Stefania is reporting her first experiences from Lithuania, as EVS volunteer !

Stefania is reporting her first experiences from Lithuania, as EVS volunteer !

 MY JOB:

"I am working in the Public Library - Klaipeda in different departments. I have different kind of work to do every week. I am working at the book lending department, giving and getting back books, scanning, putting codes and make registrations. Also, I work in the children’s department, where I have contact with children from 5-9 years old, and I prepare for them different topics to discuss in English, we draw together and we read books…Also, I work for the covers or any other kind of booklets the library may need... or I help librarians to fix the old books in the book storage department...once a week, I use to go  to hang posters concerning events of the library, at coffee houses that youth use to go and at universities in the cities....and sometimes, I provide my help to the music department where the staff also help me practice my language skills.."

However, the first month was not easy for Stefania. 

She reports : “ I had to find on my own a new apartment and then to get the “ok” by the hosting and coordinating organization to move … I had to buy by myself all the equipment for the house needed, except from bed and chairs, that the hosting organization brought for me... the first month was stressful. At least, now, after almost 2 months I live in good condition. I have my own room and a bed. Kitchen and bathroom is ok. I can cook and live in healthy conditions”..

Stefania took part in the on arrival training: “It took place at a nice training centre, situated in a small village, in the nature … It was very interesting to meet the trainers (from other organization), they were nice people, we had a lot of workshops and games that opened our minds and help us set our goals… We also had a long day hiking in the nature, transformed in a non formal education activity.

Some of the people , the most “risky” dive into the cold lake..and we cooked 23 people together some Lithuanian “snacks” …

 

Nice team, nice topics, nice experience.

So far, Stefania has travelled around, for visiting one of our volunteers, being in Poland at that time:  

 “Before our departure, I had been in contact with Leonidas who was going to do his EVS in Poland..and I decided to visit him there. I stayed over 2 nights and we had really good time. I met some of his house mates..we hang around the city, in the parks, in museums, and I had the chance to taste some polish dishes.

 "I am preparing my new trips.."

                          ... and it is just the beginning for Stefania!!

Human libraries 2015!

H Κ.Σ.Δ.Ε.Ο. ΕΔΡΑ συμμετείχε στην εκδήλωση Human Libraries/ Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Νέων 2015.

Πόσο πιο ωραίο είναι να εκπαιδεύεσαι σ' αυτά που σε εξιτάρουν εκτός αμφιθεάτρων και καλουπιών. Και μάλιστα μαζί με νέους από όλη την Ευρώπη και με ουσιαστικά μηδενικό κόστος!

Πώς; Μέσα απο τα προγράμματα κινητικότητας του ERASMUS+ τα οποία είναι εύκολα διαθέσιμα σε όλους (νέους ή μεγαλύτερους).

Αυτά και άλλα πολλά διηγήθηκαν τα "ζωντανά βιβλία" σε δυο ειδικές "εκδόσεις" - δράσεις της Ευρωπαϊκής Εβδομάδας Νέων 2015 στην Αθήνα (6/5) και στη Θεσσαλονίκη (8/5).

To "βιβλίο" μας..!

Η Στέλλα στη χώρα της Ευρώπης

Τον Οκτώβριο του 2012 έφυγα για το Σλίβεν της Βουλγαρίας. Ο καιρός ήταν σχεδόν καλοκαιρινός και η Βουλγαρία πολύ πιο όμορφη από ότι τη θυμόμουνα. Μετά από λίγο γύρισα στην Ελλάδα. Ο καιρός ήταν σχεδόν χειμωνιάτικος και η Αθήνα στα μάτια μου πιο όμορφη από πριν.

Μετά τη Βουλγαρία ακολούθησαν η Τσεχία, η Αρμενία, η Γερμανία και πολλά προγράμματα στην Ελλάδα. Τώρα ετοιμάζομαι για την Γαλλία. Ταξίδεψα και ταξιδεύω. Γνώρισα και γνωρίζω ανθρώπους με κουλτούρες διαφορετικές από τη δικιά μου. Απέκτησα φίλους σε διαφορετικές γωνιές της Ευρώπης, από την Ολλανδία μέχρι την Αρμενία. Συμμετέχοντας σε προγράμματα Youth in Action και Erasmus+ ανακάλυψα ένα άλλο τρόπο μάθησης που μου πηγαίνει πολύ περισσότερο. Ανακάλυψα μια Ευρώπη χωρίς σύνορα. Και όταν τα σύνορα του κόσμου αλλάζουν για σένα, μετά δεν μπορείς να είσαι ο ίδιος.

