EuroClub

Main target group of public union "Student-Youth Council" is youth and the organization during its existing realized many projects/activities for them and by their participation. But we would like to find such form of participation, which would give us a possibility, that the youngster would plan more independently their work and offer it to their peers and realize independently too. We didn`t go "faraway" and choose the *EuroClubs* as an example, which actually are functioning in all European countries, moreover in those countries, which took their course towards Euro integration. Apart of European countries, the *EuroClubs* are very popular in former Soviet Countries - in Ukraine, where their work became a part of schools studding program.

The history of *EuroClubs* started in Portugal in 80-ies of last century. Their members were traveling in Europe and getting know the culture and traditions of different countries and sharing their owns too, getting new contacts and making the friends. In 1991 year the *EuroClubs* were registering officially, in this process the great contribution have been put by the professor and dean of Nottingham Polytechnic University - Gordon Bell. The *EuroClubs* are the centers oriented on the education about European values, but main principle of their functioning is the voluntary work and the youngsters must express their initiatives. It`s important for the youngsters in order to show that they`ve a power and ability to plan, realize and put the changes by themselves in everyday life. What concerning the main work, *EuroClub* aims, to increase the information of youngsters about the culture and history of different countries, to conduct various creative and educational activities (concerts, literature and artistic competitions, ecological and social activities) to involve the *EuroClubs* in the International network of *EuroClubs*, to set the contacts with their peers, to take part in the international exchange programs and facilitation of youth involvement in social life of their community, city, district. For the youngsters it`s very important to join such clubs because they`ll have the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience, to realize their ideas, to have new familiars, to get interesting information for them and improve the knowledge of foreign languages, to use their free time for self-development.

In Georgian reality the first *EuroClubs* founded in 2008 year by helping of Polish Volunteers Karolina Janeczek and Andrzej Tyrpa in the frames of project *Let`s discover Europe together* supported by EVS program. The joint project of "Student-Youth Council" and its partner Polish organization "Stowarzyszenie Wzajemnej Pomocy - BONA FIDES" aimed just the founding of *EuroClubs*. The first *EuroClubs* were functioning as the non-registered unions in the villages of Ozurgeti municipality: at the base of Meria, Bakhvi and Shemokmedi public schools. Afterwards were some projects, where the volunteers were putting their contribution in the development of *EuroClubs*. At same time the youngsters were learning to plan and realize the activities independently, the "Student-Youth Council" was conducting the training courses for them and announcing mini grant competitions. In order to attract new members have been used *Young Leaders Program* (2009 and 2010), which took place twice and its winners have given the chance to realize their own activities in the frames of *EuroClub* already. In order to activate and expand the work of *EuroClub*, the "Student-Youth Council" made the decision to found the *EuroClubs* as separated organization, which would conduct its work independently, it has been realized on the 23 of March 2011 year, when the Youth Union *EuroClub*, established officially, here we would like to thank to those persons and organization, who put their contributions in the development of new organization: volunteers: Karolina Janeczek, Andrzej Tyrpa, Patrycja Kurowska, Joanna Korgul, Bartlomiej Jojczyk, Sylwia Skrzypczyk, Olivier de Lassat, Didier Malet; partner organizations: "Stowarzyszenie Wzajemnej Pomocy - BONA FIDES", "Polish Robert Schuman Foundation", "European Dialogue Society"; attorney governor of President of Georgia in Guria Region, Sakrebulo and Gamgeoba of Ozurgeti Municipality; public school directors: Mr. Avtandil Kechakmadze and Mrs. Nino Sadradze.

We`re glad that, our initiative has the followers and for this stage other public unions are interested too in the establishing/developing of the system of *EuroClubs*. With our information, "Georgian Association For Educational Initiatives" from Rustavi and "Young Republicans Institute" are already working towards this direction. We`ll be glad, if it other organizations will join us, because we could do more with joint effort.

"EuroClub" official FB page: www.facebook.com/GeorgiaEuroClub/