images (1)Bona Fides Association and Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture are looking for 2 volunteers to join their European Voluntary Service project in Flers, Normandy in FRANCE. To apply please send your Curriculum Vitae and cover letter to the following emails:  mariachiara@bonafides.pl, k.zychowicz@bonafides.pl and europe@mjc-flers.fr.  Please, write in the title ”EVS in Flers, France”.

 

  • Location: Flers, Normandy, France
  • Deadline: 25/08/2019
  • Duration: 11 months
  • Mobility period: 01/09/2019 – 15/08/2020

 

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture can be loosely translated to “House of Youth and Culture”. The MJC is an association composed of people who support young and all people through different courses and guidance if requested. Consequently, their daily routine will be enriched and they are able to encounter and follow their passions. Projects, courses, and ateliers are offered in the following domains: art, music, theater, and sport.

The MJC team is like a big family which consists of Emilie, the manager, Coralie, Sandrine and Dennis who are all permanent employees. Hence Dennis is responsible for the youth sector. Also, there are many young volunteers, various sports instructors and music teachers who add daily to the MJC energy.

Every opinion, even when expressed in basic French, is valued here. Since each project starts with one person, or a group, collecting ideas to later share them with the team it is important to speak up and to contribute to the process. Show commitment and team spirit to create great events that you and the MJC can be proud of.

However, this year should also give you time to think about yourself and your future. Do not hesitate to try something foreign, ask questions, take up a new hobby and to get engaged!

 

THE MISSION

Sport/Santé

The MJC of Flers offers a wide range of different sports courses and activities for all age and social groups. During your volunteering period you will collaborate with a french volunteer to help the three sports instructors, namely Fabienne, Florence, and Cédric, with the execution and development of their courses. Notably, the main projects are the ERET (with Florence), the partnerships between the MJC and COALLIA and ASTI (with Cédric) as well as with UNA (with Florence). If you are interested in joining these projects you should ask for more information about them, be open-minded and helpful throughout the duration of the course and always ask if you can help to prepare something. Florence will tell you anything you need to know about ERET and UNA. Furthermore, she will happily welcome you in her groups. The organization COALLIA deals with people who are currently in an unstable social situation. Therefore, Cédric’s aim is to engage the participants in various activities which should encourage them to socialize, trust in their abilities, find pleasure in moving your body, and to work as a team. Since 2019 he is working with ASTI, an organization which tries to integrate immigrants into the public of Flers. Following the same principles, the participants should have fun to do sports in a group while being guided by a professional. Perhaps it will be awkward to join these courses at first. It might be especially challenging at first if your french language skills are not that developed yet. But do not worry, because participation, motivation, and team spirit are the only requirements.

 

Culture

The volunteers will use their time in France to develop cultural projects within the MJC and in partnership with other structures of Flers and its surroundings: mediatheque, art centers, leisure centers, ludotheque, primary schools, etc.

The volunteers mostly work with:

1) Café “associatif” – young members of the MJC and their families, as well as adults who participate in our leisure activities each season. The volunteers organize intercultural evenings, music evenings, cultural events (Day of Games, Week of Europe) and creative workshops for children.

2) local youth – volunteers visit schools and training centers in order to share with the youngsters information about mobility programs, volunteering opportunities and European Union. They also participate in the preparation of youth exchanges.

3) other structures in the city of Flers, in which the volunteers will occasionally provide help with cultural activities and events, as well as work on projects in which the MJC is a partner organisation (for example: Petit Déjeuner International, La Grande Lessive, Festival du Jeux).

Depending on the volunteers’ interests, it’s possible to develop more advanced partnerships with these organisations.

 

ACCOMODATION

The two hosted volunteers will share a flat which is located in the Quartier du Mont Saint-Michel in Flers. It takes about 20 minutes on foot, 5 minutes by bus and about 10 by bike to get to the MJC which is located next to the city center of Flers.

The apartment consists of two bedrooms, one bathroom, a toilet, a living room, and a kitchen.

 

LOCAL TRANSPORT

There are two lines of buses that go to the MJC (line 1 and 2). The bus stop is situated right next to the flat. All the costs of local transport will be regularly reimbursed by the MJC. The volunteers will

also be provided with bikes that they can use to commute to work.

 

REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TRAVEL

All the travel costs are going to be reimbursed up to 275€. Any costs exceeding that amount will be covered by the volunteer.

The most important facts about reimbursement:

– always ask before you buy the tickets

– keep the original receipts

– bring all the papers back to the MJC

 

FOOD AND POCKET MONEY

In the beginning of each month, the volunteers will receive both money for the groceries (210€) and pocket money (180€) for their personal use.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: See the Infopack