V comme Volontaire
Start date: Oct 1, 2015,
End date: Jul 31, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
The Social Center of Bois du Château association is involved for 20 years in Youth Exchanges. Partner with 8 countries, this association allowed more than 150 young people to travel abroad and to discover european exchanges. Hosting an EVS would confirm and reinforce our local strategy to spread the european dimension to the quarter of Bois du Château and make it more international. Mobility is the key to succeed in life, especially for the inhabitants of the quarter, it provides new experiences, it wides youth's horizons and it allows people to create and develop their own identity, social and cultural. That's what is precisely missing to the inhabitants of the quarter: the lack of cultural and symbolical mobility, it keeps them from being someone else and to become aware of their own identity. The social center has a permanent attention to create links beetween people in order to live better together and to promote new ideas, so a european volontary service is a good way to be an ambassador of this mobility, a symbole of the travel and the incultural meeting.
The association is an accredited non-profit association founded under the French law 1901, with a board of 22 people (inhabitantsts, local association board members and represneetant of municipality council). Nearly 280 families (from very different social and cultural backgrounds) are active members.
The association of the Social Center of Bois du Château was created in 1989 and has the following objectives :
- to develop a local cultural and social action with and for the inhabitants of the quarter.
- to promote and facilitate the access to educational activities and projects (street workshops, artistic activities, carnival, European exchanges, sports, theatre, music workshops, video, internet…).
- fight against all discriminations (French learning lessons, free access to Internet, school lessons for children…)
- reinforce the parent's role in the education of their children.
- to give to the population, to the young persons as to the adults the possibility of becoming aware of their aptitude, developing their personality and of getting ready to become active citizens and representative for a living community. The association is also aimed at reinforcing the solidarity of the inhabitants and the mind of mutual understanding by guaranteeing the equal access of the men and the women, of young persons and the adults, in the ruling authorities of the association. In order to realize these objectives, the association gets a financial support from the town, the district and the State Social Aid: our association is recognized and supported by the local institutions.
The activities are divided in 3 sectors: childhood, youth and adults. In each sector, we coordinate and offer adapted activities These leisure activities for children, young people and adults are organized by a permanent staff of 6 people (3 coordinators and 3 socio-educational instructors specialized in childhood and youth) reinforced by seasonal instructors, depending on what is needed.
The Social Center has to contribute to the social cohesion of this popular area, organizing friendly evenings, week-ends out of the town, and other events on various themes.
The financial contribution from the inhabitants to participate to these actions is adapted to their family income and should not be a brake to their involvement. So inhabitants can participate to activities and also become member of the board of the association, we try to promote an active way of participating in the quarter and in the association.
The team is composed with a director, a secretary, three coordinators, and a team of animators. All the workers have specialized degrees for their functions. Inhabitants are roughly 5000, including 35% under 25 years old. There are 780 families, including 300 single mothers. Diversity is represented with many people from different countries (Africa, Turkey, Asia, eastern European countries…), the quarter is part of the main targeted areas that are the priority of the government, regarding social, cultural and educational needs.
The role of the volunteer will be:
Missions:
- participate in the project of the Social Center and take part into the activities for and with the inhabitants, children, youth, adults and families
- promote the EVS action
- contribute to the intercultural opening process project of the Social Center
Functions :
-develop animations for all people in link with European culture
- take part into children, youth, adults or families’ leisures
-create the link and network between the different communities of the neighborhood through arts workshops and sports
The volunteer can take part in various activities organized at Centre Social:
-child care at the Leisure Centre and the Local Youth (sports activities, homework, etc ...)
-participation in different activities and workshops with adolescents and adults
-participation in leisure activities and holidays of residents