Spreading the spirit of initiative and volunteerism.
(Baonghean) - During the exchange, Comrade Pham Tuan Vinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Youth Union, Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union - affirmed that the Youth Union always promotes the creative spirit of young people, and regularly takes the lead and volunteers in serving the people.
Inspiring the spirit of volunteerism among young people.
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| Volunteer mobilization ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Square. Photo: My Nga |
PV:In early March, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Youth Union organized the launching ceremony for Youth Month 2019. Could you share what activities the various levels of the Youth Union have been and are currently undertaking to inspire the "youth spirit"?
Provincial Youth Union Secretary Pham Tuan Vinh:Along with young people nationwide, the 2019 Youth Month was implemented with the theme "Nghe An Youth Volunteer for the Community".
The Standing Committee of the Provincial Youth Union focuses on directing the implementation of key tasks in four main areas: Strengthening the education of revolutionary traditions and ideals for Youth Union members; Organizing activities to promote the creative spirit of youth; Undertaking youth projects and tasks to contribute to building new rural areas and civilized urban areas, implementing social welfare activities, and serving the people; Organizing activities to support youth in creative entrepreneurship, providing career counseling and job placement for Youth Union members and young people.
With that orientation, at the start of Youth Month, the youth of the province marked the event with meaningful and practical activities such as: holding Youth Union meetings; building charitable houses; organizing voluntary blood donation; providing free medical examinations and medicine to the people; conducting a province-wide environmental cleanup, eliminating environmental hotspots; planting trees; guiding traffic safety and order...
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| Provincial Youth Union leaders visit seriously wounded and sick soldiers; Youth volunteers from Vinh Medical University provide free medical examinations and medicine to the people; Nghe An youth respond to the "Every young person a creative idea" campaign. Photo: My Nga |
With the spirit of "Pioneering - Courage - Unity - Creativity," activities in response to Youth Month and the 2019 Youth Volunteer Year have created a vibrant atmosphere of competition, igniting the flame of volunteerism into creative and effective actions in learning, working, and contributing to projects that bear the distinct mark of knowledge, strength, and enthusiasm of young people.
"Activities in response to Youth Month and the 2019 Year of Youth Volunteers have ignited the spirit of volunteerism, transforming it into creative and effective actions and deeds by young people."
PV:The "Youth Volunteer" movement has been going on for 20 years, spreading positively and affirming the role of youth in the community. In keeping with this spirit, what distinctive marks have the youth of Nghe An left behind, Comrade?
Provincial Youth Union Secretary Pham Tuan Vinh:Through the leadership of the Youth Union, the volunteer spirit of Nghe An youth has developed into a widespread and vibrant "Youth Volunteer" movement with the motto: "Wherever youth are needed, youth will be there; whatever is difficult, youth will overcome it."
Over the past 20 years, it can be affirmed that the Youth Volunteer Movement is a continuation of the spirit of "Three Ready" and "Five Volunteers" of previous generations. From the initial small-scale movements, volunteer activities have now expanded, diversified in form, and become more meaningful and practical, attracting the participation of a large number of young people.
Many Youth Union and Association branches have implemented very good and effective methods with a high level of social impact, such as: car wash fundraising; rescuing agricultural products for farmers; charity music nights; and participating in youth projects and activities.
For example, youth organizations have provided assistance and mentorship to over 200 disadvantaged students to help them excel in their studies; and established charitable clubs.
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| Youth union members wash cars to raise funds; donate bicycles to underprivileged students; and help farmers rescue their produce. (Photo: Archival image) |
"All the activities of the volunteer movement have made the image of the youth union members, with their blue shirts and pink hearts, even more beautiful than ever."
In particular, since 2011, in response to the National Target Program on building new rural areas, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Youth Union has mobilized all youth union members to join hands with local authorities at all levels.
Each year, the organization directs the establishment of 40-45 focused, specialized youth volunteer teams to provide support to mountainous communes and areas facing extreme difficulties.
Millions of youth union members and young people participated in dredging and constructing tens of thousands of kilometers of irrigation canals and rural roads, building thousands of green fences and mural fences, transforming the face of many rural areas throughout the province.
The volunteer movement has also attracted the participation of thousands of young civil servants, soldiers, police officers, businesspeople, and doctors.
Many volunteer activities, both campaign-based and emergency, have been organized promptly in response to natural disasters in the area, creating a synergistic effect in society and becoming a source of support for the people during difficult times.
Furthermore, volunteer activities have expanded to cover rural areas, urban centers, and islands. In particular, many volunteer teams have reached disadvantaged areas in neighboring Laos, contributing to fostering solidarity between the two countries and promoting Vietnamese culture, image, and people to the Laotian people.
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| The volunteer movement attracted the participation of a large number of young volunteers. (Photo: Archival image) |
Spreading into life
PV:In order for the summer volunteer campaign of the "Youth Volunteer" movement to become more practical, higher-quality, and more widely disseminated, what innovations do you think are necessary?
Provincial Youth Union Secretary Pham Tuan Vinh:Following the Central Committee of the Youth Union's selection of the theme for 2019 as "Year of Youth Volunteers," the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union has determined to promote the development of exemplary models, best practices, and outstanding individuals and groups in the youth volunteer movement.
This includes focusing on developing high-impact volunteer programs such as: Spring Volunteer Program, Youth Month, Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign, and Winter Volunteer Program.
"The Provincial Youth Union has identified 11 main targets, including striving to complete at least two provincial-level youth projects to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Youth Volunteer Movement."
100% of district-level Youth Unions mobilized the establishment of new or the effective operation of at least one youth cooperative or youth stall; each district, city, and town Youth Union provided career guidance to over 600 Youth Union members and young people, and introduced 150 Youth Union members and young people to specific jobs;...
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| Carrying the traditional flame during the launching ceremony of "Youth Month" 2019. (Archive photo) |
In particular, besides promoting on-site and in-depth volunteer activities, closely adhering to the province's administrative reform goals for the year, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee has developed a plan and guidelines for youth union members in the civil servant and public employee sector to implement the movement in conjunction with their professional duties, with the goal that each youth union member actively contributes to administrative reform, developing ideas, and each youth union member volunteers to work at least 40 additional hours per year to serve the people and businesses.
Setting these specific targets demonstrates a determination to spread volunteer activities into people's lives. Besides attracting a large number of youth union members to participate, it also aims to contribute to creating positive impacts and changing the awareness and perceptions of the community.
PV:Thank you, comrade!
