Bona Fides Association and “Siguldas Alternativa izglitiba” (SAI) are looking for polish volunteers to join their European Solidarity Corps projects in Latvia! The application forms, Curriculum Vitae and cover letter have to be sent to the following mails: mariachiara@bonafides.pl, k.zychowicz@bonafides.pl, info@valdorfabernudarzs.lv Please, write in the title ”EVS in LATVIA”
- Location: Sigulda or Ligatne (Latvia)
- Duration: From 7 to 12 months, depends the project.
- Mobility period: Depending on the project.
- Main topics: Creativity and culture, Youth and International cooperation/relations.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This is 28 months EVS strategic project divided in 2 periods with 6 volunteers in each period. The project objectives are:
- Increase of youth employment in the labor market of European countries with low economic status
- Promotion of mutual tolerance and understanding of different cultures.
- Expansion and popularization of the EVS in the region and development of cooperation between organizations from program and partner countries.
The main idea of this project is to give youngsters skills and knowledge which will help them in their further life to get better job, improve their professional and personal skills for daily activities. And an opportunity for youngsters to develop their personal and professional level through the mean full, long-term work and realizing their creative ideas for the local and foreign inhabitants.
Each volunteer has to offer and realize (with help from Hosting Organization staff) 2 new activities during the project.
The volunteer can choose between 5 different projects in Latvia:
- Waldorf kindergarten of Sigulda (WKS) – 12 months project
The main activities or tasks of volunteers will be assistance to kindergarten staff in their daily work with the children and have a chance to learn Waldorf pedagogy by watching and participating in all kindergarten activities. The main task will be: participate in classes (painting, music, crafts, theater, gymnastics, etc.), prepare materials for activities, help to kids during meals, dress up, dish-washing, making beds, doing different outdoor activities, etc. and participation in the work of non-governmental organization as valuable team member. - Creative Centre of Sigulda (CCS) – 12 months project.
This local public institution offers pre-school and non-formal education programs for children and youth. The volunteer will be able to choose with what group of youngsters prefers to work. The main activities or tasks of volunteers will include daily assistance to CCS’ staff while doing educational, creative, and leisure time activities with the children/youngsters after school (for example, help in doing homework’s, playing games, painting, crafts, modeling, etc.).
With the older youngsters the volunteer will be more independent and can realize his/her own ideas together with youngsters – organizing activities, trekking, cycling trips, teaching languages, making art etc.
Volunteers will be involved in all process – planning and organizing of activities, evaluation and feedback. - Wings of Hope (WH) – 7/8 months project between September 2018 and November 2019
This organization provides social services for children and young adults with different types of disabilities and to support their families, as well as to promote a positive public attitude towards people with functional disorders.
The main activities or tasks of volunteers are assistance to NGO’s staff in their daily work with the children with disabilities while they are waiting for the procedure of health being (teaching some new skills, painting, hand-crafts etc.). Or assistance to NGO’s staff in their daily work with adults with disabilities (participating in work-shops: art, leather handcrafts, sewing, weaving, and making candles). The youngster can think his own work shop to develop the skills of people with disabilities. The volunteers participate in walking, events organized by NGO’s and can organized their own activity for the organization. - Ligatne’s Kindergarten – 10/12 months project between September 2018 and November 2019.
The kindergarten’s aim is to prepare children for elementary school, the school aim is to prepare children for secondary school. The main activities or tasks of the volunteers will be talking with children and colleagues in foreign language so they can learn languages in their daily life. Organize play lessons in foreign language for children starting from 3 years, making some methodical materials to teach them basic foreign language. Therefore children learns foreign language via plays, games, theater and have an interest about languages, other culture, people from different countries. The volunteer can organize other activities for locals. - Sigulda’s Kindergarten ”Saulite” – 10 months project between September 2018 and November 2019.
The kindergarten’s aim is to prepare children for elementary school, offering high level education in sciences (environment, physics, biology etc.)
The main activities or tasks of volunteers will be assistance to kindergarten staff in their daily work with the children and organizing science experiments in physics, nature, and biology. The main tasks will be: to organize, prepare materials and participate on play lesson to teach children physics, biology, environment, to furnish a physics room and territory for observation the natural procedures, help to kids during meals, dress up, walking, trekking, doing different outdoor activities, etc. and participation in the work of organization as valuable team member.
TRAINING, ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS
- Coordinating organization will make sure that all of our EVS volunteers will take part in both the on–arrival training and in the mid-term evaluation organized by Latvian National Agency.
- Latvian lessons will be taught by professional teachers and will take place one a week.
- Rented and well equipped rooms or flat in the city / separate or shared room in a host family (the living space will have the equipment necessary for the coexistence of the volunteer) / youth hostel. The accommodation depends on the project selected by the volunteer.
- Pocket money 90 EUR per month + Food money 150 EUR per month
VOLUNTEER’S PROFILE
We are looking for a volunteer between 20 and 30 years old with strong motivation for work in selected area and learn new things in your life. Active, flexible, emphatic, creative and calm in work with children, with good communication skills.
Sometimes work requires psychological and physical resistance, patience and compassion.
Volunteers must be non-smoker and without substance abuse or criminal history
The right candidate should be ready for independent life, winter season, open for living and working together with other people from different countries.