Bona Fides Association and Asociación ÁGORA CULTURAL are looking for 2 Polish participants for a long-term ESC project at Asociación ALBA – Centro Ocupacional Vicente PÉREZ.
Place: Valencia, Spain
Dates: 22-23/05/2024 to 31/01/2025
Duration: 254 and 255 days
Hosting Organisation and the Occupational Center
Since 1996, the ASOCIACIÓN ALBA, has been active developing its activities all aimed at achieving its statutory objectives, primarily the Constitution in 1997 of the Occupational Center VICENTE PÉREZ, where attended 43 adults with Intellectual Functional Diversity. The CENTRO OCUPACIONAL VICENTE PÉREZ (CO VICENTE PÉREZ) is a Specialised Service, arranged by the Ministry of Equality and Inclusive Policies since 2018, aimed at providing adults with intellectual functional diversity, therapeutic occupation for their personal adjustment, professional techniques for their labor integration and activities aimed at achieving their social integration. The CO VICENTE PÉREZ is a service and an establishment of specialised social services, non-profit, open to the needs of the field of action, whose purpose is the personal, professional-labour and social empowerment of people with functional and intellectual diversity, therapeutic occupation for their personal adjustment, professional techniques for their labor integration and activities aimed at achieving their full social inclusion. All of this is done through comprehensive day care, by carrying out work, personal and social activities for the development of their autonomy, social training and job qualification, depending on the characteristics and needs of each one of them.
Learning Opportunities
VOLUNTEERING experience for a young person is a very important phase either negative as positive. So regardless of the abilities, skills or hypothetically acquired knowledge, the emotions, people and moments can sometimes be measured in first place. But realistically, what we would like you to acquire during the experience both in Spain and the project is the following:
INTEGRATION INTO THE ORGANISATION
– Participation in the host project in collaboration with other professional and national/international volunteers
– Integration into a work team
SOCIAL AND INTERCULTURAL SKILLS
– Knowledge of the traditions and history of Spain
– Coexistence with other European volunteers
– Understanding and integration in the Spanish Culture
– European and International Cultural Awareness
LANGUAGE SKILLS
– Communicate for better integration
TECHNICAL LEARNING SKILLS
– Increased the capacity of observation
– Acquisition of responsibility towards disadvantaged groups
– Support functions in specific programs for people with intellectual functional diversity
– Development in the area of individual attention to people with intellectual functional diversity
– Support functions in Leisure and Free-Time activities for people with intellectual functional diversity
– Support functions to professionals in adapted sports activities Intervention support in outings and camps, etc.
– Increased understanding of the problems of people with intellectual functional diversity and their families
Roles and tasks
It is important to reiterate that all activities, in which you will provide your support and effort, will be carried out with the advice and under the supervision of the professional staff of the CO VICENTE PEREZ .
Always under the supervision of professionals and depending on the different workshops/programs, your support may include accompaniment of users in outside activities (especially those with greater needs). In activities of leisure and free time and general activities, you will support professionals in monitor functions. You will work in both the preparation of the activities and the care of users with functional diversity. Outdoor activities will be planned (camping, hiking, tourism, etc.) in which you will get involved in helping Monitors in all the activities developed. These outings will take place on weekends or holidays recovering after days of rest.
The content of the activities can be modified depending on the schedule of activities(in activities during the weekend). You will receive a monthly programming of yourdaily activities, which must be approved by the Responsible of the CO VICENTE PÉREZ.
In addition, you will have a space to develop your own projects and ideas and will receive support from both the Coordinating Organisation ÁGORA CULTURAL and COVICENTE PÉREZ to set them up.
You will undertake support tasks focused on the areas:
– Occupational training area
– Autonomy and personal adjustment area
– Social inclusion area
What can you expect? What do we expect?
The Volunteer Project is a quality model for volunteers and its aim is to develop young people’s solidarity, promote active citizenship and support young people’s mutual understanding. A key element is the balance between offering a service to the Community and non-formal learning. You will receive training and acquire new skills and competences as well as increase your European Awareness after this experience in another country.
