Young Researches of Serbia
Voluntary Service of Serbia
SUMMER WORKCAMPS 2012
About YRS – VSS
Young Researches of Serbia (YRS) is a non-profit, non-political NGO officially established in 1976 as a network of organizations, societies, clubs and sections with research programmes, gathered around the coordinative office on the national level in Belgrade. Through its history the number of members changed, but there were over 50 different organizations taking part. In the 90’s YRS leaves theorganizational formofvertical relationships following the current direction of civil sector development. Today YRS represents the organization on the national level and it unites three thematically different but interconnected sectors – Youth Sector, Voluntary Service of Serbia and Environmental Protection and Conservation Sector.
Young Researches of Serbia involves mostly young people aged 15-30, including the ones with physical or intellectual disabilities, or difficult social backgrounds.
THINK BIG - do little: start an avalanche! is our motto.
Our vision is to be the driving force for all those whose aim is to make our planet a more peaceful, just and healthy place.
Driven by science and education, our mission is to contribute:
-to environmental protection and nature conservation,
-to development of voluntarism and its values,
-to scientific creativity and active participation of the youth
Our main aims are environmental protection, environmental education, youth exchange and work with young people, as well as the promotion of sustainable development, scientific creativity and voluntarism.
We have organized hundreds of research projects and educative programmes for young people in various areas of natural and social sciences.
MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
YRS is a member of: CCIVS – Coordinative Committee of International Voluntary Service, YEE - Youth and Environment Europe, ANPED – Northern Alliance for Sustainability, CEEWEB - Central and East European Working Group for the Enhancement of Biodiversity, Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations, and a partner of the SCI in Serbia. YRS is one of the founding members of the following networks: SEEYN – South East European Youth Network and Youth CAN - Youth Culture in Action Network.
Address: Bulevar umetnosti 27- 11070 Beograd 190531 - SERBIA
Phone numbers: +381 11 311 66 63, +381 11 311 13 14
Fax number: +381 11 311 66 53
E–mail address: (for all general volunteer exchanges related issues), (outgoing placements), (incoming placements)
Website:
Working days: Monday – Friday
Working hours: 11.00 – 15.00
General issues: Jelena Ristic Beronja (Skype contact – jelena.yrs)
Outgoing Placement Officer: Bojan Beronja (Skype contact – vss.outgoing,);
Incoming Placement Officers: Bojan Beronja andDarius Grigaliunas(Skype contact –vss.incoming);
Languages spoken: English, Italian, Lithuanian, Russian
Contact points in Serbia:
Since 2010 we have entered into partnerships with voluntary organisations or local youth offices all over Serbia in order to give more support for volunteers who want to go to workcamps abroad, but also to have local partners that act as regional centres, following up the volunteers on their way back to the country, organising regional promotional campaigns of international voluntary service and local youth activism and to organise regional workcamps.
In Belgrade:
• Youth offices at the city municipalities Savski venac, Palilula, Obrenovac and Novi Beograd
In Valjevo:
• Research Society “Vladimir Mandić - Manda”
In Novi Sad:
• Nature Conservation Movement Novi Sad
In Sremski Karlovci:
• Nature Conservation Movement Vojvodina
In Nis:
• Proaktiv
In Novi Pazar:
• Youth office Novi Pazar
CAMPAIGNS
International Campaign for Sustainability in Voluntary Service: The Campaign aims at increasing the impact and joining the local actions and volunteering projects of more than 20 organizations and networks all over the world who contribute to the transformation of our communities, in the local level, and, through networking, in the international level, for the construction of a fairer world, more sustainable, more healthy and with better resources that impulse integral development of people, the communities and peoples, and their happiness and solidarity. All our workcamps aim to act on the principles of environmental sustainability.
Accessing Campaign:With more than 3.000 workcamps around the world, Alliance’s member organisations offer over 25.000 volunteering opportunities. All workcamps are open to anyone and often provide a first volunteering experience abroad. Workcamps are gender balanced, with even more female participants, a unique situation regarding construction work or environmental activities. Without implementing a heavily centralized programme, Alliance’s network offers a chance to young people or adults facing exclusion to experiment a first mobility action.
