ESC Volunteering Opportunity in Armenia for Young People from Slovakia

ESC Volunteering Opportunity in Armenia for Young People from Slovakia

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What to expect from your ESC?

This opportunity to volunteer in Armenia is made possible due to cooperation between two organizations – one from Armenia and one from Slovakia.

The volunteering project will last for 9 months in Yerevan (Armenia) from 1st of August 2021 till 31st of Apri l2022.

The primary objective of the volunteering in Armenia is the exchange of information and experience between two different cultures: Slovak and Armenian. Through this ESC project we hope to develop solidarity and cross border relationships between Armenian and Slovak youth. Together they will learn to celebrate the broad diversity that exists in Europe, help to strengthen the way to a larger, more encompassing European Union, develop a collaboration of Armenian and Slovak young people, acquaint them with historical and cultural heritage and traditions.

Volunteers’ profile

We expect to host enthusiastic, energetic volunteers aged 18-30 who are eager to learn, enjoy working with youth and full of creative ideas. The age is not really important, because work will be based on the principles of peer education. Strong organizational skills are considered very useful as the ability to communicate in English. Moreover, volunteers should be comfortable living on their own, be able to adapt to new situations, and have good problem-solving skills. All activities will be done in the mixed groups of volunteers from different nationalities that will have their ESC projects at the same time at APY. Volunteers are expected to be interested in the issues of democracy, equality and human rights and strive to continue working on them during their volunteering projects in Armenia.

APY always encourages volunteers to develop new activities, initiatives, and ideas as long as they are in the framework of the project. We require no specific skills, but happy to be a flexible and creative base. However, we do not require any professional qualifications, but rather interest, motivation, and enthusiasm. Since they will need to enjoy working with related tasks and develop their skills, it is also important that our volunteers have some “space” for developing new ideas and personal interests. In our turn, we see volunteers as informal  ambassadors for their countries. We would like to get direct knowledge about the context of today’s European Union conditions for youth, their problems, obstacles as well as aspirations and expectations.

The ESC project “Young People for Community Development in Armenia“ is created for creative people who are interested in working with young people in APY, volunteering and helping people.

The project is inclusive and is open for all interested people, who are under the demands of ESC program. We accept all applicants, in spite of age and gender, but the attitude of candidates is the crucial factor. The motivation of the possible applicants is the fundamental point in the selection process. We intend to get highly motivated young people, who would zoom in on the project’s objectives, but do not considerate the project itself as a touristic trip to Armenia. The candidates will not be discriminated by their own gender, religion, political or sexual orientation, etc. All the activities will be set in order to promote and create gender balance within the group.

Volunteering benefits

Volunteers will get acquainted with their working environment. In order to understand ESC context, better volunteers will cooperate with other volunteers who currently participate in ESC program in APY and potential social mentors. The entire ESC project will have a special emphasis on the personal and professional development of the volunteers. We believe that at the end of the project volunteers will be  equipped with the following key competencies:

1. Communication in foreign languages: while being in another country, volunteers will mainly use English as the official language of communication and learn the local foreign language. Volunteers will be provided with Armenian language classes, conducted by teachers with the pedagogical education.
2. Communication in mother tongue: Each volunteer will try himself in the teaching mother tongue or organizing cultural workshops and presentations of own culture.
3. Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology: living in a foreign country will be helpful in developing mathematical competence in terms of exchanging money, spending monthly volunteer allowance reasonable, budgeting transportation and food-related costs. During preparation and implementation phase of events, volunteers will have to use analytical and logical thinking.
4. Digital competence: the project will develop volunteers’ digital competencies through creating and sharing content online, updating APY website, creating and updating ESC blog, promoting APY activities in social media, using computer programs like Dropbox and Google Drive to manage the updates of the projects in cooperation with the other members of the team, basic skills in using a video camera in preparing short thematic videos, content-making programs such as Canva, Crello, Actionbount, Smore, etc.\

5. Learning to learn: in parallel to the planning of own activities, volunteers will make the assessment and prioritize certain working aspects they need to improve working in a team with others, exploring and assessing newly acquired knowledge in everyday working conditions, as well as informal and leisure time, will help volunteers to discover learning needs.

   Volunteers will learn new things like:

   • ice-breakers methods, team building activities, prepare sports competitions or intellectual and entertainment activities through preparing activities for youth and kids;
   • learn to perform in front of the audience, control the stress and stage fright through conducting meetings, debates in front of the inhabitants and foreigners;
   • time-management in preparation, planning meetings and events.

6. Social, civic & cultural competences: ESC experience will inevitably lead to communication and cooperation between the volunteers and other stakeholders (colleagues, partners, mentors, school and university youth, new friends).

