- Elena Panova, Co-ordinator of Volunteer Programmes, AYL

AYL is a non-profit, student-led organization of students and adults working collaboratively to help student leaders develop the understanding, skills and experience they need to positively impact on their schools, their communities and their future. The mission of AYL is to provide leadership training emphasizing ethics, integrity, and collaborative decision-making skills, and to enhance the quality of education by involving students in activities and programmes outside the classroom that build citizenship and encourage self-esteem. The purpose of AYL is to foster the development of civil society in Russia by growing knowledgeable, skilled and highly moral leaders who have strong experience with student self-government.

AYL has a range of domestic and international partners, and many affiliated groups. Some funding for recent projects has come from the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Institute (The Soros Foundation), but despite these funds and some state support, resources are insufficient to satisfy the high demand for leadership training provision. More than 8000 young people have participated in AYL leadership training so far. Peer trainers are also used - there are currently 220 peer trainers.

There is no more important gift to the future of Russia than a generation of young people committed to participatory democracy in their schools and communities. One of the permanent components of AYL's curriculum is Service Learning. This curriculum also includes voluntary projects for the community - the disabled, orphanages, public gardens etc, and after the formal service the volunteers often visit the project to help in their own time. This type of service is essential in Russia to help develop democracy. It is important also to teach people to use local skills and resources rather than to wait for central government to do everything. The benefits of the service are numerous - building citizenship, co-operation, and teamwork skills.

Voluntary service is essential to help combat environmental problems as well as assisting vulnerable people. In February 1998, AYL held the first nation-wide forum in Russia that was dedicated to promoting service and volunteerism among young people. The event was attended by 270 people from 110 organizations throughout Russia and included visitors from eleven other countries. AYL is now committing itself to developing and institutionalizing youth service programmes in several of Russia's regions where there are active AYL affiliates, so putting into practice its belief: "We are sure that our Youth are Russia's future".