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INITIATIVE MATTERS!
INITIATIVE MATTERS!
Start date: May 1, 2016,
End date: Sep 30, 2017
PROJECT
FINISHED
Current EVS project INITIATIVE MATTERS! aims at providing non-formal education and intercultural learning opportunities to young people from Kavadarci: Youth Association creACTive; Krasnoyarsk: INTERRA and Estonia: INVOLVED.In Macedonia, EVS project will be based in the local youth club of the organization in Kavadarci, while part of the activities will be also developed in some villages near the city and the organic farm in creACTive ownership. Target group of this project are young people aged 13 to 25 from the town and the nearby villages, while the activities include various workshops in the fields of arts, culture, sport, language courses, use of computers, sports, theatre, media, games and others. Club is also open for youngsters’ free time activities during the whole day. The club already functions and employs four youth workers. Currently there are 5 EVS volunteers hosted and one volunteer from USA who is a Peace Corps volunteer. INVOLVED is sending 2 LT EVS volunteers to Macedonia. One will be working more in the youth center, whereas the other more with collaboration projects/partners and organic farming.Collaboration with Macedonia includes in total 14 EVS volunteers: two long-term (12 months each, from Sept 2016) and 12 short-term volunteers (1 month each, 3 youth together from June-Sept 2016, incl). Short-term is meant for youth with economic/ social and/or educational difficulties and INVOLVED will support them with providing additional support. Focus of voluntary work with youth with fewer opportunities will be in organic farm of creACTive. They will be introduced to organic farming through theoretical and practical classes, will take part in practical work on the organic farm and visit other organic farms in the region, and will be learning and developing business plan and further planning how to continue and to deliver their new experience.Third LT Service will be implemented in Krasnoyarsk City in Russia. Krasnoyarsk is the largest industrial, cultural and educational center of Eastern Siberia, and the capital of the Krasnoyarsk Territory - the second largest region in Russia. The Service will last 10 months and starts from 1st of September 2016.Volunteer will be involved in current INTERRA's projects (in the preparation and implementation of youth exchanges and bilateral international project-management) and other activities carried out by Educational Center of INTERRA (foreign language clubs, lectures/discussions in culture, art, urban life development etc.) He will have the possibility to participate in sports events, organized by the city or other NGOs in Krasnoyarsk and through them promote volunteering and the EVS programme. He will work mainly with young people in the age of 14 – 35 years.Main objectives of the project are:- active involvement of young people in civic participation in the community by way of non-formal education,- promotion of international exchanges and cross-cultural understanding and tolerance,- creation of necessary circumstances that will develop Volunteer's personal and professional growth. We would like to offer our EVS volunteers an opportunity to immerse into the field of non-formal education and in cultural environment of the hosting region/city. Learning foreign language develops competences and social skills. RO staff will support all volunteers in setting, planning and achieving learning objectives and enhancing his key competences within the period of EVS. Methodology of the project is elaborated in such a way that for LT Services it requires volunteer's active participation and involvement in the daily life of RO. Methodology is based on main principles of experiential learning cycle and non-formal education. Through participation in joint activities the volunteers and young people from Estonia, Macedonia and Russia acquire new knowledge and develop new attitudes towards different countries. Volunteer will have an opportunity to use all his experience from the project, to create active way of participation and develop competences which are important both for personal and professional future. Involvement in local community ensures that both foreign and volunteer’s community will benefit from the project.All volunteers receive Youthpass Certificate.