Our permanent team was made up of 5 people (until May) and 4 people (until the end of the year). In addition, we were joined throughout the year by 1-2 foreign volunteers who took internships with us as part of an ESC program. In 2019, Veikka Vainikka (Finland), Arthur Beard (Great Britain), and Marion de Burosse (France) worked with us. Theo Normanton (Great Britain) and Zuzana Kovacicova (Slovakia) started their internships in 2019, and are continuing them into 2020.
Membership of the organisation
As of 31 December 2019, Interra has 27 members.
We made an important decision: only those who organise and run Interra projects can be members of the organisation. That includes our coordinators, who are the face of organisation, and who represent its interests. As members of the organisation, they can influence its activities, apply to become part of the Coordinating Committee, and always count on getting support.
The pool of coordinators contains around 30 people.
Management
Members of the Coordinating Committee: Natalia Pavlenko, Ekaterina Liubimova, Elena Liutko, and Elena Bobrovskaia.
Director: Elena Bobrovskaia
You can find the current version of our charter and learn more about our permanent team and our current coordinators here.
The most active towns in 2019 were Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk, and Nazarovo.
Statistics for Russia
Siberian Federal District (SFD): 79%
North-West Federal District (NWFD): 8%
Central Federal District (CFD): 6%
Volga Federal District (VFD) : 3,5%
Ural Federal District (UFD): 3%
Far Eastern Federal District (FFD): 0,4%
The hometowns of Russian participants
Abakan
Achinsk
Arkhangelsk
Barkhatovo rural locality
Borodino
Bratsk
Chaykovsky
Chelyabinsk
Ilansky
Irkutsk
Izhevsk
Kaliningrad
Kazan
Kirov
Kochergino village
Kodinsk
Kostroma
Krasnaya Sopka rural settlement
Krasnoyarsk
Kuznetsovka village
Moscow
Nazarovo
Novaya Solyanka settlement
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Perm
Petropavlovka village
Pskov
Saint Petersburg
Sosnogorsk
Tomsk
Tyumen
Ufa
Ulyanovsk
Yakutsk
Yaroslavl
Yekaterinburg
Yelabuga
Yelnik rural settlement
Zelenogorsk
Zheleznogorsk
In 2004 Interra was born as a youth organisation. But over the course of 15 years, we've outgrown this framework. Although young people up to the age of 30 are still the largest group of participants, in 2019 we also worked a lot with schoolchildren and teachers of formal and non-formal education.
But where are our international participants from?
Participants in Interra projects have come from as far afield as
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Estonia
France (La Reunion)
Germany
Ghana
Georgia
Great Britain
Ireland
The Ivory Coast
Kuwait
Moldova
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovenia
Spain
Tanzania
Ukraine
THE YEAR IN NUMBERS
17
the number of international and local educational projects for schoolchildren, young people, professionals and citizens that we organised (or were a key partner or co-organiser of)
1705
the number of people who took part in international and local Interra projects. This includes participants from Russia and around the world.
And many more have participated in our projects as host families, partners, volunteers, and visitors. It's impossible to count them all
31
people in the Interra Coordinators chat
22
volunteers from Russia took part in volunteering projects abroad with Interra's help
114
meetings, presentations and conversation clubs held by foreign Interra volunteers in various sites around Krasnoyarsk, Divnogorsk, Tomsk, Kansk, Achinsk, Novokuznetsk, Prokopevsk, and Ilansky
HIGHLIGHTS
/ things to be proud of /
Collaboration with two museums
We became part of a strong cross-sectoral team. Alongside the Museum Centre 'Peace Square' and the V.I. Surikov Museum, we organised the Siberian Art Laboratory DAKK.
Art in the city
Two training programmes for coordinators of international projects
We've launched two educational programmes which cater to two groups: firstly, for participants in our projects who want to try their hand at coordinating; and secondly, for anyone interested in international activities.
INTERRA FRESH and Horizons of Development (in partnership with MitOst Hamburg and drb).
We hope that these programmes will help to further improve the quality of our projects, give the participants the opportunity for personal growth, and expand our pool of coordinators.
"You aren't born a coordinator, you become one."
