The training is a part of the Erasmus+ accreditation plan of CVS-Bulgaria for 2023 and co-funded by the European Union From Well-being to Well-doing 2023-1-BG01-KA151-YOU-000139334
Финансирано от Европейския съюз. Изразените възгледи и мнения обаче принадлежат изцяло на техния(ите) автор(и) и не отразяват непременно възгледите и мненията на Европейския съюз или на Европейската изпълнителна агенция за образование и култура (EACEA). За тях не носи отговорност нито Европейският съюз, нито EACEA.
Posted by Rian Hulscher at 14:56Comments Off on TC “Pathways to Resilience in Youth Work” is looking for participants!
My name is Petya, a Bulgarian Youth Worker who joined the FLOW training in Innsbruck, Austria this April.
FLOW stands for FLOW – “Facilitating, Learning, Organising and Welcoming” and the project was designed to deliver critical training for trainers to foster highly sought-after skills and personal inspiration that every trainer should possess.
I was very happy to be part of FLOW! In one week, I learned new techniques and approaches related to group facilitation and training delivery. In addition, I had the chance to meet and exchange ideas and experience with Youth Workers and Trainers from other EU countries.
The intense daily program, packed with fun activities and practical workshops, usually ended with relaxed evenings where we all gathered to mingle, play games and come together as a group. The friendly atmosphere and the chill vibes made me feel happy and at ease.
Now that I am back in Bulgaria, I can say that my heart is full and I am more than excited for future opportunities to train and pass on what I have learned.
Many thanks for this amazing experience!
Petya
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FLOW is financially supported by SCI’s Operating Grant, Partnership on Peace 2024, funded by the CERV Programme of the European Union.
Posted by Rian Hulscher at 14:07Comments Off on FLOW – Facilitating, Learning, Organising, Welcoming- a participant impressions from a Training for Trainers
Being a volunteer youth worker at CVS-Bulgaria has been a great experience. So far, I’ve been able to meet with dozens of refugee children and play my part in making what can otherwise be an incredibly stressful period of their lives a little better.
An important yet oft ignored aspect of youth work is the mental well-being of not just those being worked with, but the youth workers and volunteers themselves. In the last week of February, I was able to participate in a training consisting of 30 unique participants, 10 different countries, and 17 nationalities around the world.
Centered in the peaceful Poznan, Poland, this little melting pot of the world came together to address this pressing issue in the youth worker community. I eventually arrived in Poznan and was greeted by an incredibly welcoming and vibrant group of individuals, all with unique backgrounds and perspectives to add on this matter.
Multiple workshops addressing mental well-being were led by our instructors for the training, Natalie and Goska. Their seasoned experience in youth work allowed them to share multiple pieces of helpful advice in maintaining our well-being in stressful periods.
Even while learning at the training, our mental health was thoughtfully considered by our trainers. Some of our activities – when the weather allowed it – was held outdoors, where we were able to connect with not only nature, but with each other as well.
While I take the many lessons and advice learned at the training back to Sofia, and eventually my home in the United States, I also take back countless memories. One of the pieces of advice offered by our trainers in order to deal with stress is to surround ourselves in a positive environment. I’m especially confident that such was achieved in Poznan, and I hope to keep in contact with the many great individuals I met during our training. I strongly urge anyone – regardless of their background or hesitations – to consider taking part in training courses of SCI, a truly wonderful experience.
“Stop. Reflect. Do Better” project (2023-1-PL01-KA153-YOU-000148664) is run by SCI Poland and co-funded by the European Union.
Posted by Kathy at 17:35Comments Off on SCI training courses – a truly wonderful experience!
TheTraining of Trainers for Peace, part of the Educators for Peace project, took place from 16 until 23 November 2023 in Koniz, near Bern in Switzerland. 30 participants from 12 countries in Europe and the Middle East attended and Lilly Dakova was one of them. We are happy to share her notes from the training.
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Find your bubble, they say. Fill it with warm human beings who make you feel safe and special and empower you to believe in your abilities to make a change.
