ADVANCE the Transcarpathian Advocacy and Development Centre was established on the 14th January, 2000. The founders were: Swiss Lutheran Church Aid (HEKS), Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) and Ukrainian individuals. This was made with the aim to fulfill some social, educational and informative programme, that focus on those disadvantaged people, who have problems with finding appropriate jobs.

For our activity open-mindedness and philanthropist way of thinking is characteristic. Our foundation endorsed those operating principals which were worked out by the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent (Code of Conduct) and which are supported by the UN and by the international aid Caritas.

Our programs:

• In 2000 the Civil Information Bureau was established, with the aim to provide free of charge legal aid service and social counseling for needed people.

• In 2005 the Perspectiva Learning Centre was established, and two of its courses have gained state accreditation: computer using training and social workers training.

• 2006-2008
  The assistance of marginalized group of people, networking and organization development in Western-Europe.

Supporter: European Union, TACIS IBPP program. The results of this two-year program:

• • 80 unemployed people have finished successfully the accredited computer-user course.

  • 72 unemployed people have finished successfully the elementary computer studies course.

  • 60 women have finished the modern house keeping techniques course

  • The ACCORD Western-Ukrainian civil organization network was established, which occupies 20 civil organizations.

• 2007, 2008-2009

The assistance of local civil initiatives

Supporter: Báthori Foundation, Poland.

As the result of the program we have announced mini-grants for the assistance of local initiatives in Beregovo and in Beregovo district in 2008-2009. The aim of the project was to support such social initiatives that try to solve some social problems in Beregovo and in Beregovo district as well as to stimulate the development of the area with the alliance of local communities, local inhabitants, NGOs, and business representatives. During the two-year program thirteen local organizations and initiatives have gained support:

• The improvement of the working conditions of the local social worker (Bene, Csoma)

• Organizational development (Senior citizens’ Club of Beregovo, Roma Women Association, Organization of Disabled of Beregovo)

• Discharging barriers at institutions for PRM people (Mezőgecse)

• Rebuilding stadiums, playgrounds and premises at schools/kindergartens (Jánosi, Gecse, Beregovo, Kaszony, Bakta, Zápszony, Csoma)

• 2008

Cross-border cooperation program for civil organizations in relation with the UN Neighborhood Policy

Supporters: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungarian Republic, Hungarian Interchurch Aid.

During those conferences and trainings which were organized for the members of ACCORD (20), they have got information’s about the neighborhood and partnership policy of the EU, about the reasons of its establishment, its main parts, about the possibilities of an international cooperation; they got practical training how to prepare a project material from the idea to the realization. In the frame of the project some of them traveled abroad with the aim of studying, they have visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungarian Republic, local governments, and social institutions of social organizations.

• 2009

Participation and role of Ukrainian civil organizations in the monitoring of the European Neighborhood Policy.

Supporter: APRODEV (Association of World Council of Churches related Development Organizations in Europe), Brussels.

In the frame of a conference, members of 42 Ukrainian civil organizations and international experts have discussed the possibilities of the cooperation between the EU and Ukraine in the frame of the European Neighborhood Policy, and evaluated the fulfillment of the 2007-2010 National Indicative Programs and the National Strategic Plan. The participants have made suggestions and have sent them to the European Committee.

• 2009

Teaching EU entrepreneurship, ensuring the knowledge transfer for the Transcarpathian entrepreur.

Supporter: Corvinus University, Hungary

About 44 people participated on the training, among them were beginners and those who have small businesses,they gained some information about the entrepreneurial opportunities in the EU, about the two sided Hungarian-Ukrainian cooperation, about business, incorporation, patent, project-writing and about project monitoring.

• 2010

The assistance of foreign-policy public opinion and foreign-policy advocacy

Supporter: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungarian Republic, Hungarian Interchurch Aid.

The aim of the professional trainings, which were held in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and in Beregovo, was to supply information for the members of Ukrainian organizations about the principals of humanitarian work, about its rules and terms, as well as about the operation of the European humanitarian organizations.

Our current programs

• IDEA (Information Dissemination and Equal Access)Supporter: PH International, Microsoft Unlimited Potential program

From December 2009, on the basis of ADVANCE, a qualified training centre works, which transacts computer studies trainings with the help of Microsoft professionals, who have worked out the training plan? 284 people took part on these trainings

Roma rights in Ukraine, Access to Education

Supporter: US Embassy in Ukraine.

The aim of the program, is to help roma children to finish their studies and after it to continue them with the help of different group or personal developing trainings. Our partners in the fulfillment of the program are some local and village schools, local governments, roma representatives as well as the workers of the social and educational departments of the town and of the district.

• Training activities enabling job placement for the disadvantaged population in Beregovo and Miskolc

Supporter: European Union, HU-SK-RO-UA ENPI Cross-border Cooperation program.

The unemployed people from Beregovo and from Beregovo district, disabled people and people from the roma community can use educational and counselling services, which help their social integration and their chance to work.

The following services are given during the program:

• Accredited computer studies training (750 lessons), expanded with a basic Ukrainian (45 lessons) or English language (35 lessons) course.

• Housekeeper training with lifestyle management advices(72 lessons)

• Waiter and cook training (3 months)

• Free of charge legal and social counseling
  Legal counseling: Monday-Friday, 12:00-16:00 (E.Eu time)

Social counseling: Monday-Friday, 9:00-12:00 (E.Eu time)