The EVS-Project "Connecting Europe - Increasing Key Competences" is part of a long-term European-Voluntary-Service (which lasts 12 months). It is a continuation of a 9 month EVS-project with the overall goal to improve the volunteer's EU-related knowledge. Moreover, the volunteer is expected to interact with Thuringian citizens to promote civic participation and to strengthen Europe's authenticity, especially among young Thuringians. By working at the European Information-Centre at the Thuringian State Chancellery, the volunteer recieves purposeful, practice-oriented supervision. Close interactions with the EIZ-Team partnered with a wide range of EU-related tasks, enable the volunteer to overcome various challenges, while also taking on a number of responsabilities. These tasks will be centered around EU-related issues (examples of such issues include: active EU-citizenship, environmental and social sustainability, regional development, and european youth programmes [i.e. Erasmus+]). As stated previously, the volunteer will work closely together with experienced colleagues who will provide both personal and professional guidance during their time at the EIZ. Furthermore, the EIZ organizes seminars for refugees. The content of said seminar are divided into two main compenents. On one hand, they provide the participants with basic knowledge about the European Union, and on the other hand they help to instill EU values such as democracy, the rights of state, and human rights as described by the European Union.The overall goal of the project "Connecting Europe - Increasing Key Competences" is to aid in the further development of the volunteer's personal european key competences and vested interests in EU-policy-making. As a result, volunteers are encouraged to come up with new ideas and suggestions regarding the conceptual work of the EIZ, based on their own academic and cultural background. In this regard, the foundation OPENNES TO THE WORLD Pécs / Nyitottság a Világra Alapitvány Pécs is an excellent international partner with a deep understanding of what is required as an EVS sending-organisation, due to their substantial history working with EVS-Projects.