Let me tell you more about mine, a.k.a. Nostalgic post-impressions about the Training Course “Training of Trainers for Peace” in K?niz, Switzerland.
Learning can be a plethora of things. A maze, a lamp, an umbrella; imagination, reflection, unlocking your potential; running together, running from someone, running towards yourself. It all depends on your perspective and your willingness to open your mind and feel, explore, ask, share, and create.
The ToT training course encompassed facilitation fears and techniques, steps in developing a workshop, dealing with challenging situations, evaluation and measurement of impact, and digital tools. It made us waltz – both in the vast hall of the house and in the corners of our minds – in order to think of personal examples and investigate what we could have done a bit better. Regret is rarely a perfect option, but improvement can always be.
You are the owner of your well-being and you are responsible for your education. Don’t be afraid to think of yourself as a change-maker. Paraphrase the astonishment provided by others, make space for different paces and mistakes, and balance the wheel of your emotions.
We live in a world that is full of beauty. Let’s help more people feel it.
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This project is financially supported by Movetia. Movetia promotes exchange, mobility and cooperation within the fields of education, training and youth work – in Switzerland, Europe and worldwide.
Posted by Natalie at 12:05Comments Off on Nostalgic post-impressions about the Training Course “Training of Trainers for Peace” in Koniz, Switzerland
We are happy to share the story of Bashak Sarah Yoney, who was a short-term ESC volunteer in Croatia this autumn (2023), part of the project “Green Fingers” of our partner organisation Udruga O.A.ZA. – Odr?iva Alternativa ZAjednici. The project is financed under the European Solidarity Corps program.
Ever since I’ve known myself, I’ve always felt deeply upset about all the bad and unjust in the world, and truly appreciated every single kind act.
With the guidance of these feelings I’ve had, I decided I wanted to do volunteering to give back to the society and to earth.
After I graduated college, I started looking for volunteering opportunities, both in my home country and abroad. In the process, I remembered about European Solidarity Corps, of which I learnt about thanks to a youth exchange I did previously. At that moment I realized this could be the perfect chance for me.
On European Youth Portal, while looking through volunteering opportunities, I came across Green Fingers, and I was instantly captivated! I’ve always been someone who not only appreciates, but also tries to nurture, protect, and connect with mother nature. So, I applied and heard back from Jasmina soon. After we got in contact we scheduled an interview, where Jasmina interviewed me and helped me with all my questions and concerns regarding the project. She also put me in contact with a sending organization since I didn’t have one (shoutout to Natalie as well, she was the best person I could ask for in a supporting organization!). With all the arrangements finished, I was ready for my journey!
After my bus ride, I arrived at Zagreb, where Jasmina picked me up and took me to our hostel, the accommodation. When I went there, all the other volunteers were outside since they arrived a day earlier than me and started exploring the city already! Realizing they’d already made friends with each other, I couldn’t help but feeling anxious: I was scared I couldn’t be friends with them, or that I’d miss my home, friends, and family. However, after I woke up from my nap, they were back at the hostel, and as soon as I met them, I realized I wouldn’t be too lonely. They were all very friendly and welcoming: they even made grocery shopping from the first day, and started cooking and eating meals together 🙂
Within less than a week, we started being friends as a group. Of course, not all of us got along with each other instantly, but over time, we discovered all the amazing sides of each other that made us unique, and we all became this crowded family! In the meantime, the activities and work started as well. We were so surprised and happy when we saw the office for the first time: it was in the middle of Zagreb, with a beautiful terrace, and over a hundred plants!
Soon we started working in school gardens. At first, we were focusing on the maintenance of the gardens, while also learning about the tools and plants. Additionally, since it was Day of European Languages shortly after we arrived, Mile thought it would be a nice idea to prepare a workshop for the students at the schools about our languages and cultures. Just like that, we begin preparing and executing workshops for the kids as well. In this first workshop we planned, we played games with the kids which were revolving around the kids guessing things about our cultures, and then proceeded with teaching them basic phrases and words in our languages. It was very encouraging and sweet to see them engage in the workshops and be interested about our cultures and languages.
