Across the Board
European Solidarity Corps project
WHAT IS "ACROSS THE BOARD"
The project idea is to bring together volunteers from Italy, Portugal, Turkey, and Bulgaria, local volunteers of "CEI SAY Team Volunteering Club", Association of School Euroclubs and representatives of local community in one international team which will organize and implement the series of events for the local community with the final grand city festival "Days of Europe".
The main theme of the project is the European awareness.
When: April 20th, 2020 - June 17th, 2020
Where: Sumy, Ukraine
Who: 16 volunteers in 1 team:
4 volunteers from Bulgaria;
4 volunteers from Italy;
4 volunteers from Portugal;
4 volunteers from Turkey
The volunteers will be supported by the Hosting organizatio stuff, individual mentors and local volunteers.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF "ACROSS THE BOARD"
The project aim is to develop the idea of a city festival and transformation it into an action, get a glimpse of different European cultures, overcome their uneasiness and get benefits in a variety of different ways from both European and Ukrainian volunteers.
The objectives of the project are:
- to promote European values and active citizenship, expand knowledge about EU, European integration, multiculturalism, acceptance and tolerance, cultural diversity and breaking stereotypes;
- to raise awareness and understanding of other cultures and countries, promote diversity, intercultural dialogue, tolerance between people from different countries and different backgroungds;
- to populate general European cultural heritage among the youth;
- to promote active citizenship by involving young people into the event that has huge importance for the local community;
- to increase a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship among young people by providing the opportunity to organize a city festival from the project idea to the final event;
- to provide young people with fewer opportunities with international mobility;
- to share experience and encourage new youth initiatives.
VOLUNTEERING THROUGH EYES OF LOCAL YOUTH
EUROCLUBS
Since 2009 the Hosting organization has the Association of School Euroclubs - the biggest organized network in Ukraine. As the today’s school and university youth will create Ukrainian’s future, main aim of euclubs is formation of a clear civic position, the development of a sense of personal responsibility, creation the positive image of Ukraine as a European state.
During 11 years euroclubs focus on:
- dissemination of information about the institutions of European Union;
- familiarization with the mechanism of functioning of democracy and civil society;
- studying culture, traditions and customs of the EU countries;
- popularizing this information among representatives of local community through the preparation of creative projects and mass events.
More inormation about the work of euroclubs can be found in Facebook group Євроклуби Сумщини
One of the successful aspects of functioning of Association is the cooperation with the European volunteers who help to organize the regular meetings in euroclubs according to their aims and objectives. During 10 years Center for Euroinitiatives and Association of School Euroclubs together with City Hall, local authorities, partners and NGOs organize the celebration of the city festival – Europe Days in Sumy.
EUROPE DAYS
Since 2003 according to the Law of the President of Ukraine the 3rd Saturday of May is the celebration of the Europe Day in Ukraine. It is the only state in Eastern Europe among post-Soviet countries that celebrates Europe Day without being a full member of the EU. During the last years CEI has actively been working on promoting European Values, volunteering and empowerment of young people through the series of events on the European topics.
Thanks to this annual event in 2018 Sumy got the second reward of the Council of Europe - Flag of Honour. Year by year the grand event was organized in the cooperation of European EVS and local volunteers. CEI would like to continue this tradition and organize the series of events in the new format.
The grand event of every year is the celebration of the Days of Europe in Sumy, which consists of the series of local and regional events.
PROJECT PARTNERS
Supporting Organizaion
Associazione Iniziativa Democratica is a non-governmental organization, founded on March 2011 in Italy. Our mission is the spreading active citizenship, human rights and legality.
Members of the organization are actively involved in organizing and creating youth projects based on non-formal and formal education, such as seminars, personal development and coaching trainings and youth exchanges in Italy and abroad.
Organization works on local, national, European and international levels mainly with youngsters as young people can change the world. Democratica is implementing professional and personal development trainings and workshop for local youngsters.
Email: info@iniziativademocratica.org
Website: www.iniziativademocratica.org
Location: Via dell' Industria, 8, 60127 Ancona, AN, Italy
Phone: +393398966903
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AssociazioneIniziativaDemocratica/
Hosting Organization
Center for Euroinitiatives (CEI) - is public nonprofit organization, created on the principles of voluntarily participation, human rights, freedom of speech, common interests, self-government and equality of rights for its members, as well as for the protection of our legal interests, rights, and freedoms.
Goal: to assist in the reformation of Ukraine in accordance with European standards, to introduce democratic values, and to develop civil society in Ukraine using educational and informational methodologies.
More information about CEI:
Wordpress Volunteers' Blog "The Sumy Experience"
Email: info@eu.sumy.ua
Location: 22 Naberezhna r. Strilka, Sumy, Ukraine, 40009
Phone: +380542798668
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceisumy/
PARTICIPANTS
VOLUNTEER'S PROFILE
The project "Across the Board" is for creative people who are interested in working with people of different ages and volunteering. CEI always encourages volunteers to develop new activities, own initiatives and ideas as long as they are in the framework of the project. We require no specific skills, but happy to have a flexible and creative people. Also we do not require any professional qualifications, but rather interest and enthusiasm.
We are searhing for young people who:
- are 18-30 years old;
- are enthusiastic and energetic;
- are eager to learn, enjoy working with youth and full of creative ideas;
Strong organizational skills are considered very useful as the ability to communicate in English, and be willing to study either Russian or Ukrainian (as not all people they will work with speak English). In addition, people with singing, dancing, playing musical instruments skills are welcomed.
