About Us
The Lydia Project has come a long way since it's humble start back in 1995. Today we reach and support groups all over Europe. Follow the links below and read about the path we have taken and where we want to go.
Our Vision
Mutual empowerment and support between Central, East and West European partners.
Our Mission
To bring people together from economically devastated societies and create new ways forward.
To work as a catalyst, and respond to invitations to carry out training, exchanges, funding and networking.
To empower women to develop projects meeting the needs of excluded people.
To equip women to act as catalysts by working together for very practical goals.
To share experiences, and to work across cultural and historical boundaries.
To encourage understanding and solidarity between East and West Europe.
Our Story
The Project emerged in response to appeals for training from Central and East European women, who wished to create community projects to meet new social needs. Initially under the umbrella of the Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women, trial project ran 2 x 3-week phases in 1995-96, Phase I in Prague, Phase II in Scotland, a successful pattern which has been repeated.
Resulting achievements of the Lydia Project:
September 2005 |
Peer learning with a focus on projects working with youth. Belarus participants revealed years of blossoming projects through the country that suffer official oppression. Youth festivals gathered young people and gave them a focus for the year. Work with young women prisoners led to a centre for their training and gathering; work against and to prevent trafficking involved psychological support. Serbian, Lithuanian and Latvian participants shared fand visited rural and city projects, including ruins waiting to be transformed, or the Latvian Community of the Last Supper for drug and other addicts, or the Mercy House home for marginalised youth without hope which offers shelter, skills and a future. |
May 2005 |
Exchanging experience and practice in projects working with children, with visits to HIV and disabled children,the ARMS, Sf. Macrina project for street children, a special ARMS farm for street children, new small homes for orphans or unwanted children, and more. |
September 2004 |
"The Women's Studies Centre" of Subotica, Serbia & Montenegro gave many examples of work, research, women's analysis of their social, cultural and political place, assessing change in society, working for women's legal rights and employment. |
May 2004 |
"Useful to Albanian Women" (UAW) hosted a week of visits to projects and sister organisations in Albania, with many examples of good practice for all to follow, including amazing training programmes for youth who would have no skills and head for petty crime. UAW own a unique cafe, open to the public in the morning to earn funds, and hosting women's club activities in the afternoon. One small house became a centre with three floors, a crossroads of activities throughout Albania. |
2004 |
New Peer Learning programmes, focusing on work with women. |
August 2003 |
Advanced training for setting up and running new projects and NGOs, Scotland. |
July-August 2002 |
Skills Training for women of the Black Sea region, Durau Monastery Romania. |
2001 |
East Europe Coordinator, Janina Galkauskaite of Lithuania, joined the team in autumn 2001. |
2000 |
"Lydia 2000", 60 women from 4 training groups exchanged experiences and plans for the future |
1999-01 |
Training for Baltic, north-eastern women 1999-'01 |
1998 |
Belarus-Scottish Youth Exchange in 1998 |
1997-98 |
Training for Balkan women |
Our Board and Team
Board members, directors and advisers have experience in ecumenical organisations, management, finance and community work, fund-raising and group processes.
Facilitators have experience in adult education, TEFL English, communications, finance and community groups and have worked in ecumenical organisations in mainland Europe and the UK.
List of board members:
Name |
Position on the Board |
Anthea |
Covenor & Director |
Bobby |
Secretary & Director |
Fiona |
Co-ordinator |
Irene |
Director |
Janina |
East European Coordinator |
Marion |
Director |
Patsy |
Treasurer & Director |
Robert |
Secretary |
Barbara |
Accoutant & Director |