   The volunteer will also:

   • explore the working style, cultural and civic life of a new country;
   • understand own cultural background and adapt to a new social life, become open-minded and develop a sense of tolerance and respect for other cultures;
   • learn how to adjust to new situations, communicate with people who don’t speak English, live in a foreign country, in other cultural environment and how to present own culture.
7. Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship through gaining practical information in project management and get some skills and ideas about its main elements (developing project, communication with partners etc.); developing and implement own ideas and initiatives during the whole period of ESC (implementing small community projects or events for locals e.g Cultural Cuisine, Movie Nights, Discussion Clubs); improving self-organization and creativity.
8. Cultural awareness and expression: while working with the school youth volunteers will get the ability to relate own creative and expressive points of view to the opinions of others, develop creative skills, cultivate aesthetic capacity through artistic self- expression.

Travel accommodation & pocket money

The volunteer is entitled to free accommodation in Yerevan. Their accommodation will remain available to them throughout the entire activity period, including holidays. The hosting organization will ensure that the participant lives in safe and clean accommodation and can eat sufficient and healthy food.

Participants in volunteering activities will receive a small monthly allowance of 90 EUR (pocket money) for their personal expenses throughout the duration of the activity, including vacations. Additionally the volunteer will receive another 110 EUR as a food and transportation allowance, `200 EUR in total.

The travel expenses to and from Armenia will be covered by up to 360 EUR upon presentation of all the travel documentation.

Insurance

All volunteers will be covered, throughout the activity period by the obligatory European Solidarity Corps insurance plan set up by the European Commission. This coverage is only complementary to the mandatory coverage of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which must be obtained prior to departure.

Hosting organizations

Armenian Progressive Youth known as APY is a youth organization based in Yerevan, Armenia. APY was officially founded in 2009 by a group of like-minded young people and students whose paths crossed on the implementation of joint initiatives.

APY is a non-profit, non-political organization aiming to support, inspire and engage young people from Armenia and all over the world to develop their social leadership skills, to take their civic responsibility and to act as change-makers. Through different projects, initiatives and non-formal education tools the organization helps young people to succeed, ensuring that they develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and competences to fit to the modern world.

APY believes that progressive, educated, skillful, open-minded and engaged young people possess all the power to become actors of change in Armenia and beyond. Youth is not the future but the present! The organization envisions a society where young people achieve their full potential and become engaged and responsible citizens. They participate in decision making processes and shape a democratic society. APY envisions Armenia where young people have enthusiasm, progressive values and willingness to make social and political changes in their communities.

Sending organizations

Non-governmental organization Youthfully Yours SR was established in 13.01.2015 as civil society and registered by Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. Its main focus lies on enhancement of active citizenship, social integration and intercultural dialogue.

In local field the organization organize various seminars, educational trainings, youth exchanges and workshops related to our mission. In frame of Erasmus+ program, Youthfully Yours SR promotes active citizenship of European Union and strengthen European unification. The NGO focuses also on social inclusion and intercultural dialogue. Specifically, the organization encourages people with fewer opportunities – people facing economical, geographical obstacles, or people with problematic family backgrounds, suffering of violence, alcohol and drug consumption – to access Erasmus + projects. Youthfully Yours SR enables them access to these opportunities and motivate them to work on themselves.

Living and working in Yerevan

Situated on the Hrazdan River, the city is one of the worlds’ oldest, yet in recent times has undergone a major transformation, offering a great history combined with newly constructed retail shops, restaurants, and cafés. Moving to Yerevan means relocation to the capital and largest city of Armenia. Yerevan is a wonderful place to discover and a destination of contrast. Originating as a small town in the 8th century BC, today Yerevan is a large city with a population of over 1 million.

Accommodation: APY provides all the facilities to make your stay and work in Yerevan as smooth as possible. We provide a flat with all the facilities for a comfortable stay in Armenia. The flats are equipped with free Wi-Fi, a washing machine and heating system. Each flat has its separate kitchen and all facilities needed for cooking; fridge, oven, kettle, gas panel and different types of dishes and kitchen facilities. The rooms are light and with large windows. There is also a common living room for volunteers for socializing and spending free time. The volunteers will be provided with single or twin rooms.

Transportation: It is very easy to get around in Yerevan. Within the center, there are, next to taxis, minivans and metro that cost 100 AMD to take locals along designated routes. The metro is available from 06:30 until 23:00, with prices comparable to the minivans. Foreigners who wish to drive in Yerevan will need to have an International Driving Permit and drive on the right hand side of the road.

How To Apply?

To apply send your CV and Motivation letter to [email protected] and [email protected].

SEE YOU IN ARMENIA!!!