Throughout our project we went to four different primary schools, in which we did our gardening activities and workshops. In one of the schools, we planted new flowers and little trees, while in another we were building composter boxes or raised beds out of wood. In one we were working with the children, while in others we were alone, focusing on the job we were doing. I must say, those times even felt like meditation: I would give all my attention, focus and care to the plant I was working with, and would have the chance to let go of my thoughts.
I learnt a lot during the time I spent in Zagreb. I learnt about gardening, about the types of plants, about how to care for them, how nature works and what it needs. While building in the gardens, I learnt how to use a drill and a hammer. I learnt how to have a good time with a group of kids, and what’s the best way to communicate with them in a healthy way. I learnt about Croatian language and culture, about their food and habits, and about Zagreb.
Furthermore, I learnt how to better work in a team. How to organize, take responsibility, participate in civil life, be more open minded, take initiative, be patient, and much, much more…
But there was one thing I learnt, which I could not have learnt anywhere else: I learnt how a random group of young people, from different ages and countries, could become family ?
Hvala to my family away from home and to green fingers for teaching me so much, and helping me on my journey to discover who I truly am 🙂
Can’t wait to see you again someday…
Bashak Sarah Yoney
Posted by Natalie at 15:48Comments Off on A story of Green Fingers project
Our partners from Tudatos Ifjusagert Alapitvany are organising Jump’IN training course from 15 to 22 October in Holloko, Hungary
About the project:
The training course Jump’IN is designed for newcomers in Erasmus+ project realisation, beginners in project planning and management in youth work and also for those who would like to get on board with Erasmus+ Programme, especially with youth exchange activities. The training activity is especially designed for members of organisation, who have accreditation in the field of Erasmus+ in order to develop and lead quality youth exchange events connected to any of the 11 European Youth Goals.
This training course is focusing on exploring and understanding the project management cycle within the youth field. The main aim is to provide youth workers with space and tools to discover Erasmus+ youth projects and to equip them with practical tools and methods to develop their own project ideas and understand how they become capable to manage a successful youth projects within the framework of Erasmus+ Programme. The programme is designed to enable youth workers to develop and realise their youth exchange projects to be able to implement them after the course.
Participants profile: The training activity is especially designed for members of organisation, who have accreditation in the field of Erasmus+ in order to develop and lead quality youth exchange events connected to any of the 11 European Youth Goals.
Costs:
Costs will be covered accrding to the rules of the Erasmus+ Programme. A participation contribution of €60 (€10/working day) per participant is expected to be paid as contribution.
Application:
Application deadline is 15th September 2023 for the participants.
The Master’s of Arts (MA) Programme Peace and Conflict Studies provides scholarly education in areas of international peacebuilding, conflict transformation, development policy, diplomacy, human rights, security, and disaster management. It also provides action-oriented training in teamwork and development, diversity and identity, inclusion, capacity development, and intercultural communication.
Duration/ECTS: 4 semesters /120 ECTS
Mode of Study: Full time
Language of instruction: English
Requirements: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline
Application period for 2023/24 intake: March 1 to May 15, 2023.
Cost structure: for EU-students and students that have the same legal status as EU residents, the MA Programme is completely free of charge except for a minor Austrian Student Union tuition fee of currently 21.70 EUR/semester. For non-EU-students the costs are currently 726.72 EUR/semester.
International Activity for youth and social workers, activists and volunteers
05.-14. June 2023 in Berlin – Weissensee, Germany
(Call for applications)
Gender is a socially constructed phenomenon that is often understood as only binary, and therefore excludes other forms of gender expression in our society. Cis-normativity and cis-sexism leave little if any space for gender diversity, self-determination and other forms of sexual identity.
As peace and volunteer organisations, we want to support a large number of young people who are exposed daily to discrimination, structural violence, human rights violations and exclusion in society due to their gender or sexual orientation. In many regions, these problems are denied or, worse, those affected are verbally harassed or physically attacked. It affects different areas of their life such as family, school, work, personal development. In some countries, these problems go beyond customs, stereotypes and norms, where LGBTQIA+ communities are still criminalised and legally denied their rights and freedoms.
