BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT:The one-year EVS project "BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE! (EVS for a Georgian volunteer)" is hosted by "Grüne Schule grenzenlos", Zethau. The organisation was established in 1994 as a non-profit body and fits into a category of small non-governmental organisations. Its focus is mainly on youth activities, environmental education and international projects (for youth, adults and seniors). It applies the methods of non-formal education, cooperative and project-based learning and learning through own experience. The organisation is located in Saxony in the Ore Mountains, Germany. It is surrounded by rural areas with a variety of traditions, handcrafts and agriculture. The mountain landscape and local nature provides home for many fauna and flora species and unique ecosystems (environmental aspect). The location near the borders with the Czech Republic provides an opportunity for cross-border cooperation, civic participation and international projects. The philosophy of "Grüne Schule grenzenlos" thus combines the aspects of environmental education, active citizenship, international understanding, and regional sustainable development. It aims to transfer the environmental knowledge and multicultural principles (now topical because of the refugee influx) into the non-formal educational process and leisure time activities."Grüne Schule grenzenlos" hosts regularly international projects for schools, youth groups, summer and winter camps, public events (concerts, exhibitons or excursions with an international dimension) and European volunteers (since 2010, annually 2 to 3 volunteers).NUMBER OF EVS VOLUNTEERS at "Grüne Schule grenzenlos" (at one time): 3DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES:The volunteers will be involved in all activities held by "Grüne Schule grenzenlos" and will achieve a broad insight view into the activities and workflow of a non-profit organisation. The volunteers will be encouraged to create their own projects and to involve themselves into the realisation of different events organized by "Grüne Schule grenzenlos". The volunteers will enjoy all the benefits as regular staff members. Activities in which the volunteers will be involved (for OBJECTIVES, LEARNING OUTCOMES and METHODOLOGY - see sections "E.2" and "G" of this application):- planning and organizing the international activities for youth and adults- organising of school project days (in terms of environmental-, media- and democratic citizenship education)- realisation of activities for refugees and migrants- guiding in the local museum, leading workshops- promoting cultural diversity, international understanding and dialogue (Cultural club)- language course and expanding language skillsIMPACT OF THE PROJECT AND A POTENTIAL FOR LONG TERM BENEFITS - at the local level: - as a member of the "Grüne Schule grenzenlos", the volunteer will be directly cooperating with the community of locals (children, students, teachers, parents, seniors) as well as foreigners (refugees, migrants, exchange students)- the local community will benefit from the volunteer's ideas, skills and activities organized by him/her, as well as from the multicultural aspect he/she carries with him/her (and which is rare in the rural regions of Saxony) and multilinguistic situations- through the direct involvement of the volunteer, the local community will benefit from the unmediated relationships with foreigners that will help in - a long term perspective - to lower the influence of stereotypical presentation in mediaIMPACT OF THE PROJECT AND A POTENTIAL FOR LONG TERM BENEFITS - at the regional level: - the volunteer will join the non-formal community of all European volunteers in Germany and they will be strictly encouraged to network and organise events together (those options will be provided via On-Arrival and Mid-Term Seminars)- some of the projects conducted by the volunteer might have influenced the life in the region (a good practice from the previous years)- in a long term perspective it may result into the international networking of public bodies and cross-border initiativesIMPACT OF THE PROJECT AND A POTENTIAL FOR LONG TERM BENEFITS - at the European/international level:- the volunteer will deepen and develop his/her personal and professional skills, competencies and abilities (a set of practical skills for the future employment on the European market)- direct impact on the volunteer's personality that will be transfered further to his home community (open-mindedness, respect, intercultural sensitivity, communication skills, tolerance, European awareness, etc.)- strengthening the partnership between the Programme and Partner countries, and - as a long term benefit - a widening of the sense of 'European community' and solidarity