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Volunteering Promote Goodness – A strategic EVS project focused on emphazising non-formal learning and raising the awareness about EVS and its values.

The wish to carry out this project was due to the fact, that there is a favourable environment in Europe that makes this not only possible but also desirable as shown by the fact that a growing number of stakeholders from various sectors intends to take advantage of the potential of NFL (non-formal learning). But there are still many people, who don´t know that EVS is good method for using formal and non-formal education and they are not aware of value of EVS and opportunity to participate in it.

This is not only emphasised by the growing attention of youth-targeting programmes (such as YiA and now E+) but also by our own experience. During a needs assessment exercise with returnee volunteers we identified a whole set of skills that their experience brought about. In particular: Global awareness; Adaptability; Interpersonal skills; Delegation capacity; Stress management; Self-confidence; Problem solving; Self-learning capacity; Strategic thinking etc.

In spite of this, links between youth organisations and other actors (i.e. government structures and labour market forces) are still scarce. This is possibly due to the lack of mechanisms to acknowledge and take advantage of inter-sectorial synergies and has emerged as a priority of our partners in the course of our growing collaborations.

Therefore, there was this wish to create an inspiring international environment for Estonia people in order to promote purposeful participation in lifelong learning and contribution to a community on the way of personal development in the global world.

EstYES was targeting the following strategic aims and objectives during the project:

To raise an awareness of value of EVS and opportunity to participate in it in Estonia county through increasing number of organisations working with EVS;
to raise an awareness of value of EVS and opportunity to participate in it amongst the organisations and youth;
to raise an awareness of European Solidarity Corps;
to increase the number of EVS accredited organisations and sending Estonia youth to EVS
To increase a capacity of EstYES NGO to coordinate, receive and send EVS volunteers
to create a systematic and structured new approach to service delivery in order to optimize work with all parties – volunteers, ROs, SOs, supervisors, mentors – involved into EVS;
to improve our competence of preparation and supporting EVS volunteers with fewer opportunities during the service with the help of supervision;
To create prerequisites for social inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities into EVS
to strengthen partnership with international organisations working with young people with fewer opportunities.

Our volunteers within this project did a great job with the promotion and raising awareness of the programmes. They shared their culture and information in the youth centres, education fairs and events, schools and kindergartens, among the parents and teachers. EstYES was also meeting with their partners to develop their collaboration and made agreements with new interested organisations. Collaboration was made with a few organisations who are supporting the youngsters with fewer opportunities.

The project is funded by the Archimedes Foundation Youth Agency from the Erasmus + program.

Experimental Movement Center VOLUNTEER FOUND

Introduction

Experimental Movement Centre is a non-profit organization which has been introducing new circus and performing art to children, youngsters and grown-ups already for 15 years. The training rooms are located in the near center of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia but performances, events, shows, and camps have traveled all over Estonia and many other countries. The main purpose of the organization is to teach, unite and develop young people to be independent and creative through dance, circus, acrobatics, acting, and music.

There is a friendly and easy-going collective of trainers and students. The trainers have grown out from the same school so they have the best overview of the school policy and know-how. It’s a school where one can learn for your whole life. The target group is mainly children aged between 2 – 16, but also have several training groups for grown-ups. There are approximately 150 children and 20 grown-up students. The school is opened for everyone who has a wish to learn acrobatics and circus tricks.

More about the organization can be found at http://www.omatsirkus.ee/eng.

Location

The project environment is located in the capital of Estonia – Tallinn. Experimental Movement Center has very decent and well-equipped rooms in Kopli which is near Tallinn city center, 10 minutes by public transportation.

Work tasks and Proposed activities

Assisting in trainings as an assistant coach (holding the jump rope, hold the unicyclists’ hand, helps the children with somersaults)
Helping to bring the requisites
Preparing the room for training and carry out the training with the coach
Being present in performances, camps (city camp, summer camp)
Helping to organize the competitions (coffee table, receptor, printing the diplomas, enters the data of the judges, helps in rewarding)

In addition, the volunteer could help to organize the events (communicating with people, spreading advertisement, selling and checking tickets, organizational activities, assisting).

If the volunteer wishes he/she can help with creative work (organizing the performances and programs, choreography, music, costumes etc).

It depends on the strong sides of the volunteer – if the person has a hobby or a strong knowledge of for example photography, design or filmmaking he/she is very welcome to take photos, tape the performances or trainings or design the costumes or whatever he/she does the best.

Benefits of volunteering

Possibility to participate in the trainings and through that develop his/her athletic side and acrobatics and circus skills
Learning how to work and communicate with children and other people
Improving teaching skills

Requirements for the volunteer

Sports and art-minded attitude
A physically active and healthy lifestyle is a big plus
Easy to communicate with
Likes dealing with children and youngsters
Accurate and punctual
Adaptable and prepared for changes
Basic knowledge of computer skills is very much helpful

Experience in dealing with children, circus, acrobatics or other stage or creational activity is very much appreciated

VOLUNTEER FOUND

Uued projektid sinu postkastis!