This Spring, in Mitrovica, GAIA and friends will organize a youth exchange about urban permaculture, with the focus on gardening and food production. The Youth Exchange will gather 25 young people from Croatia, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Kosovo, what means that this call is open only for young people who are residents of those countries (we are sorry for those who are not) and applying through organizations which are partners for this exchange: PVN Albania, VCV Serbia, VUK Croatia, CVS Bulgaria and GAIA Kosovo. It will take place from 25th of May until 2nd of June and will be organized in partnership with Down Syndrome Kosova in Mitrovica and the City Museum. Why permaculture? Permaculture is a design system that uses ecological principles, which can be applied to organisations, communities and economies to create a more harmonious and sustainable system of relationships. Based on the ethical foundation of care for the earth, care for the people and fair share, permaculture shows us a way, inspired by ecological understanding and principles, to create beneficial relationships and work with nature to regenerate and restore land, communities and our relationship to both. With learning about permaculture and gaining practical and theoretical knowledge about its principles and designing, which are inspired by natural systems, we can learn about social connections and ways of creating sustainable, resilient societies.   Urban permaculture? Half humanity now live in cities and they have large ecological and human effects on the planet. So how can permaculture food production be applied to our towns and cities? There are, in fact many techniques that allow urban dwellers to grow food the permaculture way.  Using permaculture design principles, we can transform our garden, roof top or balcony into a sustainable food-producing garden. We can also share land and create community gardens or initiate community supported agriculture (CSA). What will be happening? During this youth exchange we will explore possibilities for Mitrovica to develop urban garden and to include young people interested in environmental and social topics. We will do different workshops, games, discussions, movie projections, practical work in garden, visits to cultural and natural sites and so forth. Of course, we will learn and discuss about permaculture as well as local heritage, issues and exiting initiatives. We will also organize activities with the host organization and other partners in Mitrovica. Mitrovica is located in the North of Kosovo, with a population of around 100.000. The city is geographically divided by the Ibar River, into a Northern and Southern part, then also with a strong ethnic division as well. What are the conditions for participation? Each partner organization will choose 4 participants and 1 group leader who already took part in similar activities. Previous experience in international youth gatherings (exchanges, seminars, workcamps…) is not required nor advantage, but we expect that participants are: ·         interested in urban gardening, permaculture and social inclusion ·         willing to get prepared before the youth exchange ·         willing to live sustainably and in an international community ·         willing to be actively included and contribute ·         young between 18 and 30, while group leaders can be older than 30. Practicalities Accommodation and food will be covered through the project. We will be accommodated in Mitrovica South, in the house of Down Syndrome Kosova, which offers different educational and creative activities for people with Down Syndrome. Some of the activities will be organized with the friends from the host organization. Food will be traditional, seasonal and vegetarian. Travel costs (only environmentally friendly means of transport) will be reimbursed after ALL ORIGINAL tickets are received by GAIA. If you are interested to take part in this youth exchange, you should apply before 5th of April 2018. by sending you application form to communication@cvs-bg.org!

More about GAIA: www.gaiakosovo.wordpress.com More about SCI: www.sci.ngo

CVS – Bulgaria and Caritas Sofia are looking for  VOLUNTEERS to work with kids, teenagers and adults as part of the Refugee Project in the reception centres in Ovcha Kupel, Voenna Rampa and Vrazhdebna at the State Agency for Refugees.

Every four months the Refugee Project recruits new volunteers and the time has come to start our activities again. Volunteers engage in the preparation and implementation of educational activities for children and adults seeking international protection in Bulgaria in the following topics: Bulgarian and cultural orientation, English, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Art, Music, Sport, extracurricular activities and visiting natural and historical landmarks.

As a volunteer in the project you have an active role in the adaptation of the children, teenagers and adults who are in the reception centres for asylum seekers on the territory of Sofia, to the Bulgarian environment as a whole and in particular to the educational system in the country. You will actively support the project by participating in thematic interest groups, including fundraising and excursions committees.

Tasks:

• Leading activities in: Bulgarian language and orientation, English language*, Mathematics, Art, Sports, etc.

• Engaging and maintaining the interest of children, young people and adults who attend the classes;

• Planning and organising training sessions/ activities as part of a small team

• Participation in organising and conducting extra-curricular activities: excursions, participation in events and tournaments, visits to museums, theatres, cinemas, etc.

