Project place: Portimão, Algarve region, Portugal
Project dates: 1st October 2017 – 30th June 2018
Application deadline: 16th July
Summary of the Project
This call for volunteers is in the framework of the project Young Links: EVS connecting Europe, which has the main goal of bringing a new dynamic in youth work in Portimão, bringing a European perspective at local level, that has a positive impact on local youth. Volunteers will learn about local youth policies and their implementation, taking into consideration non-formal education methodologies.
Portimão is located in Algarve, which is the region with the highest youth unemployment rate in Portugal. A huge amount of youth leaves the region to look for better opportunities in more central locations and abroad. The economic crisis created on the one hand a need for change and looking for better opportunities elsewhere, but also underlined the emergency of dealing with local challenges and connecting it with the European level.
Very few young people in Portimão benefit from programmes and opportunities at the European and international levels. Therefore, we believe that facilitating experiences of engagement in local activities, training and mobility support the development of personal and professional skills among both the volunteers and local youth, while creating a positive impact on the local community.
This project promotes active participation and European citizenship, due to the involvement of EVS volunteers in activities undertaken by civil society organizations that aim to improve the life quality of local communities, via youth participation,
training, education and sport.
About the Hosting Organization
♦ Portimão Municipality
The municipality is responsible for the implementation of socio-economic policies in the city. Activities in the framework of the Erasmus+ programme are under the responsibility of the Youth and Sports Division of the municipality.
For more information: https://www.cm-portimao.pt/.
♦ DYPALL Network
DYPALL Network is supporting the coordination of this project. It is an organization responsible for developing and supporting a European Network involving 36 local authorities (LA) and civil society organizations (CSOs) active in the youth field in more than 20 European countries. It aims to involve young people in the decision-making process and enable municipalities and regional authorities to address their most pressing needs and interests. This means further engagement of youth as active
actors in elaborating solutions for their problems, and thus a bigger level of ownership, commitment and involvement of youth at the regional and local levels.
The motto is that creating an effective and sustainable involvement of youth on decision-making, improving the work culture between local authorities and youth organizations can contribute to more sustainable youth policies at local level.
Together with local municipalities and civil society organizations active in the youth field, DYPALL:
- Develops structures and mechanisms for youth participation in decision-making at local level;
- Identify best practices and introduce innovative approaches on public governance in cooperation with local authorities and civil society organizations active in the field of youth;
- Fosters youth engagement and inclusiveness in representative and participatory democracy processes;
- Builds capacity and provide technical assistance on various areas and processes like policy making, advocacy, structured dialogue, co-management, and more;
- Mainstreams youth policies at local and regional level (such as youth Guarantee schemes) to develop cohesive and engaged societies.
For more information: http://dypall.com/, https://www.facebook.com/DypallNetwork/.
Volunteer’s Activities:
The volunteers will work alongside Portimão’s municipality officers, and will be allocated according to his/her interest and skills to one of the following 3 key areas of development within the Youth and Sports Division:
1) Support the management of the Local Municipality Youth House (Loja Ponto Já):
Supporting the implementation of workshops that are part of Loja Ponto Já’s annual activity plan;
Support the creation and implementation of a new Youth Information Center on opportunities related with European initiatives on youth, such as mobility programmes;
Elaborate and implement actions in local high schools and vocational schools, with the support of our municipality officers, in order to inform about volunteering opportunities and also about the Erasmus+ opportunities.
2) International project management support & support to the local youth Council:
Volunteer will be based on the office of DYPALL Network, where together with experienced project managers will be involved in the management of several international activities (training courses, seminars, conferences, etc.);
Will support in the communication, design and image development of the Network events (development of communication material, news, logos, and material development for the social networks);
Support the communication and implementation of its activity plan of the local youth council;
Support the revitalization of local youth organizations.
3) Project support on healthy lifestyles among young people:
Promotes a healthy lifestyle among young people (e.g. fighting child obesity);
Support sport activities developed for young people and for the citizens in general in the municipality that promote healthy life styles;
Support the development of new projects and initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles among young people in Portimão;
Support different actions to promote the uses of sports for a more cohesive and inclusive society in Portimão.
In a nutshell, these projects will allow EVS volunteers to contribute for social change, through signaling and overcoming challenges, and thus further implementing the pillars of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life, of involving young people in the areas of health, sports, education and equality/inclusion.
PROFILE OF THE EVS VOLUNTEER
- We are looking for dynamic, responsible and motivated volunteers, from different backgrounds, between 17 and 30 years old who would also be happy in working in an international and multicultural environment;
- Ideally, but not needed, the volunteer has previous experience of working with young people.
- We will give priority to volunteers with social and economic difficult backgrounds, or in situations of long term unemployment;
- Gender and age are not important (will be balanced) but it will be of great help that the volunteer speaks basic English.