The Alliance’s Accessing principle is to offer a complete educational process that includes preparation, tools, projects, follow up... This principle would find a first concrete and common implementation with opening one or two places in as many international workcamps as possible, to participants with fewer opportunities, who, for any reason, face social, cultural, economical, physical barriers to their participation.
We are open to host volunteers with fewer opportunities, intellectual or physical disabilities or from various economical, social or other disadvantaged situations. We will discuss each case individually.
CAMP LIST
Camp code / Name / Type / Dates / No. of vols / NoteVSS 01 / ECO CAMP TRSIC, Loznica / ENVI / 18/06 - 01/07* / 12 / New dates!!!
VSS 02 / SUMMER IN TOPONICA , Donja Toonica / SOCI/ART / 02/07 – 13/07 / 12
VSS 03 / LACISLED FORTRESS, Aleksandrovac / ARCH / 20/07 – 03/08 / 15 / Workcamp be confirmed by the 15th of April
VSS 04 / KOSJERIC I – SOUNDING, Uzice / ART / 27/07 – 11/08 / 7
VSS 05 / KOSJERIC II – ARTBURG HILL, Uzice / ART / 27/07 – 11/08 / 7
VSS 06 / KOSJERIC III – STREET GALLERIES, Uzice / ART / 27/07 – 11/08 / 7
VSS 07 / KOSJERIC IV – PERFORMING ARTS, Uzice / ART / 27/07 – 11/08 / 7
VSS 08 / BREST, Stara Pazova / RENO/ENVI / 28/07 – 08/08 / 10
VSS 09 / ZASAVICA, Sremska Mitrovica / ENVI / 29/07 – 07/08 / 12
VSS 10 / OBEDSKA BARA, Pecinci / ENVI / 05/08 – 18/08 / 12
VSS 11 / BALKAN SCOUT CENTER, Jovac / CONS / 15/08 – 30/08 / 10
VSS 12 / RECYCLED CIRCUS,Sremski Karlovci / ART/SPORT/ENVI / 2nd half of August / 10 / Dates to be confirmed
VSS 13 / ZLAKUSA, Uzice / ENVI/CONS/
RENO / 01/09-10/09 / 10
VSS 14 / WINE FEST, Sremski Karlovci / FEST/CULT / 2nd half of September/1sthalf of October / 10 / Dates to be confirmed
General conditions:
There is no upper age limit. We accept volunteers who are 18 and older, except in VSS01 (18-40) and VSS04-07 (23+).
The language of the camps is English.
As there is not enough support from the government for the organisation for the workcamps in Serbia, the participation fee is used as an addition to the workcamp budget. Minimal fee is 15 € and maximal is 30 €, the extra being used for additional excursions and material for work.
Some camps (e.g. art workshops) have special requirements.
VSS01 ECO CAMP TRSIC(30th Alliance Anniversary CAMPaign), Loznica
Environmental
Dates: 18/06 - 01/07 – new dates!!!
Number of volunteers: 12
Age limit: 18 - 40
Trsic is a small village famous as the birth place of Vuk Karadzic, the reformist of Serbian language and orthography. Today it is a place very much visited by tourists. Beside beautiful and preserved nature, green glades, thick forests and bounty of streams, this landscape offer an idyllic atmosphere of traditional Serbia of 18th and 19th century.
The workcamp is a joint initiative of several local partner organizations working together on introducing the spirit of voluntarism and developing and improving rural and eco-tourism in Trsic ( The goal is to educate local people and motivate them to be active citizens in preserving the nature and other values for the sake of generations to come. This is the fifth year the camp isorganized here, as the first four gave great results.
Work: Volunteers will work on cleaning the woods from garbage, clearing the vegetation, placing resting wooden benches, making and placing info boards, marking the walking paths which are connecting Vuk’s house and 5km distant XIV century Tronosa monastery.
For its ultimate historical importance for the Serbian language this village has, students of Serbian and other Slavic languages are very welcome, but others interested in the culture or, simply, in environmental protection, are also welcome. Volunteers should be prepared for long hiking and hard work.
Accommodation: In a fully equipped house only 50m away from Vuk’s house ( built in the same, traditional, style but at the same time very technologically advanced, in the heart of the ethno village. No sleeping bags needed.
