Stowarzyszenie BONA FIDES i Social Parochial Centre Vera Cruz poszukują wolontariuszy na zaakceptowany projekt EVS w Aveiro.
Zgłoszenia (CV oraz list motywacyjny w języku angielskim) prosimy przesyłać na adres: skrabel@bonafides.pl.
Termin nadsyłania zgłoszeń: 07.01.2018
Receiving organization: Social Parochial Centre Vera Cruz
Location: Aveiro, Portugal
Deadline: 07/01/2018
Duration: 12 months
Start: 01/02/2018
End: 30/01/2019
Placements: 1
Learners. Activists. Doers. Superheroes. is an EVS project which has as an objective providing learning opportunities in an institution that works tirelessly to respond the needs of the local community. The service lasts for 12 months, starting during the first week of February 2018, and is open for four youngsters coming from Greece, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. These youngsters will have a chance to actively participate in resolving community problems by volunteering in Social Parochial Centre Vera Cruz, based in Aveiro, Portugal. On their way to becoming “community super-heroes”, they will be involved in different sectors, according to their interests, learning needs, and needs of the receiving institution. Weekly, they will be active 35 hours, including their Portuguese classes. Each week they will have 2 consecutive free days. For each month of their service, they have 2.5 free days.
Volunteers are chosen having in mind their motivation, profiles, and if applicable fewer opportunities. During 12 months of their service, volunteers would be involved in a series of daily activities of CSP Vera Cruz, including work with youngsters, children, elderly people, immigrants and refugees, women victims of domestic violence. They will assist technicians in their daily work, but also be challenged to develop their own projects and turn their ideas into action. Tasks are thought in a way that volunteers get to develop existing or acquire new skills and competences.
A typical week of volunteers includes various activities such as:
– Learning Portuguese language
– Planning, brainstorming, researching analysing possibilities of working with CSP Vera Cruz target
groups
– Meetings, mentoring with coordinators
– Organising and assisting cultural activities with immigrants and refugees (different activities with multicultural component)
– Organising and assisting educational, physical and ludic activities with children and youngsters (languages, gardening, games)
– Organising and assisting ludic, educational, physical, and cultural activities with elderly people (gardening, computers, exercises)
– Spending structured time with other groups of beneficiaries of the institution (assistance in supporting their specific needs)
– Assisting with office management, communication management and administrative tasks (assisting with website, Facebook page, design, paperwork)
Through this project we are aiming to make impact on volunteers, organisations involved and on local community. Firstly, through all the activities and experience of working in intercultural environment, volunteers will gain competences such as improving their communication skills and social and civic competence as well as other competences relevant to their personal and professional development, like for example scientific competence when it comes to pedagogy and psychology and sense of initiative.
They will gain experience in working with different target groups in the unique and stimulative environment, and they will be encouraged to raise awareness and regularly reflect on their learning process (through evaluations and Youthpass). This learning process will be guided by non-formal education methods: learning by doing and experiencing, workshops, peer learning, work in pairs or work in groups, among other.
Regarding practicalities, Agoraveiro, as organisation already experienced in Erasmus+ program, will do or help to CSP Vera Cruz with administrative work such as taking care of travel arrangements, accommodation, insurance, money related issues, EVS training circle, language courses, evaluations and any additional guidance. Agoraveiro, as coordinating organisation, will be the main responsible for all the issues mentioned.
Sending organisations provide support when it comes to preparation, take care of the insurance, assist with traveling arrangements and helps in follow-up phase.
TRAVEL: Travel costs were calculated according to the Erasmus+ distance calculator and will be covered up to the limit established by the program. Agoraveiro will support volunteers and look for the best flight option. Agoraveiro will purchase the tickets for the volunteers and support them with on-line check in if needed. Detailed instructions will be sent to the volunteer about how to get to Aveiro from the Airport. If there is no public transport when they arrive, a person from Agoraveiro will be waiting for them at the airport. Expenses of the local transport (from and to the airport) will be reimbursed to them during the first week, by bank transfer, if still under the limit of travel expenses.
ACCOMMODATION: Volunteers will be living in a shared flat and each one will have individual room. The house will be in the centre of Aveiro, 5-20 minutes walk from anything important (office, train station, library, supermarket, hospital etc). Houses will be equipped, according to the living standards document received from the National agency, containing furniture, dishes, bedsheets, etc.
INSURANCE: EVS insurance will be activated weeks prior to arrival, with support of SO that takes care of the inscription to the website of Insurance and prepares the needed documents. Volunteers will receive manual about how the insurance works and will have our support if they need to use it (to schedule an appointment, to be assisted at the doctor in case doctor does not speak English, etc). Volunteer will be supported and accompanied when opening a bank account and getting a Portuguese NIF in Taxes services. This number has cost of 10 euros and is paid by volunteer. The bank account has no costs. They will receive Portuguese SIM card and if needed a mobile phone to use the card. They will be given contacts of support people (coordinator, mentor from each organisation) that they can use whenever necessary, and emergency numbers as well. They will get a map of Aveiro and during the first week they will go for a “discovery stroll” with local volunteers.
SOCIAL LIFE: volunteers will be introduced a range of activities of interest happening in Aveiro (sports, culture, etc). Many of these activities are organised by our local partners, and by receiving organisation. Besides, there’ll be initial activities to welcome the volunteers – like international dinner, etc.
SAFETY of volunteers: learning and working environment is safe, and Aveiro is generally a very safe town. Most of the time volunteers will work in our headquarters of CSPVC that complies with safety regulations. In case of working outdoors, a volunteer needs nothing more but common sense to stay safe. Most of the times volunteers will work in groups, rarely alone.
PERSONAL SUPPORT: Volunteers will have a tutor/mentor so that the integration goes as easy as possible. This person is a local that knows reality of Agoraveiro and CSPVC but is not working there. Also, they will have their sending coordinator, appointed by sending organisation, and constant support from Agoraveiro staff. If needed, psychologists working in CSP Vera Cruz will be available to support them. If they wish, they can use psychologist support offered by their insurance.
AT WORK, experienced coordinators will accompany their work and together with them create and follow a more detailed and personalised learning plan, and be actively supported to develop activities and undertake tasks.
PREPARATORY MEETINGS: SO provides pre-departure training according to the needs of each volunteer. Whenever needed, Skype will be organised with the volunteers and representatives of receiving organisation, to make sure everything is clear to all the parties.