'Not the Capital' gains steam
Stavropol has now got its own 'Not the Capital' project. It looks like it might have appeared in a few other regions of Russia as well.
A mobile app called 'Mum, I'm an Urbanist' is also in the process of development. It will teach us how to predict the reaction of urban communities to such projects and offer guidance on how to respond to opposition. Our practice has shown that many young activists faced with the objection of others often give up.
#notyourcapital
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
One of the best non-formal education programmes
Two of our projects have been recognised by experts as successful cases in the sphere of non-formal education. The 'Not the Capital' urbanism course was presented at the Forum of Social Innovation at Moscow as one of the best social cases in Russia, and was included in the catalog 'Festial of Social Franchises'. The project 'Forum Theatre: a Step Forwards' was published in the Atlas of Non-Formal Educational Practices.
Let's share our expertise
Interra's 15-year jubilee
coincided with the 15-year anniversary of the Agreement on Youth Collaboration between Russian and Germany, which was concluded by both governments in 2004. During this time, we have held more than 60 exchange projects with Germany. Interra is in the top three leading Russian organisations for the number and quality of youth exchanges.
This is the second year that we've held a workshops for teachers using the Forum Theatre method, which is very well suited to both teachers and teenagers. The number of teachers introducing Forum Theatre into their activities is steadily growing. And to support them, we've also developed a teaching kit on the theme of bullying in the classroom.
"Schoolchildren are actively getting involved in Forum Theatre, and they're showing an interest in the resolution of conflicts"
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Members of the Committee for the Development of Volunteering in Krasnoyarsk Region
Interra has joined the executive of the interdepartmental programme 'Development of Volunteering in Krasnoyarsk Region in the period 2019-2024'. Our specialism is the development of international cooperation
We promote international volunteering
STORIES 2019
EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN
/ click on the pictures to find a story (article, video, or post) about one of our projects /
Urbanism masterclass 'Not the Capital'
July-November, Nazarovo and Krasnoyarsk
✓ 29 participants + 3 trainers + 2 coordinators
✓ urban development and project management
English Summer School
June 1-10, Stolby nature reserve, Narim Camp, Krasnoayarsk
✓ 33 schoolchildren + 5 teachers +4 volunteers from England, the Netherlands, France
✓ thinking globally, the culture of dialogue and collaboration
A Carnival of Inclusion
July 24-31, Dublin
✓ 50 schoolchildren from Russia, Ireland, France, Slovenia, and Austria + 11 coordinators
✓ intercultural communications, the culture of dialogue and collaboration
We all came from different parts of the world... On the one hand, this was scary, but on the other hand, it opened up so many new opportunities.
It was an incredible meeting of people and opinions from around the world, and I received so much satisfaction from working in a group with them. The themes each day were relatively serious: stereotypes, bullying, globalisation. Every opinion was heard and taken into account without any judgement, even though sometimes they didn't all conform with each other.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS
/ click on the pictures to find a story (article, video, or post) about one of our projects /
Wind and Waves in the Canary Islands
Russo-German sailing project
January 19 - February 13
✓ 67 participants from Russia and Germany + 4 trainers + 45 members of crew from the brig
✓ adventure education, intercultural communication, the culture of dialogue and collaboration
Carpathian Explore!
