Our last project that program DOBRO realized in 2021/2022 was the project of the European Solidarity Corps with a title " Forming a Europe with open minds, compassionate hearts and social and practical skills ". The core objective of the project had been bringing people closer together, creating a sense of belonging to a common humanity, regardless of an origin, culture, religion, sexual orientation, education and/ or socio-economic background. All the stakeholders had a possibility to realize and practice that the differences between people serve as a good opportunity for sharing them and enriching ourselves and that despite the differences, individuals have many similarities that make them a part of the society, part of the same world. This project also highlighted the power of working together towards a general interest-oriented goal. Hence, the project put a great emphasize on empathy, acceptance of differences, building character, enlarging hard and soft skills and finally on the creation of a global social consciousness.
The project included 10 volunteers from 6 countries (France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany and Slovakia), placed in 5 cities and 7 various host organizations (Relevant n.o, Nadácia Krajina harmónie, IN Network Slovakia, Betánia Senec, Sibirka, Rafael dom, Ekumenická rada cirkví v SR ). The activities in the host organizations were focused on work with various groups and practice.
The volunteers were engaging with children, assisting teachers and social workers in their tasks of education, upbringing and reducing inequalities among them by providing them with a safe place for development (games, homework help, cultural discovery, workshops etc). The volunteers also worked with elderly or/and people with disabilities, assisted them in various activities at the centers.
Besides these activities, we organized supporting seminars to the volunteers, Slovak language courses and the host centers offered supportive meetings to their volunteers.
Besides the project we also hosted 2 more volunteers from Germany, who were assisting teachers at The Deutsch-Slowakische Begegnungsschule in Bratislava.
The project included 10 volunteers from 6 countries (France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany and Slovakia), placed in 5 cities and 7 various host organizations (Relevant n.o, Nadácia Krajina harmónie, IN Network Slovakia, Betánia Senec, Sibirka, Rafael dom, Ekumenická rada cirkví v SR ). The activities in the host organizations were focused on work with various groups and practice.
The volunteers were engaging with children, assisting teachers and social workers in their tasks of education, upbringing and reducing inequalities among them by providing them with a safe place for development (games, homework help, cultural discovery, workshops etc). The volunteers also worked with elderly or/and people with disabilities, assisted them in various activities at the centers.
Besides these activities, we organized supporting seminars to the volunteers, Slovak language courses and the host centers offered supportive meetings to their volunteers.
Besides the project we also hosted 2 more volunteers from Germany, who were assisting teachers at The Deutsch-Slowakische Begegnungsschule in Bratislava.
On arrival seminar
Midterm seminar - on-line
Evaluation seminar
Activities
The volunteers introduced the project
Volunteering in Presov see Instagram
The main goal of the implemented project was to stimulate the personal growth of young people; development of communication and practical skills of all involved; promoting European values such as cultural diversity and openness between different groups of people, including volunteers.
Another goal was to contribute to a better integration of young people from European union countries to the European Union by embracing its values, riches and diversity, and to involve them in its own activities and the activities of its project partners. We focused on personal growth of the volunteers, their unique experience that gained during their service; and benefit of the beneficiaries (formed by a wide spectrum from children and youth to elderly; staff of the host organizations; supervisors and mentors, local volunteers; etc.). An important element of the project also was a contribution to a new vision of the European Union mission of solidarity to others, many times "hidden" social groups.
The project aimed to raise the awareness and interest of the young people in other countries and cultures, encouraging them to understand and embrace them. The young people had an opportunity to experience the way of life in a different European Union country, to be immersed in a multicultural society, to learn how to be tolerant to other attitudes and mindsets and accept cultural diversity, to understand the importance of solidarity, etc. All these objectives where included into the activities of the volunteers and done simultaneously with acquiring new information, new job skills, and with building new relationships, and last but not least, with improving foreign language skills.
During fulfilling all of these objectives and during their non-formal learning process with our assistance and guidance we noticed that the volunteers increased their general knowledge and used the number of opportunities for their development they will van use for their future professional and personal lives.
The aim of the project with regards to the beneficiaries was also to increase the social integration of vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, elderly people or young people, whether they live or are in a difficult location / situation. Within the activities we built a bridge between the young generation and these groups, built their relationship and openness to communicate and help, to diminish the differences people feel / have (age, disability, social / economic barriers, etc.).
The beneficiaries and the other stakeholders (inside or outside of the activities) were also be personally enriched by mutually sharing their culture with the volunteers. With this project we hope that all the beneficiaries, participants and volunteers, even project partners were enriched and that all its benefit brought a positive attitude to the life.
In principle all involved groups, following this experience, have gained multiple skills, both personal and practical, allowing them (and enables also us all) to integrate easier in our current internationalized society.
Another goal was to contribute to a better integration of young people from European union countries to the European Union by embracing its values, riches and diversity, and to involve them in its own activities and the activities of its project partners. We focused on personal growth of the volunteers, their unique experience that gained during their service; and benefit of the beneficiaries (formed by a wide spectrum from children and youth to elderly; staff of the host organizations; supervisors and mentors, local volunteers; etc.). An important element of the project also was a contribution to a new vision of the European Union mission of solidarity to others, many times "hidden" social groups.
The project aimed to raise the awareness and interest of the young people in other countries and cultures, encouraging them to understand and embrace them. The young people had an opportunity to experience the way of life in a different European Union country, to be immersed in a multicultural society, to learn how to be tolerant to other attitudes and mindsets and accept cultural diversity, to understand the importance of solidarity, etc. All these objectives where included into the activities of the volunteers and done simultaneously with acquiring new information, new job skills, and with building new relationships, and last but not least, with improving foreign language skills.
During fulfilling all of these objectives and during their non-formal learning process with our assistance and guidance we noticed that the volunteers increased their general knowledge and used the number of opportunities for their development they will van use for their future professional and personal lives.
The aim of the project with regards to the beneficiaries was also to increase the social integration of vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, elderly people or young people, whether they live or are in a difficult location / situation. Within the activities we built a bridge between the young generation and these groups, built their relationship and openness to communicate and help, to diminish the differences people feel / have (age, disability, social / economic barriers, etc.).
The beneficiaries and the other stakeholders (inside or outside of the activities) were also be personally enriched by mutually sharing their culture with the volunteers. With this project we hope that all the beneficiaries, participants and volunteers, even project partners were enriched and that all its benefit brought a positive attitude to the life.
In principle all involved groups, following this experience, have gained multiple skills, both personal and practical, allowing them (and enables also us all) to integrate easier in our current internationalized society.
The project "Forming a Europe with open minds, compassionate hearts and social and practical skills " was supported by the European Union program within the European Solidarity Corps 2020 implemented in school year 2021/22.