Voluntary Service International (VSI) – EVS presentation Léargas Inspiration Day
• About VSI and SCI • Examples of VSI EVS projects • How we do it - Preparation - Exceptional Costs – APV - Support • Impact – on young person, on VSI • Current VSI EVS projects
• Worldwide peace movement (1920) • (1965) Irish branch of Service Civil International (SCI)
Vision and Mission Peace Social justice Sustainable development Mutual respect Intercultural understanding - through volunteering
About SCI today • 80 branches and partner organisations in Africa , Asia , Australia , Europe , Middle East and North and Latin America • 10,000 active members and volunteers
About VSI (Voluntary Service International- Ireland) • Membership organisation with approximately 400 members • Registered charity • Signatory to the “ Code of Good Practice for Volunteer Sending Organisations”
Member of: ⁻ Dóchas (Irish Association of non Governmental Organisations for Overseas Development) ⁻ National Youth Council of Ireland
VSI values – match E+ values e.g.: • E+: Inclusion and equality • E+: Empowerment - empowering people to understand and act to transform the social, cultural and economic structures that affect their lives at all levels i.e. active citizenship – VSI aims to achieve through volunteering
VSI & EVS VSI works with: • all young people • Vulnerable and hard to reach young people - socially and economically disadvantaged young people - disabled young people
Long-term EVS example: • Volunteer: 22; socially and economically disadvantaged, disability • Country: Greece, Thessaloniki • Host org: Alter Ego youth organisation • Duration: 12 months • Work: youth organisation, promoting Erasmus+ to young people and students, English, international disability project
Preparation • Group and individual preparation • Meetings with volunteer + sometimes youth worker - Includes volunteer’s motivations, hopes, fears + support needs • Intercultural learning, culture shock • Meetings with former EVS volunteers
Short-term EVS example: • Volunteer: 18-24 (x 2) • Country: Albania, Tirana • Host org: PVN (VSI’s branch) • Duration: 1 month • Work: human rights education, youth/cultural centre – upcycling etc.
Short-term EVS example 2: • Volunteer: 20s; wheelchair user, PA • Country: Finland, Helsinki • Host org: Threshold, disability advocacy organisation • Duration: 5 weeks • Work: Research/interviewing members, access audit in Helsinki, writing articles for the org magazine
EVS (E+) programme very good for extra support needs • passport • health check • Advanced Planning Visit (APV) • extra language classes • extra preparation including travel to e.g. meetings • ‘reinforced mentorship’ - increased mentoring input • clothing for cold climate
APV • Meet staff and usually the supervisor • Opportunity for each to think about, discuss and plan the work • The volunteer (and the SO) see where they will be working and often see the accommodation - what it looks like • Learn how to get around, use public transport, see how accessible things are • Get to know places, know hoe it feels to be there • Try the food, learn somethings about the culture and experience some social life • Engage and mix with people from the country and the RO
Support during the EVS: • Skype/facebook calls, emails • Volunteers send photos, social media posts etc. • RO contact maintained throughout
Support for orgs • Lots of support from Léargas, website, + training, meetings • EVS Info Kit • EU - E+ youth portal – stories from young people, databases etc.
Impact on vol • Travel – many excluded yps have limited travel experience – gained experience and confidence in booking flights, dealing with airlines etc. • Experiencing ‘work situation’ and how organisations function • If linked to personal experience can be powerful e.g. seeing people with disabilities working as professionals - positive role models • Experiencing life in another country and society – valuable in itself • ‘Soft skills’ – confidence in general, resilience, independence, communication skills • ‘Hard skills’ linked to the work + increased employability • ‘Feeling part of things’, feeling ‘useful’ experience participation in society • Meeting other young people from different countries • Youthpass
Impact on VSI: • Fulfils our aims and we practice our values • Learning – have lots of contact with yps and APV so we learn about the RO country and culture, • Meet new organisations - new relationships and opportunities • Increase our capacity and skills every time • (RO benefits from having the yp with them, learning opportunities)
Current opportunities • VSI currently looking for 2 volunteers to do short-term EVS for one month in Albania in 2017. • Work with our branch there – human rights education, youth/cultural centre – upcycling etc. • + currently seeking 10 volunteers for various EVS positions starting in November – 8-12 months
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