SHORT TERM EVS
IRELAND
FOR VOLUNTEERS WITH FEWER OPPORTUNITIES
‘Collaboration & Empowerment for the Future’ – Group EVS
Project to be held from the 30th of July 2016 to the 13th of August 2016 in Clonmines, Co. Wexford, a rural location in the south of Ireland.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:
The volunteers will help us to further develop our learning / permaculture centre. Through guidance, non-formal learning methods & use of creativity the volunteers along side other members of Eolas Soileir will be a part of a 2 week project to further develop our learning centre where groups and individuals who visit our centre can make use of outdoor and indoor areas that have multi-functional uses.
In summer of 2014, 10 volunteers helped us to create a space for reflection and meditation using art and nature – to promote creativity and an appreciation of each other and the outdoors. We promoted sustainability and recycling where possible. In summer of 2015 we run a project for volunteers to continue the work started in 2014. We cleared an old building to sort materials for recycling, we created a water harvesting system for water recycling and land drainage, creating pathways. We were also learning about landscaping, willow planting and working in our polytunnel. As our organisation promotes sustainability and permaculture we promote the use of permaculture principals within this project. As this area has many heritage features we will visit them to gain knowledge and inspiration from them.
The learning will be multi-fold for the whole team. Within this project we will all learn about:
Teamwork
Permaculture
Sustainability
Intercultural learning
Horticulture
Creativity
Project management
Heritage
This EVS is perfect for any young person who wants to learn more about permaculture, horticulture, sustainability, heritage and project management. They will be working mainly in the outdoors – in nature and be part of the project management team. This will give the young person an opportunity to assess if they would like to study these areas further, it will also enhance their CV and give them very real transferable skills to bring to potential studies and/or jobs.
Volunteers will have a mentor who will guide them in their learning and Youthpass. The mentor will also support them on a personal level.
Volunteers will also have the opportunity to improve their English language skills.
Eolas Soileir see Youthpass as giving the young person an opportunity to assess, recognise and validate their learning and skills acquirement.
This reflective learning will be a feature of the EVS project with time set aside every day for the young people to reflect and assess their learning in a structured environment.
Documentation will happen throughout the project both in written form and visually through photography. This will result in a document that will be widely disseminated by Eolas Soileir . This document will serve to inspire and give a detailed step-by-step approach to this project so that others may be inspired and educated in their own similar project development.
The benefits to the young people will be their increased mobility within EU, enhanced language development, intercultural learning, increased employability, appreciation of the outdoors and its positive impact on mental and physical health.
THE ORGANIZATION
Eolas Soileir is a registered Educational Charity in the Republic of Ireland. All members of the board have an interest and desire in promoting non-formal education within society. They work and volunteer within the field of education, the youth sector and sustainable development. They have extensive experience in facilitating, planning and delivering trainings to a variety of groups, young people and adult learners and in the area of volunteering. All of our training programmes and activities are based on a life long learning approach and many are directed towards people with fewer opportunities in society. To promote volunteering we are a sending & hosting organisation for European Voluntary Service as part of the Erasmus+ programme. We are developing this centre to provide a residential learning facility at affordable costs to community and youth groups.
To learn more see www.eolassoileir.ie
LOCATION
Project will take place in a rural location. There is no shops, pubs or amenities within a walking distance from the venue. It is located in the south of Ireland – Clonmines (near Wellington Bridge), Co. Wexford. We will have a mini bus at the venue for outings and some bikes to use for local cycling.
ACOMMODATION ARRANGEMENTS
All participants will be accommodated in shared dorm bedrooms (3 persons in a room).
FOOD ARRANGEMENTS
The food will be prepared by all of us, and we will all share the dish washing after every meal. We will set up a rota on the first day. Please, bring with you a recipe for one evening meal – each volunteer will be in charge of cooking an evening meal (with help of others).
INTERNET
There is NO Internet at either the house or the venue, so please come with your own mobile Internet if you require it for the duration of the project. Once a week we will drive to a place with internet.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE, SEND THE APPLICATION FORM IN ENGLISH (you will find it BELLOW) TO noemi.euroaccion@gmail.com (with the subject SHORT TERM EVS IRELAND) BEFORE THE 20th OF MAY 2016.