Eight Extreme Style volunteers completed GOD level finalizing the NFE training module within our project. Due to ongoing war and generally unsafe circumstances in Sumy region, Ukraine, Extreme Style association had a challenging task to involve volunteers in the NFE training session as well as organize a sport event. However after careful planning and consideration 8 young people have been recruited to join the project. Volunteers gathered from July 17th to 20th while our trainers helped them learn what it actually takes to organize an urban sport and culture event.
During the first day volunteers got an idea on what our project is, its goals and purpose. They were given information on how the event organization function and got to organize a sport event themselves in theory. Volunteers were encouraged to think of the skills and competencies necessary for sport event managers and were given examples on how to try and implement those during their volunteering activities.
In collaboration with Ukrainian-Danish Youth House an idea to organize a DIY graffiti event and film a documentary about young urban people of Sumy was created and it was a much needed encouragement for Extreme Style association to organize a combination of urban culture and extreme sport event. The exact dates were kept a secret and weren't shared publicly because the imperative was to keep everyone safe even though the situation in Sumy was stable.
Our volunteers got to help during the two day graffiti event and through next week got to participate in filming the documentary at the Sumy skate park where usually the extreme sport contest is held. Volunteers were involved in creating the sketch for the mural, had the assignment to help the artists and event organizers to make preparations and with painting the wall. Within the next few days they participated in filming of the documentary, a couple of them are extreme sport athletes so their stories were featured in the film and they got to showcase their riding skills. The documentary was filmed in a couple of stages, one part during the graffiti event on July 19th and 20th and other materials throughout the week up to July 28th at the streets of Sumy and in the skate park.
The entire partner consortium of the Urban Sport and Culture Volunteers project is appreciative and proud of our Ukrainian partners for reinforcing positivity and bringing back hope to areas heavily affected by war.
We are thankful to our volunteers for being part of telling the story of perseverance and the importance of developing the street culture of the Sumy region despite the hardships.