Long term EVS in Dresden (Germany)
"Cocolores e.V." - Duration: 12 months
THE ORGANIZATION
Cocolores e.V. is an initiative of parents and nursery staff members, which has been founded with the aim to create additional progressive day care facilities in the district of “Äußere Neustadt” in Dresden. The association is the tenant for the nursery “Kinderhaus cocolores e.V.”, where altogether 96 children between the age of 1,5 to 7 years are divided into four mixed-age groups.
Our parents’ initiative requires that at least one parent of a child who attends the nursery is a member of the association cocolores e.V. Thereby, parents are encouraged to get involved in the daily life of the nursery, to assume responsibility, and to contribute their own ideas. In order to focus parents’ activities and contributions on specific issues, parents cooperate within several working groups that vary in number and structure according to the actual needs.
For example, parents and notably the working group “Construction and Gardening” have actively taken part in the decision-making process concerning the design and construction methods of the nursery. For the construction of the nursery, the principals of environmental compatibility and sustainability have been taken into account. The building itself has been constructed as a passive house made of natural materials. Rainwater is collected in a reservoir and is utilized within the nursery. At the roof of the building a solar plant has been installed.
For the pedagogical work at the nursery, creativity, individuality and learning by following one’s own curiosity are central conceptual ideas. To this purpose, inspiring playing materials are offered to the children avoiding conventional and commercial toys. Ecology, sustainability, intercultural openness and tolerance are central features of our pedagogical work.
EVS EXPERIENCE
The association „cocolores e.V.“ considers the participation in the European Voluntary Service as beneficial for both the association with its nursery and for young volunteer candidates from all over Europe.
We offer the European volunteer the opportunity to gain practical experience in child care and and to become part of the daily life of an open, ecologically oriented, and dynamic nursery.
Ecology and sustainablity, which are central issues for our daily pedagogical work, have both an international as well as an intergenerational dimension. For this reason, it is sensible and appropriate to get European volunteers involved in the field of environmental education from early childhood to preschool ages.
Another important issue regarding our work with the children is intercultural curiousity and openess towards different cultures. A significant portion of the children attending the nursery comes from multicultural or multi-lingual families; some of the staff members speak more than one language. Through the everyday contact with caregivers coming from various cultures and having a mother tongue other than German, the children have the opportunity to experience cultural diversity and multilingualism.
The association has already gained broad understanding and experiences with volunteer work. Since September of 2012, volunteers have been working in our nursery: this year alone, four volunteers participating in the national volunteer pragramms FSJ and BFD are working with us for one year each.
PROJECT ENVIRONMENT
The association „cocolores e.V.“ is situated in Dresden, the capital of Saxony, in the district “Äußere Neustadt”. This part of the city is characterized by socio-cultural diversity and a particulary large number of children living there. In the past, the “Äußere Neustadt” has been appreciated especially by students and artists, while nowadays it has become the home of many young families. The aim of the cocolores e.V. is to offer these children an ecological, diverse and creative environment. For this purpose, the proximity of natural areas such as the Elbe river meadows, the mouth of the creek Prießnitz, and the woodlands “Dresdner Heide” is a great advantage for the nursery.
VOLUNTEER'S TASKS
We give European volunteers the opportunity to become acquainted with the everyday life of our nursery in all its facets by accompanying our educators throughout their working day.
A core aspect of the volunteering will be the open work with the children in mixed-age groups. The volunteer is expected to actively contribute with creativity and own ideas. We are particularly curious about games, songs, stories, and craft ideas he/she might bring from his home country. Thereby, the children will be exposed to foreign cultures, languages and traditions.
Another important feature of the daily work with the children is the environmental education. This is reflected in many aspects of the nursery – starting with the very construction of the building, the composition of the garden, the catering, and last but not least the pedagogical approach. We are looking in particular for volunteers who are interested and motivated to learn about and to contribute to this topic. We are open for ideas and suggestions for projects and trips that are to be undertaken particularly with our preschool children.
The volunteer will assist one of our educators and accompany him/her throughout the daily routine within one of the groups for at least the initial three months. Once the volunteer has become acquainted with the daily routine and depending on his/her interests, the volunteer might suggest and carry out own projects in cooperation with educators, other volunteers, and/or parents. These projects may concern various areas. They can be carried out within the respective group (i.e. within the daily morning meeting “Morgenkreis”); they may be open for children from all groups with a focus on a particular topic; they can take place within preschool, or together with parent’s working groups (i.e. regarding the composition of the garden, the production of self-made toys, or the decoration of the rooms).
To familiarize the volunteer with the structure and procedures of our nursery, she or he is expected to occasionally participate in team meetings, consultations with the management, parental work group meetings, and members’ assemblies.
VOLUNTEER'S PROFILE
We will value a sincere interest in the work with children between the age of 1,5 to 7 years, in early childhood care and education, as well as in the topics of ecology and sustainability. Practical experiences within these fields are an advantage. We place great importance on:
- supporting the children’s individual development,
- empathy, assertiveness, and a keen sense of observation,
- self-reflection,
- willingness to work in a team,
- identification with our concept that combines modern pedagogical approaches with environmentally friendly attitudes,
HOW TO APPLY
If you are interested in this project, please send your CV with a picture and your Motivational Letter in English to noemi.euroaccion@gmail.com with the subject "EVS in Dresden" before the 15th of June 2016.