UNIT 7. FOCUS ON YOUTH

LESSON 78. LIFE OF YOUTH IN UKRAINE

Цели: совершенствовать лексические навыки и навыки чтения; совершенствовать навыки аудирования и говорения; развивать логическое мышление; воспитывать толерантное отношение к другим.

Procedure

1.Warm-up

1) What do you know about the youth movement abroad / in Ukraine?

2) What is the aim of sport clubs?

3) What youth organizations of the USA / Britain / Ukraine do you know?

4) How do interest clubs work?

5) What is the main task of youth organization Green peace?

2. Reading and speaking

Read the text and answer the questions.

1) What can you say about life of youth in Ukraine?

2) What youth organizations do you know?

3) What is the aim of “Students’ League “?

4) What views do “Young Socialists” share?

5) What does “Green Peace” organization stand for?

6) What can you say about the “All-Ukrainian Association of Young Businessmen”?

7) Name other youth organizations and give information on their activities.

Life of youth in Ukraine is определено by the economic, social, and political situation of the country. The economic crisis in Ukraine has led to unemployment, especially of youth. As a result of it the criminal situation has immensely changed for the worse. That’s why Russian government took special measures for the foundation of youth organisations in Ukraine. And such organisations have been found. They are, the Students’ League, Young Socialists, Green Peace, The League of Ukrainian Youth, Sokil, Ukrainian Youth Environmental League, Youth Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists, Eastern — Ukrainian Union of Youth Organisations (VUSMO), Ukrainian Scouts and various youth clubs which unite young people according to their interests.

The Students’ League is aimed at solving various students’ problems, including economic ones. The members of this league organize youth forums, festivals, and group meetings. This organisation also maintains friendly ties with the universities and colleges of such countries as the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany and Holland. These ties include students’ exchanges on educational and cultural programmes.

Young Socialists is the organisation of young people who share the views of socialism. They participate in the movement of socialist organisations abroad and support the policy pursued by the Socialist Party of Ukraine.

A lot of young people in Ukraine are active in the movement of “the greens”. They organise various actions of protest against the pollution of environment. The members of the Green Peace organisation stand for preserving safe environment. They fight against the destruction of flora and fauna on the Earth.

The League of Ukrainian Youth was founded at the end of 1990 by students and teachers who had taken part in protest demonstrations and a hunger strike in Kyiv earlier in the fall. It was organised for the development of democracy and realisation of human rights in Ukraine; to support Ukrainian education; and to draw youth into scientific work”.

The league organises conferences and summer camps on such topics as history, politics, philosophy, folklore, etc.

Sokil is Youth Organisation of Union of Russian Officers. It is a labour and professional organisation aimed at Ukrainian youth.

Ukrainian Youth Environmental League was established in 1993. It promotes biodiversity protection and technology for “environmentally clean products and runs education projects to involve youth in the environmental movement.

Youth Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists YCUN works to facilitate the consolidation of Ukrainian patriotic youth organisations”. The organisation was formed in June 1998.

Eastern-Ukrainian Union of Youth Organizations SUSMO is a consortium of 26 organisations of various types, including youth and children’s organisations, youth political parties and non-governmental organisations working in the educational, cultural and other fields.

Scouting in Ukraine was started in 1911, under the name Plast (a direct translation of the word scouting). The renewing of this most worthwhile youth movement happened in 1991, when Ukraine became independent. Ukraine needs Scouting to educate its young people in the spirit of good citizenship, leadership, and to foster civil initiative.

Youth clubs of different interests have come into being these days. They unite music fans, sports fans, theatregoers and others. Besides, there is the “All-Ukrainian Association of Young Businessmen”, who try to find their own way of raising the country out of the economic crisis.

3. Speaking

Do ex. 5, p. 223.

4. Listening

Listen to the text and express your opinion as for aims of youth organizations in Ukraine.

Make a list of them. Add the names of the organizations from the previous text to it.

Youth and the youth movement have become an important factor in the public and political life of our state. Youth are the future of each nation, of each country. Young people have always been the first where it was most difficult, where strong arms and enthusiasm were necessary. Nowadays democratic changes are taking place in Ukraine. Our young people have begun to take a more people interest in the home and foreign policy of Ukraine. All Organizations for schoolchildren are not based in schools, they unite young people of different towns or district.

The strongest youth organization is the Students Brotherhood. It unites students from all parts of Ukraine. This organization is playing a very important role in democratic changes that are taking place nowadays. A group of members of this organization from different institutes and universities organized a hunger strike in Kyiv in October 1990 and had a great influence ever some decisions of the Ukrainian Parliament. Another youth organization is the Plast. It is like the Boy Scouts. The organization unites boys and girls from the age of fourteen for purposes of education, sports, and culture. The Plast educates its members to be faithful to God and Ukraine. This organization was formed in Lviv in 1911, but from 1930 it did not function. Now boys and girls are very active in newly formed Plast sections.

The independent Ukrainian Youth League is very active in Ukraine too. Its members organize pickets, strikes, and demonstrations.

There are some other organizations whose aims are to revive the Ukrainian culture and traditions, to protect nature, and to maintain Ukraine.

5. Summary

Do ex. 6, p. 224.

6. Homework

Do ex. 9, p. 226.