Youth Exchange “Volunteering 2011@EUr Service.gr” Athens, Greece 18th -25th October 2011
Name: Volunteering 2011@ EUr Service.gr
Type: Youth Exchange
Participants: 4 young people (18-26) plus one Leader (22+)
Countries: Greece, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Spain.
Lodging: Scouts Premises of Antonios Tritsi Park
Food: Cooked by volunteers
Short description:
Crossing through the European Year of Volunteering, the youth exchange “Volunteering 2011 @ EUr Service.gr” will give the possibility to 25 youngsters from 5 different European countries to experience for 7 days the concept of volunteering, as a way of active participation in civil society.
The participants will conduct a research each in their own countries concerning the different forms voluntarism can take and they will then come to Athens to share their knowledge and experiences, in order to reach a conclusion about how different European countries perceive the concept of voluntarism, but also for the opportunities themselves given through Europe for the promotion of voluntary service.
The participants will contemplate, will be informed and furthermore have the opportunity to participate in acts of voluntarism in the local community of Athens, but also in acts for promoting the Youth in Action programmes. The main objective of the project is to learn, not only the participants but also all people involved in the project, the opportunities given through the active participation of the youngsters for the improvement of the quality of human life and personal development.
Provisional Programme:
18th Oct. - Arrival Day - Welcome of the participants, rules of common living and getting to know each other activities
19th Oct. - Morning: Young people will learn about the program and its requirements, and intercultural games will take place so that young people become familiar with each other and build team. Afternoon: Young people will visit the nonprofit organization "Association for Protection and Care Wildlife Anima". Participants will have the opportunity to attend workshops for first aid to wildlife animals. Also, young people will have the opportunity to discuss with volunteers who provide support for the organization.
20th Oct. - The next day, through methods of informal education and dialogue, the participants will learn about the concept of voluntarism and its different forms. They will have the opportunity to discuss various aspects of volunteering in Europe, sharing information and research results that everyone made in the country, and analyze their conclusions.
21st Oct. - Participants will learn about the program "Youth in Action" and how to participate Then the priorities of the European Year on Volunteering and their significance will be discussed. In the afternoon, they will prepare their involvement in voluntary activities of the weekend.
22nd - 23rd Oct. - Over the next two days, participants will carry out two voluntary actions outdoors, guided by experts, such as participating in a "Big GREEN Weekend" activity in the forest of Schinias, cleaning a beach and painting the walls of a school, or playground or premises of an NGO that hosts people with fewer opportunities.
24th Oct. - Young people will assess and discuss the importance of active citizenship, participation in voluntary activities, the disadvantages and advantages, and will identify the reasons for low participation and lack of motivation for active participation of young people. During the afternoon they will learn about ways to motivate volunteers, through methods of disseminating messages and information such as the method of the campaign "Spread the Word".
25th Oct. On the last day of the program, youth will visit a humanitarian organization organizing soup kitchens for homeless, and learn about the action. In the afternoon, they will evaluate the program and discuss the prospects opened by exchanging ideas for future plans.
26th Oct. - Departure Day
Where?
Athens is the capital of Greece. It is a cosmopolitan city of around 5.5 million. The youth exchange will be held in an Environmental Awareness Park 'Antonis Tritsis' - Parko Perivalontikis Evesthitopoiisis, in the western suburbs of Athens (municipalities of Ilion & Agioi Anargiroi). It is a huge estate, established in 1830 as an Educational Farm, full of pines, olive and pistachio trees.
Participants will be accommodated in the Scouts Premises, inside the park. Toilets, showers and cooking facilities will be provided. There will be bunk beds with mattresses, but a sleeping bag is necessary. Also participants need to bring own towel!
Profile of participants:
Young people between 18 and 26 years old with a strong interest to learn about volunteering in it's different forms, no need to have a lot of experience in youth exchanges and volunteering. Excellent possibility to familiarize with volunteering in its different forms.