Στέλλα Ιωάννου

Let's do it Greece 2015! Πάρκο Τρίτση!

Για 3η συνεχόμενη χρονιά συμμετείχαμε στην παγκόσμια δράση καθαρισμού και ανακύκλωσης "LET'S DO IT GREECE" σε συνεργασία με εθελοντές που δραστηριοποιούνται στο Πάρκο Αντ. Τρίτσης την Κυριακή 26 Απριλίου 2015 στα πλαίσια του περιβαλλοντικού προγράμματος για παιδιά "Στο βάθος...κήπος!".

Ευχαριστούμε θερμά όλους όσους συμμετείχαν στη δράση και βοήθησαν στον καθαρισμό του πάρκου Τρίτση! Πολλά μπράβο σε όλους και ειδικά στους μικρούς μας φίλους!

Στη δράση συμμετείχαν:
Οι Φίλοι του Πάρκου, η Εθελοντική ομάδα "ΔΡΑΣΗ", το ΚΕΘΕΑ εν Δράση, ο εξωραϊστικός σύλλογος "Εθνική Εστία", η Κ.Σ.Δ.Ε.Ο. ΕΔΡΑ, ΕVS εθελοντές από την Κ.Σ.Δ.Ε.Ο. ΕΔΡΑ, σχολεία της περιοχής, κάτοικοι της περιοχές και άλλοι εθελοντές
Οι Πρόσκοποι του πάρκου Τρίτση που καθάρισαν τον λόφο των Προσκόπων
H FOKAL Φωτογραφική Ομάδα Καλλιτεχνείου Αχαρνών (δασκάλα Ιωάννα Γεωργοπούλου) κάλυψε φωτογραφικά τη δράση https://www.facebook.com/kalitexniophotography

Ευχαριστούμε για τις φωτογραφίες θερμά τους Άρη, Πάνο και Μανώλη από την ομάδα FOKAL και την Emily, EVS εθελόντρια από την Κ.Σ.Δ.Ε.Ο. ΕΔΡΑ.
Μπορείτε να δείτε αρκετές φωτογραφίες εδώ!
https://www.facebook.com/EdraStoBathosKipos

Επίσης στη δράση συμμετείχε ομάδα Abada - Capoeira που έδωσε παράσταση στο τέλος της δράσης!

Υποστηρικτές: Sanitas, Ζαγόρι

My EVS!

I can’t remember the first time I heard about EVS, but I remember that I always knew that I wanted to volunteer. I regularly checked different EVS offers and in March 2014 I finally found a perfect project for me.

My project lasted 8 months and now as I’m back in Estonia I always look back on the project with a smile on my face. I think adapting to reality and to new situations is a very important characteristic to have when you are moving to a foreign country. Usually new beginnings are not easy and also for me it took some time to get used to my new job and a new life. I remember thinking that even though it can be hard at times in the end it’s going to be worth it. I think one of the most important lessons I learned was that if felt great to stand up for myself and by doing that I gained a lot of confidence. 

I often think about the patients who I spent time with. They were all always so friendly, cheerful and full of life and love. I most enjoyed the moments that happened spontaneously, when the patients danced and sang along the music, when I draw and solved puzzles with them or when I would just listen to music with them. Simple things like that would always make the patients so happy and it also taught me how small things in life matter a lot. 

Already during my first month I took part of trips, excursions and different events. I think it’s important to start doing things, visiting new places as soon as possible, as the time will go so quickly. I am very happy that I had the opportunity to spend my summer there as it was full of sunshine, travelling, parties and meeting with a lot of new people. I enjoyed all the trips to different islands like Mykonos, Zakynthos, Crete and to different cities like Thessaloniki and Nafplio but it also always felt great to be back in Athens. For me Athens felt like home already in the first months, I really liked living in this city and being part of this historical place.

During my time there I met with many amazing people and made a lot of wonderful memories. Athens and the people I get to know, will always have a special place in my heart.

Laura Piperal

EVS in Palermo!!!

The ENERGY+ project is a proposal for a European Voluntary Service at CESIE, Palermo for the period of 9 months for 2 rounds of 6 volunteers coming from 5 different Programme Countries: France, Greece, Latvia, Spain and Slovenia and 1 Partner Country: Serbia.

