WITH ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL EN CONSTRUCCIÓN (2016-1-ES02-KA110-009075)
We are looking for 2 volunteers to host in Avilés (Asturias, North of Spain) for 9 months from October 2018 to the middle of July 2019. The volunteers will develop their projects in El Patio, a youth participation project in cooperation with the Avilés City Council Youth Department.
Both volunteers will support the coordination of El Patio and their activities (running English workshops, cultural events, office work, etc.) as well as each having specific tasks depending on the individual’s role in the office. The specific role description is detailed below.
About El Patio
El Patio covers several projects relating to young people’s spare time, non-formal education, mobility, participation, and citizenship. It seeks to promote youth participation, social cohesion and responsibility at a local level through youth activities and youth committees involved in decision-making processes.
We are coordinated under the umbrella of the Avilés Youth Services and we work with young people from a wide range of ages (15-20 and 21-30), backgrounds and capacities – some of them with fewer opportunities- using non-formal education methods.
We organize activities for young people (workshops, leisure activities, civic education activities, english classes, radio, informative meetings, youth mobility activities, sexual education, etc) and we coordinate Youth Committees that are involved in the planning and implementation of monthly activities and seasonal programmes for other youngsters. At the moment we have four youth committees that address feminism, social theatre, urban gardening and youth music bands.
We accept volunteers with reduced mobility or special needs. Our accommodation and the office is adapted for wheelchair users.
Role description and tasks
We are seeking two people interested in helping us with our local participatory projects with young people. In particular, the volunteers will support mainly 2 specific projects: “Consejo de Infancia” and “Transit”.
El “Consejo de Infancia” (Children´s and Adolescent´s Council) of Avilés gathers children and young people from 9 to 17 years old to meet and work together on specific goals that focus on the improvement of the town from their point of view and to promote children’s rights. The project encourages children and youth participation and some of their proposals are discussed and supported by local authorities.
The “Transit” project runs a group educational processes based on non-formal methodologies and on a one to one coaching approach with young people in NEET situation or in risk of facing it.
The weekly tasks that the Volunteers will be in charge of are the following:
- To coordinate and lead English language cafe and conversation groups on foreign languages for young people.
- To support the design and facilitation of activities for young people.
- To support the facilitation of “El Patio Youth Committee” meetings. These committees are in charge of designing and developing different spare time activities for other youngsters.
- To build collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders (youngsters, youth workers, politicians, teachers, families, etc.)
- To help promote the activities by managing our social media channels, writing posts and small articles.
- To support the activities developed in “Transit” projects (Volunteer 1)
- To support the group dynamics created during the sessions.
- To organize activities, together with the lead person of the project, connected with the topic of motivation, employment, coaching, etc.
- To attend regular meetings with young people.
- To support the activities developed in “Consejo de Infancia” (Volunteer 2)
- To support the preparation of The European Meeting of Children´s councils.
- To organize activities connected with different topics like domestic violence, children´s rights, refugees, etc.
- To attend regular meetings with children.
- To support teamwork during meetings.
The working schedule is between 30-36 hours a week. Normally Monday-Friday. Mornings from 10.00-14.00 and afternoons from 17.00-19.30. Days off are normally Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes we work on Saturdays, in which case the days off will be Sunday and Monday.
General profile of the volunteers
- Motivated to work face to face with a wide range of young people in a collaborative way.
- Interested in working with groups of youngsters and children using non formal methodologies.
- Willing to be involved in a wide range of activities involving young people (outdoor activities, creative workshops, meetings) and sharing parts of their culture (language workshops, intercultural events, etc.)
- Ability to develop and facilitate group activities and programs or motivation to learn to do it.
- Open to new experiences and challenges.
- Able to use social media, and IT.
- Willing to work flexibly including some evenings and weekends.
- A commitment to support colleagues and to work as part of a team.
- Motivation to learn by doing.
- Able to speak and understand some Spanish. (Recommended)
Application
If you want to be part of the selection process, please send us your CV in PDF format to europaqui@gmail.com as well as a motivation letter answering the following questions:
- What is your main motivation to apply for this vacancy?
- What is your experience participating in activities for young people or working with young people and what is the role you prefer assuming in this kind of work?
- What are your understanding of youth participation and your idea about how should it be promoted?
- If you were chosen, what would you enjoy the most doing at El Patio? And the least?
- Contact details of your sending organization.
The deadline for applications is the 7th OF APRIL. After then, we will contact the preselected candidates for an interview through Skype.
You can check our activities ion our facebook: http://www.facebook.com/paquieuropa
You can also read articles by our ex-EVS volunteers ion our blog: http://europaaqui.org