CEI does't mind to involve volunteers with fewer opportunities (more details HERE) into the project and ready to accept such applicants with:
1) Economic obstacles;
2) Geographical obstacles;
3 )Educational difficulties
The project is inclusive and it is open for all interested people, who are under the demands of European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects.
VOLUNTEERS' TASKS
The main product of the project "Across the Border" are:
- to organize the two-days city festival "Europe Days" for the local community together with the local volunteers and the school euroclubs members;
- to organize language summer school yards camp activities.
The volunteers' tasks will include:
- leading intercultural workshops;
- leading workshops on EU issues,
- conducting kids and teens summer camp activities in schools;
- conducting native language clubs;
- organizing public events;
- support and administration of existing activities of the organization;
- promoting the organization's events in the social networks;
- support of the organization's webpages and blogs and visibility in social networks.
During the project the volunteers will learn:
- how to organize and manage a public event;
- promote the campaign among the local community using various means and methods;
- learn from their peers and also from the local volunteers;
- meet new culture and get to know the basics of the language;
- develop and grow as a personality with the sense of initiativeness and compassion.
PROJACT PROGRAM
The Program is flexible. It could be changed and adapted according to the interests and ideas of the volunteers. The dates of each event will be agreed with the administration of the establishments, where the activities are planned to be conducted. The working time is no ore than 37 hours per week.
The DRAFT OF THE PROGRAM will be added soon.
PROJECT LOGISTICS AND MANAGEMENT
Visa Procedure
The EU citizens do not need to make a visa for crossing the border of Ukraine and can stay in the country up to 90 days. As the the project "Across the Board" is 59 days, for the crossing of the border volunteers will need:
- a valid international passport;
- the invitation from CEI (volunteers will be provided by the scan of the invitation);
- Cigna Insurance;
- good mood and motivation to make great thing for the local community :)
Transfer to Sumy
You can get to Sumy from 3 main airports in Kyiv and Kharkiv:
In Kyiv:
In Kharkiv:
There will be the instruction letter with the transfer information to the place of venue as soon as the Hosting Organization gets your travel plans. You will get to Sumy either by train or by a minibus. The price of the tickets to Sumy from Kyiv or Kharkiv will be around 300 - 350 UAH (9-11 euro).
HERE you can check the schedule of the trains. If you need HO's support with the booking, we will organize it for you.
A seat in the minibus will be booked for you if you choose this means of transport to Sumy.
Working Conditions
CEI office has a Volunteering room where the volunteers may prepare for their activities, language clubs etc. Each volunteer has a personal key from it. There is Wi-Fi access so if volunteers have a possibility we would recommend you to bring your laptop or a tablet for personal use. It is better if you have your own laptop in order to work at home. Volunteers may use the technical equipment available at CEI to prepare for your activities. The activities themselves will take place in different locations. The working schedule is flexible but no more that 37 working hours per week. If the volunteers are involved at weekends, they will get free days during the week.
Living Conditions
There are two possible varianst of accommodation.
- Volunteers will live in a shared apartment and accommodated in single/ double rooms in the rented flat in the city center area. This is an average modest flat which contains all necessary things for living: a washing machine, a fridge, bed linen, kitchen utilities and kitchenware available for cooking, Wi-Fi router.
- Volunteers can also be settled in hosting families.
Besides this:
- living money (100 euro per month in Ukrainian currency) + pocket money (3 EUR per day in Ukrainian currency) + local transport money (10 EUR per month in Ukrainian currency);
- round way trip reimbursement according to Distance Calculator of Erasmus+ Programme.
- internal trainings of CEI (integration week, regular upgrades);
- coordinator’s, mentor's, staff support;
- educational workshops offered by a coordinator, mentor, staff members;
- study visits to partners' organizations;
- Cigna insurance (main responsibility of Sending Organisation),
- Youthpass certificate;
- work in the international volunteering team;
- a lot of funny extra work activities;
Tickets will be reimbursed accouring to the originals of the travel documents (tickets, invoices, boarding passes) up to the following amonut:
for Bulgaria: 275 euro for a round trip;
for Italy: 275 euro for a round trip;
for Portugal: 530 euro for a round trip;
for Turkey: 275 euro for a round trip.
HOSTING COMMUNITY
Sumy
Sumy (Суми [ˈsumɪ]) is a city in north-eastern Ukraine, and the capital of Sumy Oblast (region). Population: 250 000.
The city of Sumy is located on the banks of the Psel River, at its confluence with the Sumka River. There are several versions of the origin of the name of Sumy. The city received its name after the 3 “bags” (“suma” means “bag”) with gold coins found on the site of construction. Today, these bags are reflected on the coat of arms of Sumy.
The architectural appearance of the central historical part of Sumy was formed in the period from the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. Today, Sumy is famous for its wonderful pedestrian areas with historical buildings, cathedrals, and monuments.
The City Day of Sumy is celebrated on the first Saturday of September in memory of the fact that the city was liberated during the Second World War on September 2, 1943.
HOW TO APPLY
INTERESTED?
To join the project team you can:
- fill the application form below;
- or send your CV and Motivation letter to the partner organization of your country directly.
Ukraine: iryna.novak.cei@gmail.com
Italy: ale.iniziativa.democratica@gmail.com
Bulgaria: projects@education21century.info
Portugal: sveenvio@proatlantico.com
Turkey: mobility@turkiyeavrupavakfi.org
The project "Across the Board" is financed with the support of Italian National Agency. This publication reflects only the author’s views, and the National Agency cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained there in.