Participate

The volunteers and members in our team do for example:

• research human rights violations
• write case studies, appeal letters or calls for action
• plan, coordinate and organize actions and entire campaigns
• organize local information desks and events
• create content and manage our social media channels
• design campaigning materials and social media share pictures
• write press releases and background articles
• programme and design websites, online actions and web banners
• lobby politicians and other stakeholders
• fundraise for our causes
• found new regional LIBERECO groups
• translate texts (English, Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian)

Sending a postcard to someone in prison in Belarus (or doing more in support of political prisoners), sending a package to Ukraine (or doing more), organising a Facebook fundraiser or sharing our posts and stories on your private social media profiles. These are all things you can easily do on your own and encourage people around you to do. If you share pictures of your actions, it might motivate others, too. And if you have an idea, don’t hesitate to present it to us! The chances are quite high that other volunteers want to join. And in any case you can get support by LIBERECO’s staff – just ask!

Example: Over Christmas LIBERECO members write postcards to political prisoners in Belarus. The social media group has made visuals showing these solidarity actions and hoping to inspire others.

LIBERECO has several working groups to coordinate its projects that are (mainly) run by volunteers. Examples are:

• the godparenthood campaign where main volunteer tasks are writing to M(E)Ps urging them to “adopt” a Belarusian political prisoner
• the social media group where you can support developing visuals and posting about LIBERECO’s activities
• the politics and human rights group where you can support writing to companies who still advertise on Belarusian state television or join in other lobby initiatives.

Fill out our form linked above and contact volunteer@libereco.org about joining any of these groups. We coordinate our activities via Signal, Zoom, and email.

Examples: One volunteer joined LIBERECO from Ireland and has since convinced over 30 politicians to adopt a prisoner. Another volunteer is making visuals with the photos of political prisoners who mark their birthday in the next two weeks on every 14th and last day of the month and post it on social media.

Libereco volunteers and members are encouraged to organize their own solidarity, fundraising or awareness-raising events in line with Libereco’s aims and campaigns. You can organise a lecture, benefit event, a concert or demonstration to draw attention to political prisoners in Belarus, collect humanitarian aid for Ukraine or work towards any of Libereco’s other fields of activity. On request, Libereco may also financially support your event.

Examples: When Libereco Switzerland announced a vigil for Ales Bialiatski’s 500th day in prison, volunteers in the Netherlands and Scotland decided to organise their own demonstrations on that day to make it an international show of solidarity. A volunteer in Germany organised an online benefit concert for Belarus during the pandemic. Yet another volunteer organised a packing action for Ukraine.

If you have a lot of energy and are not afraid to take initiative you can think bigger. Initially all our projects were started and led by volunteers and there is no reason why that should no longer be possible. If you have a concept for a project you can discuss it in our bi-weekly calls and you could even apply for third party funding after discussing with our team.

Examples: Most of our projects from before 2020 were fully run or at least initiated by volunteers. They included research reports, exhibitions, travels, campaigns, and international exchanges.