Our goal after the project is that the volunteers should feel motivated to go on multiplying other projects in their own country.
All together, we can make a difference!
CONDITIONS
Monthly schedule to be defined, always between 30 to 38 hours per week;
Housing expenses completely covered;
A monthly contribution of €100,00 as pocket money, plus €150,00 as food allowance will be provided to the volunteers.
Housing
The volunteers will be hosted in a private house, in the city in Portimão. Each volunteer will have a double bed room and the house will be fully equipped (kitchen, fridge, washing machine, furniture, beddings and cutlery) ensuring their safe, hygienic and pleasant experience.
Food allowance and pocket money
The volunteers will receive each month 100 Euros for pocket money according to the rules of the programme and 150 Euros as food allowance. The money will be transferred to bank accounts that we will open for them, in order to secure safety of money handling.
Transportation
For the international transportation costs the flights will be fully reimbursed by organized up to a maximum agreed amount that is stated by the rules of the program ERASMUS+. For the local transportation we are willing to offer the volunteers the opportunity to choose their way of moving around the city. DYPALL Network, being an organisation that assumes and promotes a healthy and environmentally friendly life-style recommends the use of bicycles within the city as the distances are small, streets are safe, and the land is considerably flat. Therefore, volunteers will be able to decide whether to use a bicycle or they would rather have a monthly pass for the local buses (in the case that transportation is needed to go to the project activities).
Linguistic Support
Volunteers will have access to a Portuguese language course offered by the online linguistic support Erasmus+ Programme.
Coordination
The coordination of “EVS Links” is ensured by an experienced team of youth workers with a background in non-formal education, volunteering management and mobility projects. The team has experience with EVS. Together with the EVS project manager there is an international project team of DYPALL comprised of youth workers, social workers and project managers that will ensure the well flow of the whole project with their experience and competencies.
Supervision
Within each project, there will be a person appointed to support the volunteers with their tasks, the development of activities schedule and the training required for them to go through a learning experience. This person (tasks’ supervisor), will be a person that has professional experience in their field and he/she will be further trained on how to support the learning processes of the volunteers.
Mentoring
Volunteers will also be assigned a mentor that will be responsible for the well-being of the volunteers in regards to their social integration to their project, the local community and with whom they can discuss on their experience and feedback on how the whole experience could be improved. This person will be a local young person that will have a similar experience of living abroad and will also be trained on mentoring methodologies. Also, this person will be the link between the volunteers and the hosting and coordinating organisations.
Learning Cycle
DYPALL will provide the volunteers with a programmed learning cycle that includes 1 Induction training in the first weeks upon the arrival; 1 Mid-term evaluation moments and a Final evaluation meeting during the last month of the project. Also, different occasional workshops will take place during the project, according to the learning needs of the volunteers and the local partner organisations, for the benefit of the personal and professional development but also to the EVS experience. The volunteer will have access to On-Arrival and Mid-Term EVS training, in case, provided by the National Agency according to the recommendations of the programme.
Health and safety
We would like to ensure the health and safety of all parties involved in our projects. Accordingly, we have prepared tools that can prevent challenges of this nature. These tools involve: Regular meetings with supervisors, mentors and EVS manager with open feedback processes from all parties to prevent and deal with possible conflicts. An emergency contact list will be given and explained to the volunteers to cover all possible issues that might rise during the project.
Within the projects but also the local community and the houses where the volunteers will be located, there will be conduct and behaviour standards that will also be in the Activity Agreement that will be produced.
Holidays
The volunteers will have two days per month off, meaning that in the total 9 month project they will have 18 days off. Also, they can enjoy the official bank holidays. Still, the holiday periods and length should be discussed with the supervisor of the activities in order to ensure that there is a clear articulation with the activities in the organisation.
Youthpass
We are following a procedure on developing and creating the Youthpass of volunteers in accordance to fundamentals of non-formal learning and self-assessment. Volunteers will be supported to create and follow learning plans and also self-assess their learning through a dialogue with other volunteers, the mentor and the supervisor. All volunteers will be given access to fill their Youthpass at the end of their project.
Insurance
Sending organisations will be responsible to register the volunteers with Signa insurance and brief volunteers on its use. We are fully aware and trained on Signa and how the volunteers can benefit from this insurance.
Other considerations
The volunteers will have access to internet through the hosting organisations placements and in their house.
Also, the volunteer will be given a mobile card through which they will be able to make calls between them and the coordinator for a low price. Charging the card will be the volunteers’ responsibility.
HOW TO APPLY?
To apply for EVS vacancy sends your CV and Motivation letter at sending@cid.mk and evs@dypall.com with the subject: “EVS in Portimão, Portugal”