Location: Trsic is situated close to Loznica in the western part of Serbia.
Terminal: Belgrade
Special remarks: Excursions to important cultural and historical points will be organized, together with visits to museums and one day for getting to know the children from the local school and participating in their special event. Participation of the local volunteers will be an essential part of the workcamp.
By joining this project you will become a part of the 30th Alliance Anniversary CAMPaign! Almost 80 member and partner voluntary organisations from the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations network from all over the world, organising various voluntary projects during this year. They all have the same aim: promoting intercultural education, understanding and peace through voluntary service!
Be one of the thousands of volunteers worldwide who will contribute to this initiative and help to raise awareness about international volunteering and its benefits.
Join the party and celebrate the 30th birthday of the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations!
Find out more about Alliance at and about the campaign at
Special requirements: Volunteers should be nature and culture lovers prepared for long walks and hard work.
Participation fee: 15€. It is used as an addition to the workcamp budget, for additional excursions and material for work.
VSS02 SUMMER IN TOPONICA, Donja Toponica
Social/Art
Dates: 02/07 – 13/07
Number of volunteers: 12
Age limit: 18 +
Donja Toponica is a village of merely 400 inhabitants, situated very close to Nis, one of the biggest cities of Serbia. Mountainsof south eastern Serbiaboast nearlyuntouched nature,richwildlife, old forts and cities on their tops, and many of them are hiding in its interior a spacious halls of magnificent caves.
The local partner organisation “Grupa Kobra” put a lot of effort in the past years to developing and improving life conditions of its community. This is the first international project they organise, with the aim to familiarize the young people, who do not have the opportunity to get in touch with other cultures, with their peers from other countries.
Gatherings and activities together with the local youth is essential to this workcamp, during which the hosts would get the opportunity to present their local community, tradition and customs and, together with the participants of the camp, to encourage rural development, youth mobility and intercultural understanding.
Work: The volunteers will become acquainted with this area, its potentials and natural beauties, they will present their tradition, culture, trends and the country from which they come, decorate the local summer houses with motifs from their own culture, paint the local street furniture and arrange the playground, present their traditional and modern dances, visit the city of Nis and its cultural sights, all with the scope of interacting with the local youth who are very excited to meet them.
Accommodation: the local Cultural Center or in tents next to the Cultural Center (the choice is free, but bring own tent). Food will be prepared by the locals with the help of the volunteers, so to learn more about the local cuisine and introduce international elements.
Location: Donja Toponica (15 km from Nis).
Terminal: Nis, Belgrade, Sofia (BG)
Special requirements: The volunteers should have inclination towards teaching others through presenting the traditional and modern dances from their countries and/or have other artistic skills like painting. They should be nature and village lovers. Motivation letter needed.
Participation fee: 20€. It is used as an addition to the workcamp budget, for additional excursions, and various visitors’ tickets.
VSS03 LACISLED FORTRESS, Aleksandrovac
Archaeological
Dates: 20/07 – 03/08 Workcamp to be confirmed by the end of April
Number of volunteers: 15
Aleksandrovac is a small municipality in Central Serbia widely known as the wine-growing region. Due to its favourable climate and proximity to the Serbian medieval capital of Krusevac, the region has a very rich cultural heritage.
This workcamp is going to be focused on the remains of a fortress in the village of Lacisled which nobody ever investigated before. All we know about the site comes from the myths and legends that are told from generation to generation among local inhabitants. It is believed that the remains of the city belong to Serbian medieval knight Milos Obilic who killed the Ottoman emperor in the Kosovo battle in 14th century, which is considered to be the beginning of a new historical and mythological era for the Serbs.
This is the first time a workcamp is organized here by the local partner „Eko klub Zeljin”
Work: The volunteers will be working on cleaning up the vegetation from the site and access roads, do the preliminary investigation which will determinate the size of the location and the period from which it comes from, with the help of archaeologists and historians from the local museum. There will be organized various workshops about active participation of youth, so it is expected that all the volunteers take a part, as it is very important for this workcamp to raise awareness among the locals about active participation towards the community s needs.
Accommodation: Volunteers will be accommodated in Aleksandrovac, in the students’ dorm and they will prepare food for themselves by material provided. Depending on needs of volunteers, there will be vegetarian food available.
