On June 11, 2020, the final online presentation was held by participants of the 2019 – 2020 Access Alumni Civic Engagement Program in Mariupol supported by the U.S. Embassy and administered by Project Harmony, Inc. (PH International) in partnership with NGOs Mariupol Union of Youth, and Institute of Public Development ‘Ortega-y-Gasset’. RELO Timothy Collins who took part in the final event, thanked the alumni, their trainers and volunteers for their active participation in the Program and community contributions.This program started in September 2019 in four Ukrainian cities in the East of Ukraine: Mariupol, Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia and Slovyansk. Its participants learned to be community leaders and designed and implemented civic initiatives addressing needs and problems in their communities.
In Mariupol, the Access alumni participants organized carried out such initiatives as anti-bullying advocacy, media literacy for senior citizens, ‘Clean After Your Pet’, and ‘Clean Your Neighborhood’.
In April – June 2020, due to the ongoing COVID-19 quarantine, all activities were held online. It enabled several alumni from other cities (Odesa, Poltava, and Vinnytsia) to join the Mariupol alumni group, share their experience and participate in joint activities.
During the final event, participants also brainstormed in small groups on new potential projects addressing inclusion of disabled youth living in an orphanage, reforming school education and strengthening youth unity aсcross Ukraine.
RELO Timothy Collins who took part in the final event, thanked the alumni, their trainers and volunteers for their active participation in the Program and community contributions.