• Organising and managing fundraising and awareness-raising events

Occupation:

• Morning or afternoon on weekdays

• At least one session per week on a set day convenient for you (or more if you are willing);

• 2+ hours per week, depending on your availability.

* Knowledge of English is not mandatory for all candidates but only for those who would like to join the English teaching group.

Requirements:

• Over 18 years of age;

• Willingness and skills to work with children, young people and adults in a multicultural environment;

• Adherence to the ethical principles for working with vulnerable groups set out in the agreement between the volunteer and the “Refugee Project”

• Responsibility and ability to work independently after initial training and mentoring from the project coordinators;

• Interest in different cultures;

• Ability to carry out the tasks within the specified deadlines;

• Ability to work with other volunteers to plan and implement training sessions/ activities;

• Experience in working with children is an asset, as well as education in the field of social work and/or pedagogy;

• Knowledge of Arabic and /or Farsi would be useful; Other languages are a plus.

Duration:  12 March, 2018 – June 30, 2018, with interest and satisfaction on both sides, the duration of work may be extended.

Timeframe:

• Short online training
• on 11^th and 24^th March holding training sessions – two-day training
• 12^th  March – scheduled start of the activities.

Location:

• Ovcha Kupel: Integration Center at SAR (21A, Montevideo Street)

• Voenna Rampa: (11, Lokomotiv Street)

• Vrazhdebna: (270, Botevgradsko shose Blvd.)

Training:

• General information on countries of origin, EU and national legal practices and procedures;

• Detailed overview of the project and its activities;

• Information on other organisations operating in reception centers;

• Instruction on the specifics of working with children, young people and adults seeking or having received international protection by specialists from SAR / BRC / UNHCR /IOM/ Professors, etc;

• Introducing non-formal education and offering examples of working with children, young people and adults;

• Empathy, professional boundaries and prevention of the burnout syndrome;

• Training for the rights and obligations of volunteers;

Advantages:

• Intercultural communication, acquaintance with different cultures;

• Acquiring experience in working with children, young people and adults seeking international protection;

• Experience in planning and conducting educational, creative and sports activities;

• Acquiring skills for raising funds and organizing information events;

• Certificate from CVS-Bulgaria and Caritas Sofia in Bulgarian and English;

• Personal satisfaction.

 Mentoring and assessment:

• You will be mentored and assisted in your work by project coordinators and experienced volunteers who continue in the project;

• The contact persons will be the project coordinators; you will have a mentor who is a professional teacher;

• Periodic trainings; interim and final evaluation of the project.

Apply by:

-filling in the online form and if are new to the project sending us your CV (in Bulgarian or English) and photo  at therefugeeproject@gmail.com  

Deadline for applications: 28 February 2018. 

We are looking for a Learning Facilitator!

SOS Children’s Villages is an independent, non-governmental international development organisation which has been working to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children since 1949. There are ca. 400 children and young people living in the care of SOS Children’s Villages Hungary, out of which 100 live in the Koszeg area with 10 foster families and in the Youth Facilities.

The position is part of a project funded by the European Union. The selected person will take the role as a volunteer for 12 months, however, all necessary expenses are covered, such as travel costs, local transportation costs, accommodation, meal allowance, insurance (including dental and ophthalmological treatments), training courses, language course and pocket money.

Location: K?szeg city, Hungary

Project duration: 2018. 09. 03 – 2019. 09. 02.

Advanced planning visit for the selected candidate:  2 days in August (all related costs are covered)

Tasks and responsibilities:

• take part in the everyday life of children, youngsters and foster families, e.g. helping to accompany children to the nursery and school,
• tutor children on school subjects and organise language classes,
• organise different outdoor activities and excursions,
• organise different workshops (arts, crafts, dance etc.) in the workshop of the village (which is well-equipped with materials),
• investigate the structure of the labour market in the area of the Village (e.g. through getting in touch with the local EURES office) and provide opportunities for the children to familiarize themselves with different professions,
• organise intercultural events (e.g. intercultural nights; European values presentation, international volunteer programme opportunities)
• assist and lead summer camps,
• support administrative work.

We are looking for you, if you:

• are a dedicated person with experience in working with children and/or teenagers,
• are proficient in English,
• have a passion that you are eager to share: like a sport activity, music, theatre etc.,
• have good organisational and facilitation skills,
• are proactive and able to work independently,
•  are younger than 30 years-old, and has a permanent residency permit in his/her sending country.

