Bona Fides Association is looking for Polish participants (citizens or residents of Poland, aged 18-30) for 6-months project with Omladinska organizacija Svitac in Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Place: Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Start: Flexible starting date from August 2024
Duration: 6 months (182 days + 2 travel days)
About the hosting organisation – Who are we?
Established in 1998, Svitac’s mission is to promote tolerance and unity among the three distinct ethnic groups in post-war Bosnia. In the aftermath of the war, Brčko’s unique demographic composition as a multi-ethnic entity provided an ideal backdrop for reconciliatory youth work. Operating as a multi-ethnic youth and arts organisation, Svitac fosters cooperation and understanding among local youth through workshops, festivals, and summer camps which encompass art, music and informal education. Today, the NGO plays a pivotal role in bridging historical divides and contributing to post-conflict recovery and regional development in Brčko.
Why volunteer with Svitac?
- Youth Engagement: Work with youth, leading activities in art, music, sports and languages.
- Project Administration: Support our daily operations, boost project visibility through storytelling (photos, videos and articles), and collaborate with international partners.
- Cultural Immersion: Immerse yourself in Bosnia’s rich history, culture, and languages while exploring the local area and enhancing your language skills.
Youth Engagement
• Support daily activities for pre-schoolers (aged 4-7) encompassing arts and crafts, singing, dancing, stretching, and language learning
• Facilitate engaging discussions and debates on diverse topics for older youth (aged 14+)
• Lead language classes for young people
• Deliver informative presentations to students at local high schools and the university
Project Administration
• Support project visibility – Carry out promotional tasks to enhance project visibility, with a specific emphasis on content creation, including managing social media platforms, capturing photos, editing videos, and producing engaging articles and blog posts.
• Collaborate with partner organisations – Compose project proposals and participate in project management.
• Administration – Undertake admin tasks to support the work of the NGO.
Cultural Immersion
• Attend local language classes
• Enjoy Bosnia’s delicious cuisine (Ćevapi, Burek, Sarma and more!)
• Experience Balkan hospitality
• Explore Bosnia and the wider Balkan region
Additional Activities
Svitac also runs scheduled activities throughout the year for which volunteers assisting with both planning and delivery.
• Anti-Racism Day (March)
• Anti-Fascism Day (November)
• Summer Camp (creative arts, music and languages)
• Halloween Party
• New Year’s Party
What can be gained from volunteering
Develop the following skills:
• Facilitation skills
• Presentation and public speaking skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Creative skills
• Photography and video editing skills
• Report writing skills
• Cross-cultural competence
Acquire experience in:
• Working with young people
• Workshop facilitation
• Language teaching
• Content creation
• Project management
• Proposal writing
• Collaborating with international partners
Volunteers have the option to be involved in a variety of tasks. Skills and experience to be developed will be dependent on the interests of the volunteer.
Volunteer profile
What qualities do we look for?
• Motivated to undertake a volunteer placement
• Able to adapt to unfamiliar environments
• Interested in getting to know a different culture
• Willingness to learn and develop skillset
• Enjoy working with children
• Capable of working with different age groups
** All volunteers must be in possession of a clean criminal record check before starting their placement.
We do not require volunteers to be professionals or hold formal qualifications however it is important that the volunteer is able to communicate in English to a reasonable standard in order to work successfully with the team as well as engage with our activities. An advanced level of English is needed to carry out tasks involving project administration.
Although we do not require volunteers to bring with them a particular skillset, we are keen to engage with interested individuals who have expertise in music, dance, art, sport and language teaching as these are our core areas of focus. For those interested in undertaking project administration tasks, having expertise in content creation, marketing and report writing etc. is considered to be a valuable asset.
Volunteer accommodation
Svitac’s volunteers live in a shared apartment or house which is rented by Svitac. Normally accommodation is shared between 2-3 volunteers with each volunteer having their own private bedroom and sharing the bathroom, kitchen and living space.
PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE INFOPACK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Application
To apply for this project please forward your CV and a motivation letter (in English) or contact us at the following emails: mariachiara@bonafides.pl and anna@bonafides.pl. Please write “Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina” in the title of your e-mail.