In this way, taking part as volunteer in such a opportunity, you will:
– feel useful
– test your abilities
– learn from your surrounding
– improve your self-esteem and generosity
– become a change agent for a better world
Based on the interest shown and your needs, you will have the opportunity to propose and develop personal activities, thus being able to develop your creativity and entrepreneurial spirit and give your point of view on the different tasks to be carried out, such as being able to contribute new ideas that can enrich both you in your personal development and the users for whom the tasks are intended.
For us, it is important that volunteers have to be open-minded, without prejudice to participate in the activities. It is expected that the volunteers are motivated to learn about the Spanish culture and language. It is also desirable that the volunteers participate actively and have their own initiative, and an active and collaborative spirit. It will be essential that the volunteers are respectful and polite in their relationship with the professionals and users of the CO VICENTE PÉREZ.
You will pass the most time of your days with different people [target groups, professionals, local volunteers, etc.] who are anxious to know you, to show you who they are and what they can do, to teach you at very different level, to give you warmth and their confidence. The impact, you volunteer provoke is greater than you can expect. The exchange is primordial. You need to receive but also bring back. Participation, initiative, sense of responsibility and flexibility would be very grateful and welcomed. From our part, we hope make you feel comfortable, empowered and enterprising. All the persons involved in the project are always trying that you can reach your expectations always if you show the willingness to do so.
In general, volunteers will have to:
– be aware of the nature of the target group of the activities (People with Functional Diversity)
– be related to or have an interest in the Functional Diversity sector
– be flexible in the culture and way of life of Spain
– be aware of the responsibilities when volunteering (involvement in the agreed and proposed activities)
– be ready and accept the fact that you will have to share daily life tasks as you will be living together with other volunteers from countries other than your own
On a more personal note, we would like the volunteers to be able to:
– be willing to offer their own experiences and learn new ones
– if possible, have a sufficient level of Spanish to maintain a simple conversation or at least be eager to quickly learn the language
– be open to a new way of living
– be a collaborator
– be respectful
– be supportive
– have initiatives
– be flexible
– have a desire to learn and collaborate
Practical arrangements
ÁGORA CULTURAL is in charge of the practical and logistical aspects of hosting European volunteers.
It is very important to bear in mind that the following points are the general aspects that will be defined in more detail later on, depending on the selection process.
ACCOMMODATION: Volunteers live together and share a flat with all the necessary and regulatory comforts.
MAINTENANCE: The volunteers will receive the amount in accordance with the Program rules. The stipulated amount is 140,00 Euros per month.
INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION: According to the distance calculator provided by the European Commission, the participants will have an amount of money to travel from the place of origin to the place of implementation of your mobility project. Green travel will always be prioritised.
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION: In this case, volunteers will receive a monthly transport card that will allow the travel in metro and bus.
ALLOWANCE: Each volunteer for their service as a European volunteer will receive 6,00€ per day, doing the proportional calculation of each month according to its duration and will be distributed at the beginning of each month.
DAYS OFF: Volunteers will enjoy two consecutive days off per week.
HOLIDAYS: Volunteers will enjoy of the holidays period when the Centre closes (Christmas, summer, Easter, etc.) as well as 5 additional days of their own selection.
INSURANCE: As ESC volunteers, a Medical Cover under HENNER is provided. Although it is mandatory to be in possession of the European Health Card (if possible).
SUPPORT AND MENTORING: The support to the volunteers will be continuous. They will hold weekly meetings not only with their supervisor but also with their tutor in order to evaluate the course of their mobility.
LANGUAGE TRAINING: EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS Program enables each volunteer to learn Spanish through the Online Learning Support Platform. You will have the possibility to attend the online classes by yourself. Besides, ÁGORA CULTURAL will arrange face-to-face classes once a week. Classes will be according to your level.
Read the INFOPACK for more information!
How to apply?
Send your CV and motivation letter (in English) to mariachiara@bonafides.pl and anna@bonafides.pl
or contact us for any further information!