Press releases (english)

Prague, 3 February 2010 – The ninth year in a row a successful program “Make a Connection - Pripoj se” provides financial support to young volunteers to carry out their own projects to help the development of their communities.

In the Czech Republic the program is implemented by t he Foundation for the Development of a Civil Society (NROS) and Nokia. The successful applicants will not only benefit from financial contribution to their project activities, but will also learn how to manage their projects. They will also receive various trainings aimed at developing of their life skills. The amount of almost 3 million CZK will be distributed among these projects.

Projects for young people are not thematically limited, but they should be focused towards the support of the community or to improve the public space (neighborhood) where they live. The project activities give a chance to young people to take a part in social events and to influence their environment by themselves. During the eight years history of this program, over 630 projects were carried out by about 4500 young people. These p rojects have positively affected the lives of nearly 220 000 people in local communities.

“Iam very happy to see how young people participate and with our support become young leaders in a community. This program is a special chance for them and we want to extend this program for youngster so they can develop their skills even more,” says Hana Šilhánová, Director NROS.

The a pplicants for the grant should be aged 16 to 26 years, and their project can enter in the program by 31 March 2010. The independent evaluation committee will select the best projects, which will receive financial support up to 30 000 CZK. In addition to financial support the participants will receive several training courses led by professional tutors. These courses are concentrating on development of skills that are necessary for successful realization of their projects, as well as on improvement of their communication with media and fundraising.

Projects that are supported by “Make a Connection - Pripoj se” demonstrate that the young people care about the world around them. They are interested in active participation in the positive development of their communities, they are creative and responsible. In the eight year of this program, a documentary “About Volunteering” was filmed and introduces various forms of voluntary activities to the general public. Another project teams brought back the forgotten techniques of ancient crafts, building of a Celtic boat or held a debate on the twentieth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution.

The Marketing Director of Nokia Czech Republic Pavla Tomsová commented about the program “Make a Connection – Pripoj se”: "We are always happy to support young people in the Czech Republic. They themselves know the best what is needed in their neighborhoods; therefore they have great ideas about how to achieve what is needed. We are happy to support these young people whose energy and enthusiasm for important social causes is admirable. "

About the “Make a Connection – Připoj se” program

Make a Connection – Připoj se is part of a global initiative by Nokia and the International Youth Foundation (IYF). Its aim is to support the positive development of young people by offering them the opportunity to create closer ties with their families, peers and their environment in general. The program expands the educational opportunities for young people, and helps them to acquire the experience they need for their lives and to take an active role in their community. In April 2002 the “Make a Connection – Připoj se” program was launched in the Czech Republic as a joint initiative between the Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS) and Nokia. The program has been operating throughout the Czech Republic since 2008. The Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS) is responsible for the overall management and coordination of the program. More information about the “Make a Connection – Připoj se” program is available at www.pripojse.cz .

About The Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS)

The Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS) strives to reinforce the position of the non-profit sector in the Czech Republic through philanthropy and voluntary work, and through projects that contribute to development of civic society and to European integration. The Foundation supports non-profit organizations and governmental agencies working with endangered or disadvantaged groups; protects human rights, democratic values, tolerance, and respect for the rights of minorities; and increases public awareness about these issues. One of the Foundation’s main target groups are children and young people. More information about NROS is available at www.nros.cz

About Nokia

Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services it creates. It has invested in community projects supporting young people and education in 30 countries, benefiting more than 1 million young people. The company has an active employee volunteering program which last year saw its employees give more than 32,100 hours to local community projects. Nokia is also supporting innovative technology projects designed to bridge the digital divide and bring the benefits of mobile technology to communities around the world. More information is available at www.nokia.com/communityinvolvement

About the International Youth Foundation

The International Youth Foundation is a global non-profit organization uniquely dedicated to preparing young people to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens. Founded in 1990, IYF’s worldwide network of partner organizations has grown to 70 countries, helping young people to shape their futures through proven programs that tie education to work, improve employability, and enable and inspire them to play a positive role in their communities. IYF collaborates with businesses, governments and civil society organizations to build effective, sustainable, and scalable programs that positively impact the lives of young people worldwide. To learn more about IYF, please visit: www.iyfnet.org .

Questions from media:

NROS:

Kateřina Červená:

Tel: +420 227 217 215

Mobil: +420 604 973 188

Mail: katerina.cervena @ nros.cz