The project foresees the involvement of participants facing difficulties in entering the labor market, while 50% of them fall into the category of youth with fewer opportunities, as social, economic and geographical constraints.

The project aims at the acquisition of skills (personal, soft & professional) for increasing volunteers’ employability, getting new life perspective and offering valuable input to CESIE’s activities both in the office and locally, bringing new cultural tendencies, way of thinking and acting.

Focusing on the importance of balancing personal and professional life, ENERGY+ will deal mainly with the organization of creative activities and workshops for increasing migrants’ social and labour inclusion. Given the high numbers of migrants arriving at the SPRAR Bureaus, who are mostly minors and young men, and their relative physical inactivity, the project will seek to alter this through support to CESIE’s current actions with the target groups but also encouraging volunteers to take initiative, and implement their own ideas. This will create interaction between the locals, the internationals and the new arrivals and young migrants, offering the means to the target groups to feel involved, stimulated and eventually empowered for a healthy social and labour life.

The main objectives of the project are to:

-Equip participants with employability and soft skills for their future careers.

-Introduce participants to the significance of leading a balanced life combining office work and outdoor activities.

-Strengthen the principle of social inclusion through voluntary work using international and local approaches.

-Utilize the talent and energy of the participants ready to offer and bring the change (in a multicultural environment with high percentage of people at risk of social exclusion).

-Promote interaction, reciprocal understanding and intercultural integration among local beneficiaries.

For the smooth flow of the project, the activities will follow the structure below:

-Conceptualization and design of workshops on social inclusion, personal and professional development through non-formal learning. With CESIE’s support the volunteers will enrich our current projects and will design their own workshops.

-Presentation of workshops’ aims and content to local beneficiaries via meetings at the office. Workshops’ contents will depend on the interests of the volunteers and the target group, as theatre, music, dance performance, painting, design, recycling and up-cycling, sharing kitchen habits, etc.

-Introduction of the activities at local social centers cooperating with CESIE.

CESIE

Registered office: Via B. Leto 1 - 90040 Trappeto (PA)

Operative office: Via Roma 94 - 90133 Palermo, Italy | C.F.97171570829 | Tel: +39 0916164224 - Fax: +39 091 6230849 www.cesie.org

CESIE is a non-profit organisation officially recognized by the Italian Government since 2001 and an ECSO (Civil Society Organisation with member organisations

in more than 8 European countries) recognized by the European Commission DG EAC.

CESIE is accredited by the University of Palermo for internships and by the Sicilian Region for Vocational Training and orientation.

-Implementation of the workshops with migrant youth.

-Evaluation of activities and learning outcomes with the support of CESIE staff.

The project will match the positive influence of a learning mobility on personal level with the impact and enrichment of the interaction between volunteering youngsters on a working environment at a European organization (as CESIE) and on the creative development of the community.

ENERGY+ has the following structure:

CESIE will host 10 volunteers, coming from Programme countries: Greece, France, Latvia, Spain and Slovenia and 2 volunteers from a Partner country: Serbia.

Each partner will send 2 volunteers split in 2 rounds (1+1).

Role of each organisation: CESIE will be the Coordinating and Receiving organization while all the partners will assume the role of Sending organization.

Venue: Palermo, CESIE.

Planned Dates (to be confirmed, probably they will be changed)

First round: 01/03/2015 -30/11/2015

Second round: 01/02/2016- 31/10/2016

Emily writes about her experience as EVS volunteer in our organization!

Emily writes about her experience as EVS volunteer in our organization

Emily comes from Germany and she arrived in Greece in January 2015, to take part, together with other 3 volunteers in our project, in the Day Care Center and the boarding house of EDRA.

Emily is hosted in the EVS house and she states:

"I feel absolutely comfortable and I am more than happy in the apartment with the girls!"

The activities in which she takes part during her voluntary service are helping the users making their coffee every day, drawing with the users, helping them making bracelets, necklaces, masks, things for the Easter bazaar, earrings, handicrafts, ecc or playing children games.

At the boarding house, as Emily writes " we are playing cards and other games, mostly we are drawing, we are making puzzles or masks" 

All the volunteers are making use of their free time ..so, Emily joined different Erasmus trips (Patras, Delphi) and one event of EDRA. 

 "I am happy to know my “new” friends!

 "I am looking forward to the coming time!"