It is equally important to gather and share experiences – whether common or different – to build stronger connections and unity among LGBTQIA + activists. In many countries, the situation has been stale or almost unchanged, hence a breakthrough is needed. Our project will provide an opportunity to establish contacts, learn from each other, and share knowledge in activism and advocacy and thus impact directly on local communities.
The Venue
The activity will take place at Tagungswerk im KuBiZ, Berlin – Wei?ensee
Aims of the Project
Support and advocate for the rights of LGBTQIA + people.
Acquire skills and competences to more effectively do so and to strengthen the concerns of LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities.
Learn how to raise awareness among others and how to share knowledge, to advocate and campaign for gender justice.
Contribute to more visibility for LGBTQIA + communities through creating visual and informative materials e.g. videos, flyers, magazines, posters and social media campaigns.
Living in a Group
We will spend one week together in a group of almost 30 people with different backgrounds and experiences. For us it is very important to take time to create a safer space to live and work together. For this we will set up a group agreement all together at the beginning. Please be aware that inclusion, anti-discrimination and reduction of stereotypes is nothing very easy and might be challenging for people. We invite you to come openly to the seminar and to be open to learn, reflect, and on the same side be mistake – friendly!
Outcomes
Participants create their own zine / booklet with personal stories from interviewed persons;
Everyone who comes to this seminar should…
… be actively involved in their sending organisation, in youth or voluntary work or in activism
… ideally have experience in international peace work or activism
… participate actively in the activity and in the production of the outputs
… be comfortable with speaking and writing in English
… ideally be committed to come to the activities by overland route (public transport, no flying)
Eligible Partner Organisations/Countries:
Please note that there will be opportunities to spend free time in Berlin, but that this is not a „getting to know the city” project. On some days, the seminar also foresees evening sessions.
Logistics, Financial Conditions and Sustainability
Simple life: The seminar will take place in a seminar house with simple living conditions. You will sleep in a room shared with few other people.
Costs: We cover all essential costs of the program (including vegetarian/vegan food, travel costs up to a maximum amount per distance (maximum travel reimbursement amounts: 10-99 km = 20 Euro, 100-499 km = 180 Euro, 500-1999 km = 275 Euro, 2000 -2999 km = 360 Euro) visa costs, accommodation, and seminar) through an Erasmus+ European project grant. We will reimburse your costs some weeks after project completion, after you have submitted a complete expenditure summary with original receipts. Your sending organisation might ask for a small participation fee. These fees are, apart from excessive travel costs, the only costs you need to cover yourself.
Sustainable food: You will prepare meals in small teams and shifts for the whole group. Food will be simple and preferably vegetarian or vegan to support climate justice.
Sustainable travels: Please use sustainable means of transport rather than flying. We will give you more guidance on how you can reach the venue once you have been accepted to the seminar.
How to apply:
Please send your application for Breaking Through with the filled Application Form to cvs.katerina@gmail.com and breakingthrough@sci-d.de. After we accept your application, you will receive a detailed Infosheet.
TC “Y.D.E.A.” Youth Development through Emotional Awareness” 9th-16th June 2023 Emen village, Veliko Tarnovo region, Bulgaria (Call for participants)
Are you intrigued by Emotional Intelligence? Do you want to know more about Social and Emotional Learning? Do you want to improve your emotional competences to boost inclusion in youth work? Then…we have a great Y.D.E.A.! Join our Erasmus+ project and you will:
get to know and learn more about the international participants and their organisations, through team-building and interactive sessions;
increase your knowledge on Emotional Intelligence, Social Emotional Learning, Emotional Awareness, social psychology, mental health and how to apply this knowledge to youth work to boost social inclusion and impact;
through “learning-by-playing” sessions, develop non-formal educational methods, tools, models and practice based on SEL and EI, and focused on the current needs of young people;
develop and consolidate sensitivity and the expertise concerning mental health issues within the organisations, the networks, the International Voluntary Service movement and in youth work in general;
share ideas and inspirations on how to create synergies with formal and non-formal education bodies, to reach-out and include young people with fewer opportunities.