international project
July 15-24, Carpathians, Ukraine
✓ 35 participants from Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Spain, and Norway
✓ adventure education, intercultural communication, the culture of dialogue and collaboration
International Summer School at SFU
Global Entrepreneurship: opportunities and challenges
collaborative project with IBPME SFU August 3-15, Krasnoyarsk
✓ 12 people from Russia, Kuwait, Moldova, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Portugal + 1 expert + 1 coordinator
✓ global entrepreneurship, sustainable development
Carpathian Stories
international project with the participation of young people from 6 different countries
August 26 - September 9,
Ukrainian Carpathians, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
✓ 30 participants from Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Spain, Belarus, and Poland + 6 coordinators
✓ ecology and sustainable development, digital activism and critical thinking
Wind and Waves
russo-german youth sailing project
4 voyages: July - September,
Baltic Sea and North Sea
✓ 45 russians + 45 germans + 45 members of crew from the brig
✓ adventure education, intercultural communication, a culture of collaboration
Future Spaces
international research project on urban life
August 12-30
Hamburg, Berlin, Hitzacker
✓ 23 participants from Russia, Germany, and Tanzania + 7 coordinators
✓ sustainable urban development устойчивое
Routes and Roots
September 8-18 Saxon Switzerland, Germany
✓ 21 participants from Russia and Ukraine
✓critical thinking, a culture of remembrance, intercultural communication
Zoom In! Memories of a Socialist Past
international project with the participation of young people from Russia, Germany, and Ukraine
September 14-22, Gerlitz
✓ 18 participants from Russia, Ukraine, and Germany + 10 locals who were interviewed for our photoproject
✓ a culture of remembrance
Chronos & Kairos: Reflections of Time
December 26 2019 - January 9 2020
Berlin, Hamburg, Claustahl-Zellerfeld
✓ 17 Russians + 17 Germans
✓ intercultural communication, a culture of dialogue and collaboration
Before the trip I had a thousand and one reasons not to go, like fear and exhaustion. But it turned out to be the best adventure of the summer, with the coolest people from all across Europe.
I hope that lots of other young people travel, learn, and see the world. Only after such an experience can you really see a map of the world.
EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS FOR TEACHERS AND OTHERS
/ click on the pictures to find a story (article, video, or post) about one of our projects /
Forum Theatre: a Step Forwards
Masterclass on teaching young people using interactive learning methods
November 29 - December 31, Krasnoyarsk
✓ 13 teachers from Krasnoyarsk Krai + 1 expert + 1 coordinator
Interra Fresh
Educational course on the technologies used for organising exchange projects, international seminars, camps etc.
April-December,
online
✓ 40 participants + 3 coordinators
Horizons of Development for International Exchange Projects
Seminar for coordinators of russo-German exchanges
November 15-22, Maschen
✓ 15 russians + 15 Germans + 5 coordinators
Visual Facilitation
International training course Interra partner project
November 16 - 22, Vilnius
✓ 3 teachers
Read Between the Lines
International training course on critical thinking and media literacy for teachers and young professionals from 10 different countries
Interra partner project
October 16-22, Vilnius
✓ 2 teachers
ONGOING PROJECTS
/ click on the pictures to find a story (article, video, or post) about one of our projects /
'OKNA' Open Space
lounge/workspace with a library and educational events.
Collaborative project alongside 'Peace Square' Museum Centre
✓ more than 1000 people have taken part in events organised by Interra and our partners in 2019
European Solidarity Corps
ESC
volunteering programme for young people up to the age of 30
BookGames
literary and communicational training courses on the development of critical thinking based on modern children's literature.
Partner project with 'Peace Square' Museum Centre
SKOLKI (СКОЛКИ)
Online journal about non-formal education
Partner project with the Association of Russian Coaches 'ARTa' ('АРТа')
Russo-German School Exchange
A programme which sends Russian schoolchildren aged 15-18 to Germany/Austria for three months
Open World
Themed meetings held by Interra's foreign volunteers at public sites in Krasnoyarsk and other towns
What does Interra live off?
Overall income in 2019:
1 897 266, 98 rub.
Sources of income:
Grants (RF): 711 250 rub.
Overseas grants: 591 514, 83 rub.
Services: 462 502,15 rub.
Members' contributions and charitable donations: 39 000 rub.
Other: 96 000 rub.
Expenses
All funds received were spent directly on the implementation of the organisation's programmes and projects, with the exception of banking and accounting services.
We love sharing our experience
Over 15 years of work in non-formal education, we've gained a lot of useful experience. We're always happy to share it:)
Why not invite us to hold a training session and master class at your school? For schoolchildren or for teachers.
Or invite our experts to advise you.
We're always happy to hear from you and willing to discuss proposals!
