We’ve come a long way from a student initiative to a professional youth organization. This has been a long journey full of ups and downs, achievements and disappointments. The idea to establish an organization for young people came to us back in 2007 when we were studying in Yerevan State University. It was a challenging period for Armenia; few youth organizations existed, the approach of the authorities towards any independent non-governmental organization was rather hostile and few youngsters did benefit from local and international educational activities, training and study trips abroad. This kind of information was carefully kept by ‘non-transparent’ youth organizations and corrupted student unions, so only a limited number of ‘chosen’ people could profit. And this was what we were coming to change.
It took 2 years of brainstorming, strategy development, meetings and discussions when finally in 2009 we were officially registered as an NGO with an aim to support personal and professional development of young people in Armenia by engaging them in non-formal education activities and increasing their access to training and mobility opportunities.
Our ambitions were growing with the time together with our funding, capacity, knowledge, human recourses and areas of activities. Throughour engagement in youth work we grew from volunteers to highly competent young professionals: activists, leaders, youth workers, trainers, facilitators who are leading APY today. During the last 6 years APY organized hundreds of activities, campaigns, events and projects in Armenia and neighbouring countries involving children, teenagers, youngsters, youth workers, volunteers, adults and their communities.
Our story does not end here. In 2016 APY is going to expand its activities throughout the regions of Armenia involving young people from rural communities and creating opportunities for rural youth development. At the same time, we are going to host large international events on the topic of youth radicalization and marginalization.Furthermore, we will kick off one year long media program aiming at reconciliation between Armenian and Turkish societies. We are also evaluating our work of the past years and try to find new innovative ways of working with young people.
APY is all about people who make it. Using this opportunity I would like to thank all those who ever contributed to the organization; first of all our current and ex local and international volunteers, staff members, board members and founders. I would like to exceptionally acknowledge the work of Erik Ghazaryan, Maria Simonyan, Nelly Paytyan, Anna Meliksetyan, Ani Khachatryan, Shavarsh Gevorgyan, Liana Hayrapetyan, Tatevik Davitavyan, Adrine Aghabekyan, Ani Janyan, Robert Markosyan, Sargis Khandanyan and Dagmara Kedziora. They have been part of our family during different years and periods but we believe that once you are in APY you stay with us forever. Thank you!