We will offer you an excellent learning opportunity that will support you to increase the quality of non-formal education activities you and your organisation are doing, and also a unique networking experience with fellow-minded people from across Europe. Please read the following points to check if you are eligible to apply!
The ideal participants are educators and trainers (also to-be trainers), workcamp coordinators, volunteers, NGOs staff and board members and youth workers with an interest in emotional intelligence, mental-health, non-formal education, social inclusion and its applications in their work with young people.
There are a few formal requirements you need to satisfy to join the training course:
You need to be a resident of one of the 14 project countries mentioned on the cover page.
You must be able to communicate in English (the working language of the course).
You must be at least 18 years of age.
You need to attend the whole course duration (there is no possibility to make exceptions).
You commit yourself to take part in the preparatory and in the follow-up phase of the project.
We explicitly encourage participants of all genders, abilities and ethnic backgrounds to apply!
The provisional training programme and details about logistics can be found in the detailed Call for participants below!
If you consider yourself a suitable candidate for the course, please fill in the application form by 16.05.2023, 23:59 CEST.
Before submitting your application, please contact the partner who will act as sending organization (click on the organization name to consult its website):
You will be notified of the selection results by 20.05.2023.
All those accepted will receive a detailed infosheet (including how to get to the venue, how to book your travel, what to bring, more information about the agenda of the project and details about the preparatory tasks). We will support you in the pre-departure phase together with our project Partner Organisations. Please do not start booking tickets before receiving the official confirmation of approval by CVS-Bulgaria!
If you have further questions regarding the project, you can write to us at trainings@cvs-bg.org
We are looking forward to your application!
Stela,Kat & Mauro (The coordination team)
The project “Y.D.E.A.-Youth Development through Emotional Awareness”, 2022-3-BG01-KA153-YOU-000100089 is supported by Erasmus+ Programme, under KA1, Youth workers mobility
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Posted by Kathy at 19:05Comments Off on Let’s learn together about emotional inteligence! We are ready to invite you to join a one-week training course “Y.D.E.A.”
My name is Silvi and from January to August 2022 I was volunteering in a Montessori school in Telfs, which has made me ponder a lot about what is important for one’s education and nurture. During my volunteering I had discovered a lot about education and nurture. How fruitful it is for a child to thrive as a part of more than a system, but a community: taking part in each aspect of school life and voicing what is dear to them as an individual. Teaching, learning and relishing the beauty of the Alps, I spent a year in InfoEck – Jugendinfo Tirol looking for the greater meaning. I share with you some photos which illustrate this amazing journey!
#EuSCVolunteeringTyrol202228 April 2022 – Meeting with other volunteers to exchange with each other and discuss the “Sustainable Development Goals” and the “EU Youth Goals”.20 may 2022 – our volunteering team is meeting to discuss solidarity, non-formal learning and reflection on learning processes. Our host was the amazing space of Die Bаckerei“Cooking for Solidarity” 6 may 2022 – Our volunteering team was cooking for a good cause and welcomed many guests! The donations collected went to “Nachbar in Not – Help for Ukraine”. We presented the European Solidarity Corps and our project. Check out the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/3166487790239693 From the autumn of 2022 our ESC group has been hosting a radio show “Talking Europe” – spoiling the audience you with fine music and exciting topics. Website of Radio FREIRAD: FREIRAD 105.9 Freies Radio Innsbruck5 July – Time flies! This photo was taken at our last hiking together! The project was over but tyhe journey just begins!26 September 2022 – Back in Bulgaria I was able to share my experience with local volunteers and inspire them to volunteer abroad within the European Solidarity Corps program!
Volunteering Projects under European Solidarity Corps/2021-2-AT01-ESC51-VTJ-000044972
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