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EVS: sharing thoughts, values and experience
EVS: sharing thoughts, values and experience
Start date: Jan 1, 2016,
End date: Dec 31, 2017
PROJECT
FINISHED
This project involves three projects: activities on the south side of the Rotterdam, activities at de Kleine Koning and activities at Urtica de Vijfsprong. Activities in Rotterdam focus on social cohesion and improving living conditions in the challenging districts on the south side of Rotterdam. De Kleine Koning is a residential house for children who need extra support and cannot live at home . De Vijfsprong, a biodynamic farm with psychiatric patients and people with mental problems work and live there. Volunteers work in wide variety of activities. They either live with other volunteers in an apartment (Rotterdam and Vorden), in the residential area of the organization or with a host family. NUMBERS AND VENUESRotterdam hosts 7 volunteers, Urtica de vijfsprong 2 and de Kleine Koning 2. ACTIVITIESVolunteers in Rotterdam work with children, people with limitations, psychiatric patients, special ed students and local residents. They work for different organisations, as well as for Lava Legato to make fruit preserve together with students from praktijkonderwijs (special education). Volunteers in de Kleine Koning assist the staff with operational activities that are needed to run the residential house for children. Playing with the children (singing, games, sports activities) is also part of the activities. Volunteers at Urtica de Vijfsprong are involved in working with cattle, maintaining the garden, growing vegetables and doing household chores (like cooking) and making dairy products. The volunteers work in a team with staff, clients and other volunteers. Clients of the farm are people who work and/or live at Urtica de Vijfsprong and who are in need of mental support, because of their psychiatric and psychological background. RESULTS AND IMPACTVolunteers broaden their horizon by experiencing a wide variety of people they work with, different types of work they do and different organizations they collaborate with. They will develop their skills to adapt themselves to different circumstances and situations. Their experience will be beneficial for their future career, because they also learn and develop general work related competencies, like working in a team, being punctual and reliable, stay organized in a work setting and being pro-active. At the same time, in the future they will better equipped to deal with unfamiliar situations. The volunteers learn while doing. They execute operational activities and collaborate with professionals that are trained and educated in the social field. By watching how professionals work, the volunteers learn to know different working methods and strategies that are relevant in the social field. The local residents of the district/areas in which the volunteers are active, will benefit from their presence. Volunteers work for local organisations that provide services for local residents, volunteers can provice one to one support to local residents. This type of service cannot be provided by professional, because it is financially not viable. LONG TERM BENEFITSAll people involved will broaden their horizon by interacting with eachother. This can for instance mean volunteers interacting with clients, organizations communicating with volunteers or local youth with volunteers. Volunteers develop their independent working skills, as well as their self management and communication skills. Working with volunteers enables the organizations to structurally provide activities for which they need volunteers.