Project dates: 01.04.2019 – 31.03.2020 (12 months)
Project place: Olhão, Portugal
Deadline for applying: URGENT!
ABOUT THE PROJECT
VESSEL is a long term International Volunteering project with several volunteers, involving one hosting organization (Portugal) and different sending organisations from several countries. The volunteers will be placed for a maximum 12 month period in the southern Portuguese city of Olhão, where they ́ll have the opportunity to experience a totally different culture and way of living, to learn and experience new things, and to use the knowledge and experience gained in their countries so that they can act as a liaison between partner organisations. The volunteers will be involved in the activities and projects developed by the hosting organisation and will be encouraged to develop and implement their own projects/ideas.
The project will promote young people’s active citizenship in general and European citizenship in particular since living and working abroad will be an important learning experience in itself for the volunteers. Also the contact with the local youth will allow the discussion about the European values with persons from different backgrounds and realities, but also will be a chance to promote changes in different areas and different topics. In terms of specific objectives for youth under the Erasmus + Program, VESSEL will help to improve the level of skills and key skills of young people, including the disadvantaged, promoting intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity, particularly through creating opportunities for mobility for learning purposes. Complementing will help to improve the quality of youth work by strengthening the cooperation between youth organizations. In terms of priorities, the project will enable the development of basic and transversal competences such as entrepreneurship and multilingualism, and will raise awareness of European citizenship.
We intend to privilege the development of the volunteers’ personal skills and create learning opportunities, both based on non-formal methods, through tutoring sessions to introduce the volunteer to the organisation and to provide them with the necessary skills to carry out their tasks, through direct contact with the community, the culture and the language. At the same time, the service of the volunteers will bring a strong value both to MOJU and to the community in general, through the direct results of their work for and with the local youngsters and through the different points of view that they will bring.
Specific tasks to be delivered by the volunteers:
– Support the development of activities for youngsters, which will involve the preparation of group dynamics, team building activities, cultural activities, sport activities, and others, always in articulation with the association’s team;
– School support, where the volunteers will have the chance to have direct contact with children and organize several outdoor activities;
– Promotion of games and activities for youngsters during school breaks;
– Work at the social living room of MOJU ́s head office, which is open to children and youngsters from Monday to Sunday, where the volunteers can help in the organisation of the space, in the organisation of activities for the holidays related to special events, in the organisation of sports activities and in the creation of new activities, among others;
– Support in the international relationships, helping the team in the organization of international trainings for cooperation of people from different nationalities in various subjects, youth work camps, for the promotion of volunteering in various subjects and international training and exchange programmes;
– Office support in international level, making contacts with international partners.
Working hours:
The volunteers will work 5 days per week for a maximum of 35 hours. Weekends are free, except for some events that may take place during weekends. In such a case, the volunteers will be compensated with a day off during the week.
Moreover, the volunteers, according to the Activity Agreement have 24 days off during the year, or 2 days off per month.
Accommodation
MOJU as a hosting and coordinating organisation is responsible for providing the volunteers with accommodation in a safe environment. The volunteer will live in a furnished rented flat shared with other volunteers, close from the office and not far from the centre of the town. The flat contains all the necessary amenities and is divided in different rooms, kitchen and bathroom. The volunteers will have their own bedroom or share it with another volunteer, a shared kitchen and bathroom.
Volunteers’ profile
The volunteer’s selection process is intended to be transparent and open to all involved. There are no preferences regarding gender, age or study areas. However, a special concern is taken on the analysis of volunteers’ expressed interest in working with children and young people with fewer opportunities and at risk of exclusion, since these will be the main goal of the proposed activities. The fact that the volunteer has some experience linked with youth associations is seen as positive for the development of the activities/ projects, although it isn’t an exclusion point for the decision. The most important is that the volunteer shows willingness to develop the proposed activities/ projects with motivation.
Very Important: In order to be selected to participate in the project, the candidate needs to be part of the international database of the European Solidarity Corps.
FINANCES
Every volunteer will receive 120 Euros for food allowance and 150 Euros for pocket money each month.
Reimbursement of travel cost will be based on the travel distance per participant from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return.
HOW TO APPLY
Send your CV and motivational letter to sending@cid.mk stating in the subject: ESC Volunteer for VESSEL in Olhão, Portugal.