Terminal: Belgrade
Location: Aleksandrovac is located 250km south of Belgrade, in Central Serbia.
Participation fee: 15€. It is used as an addition to the workcamp budget, for additional excursions and material for work.
VSS04 KOSJERIC I – SOUNDING, Uzice
Art
Dates: 27/07 – 11/08
Number of volunteers: 7
Age limit: 23+
Kosjeric is a small town in the western part of Serbia, well known for its beautiful nature. A group of young people initiated workcamps to increase and affirm the cultural and touristic potentials through interaction between the locals and the volunteers in an international atmosphere.
Work: The idea for the music workshop is based on image and sound interaction and wider communication, as well as on a possible collaboration with other workshops taking place in Kosjeric camps (mural, graffiti and theatre workshop). The work process will be divided into three phases: a) Sound and spaces – the participants would create music for the video material that will be recorded in various localities; b) Sound and movement – the participants will make several improvisations together with the theatre workshop that will take in hand stage movement; c) Sound and colour – in cooperation with the mural workshop; the participants will produce several compositions connected to murals and graffiti and they will be performed during the camp. There will be a mini lecture on synthesis and interaction among different kinds of art expressions.
Visit:
Accommodation: local host families
Location: Kosjeric, 130 km south of Belgrade.
Terminal: Belgrade
Special Requirements: It is necessary to be able to play at least one instrument. As this is the 11th year of the workcamp, volunteers with academic background are welcome. Motivation letter required.
Participation fee: 30€. It is used as an addition to the workcamp budget, for additional excursions and material for work.
VSS05 KOSJERIC II – ARTBURG HILL (visual art workshop), Uzice
Art
Dates: 27/07 – 11/08
Number of volunteers: 7
Age limit: 23+
Kosjeric is a small town in the western part of Serbia, well known for its beautiful nature. A group of young people initiated workcamps to increase and affirm the cultural and touristic potentials through interaction between the locals and the volunteers in an international atmosphere.
Work: The aim of the workshop is to create permanent art installations on different sites of the town. The idea is to present gradation/degradation of the human living soul through its life stages. On the specific town locations, every stage of the human life would be presented through a symbol: childhood (rocking chair), love life (bench), sorrow (altered piece of rock), festivity (table) and old age. The workshop will consist of two phases. In the first – brainstorming for ideas, leaning on our past experiences and building up the theme. In the second – implementing the idea either in the studio or in the open. The materials used could be wood, stone, ceramic tiles, glass, etc. The main goal is to create discrete and enduring interactive town exhibition that is to stay with the Kosjeric locals.
Visit:
Accommodation: local host families
Location: Kosjeric, 130 km south of Belgrade.
Terminal: Belgrade
Special Requirements: tool skills, drawing, painting... As this is the 11th year of the workcamp, volunteers with academic background are welcome. Motivation letter required.
Participation fee: 30€. It is used as an addition to the workcamp budget, for additional excursions and material for work.
VSS06 KOSJERIC III – STREET GALLERIES, Uzice
Art
Dates: 27/07 – 11/08
Number of volunteers: 7
Age limit: 23+
Kosjeric is a small town in the western part of Serbia, well known for its beautiful nature. A group of young people initiated workcamps to increase and affirm the cultural and touristic potentials through interaction between the locals and the volunteers in an international atmosphere.
Work: The workshop will consist of two groups organized around the idea of “street galleries”. First group’s task will be painting murals and introducing innovations to the technical procedure of the wall painting itself. The basic medium shall be acrylic façade painting. However, interventions and experiments with the third dimension are also sought after. The primary goal of the second group work is introducing new forms of expression, graffiti art and spreading popular culture through interaction with young people. An art that’s been marginalized throughout decades and classified as subculture gets its own legitimate place and recognition through a phenomenon of a “street gallery”. Synthesis and collaboration between these two groups is possible depending on ideas and agreement among the members. According to their own affinities, the participants will decide between two groups in order to express their creativity to the full extent. The first camp days will pass in getting acquainted with the basics of the mural painting and graffiti, as well as in exchanging ideas among participants themselves. Apart from the masterpiece, there is also a possibility of creating stencils, tags. Visit: