-abiding. AEGEE is a big platform to make yourself more open-minded, to see what the real Europe is and to involve this in your life in your country.

AEGEE-Kyïv: We would even say we understand more what being European is now. AEGEE definitely changed the life perspective and was the reason that we do not have many typical stereotypes anymore. And we cannot say we feel European in a political way, but for sure we feel more open-minded and struggle more to get new information, news. We have feeling that we can not only do something on a local, but also on the European level to help our country.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Venezia

With contribution of Liliya Buyukliyska, AEGEE-Sofia

Summer is the time of Summer Universities (SUs) for most antennae. For most antennae, the organisation of a SU is enough to keep everyone extremely busy. This is the moment when AEGEE-Kyiv stands out from the crowd.

Just in the month of August, they not only organised an incredible travel SU with AEGEE-Kharkiv, but also managed to do a trip with the local project ALOT (AEGEE Local Trips), at the same time preparing an exchange with AEGEE-Leipzig, getting ready for a conference on non-formal education and packing for the next ALOT trip which is going to take place this weekend. All this is also the reason why they have been chosen as AEGEE local of the month.

Some of the board members kindly agreed to give The AEGEEan an interview. Let’s see what they had to say!

The AEGEEan: You have many projects going on at the same time, both on the local and European level. Where do you find people to organise it all?

Mariya Burachenko, PR Responsible of AEGEE-Kyiv, was the one to answer first:

We care very much about our members and try our best to make them grow as personalities. At the moment we have few permanent long-term projects such as ATC (AEGEE Training Camp), AEGEE Training Challenge, ALOT  which are running on local level. ATC includes all the thematic trainings and has such goals as improving the skills of AEGEE members in PR, HR, FR, as well as self-development. We’ve got amazing speakers who really know what AEGEEans need. How? Easy- there are no better trainers than former AEGEEans who reached their goals and are now ready to share their experience with others. AEGEE Training Challenge serves as a tool to encourage members of the Network to reach for the stars, checking the results of each other, half-playing half-working people and not noticing how the game turned into a competition. It will last till October when the best scored one will get an award! Good luck, guys!

Apart from the competition results, what are the other plans for the future?

The only one thing left to add to our “done” – list is European Boards’ Meeting (EBM) in Kyiv. This year we did not receive the right to organise it but we will try again for sure! The nearest plan – LTC for knowledge transfer of all the AEGEE-secret-techniques for the new members. It is going be held in the end of September and everyone is invited. Guests are always welcome. We are also planning to make a youth conference about non-formal education in the end of autumn and are looking forward to our exchange with AEGEE-Leipzig.

Which are your favorite projects of the year?

Anna Kotovych, the Events Responsible, took the stage:

Out of short-lasting, it is Human Resources European School (HRES) that we organised in spring and SU. HRES was more stressful, as it was during working and studying time, but we managed to organise it on the high level. Among my favorite is also the long-lasting project ALOT, which is really successful in bringing our members together, while traveling all around Ukraine.

No wonder that Dima Kononenko, the President of AEGEE-Kyiv, could not simply pick one project. With pride for his local and gratitude to all the members he said the following:

We organised HR European School (thanks to Kateryna Kozhemiakina for great coordination of this project) and Summer University “Shoot the moment” (Olia Yushchenko, Anna Kotovych and AEGEE-Kharkiv made this event unforgettable). Also we provided our members with two long-lasting projects – ALOT or AEGEE Local Trips (Maxym Kovalenko prepared every trip with passion and real AEGEE spirit) and ATC (every workshop was hardly prepared and perfectly organised by Lidiia Akryshora). And we had a lot of not so big local projects, but every project is my favourite, because they help our members to be a part of active youth and to realize their ideas.

AEGEE-Kyiv members have been having a lot of fun in other antennae lately. I have heard some rumors, but I want confirmation. How many flags did members of AEGEE-Kyiv manage to steal this summer?

At the moment we have just one flag of AEGEE-Moskva. It was stolen by our team headed by the treasurer (and at the same time our Network Commissioner) Olia Yushchenko during the European Night at the Network Meeting (NWM) when all the attention was devoted to the Russian table.
But also we have a mascot of AEGEE-Madrid, which was just too easy to get! The board did not notice that it vanished for a week! So Retirito has a new home with care and love in Kyiv.

The Agora is coming closer and closer. How many people are going there from your antenna?

We filled all available places with active and motivated members. We will rock the Agora in Budapest!

The AEGEEan will remember these words and keep a close eye at the antenna’s performance at the Agora.

Written by Olga Volovyk, AEGEE-Kyiv

A big thank you for the photos to Anna Kotovych and Roma Kudriavtsev, AEGEE-Kyiv, as well as Eugeniy Grinchenko.

Attention: If you think you know an antenna, which deserves to be honoured as “Local of the Month”, send an email with the locals’ name and the reason for nominating to aegeean@aegee.org.

AEGEE-Kebab, AEGEE- Cthulhu, AEGEE-Night Ballroom Dancers, AEGEE-Ababa and AEGEE-Pssss. One may think that we have again some fake locals in AEGEE, but believe me – they really existed during three days of Network Meeting Kharkiv with their own board, own projects and own members.

But let us start from the very beginning.

It may seem complicated to organise a Network Meeting (NWM) together with a fresh host-local which just signed Convention d’Adhesion at the Agora Skopje, but this is not the case of AEGEE-Kharkiv. There are not enough words to describe how fast and well-coordinated the work of the girls (yes, in the board of AEGEE-Kharkiv there are only girls and only beautiful ones) was and which amazing things they did during the event as team of organisers.

The last fact was noticed not at once by all 30 participants of NWM-Kharkiv, who were from Çanakkale, Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Ryazan, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odessa and Rostov-na-Donu. It was a real meeting of old friends, where were present also new, but already so close, participants from different locals.

Almost serious part of Network Meeting

The whole Network Meeting was dedicated to discussions about everything what is important for the network.

Troubles with thematic field of work? Here is Olga Yuschenko (AEGEE-Kyiv) from the Action Agenda Coordination Team to tell you how to make your events thematic, but not boring and extremely interesting.

Any problems with finances and budgeting? Anna Gots (AEGEE-Kyiv) from the Audit Commission is right here to tell you how to make the budget of average local AEGEE-Ababa and how it should fill in the Financial Report for AEGEE-Europe. Now you may be sure that AEGEE-Ababa will never have problems with finances!

What about solving troubles in your local if your event coordinator suddenly resigned or your sponsor refused to help your local? This difficult part was prepared by me – “evil” Network Commissioner of this area. The participants had to train case management and solve cases aimed to show how to act in problematic situation, how to use all resources you have and act when you are limited in time. And here come AEGEE locals: Kebab, Cthulhu, Night Ballroom Dancers and Pssss – the locals with their own board which participant created in groups to arrange simulation of board work and solve cases.

Not so serious teambuilding

Separate word is necessary to say about teambuilding activities arranged by AEGEE-Kharkiv. Nothing can make people closer than running all around dark Kharkiv city center in teams and solve how to get the magnet from the vertical pipe having only paper clip in your hands, rule blindly your team mate in the labyrinth or solve difficult logical tasks, when it seems that exactly logic is totally absent there. Participants were frozen, tired, hungry, but their shiny eyes and endless talks about it were saying everything – the quest was adorable!

Meeting of friends under the name “T.G.I.F. – Thanks Got It’s Friday” was finished with common kisses, hugs, tears and promises to see each other at the Agora. Dear NWM Kharkiv family, thank you for wonderful three days, and see you at the next Network Meeting – we have lots of them yet to visit!

Written by Olga Iatsyna, AEGEE-Dnipropetrovsk & Network Commission

Tons of thanks to Maria Chvan, AEGEE-Kharkiv, for pictures.