Выступили приглашенными экспертами:
● Berlin Dialogue: the 15-year Agreement on Youth Collaboration between Russia and Germany - stories of success and potential' (Berlin)
● International scientific and practical conference 'Collaboration between Russia and Europe. Dialogue between citizens of Russia, CIS countries, the Baltic states, and Europe' (Moscow)
● Panel discussion 'the role of NGOs in civil education' at the Krasnoyarsk Institute for Advanced Studies (Krasnoyarsk)
● Cultural-historical seminar of Russian Germans (Bayreuth)
● Discussion club of the Avant-Garde of Russian Germans (Omsk)
● Congress of youth governments of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (Ulyanovsk)
● Festival of Non-Formal Education (Chelyabinsk)
● All-Russian contest 'The Volunteer of Russia' (Krasnoyarsk)
● Ecological festival on the South Bank (Krasnoyarsk)
Выступили приглашенными тренерами:
● Training course 'ART as a means of conversation with the town' (Syktyvkar)
● Programme of development of cross-regional and cross-sectorial collaboration in the field of harmonisation of interethnic relations (Yaroslavl, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk)
● Territory 2020 (Krasnoyarsk Krai)
- Interra is unique. I'm lucky to live in Krasnoyarsk, because that's where Interra is. An organisation that enables young people living so far away from everything to be closer to other countries and their different worlds. What Interra does strongly changed my outlook on the world.
Thank you.
7 reasons to be
#why_interra
1. Broaden your horizons, discover different points of view, form your own opinions. Understand the world we're living in.
Everyone - absolutely everyone - was interested in discussing different themes, and in the end we talked about our peoples' histories (which, of course, were inextricably linked!). The media in different towns present information in very different ways, and we tried to build a more objective point of view on the problems facing our countries, on togetherness, on our worldviews.
Dmitriy Baydakov, Krasnoyarsk
2. The chance to have a new and extraordinary experience which can provide a reboot, a change of trajectory, and a powerful impetus for development
In these six months I learned more about myself than at any other time. The project was like a course in self-discovery for me, and a starting point for a new life.
Katya Chalova, Tyumen
Such programmes are vitally necessary to help people understand that you can live and think differently.
From an anonymous feedback form
3. Establish dialogue and good neighbourly relations between people from different countries and cultures
Youth projects exist so that totally different people can meet and start start to see things and start to look at things from the same perspective. Then they'll start having more thoughts and ideas in common. They say the results of such collaboration can be extraordinary...
Oksana Matveeva, Saint Petersburg
People from completely different countries and cultures had such a harmonious and fun time that I wondered: why is there so much conflict in the world if we're all part of one whole? We're all individual, but so similar at the same time.
Elizaveta Khrulyeva, Krasnoyarsk
... you've only got seven days with these people... then four days... three, two, one... And the chances are you'll never see these people again. But nevertheless you feel like these georgians, spaniards, norwegians, hollanders, ukrainians, and estonians are already rooted in your heart.
Tina Sukhova, Krasnoyarsk
4. Learn something new
I've already been on the path to an environmentally friendly lifestyle for a year and three months now. It all started in August 2018 with Krasnoyarsk non-governmental organisation Interra's ecological programme (I think it was called Eco Echo?) At the time, everything was new, strange, and unknown to me, even quite complicated. There was lots of information to take on too. But, with baby steps, I soon found myself on the path to being #ecofriendly. I remember what I started doing straight away - sorting plastic from paper... and everything spiralled out from there... And now here I am, and I can confidently say that I'm a #ecoactivist and a citizen scientist!
Daria Efimovich, Krasnoyarsk
Now I can't even imagine my life without it! Without Forum Theatre! In our school (school 150) a troupe of actors was formed complete with its own repertoire. We travelled around schools in Krasnoyarsk with this troupe. And today, at the masterclass 'Forum Theatre: a Step Forwards', it was just great to see that our method resonated with teachers and schoolchildren who've only just discovered it! Our ranks are growing, and that's great!
Thank you Nastya and Olga! You're in my heart.
Katerina Ilvutikova, Krasnoyarsk
The thematic training was brilliantly organised. Thank you Interra and Erasmus+ for giving me the opportunity to tap into your 'intellectual capital'. The coaches were awesome, as were their training methods and their techniques for group work.
Yana Golubotsova, Krasnoyarsk
This was an amazing experience for me. Before, I didn't know exactly what history teaching method I liked most. Now, following the project, I understand which methods suits me better and which ones I want to use. New thoughts and ideas are starting to arise in my head, and participating in this project even inspired me to create my own project.
