On December 3, in the Centre for Culture and Leisure of the Poltava City Territorial Community, with the support of the Department of Culture, Youth and Family of the Poltava City Council, the Forum of volunteers “We win together” was held, dedicated to the International Volunteer Day.
From the first days of the war, the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” became a centre of humanitarian aid, and enterprising youth created the Volunteer Headquarters. Comfortable conditions were set up for internally displaced persons in the campus of the university and in the dormitory of the College of Oil and Gas, provided with free hot meals and delivery of additional food from benefactors, assistance with processing documents, employment consultations and visits by medical humanitarian missions. On the basis of the College of Oil and Gas, there was a centre for issuing individual food kits for IDPs, as well as charity concerts and performances by famous Poltava artists took place at the university.
The team of the university directed the greatest efforts to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine – donated one day’s earnings to the needs of Ukrainian defenders, contributed to the improvement of the level of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with innovative developments and constantly supports fundraising for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is organized by the Volunteer Headquarters and plays an important role in the youth volunteer movement.
The founder of the Volunteer Headquarters of the Poltava Polytechnic, a well-known rap artist, the head of the University’s Center for Culture and Student Creativity and the Rector’s advisor on youth policy Artem Loik became the speaker of the “Volunteering as a Lifestyle” discussion, talking about the effectiveness of the volunteer movement with proactive students.
“You just applauded us, now applaud yourself. From the beginning of the war, I think, like everyone else, I didn't know where I would be most effective. At first I made “cocktails”, then I went to the TrD. And then I realized that it is possible to unite and only together do some really important things.
I came to my home university – the Poltava Polytechnic, offered to make a headquarters, united the efforts of students. I was supported by the rector, teachers and students themselves. The first days were psychologically difficult, but when we united, it somehow became easier for everyone. We started with assistance to internally displaced persons who started arriving in our dorms, and point-wise transfer of humanitarian aid to Sumy region, Kharkiv region, and Chernihiv region.
Then we began to cooperate with other Poltava volunteer centres, to which I thank for their support.
Later, we moved to the cultural front – we started holding concerts in order to continue supporting our defenders and the people here, who, despite the difficulties, will contribute to their needs. This is how we buy the necessary equipment for defenders, among whom there are many graduates of our university.
Therefore, our case proves: strength lies in unity,” – emphasized Artem Loik.
Volunteers also visited useful and interesting locations to expand their arsenal of knowledge and skills:
- “Legal aspects of volunteering” by lawyer of the NGO “Institute of Analytics and Advocacy”, head of the Bar Association “Malinnikova, Kurbala and Partners” Daria Malinnikova and lawyer of the NGO “Institute of Analytics and Advocacy”, lawyer of the Bar Association “Malinnikova, Kurbala and Partners” Dmytro Piddubnyi;
- “Social media in volunteer activities” by director of the creative agency “ABDV group” and NGO “ABDV media team” Bohdan Radkevych;
- “Fill up in order to give back” – a psychological lecture on recovery and resilience by head of the Centre for Mental Health of MI “Regional Institute for Psychiatric Care of POR”, a psychologist of the highest category Nataliia Suprunenko;
- “Short course of F.AID” by paramedics of the British project UK Med.
“It’s nice to be in a community of people who work every day, bringing the Victory of Ukraine closer. Volunteering is really a lifestyle! Let’s win together! Glory to Ukraine!” – say the volunteers of the Polytechnic.
The most active participants of the forum received useful gifts from the event partners.
Recently, students and teachers of the Department of Finance, Banking and Taxation produced 600 hours of heat for defenders, future translators collected charitable aid for the Armed Forces unit and visited a detention centre for homeless animals.
Previously, the cult DJs ProBASS & Hardi played at a charity student party in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and from Poltava Polytechnic started their charity tour of Ukrainian universities; instead of a traditional party for freshmen, the Volunteer Headquarters of Poltava Polytechnic organized a charity concert to raise funds for an SUV for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (in an hour they collected 35 000 hryvnias); in the summer, Poltava Polytechnic students collected funds for a thermal imager for the Armed Forces of Ukraine within one evening; supported the charity event of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv students and the Prytula Foundation “Bachelor 4.5.0”; physical therapists and rehabilitation students helped the victims of the war to recover; student volunteers handed over to displaced people humanitarian aid from the Poznan University of technology, and also helped the children of IDPs to get everything necessary for school.
It should be recalled that the displaced persons and the mayor awarded the Polytechnic team with Citations, and the defenders honoured the Polytechnic team for their contribution to the victory of Ukraine.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
