Back to search

Learn to Optimize Volunteering Experience

2020-1-HR01-KA105-0773042020Youth mobilityfinalized
Countries: HR|SK|PT|IT|ES|MK · Grant: €18,081
Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)EU Citizenship, EU awareness and DemocracyNew innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Objectives

Youth mobility ''Learn to Optimize Volunteering Experience“ brought together 28 young people and youth workers from 5 different European countries to encourage the notion of volunteering as an important pillar of the European Union's social development, which is especially evident in crisis situations such as the current pandemic, refugee crisis, natural disasters, etc. This project, through its implemented activities, has promoted volunteering and the European Solidarity Corps program among the participants: how to participate in the European Solidarity Corps as well as how to apply for European Solidarity Corps projects. The aim of the proposed project was to improve and increase the knowledge, competencies, and skills of the staff of organizations working with young people in the area of promoting the value and importance of volunteering. By the end of the project the following specific objectives were achieved: - informing more and more people working with young people about the possibilities of volunteering mobilities through the European Solidarity Corps through workshops, exchange of experience and knowledge among participants from different countries, and through examples of good practice. - improving the competencies of people working with young people in the field of volunteering process management - selection of volunteers, preparation of volunteers and volunteer activities, evaluation of volunteer work, and application of conflict resolution to address potential disadvantages that may arise in volunteering; What is more, the activities implemented during the project served to promote multiculturalism and to facilitate intercultural dialogue, whereby participants gained intercultural competencies and strengthened teamwork skills. During project activities, participants expanded their knowledge of the European Union and strengthened their social skills through non-formal learning methods (workshops, meetings with local stakeholders and experts, discussions, brainstorming, etc.) to encourage their ideas and share good practices on the topic of youth exchange. It has encouraged them to think "outside the box" and to improve their attitude and their approach to youth participation in the European Union as innovatively as possible. Considering the evaluations carried out during and after the mobility and contact with partner organizations, we can conclude that the following goals have been achieved: - Participants: gaining personal and professional skills to meet all previously proposed project objectives. - Participating in organizations: gaining additional experience in implementing European projects and new networking opportunities to be developed in the near future. - Target groups: increase interest and involvement of young people in the local community (active participation) within the European Solidarity Corps program. At the end of the mobility, participants disseminated the results of the training through an online campaign with the help of partner organizations. Following the mobility, each partner organization organized dissemination activities (online and in the field) with project participants in their own countries, with the aim of encouraging young people in the local community to apply for their volunteering experience through the European Youth Portal.

Project partners (6)