Yulia Elova, Krasnoyarsk
5. Motivation to re-discover your own culture
The sincere curiosity about themselves and their cultures shown by participants from other countries encourages in you the same curiosity about your own culture.
You immediately find out what you really love and value in your culture.
Yekaterina Vishnevskaya, Krasnoyarsk
6. Learn to think globally but act locally: develop the place where you live
Understand and take personal responsibility for the place where you live. Politics is politics, and the weather is the weather, but it's the people who make a place what it is, and you're one of them.
Yekaterina Vishnevskaya, Krasnoyarsk
It's all in our hands. If we don't do something great for our town, nobody else is going to do it!
Lizi Deminova, Nazarovo
I couldn't have imagined just a year ago that, thanks to these people and trips, I would realise that every place has its problems, and just emigrating isn't a way to solve them. The most effective way to improve your life and the lives of those around you is to act here and now. Find your niche, develop it, and work for good.
Katya Chalova, Tyumen
7. Realise your dreams (and simply make yourself happy:)
Have you ever dreamed of going sailing? I've dreamed of this since my childhood, but frankly I never thought that it would come true. When I was little, my favourite fairytale was Sinbad the Sailor. Images of ships on the stormy sea and adventures have stayed in my head ever since. This summer, my childhood dream became a reality.
Anastasia Bochkareva, Krasnoyarsk
I'm happy to be here, and I try to enjoy every moment. Listen to your heart and follow your dreams, no matter what.
Elena Yermeeva, Cheboksari
My greatest dream has come true - I've been to France! I lived, worked, travelled, and just relaxed there for a whole month.
Irina Volkova, Saint Petersburg
If Interra was a for-profit corporation, I would be its most loyal customer. But as it is, I'm the happiest participant in an international exchange. Your projects, your people, your values and ideas are just incredible. I really hope that I cross paths with Interra again.
From an anonymous feedback form
Celebrating 15 years of Interra. December 2019
Become a part of Interra
Participate in our projects. Volunteer. Come along to Okna's open meetings and clubs. Become an ambassador. Invite us to give a masterclass. And if there's an opportunity to do so, we're always happy to share our experience of conferences and forums with you.
If you share our values and you'd like to support us, make a charitable donation. For a non-profit organisation, this isn't just financial support, but also moral support, giving us the strength to move forwards and do better.
We'd also be delighted to receive any informational support. If you're a journalist, photographer, or blogger, and you'd like to make material about us, then please do get in touch.
Feel free to write to info@interrasibir.ru with any questions you may have
THANK YOU
from the bottom of our ♥
MitOst Hamburg e.V. for all our joint adventures and for your readiness to develop the quality of our projects, for your support in difficult situations
MitOst Berlin e.V. for more than 10 years of partnership, for your support of our 'Not the Capital' project, for your help in difficult situations, for your new take on the development of civil society, and for the inspiration that you give
To the Museum Centre 'Peace Square' for a strong partnership
To SFU's Institute of Business Process Management and Economics for an international summer school which we've run three years in a row
To the German-Russian Centre drb for their collaboration, friendship, and partnership in the 5-year project Wind and Waves
To Stolby Nature Reserve and the scientific and educational complex 'Narim' for their collaboration and an inspiring site for our English Summer Camp
A separate thank you to ourcoordinators for the ideas, experience, and strength which you invest in the development of the organisation; thank you to all host families for giving our foreign volunteers the opportunity to experience real life in Russia; thank you to our ambassadors for sharing and spreading our values; and thank you to the team that organised Interra's birthday party for the party which you threw us
And thank you to the many others who are with us:)
Material prepared by Irina Bobrovskaya
Translation by Theo Normanton
Photographs by: Björn Bühler, Oksana Matveeva, Victoria Slobodchikova, Hebron Geofrey, Elena Rother, Simon Wulf, Daniel Kiermut, Elena Bobrovskaya, Dmitriy Shabalin, Suzannah Kovachichova, Danil Kravtsov, Anna Jargal, Katharina Mark
Photos in reviews are from the personal profiles of participants оn social networks