We offer:

• all project related costs covered as stated above (equivalent to the net salary of programme coordinator in Hungary),
• work experience in one of the biggest international NGOs in the world,
• mentoring and professional support,
• leadership and child-care related trainings,
• good working environment and friendly co-workers,
• possibility to learn Hungarian.

How to apply:

Please send your CV in an e-mail to boglarka.meggyesfalvi@sos.hu with the subject ’EVS in Koszeg_your name’, telling us how you match the requirements and what makes you the great learning facilitator we want to have around!

Deadline of application: 10th June 2018

Good luck!

The training course is the main activity of the Small Steps project aiming at increasing the capacity of 10 European organisations in becoming actors of change in their local environment and working more effectively and actively for a more inclusive and prejudice-free Europe.

With this TC, we intend to provide you – youth workers, leaders, and educators – with knowledge and skills essential to inform and run educational activities in your local communities and societies on the topics of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, and to react to discriminatory practices – both as an individual and as an organisation. One of the methods we will focus on is the Human Library.

The training programme includes elements of both theory (what is discrimination, how to react to it), direct encounter with minorities (Human Library event), practice (practising intervention in situations of discrimination both as an individual and an organisation), and action planning (small-scale activities that you can do in order to prevent the growth of xenophobia and discrimination).

For whom?

The event will gather 28 participants from 9 European countries – activists and educators from Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. We believe that the TC will increase your self-confidence, make your work more efficient, and help you have a greater impact on the surrounding society and reality!

As the ideal participant you should:
– be interested in antidiscrimination issue and have some knowledge on this topic;
– be willing to take part in the project follow-up: organisation of a Human Library in your home country;
– come from one of the 9 above-mentioned project countries;
– be able to communicate well and work in English;
– with minimum age 18 (no maximum age);
– attend the whole course duration (there is no possibility to make exceptions).

We especially warmly welcome representatives of minority groups.

When:

The training will last 7 days. Arrival is foreseen on Thursday, 12th April 2018 before 3 p.m. Departure is on Wednesday, 18th April 2018 after 1 p.m.

Where?

The training will be held in Antwerp, Belgium – a charming city with a rich history. Participants will be accommodated in a comfortable and modern Hopper hostel close to the centre of Antwerp. Please note that the living conditions will be quite simple, and the rooms will be shared by 4-8 people.

Methods:

The working methods used will base on the principles of adult learning, creating a stress-free and motivating environment where the human brain has a full capacity to learn. You will often work in smaller groups in order to achieve best results. All the methods will encourage active participation, creativity, initiative, and responsibility for one’s own learning process.

Certificates:

You will be awarded with a training completion certificate, issued by Service Civil International, as well as with Youthpass certificate.

Financial conditions:

The food and accommodation of the participants will be fully covered. Reimbursement of the travel tickets will be 100% up to the maximum amounts indicated in the rules of the Erasmus+ programme after the receipt of original documents. Maximum travel reimbursement amounts: 100-499 km = 180 euro, 500-1999 km = 275 euro. We encourage you to use environmentally friendly transport (bus, train, car sharing) when possible.
There will be a participation fee of 30 euro per person, to be paid to SCI upon arrival, and that will be used for organisational costs of the Human Library in Antwerp. Some exceptions may be made for participants in a difficult financial situation – in this case, please notify us before the training.

How to apply:

The applicants are asked to complete an online registration form. The deadline is 25th February 2018, 23:59 CET. All applicants will be notified on the results by 2nd March 2018.

More information as well as the full program, you can find HERE.

In case of any questions, please contact Natalie at longterm@cvs-bg.org!

Good luck!

Dear volunteers,

Are you ready for the new voluntary season? Because we are! We have prepared for you a variety of opportunities, in which you can join and a lot of exciting stories of volunteers, who have already taken part in the activities of CVS-Bulgaria.

And because we know how important it is for every and each of us to find the best project, according to the needs, during the whole February you can find us in different locations around Sofia, where we will be presenting what the opportunities for volunteering are and how you can join them. We will be more than happy to meet you in an informal environment, with a drink during the following dates and hours:

During our info-points we will talk with everyone individually and explain what an international voluntary workcamp is, what a youth exchange is, what a training course and EVS are as well as what the free positions at the moment are. We will also discuss some of our activities in Sofia International Film Festival, the Refugee Project, Baba Marta Burzala 4, Vlahi Nature School as well as many others.

Bring friends with you as well if they also want to learn more about the meaning of volunteering and its benefits!

If you have any questions, please contact Nassi at communication@cvs-bg.org!

We will expect you in our wonderful locations!