TO BE COMPLETED BY THE SENDING ORGANIZATION

Remember that only those who have filled in this questionnaire with the information about their sending organisation will take part in the selection process.

q How did you select the volunteer? (Is the volunteer a member of your organisation, are you going to involve the volunteer in your current activities, did you interview the volunteer by phone or face-to-face...)

Nataliia contacted us after learning about us from her friend who is our current EVS volunteer in Turkey. We provided her with detailed information about the programme and guided her in looking for suitable host organisations. We have met for a Skype conversation to discuss her option and she made a great impression in the “live” talk. We automatically include young people who seek to be sent abroad by us to our membership, so Nataliia received our internal newsletter and can participate in other projects as well.

q What kind of theoretical preparation will you provide the volunteer with? (Insurance, rights and responsibilities of the volunteer, SO and HO tasks, duties of the tutor of the project...).

Preparation of the volunteer before departure consists of a Pre-departure training that is based on the “EVS Volunteer Training: Guidelines and Minimum Quality Standards” issued by the European Commission.

The following elements are an integral part of the Pre-departure training:

- General concept of volunteering - Youth in Action Programme and European Voluntary Service - Rights and responsibilities of different actors in EVS projects - Motivation for and expectations from own volunteer service - Information about host countries and host projects - Intercultural learning and culture shock - Crisis management and conflict resolution - Personal project planning - Technical issues connected with EVS (i.e. getting a visa)

q What kind of emotional preparation will you provide the volunteer with? (Cultural shock, conflict resolution, expectations, contact with ex-volunteers, keeping the volunteer motivated...)

Issues such as culture shock, conflict resolution and expectations for volunteering are covered in our pre-departure training.

As for contact with other volunteers, we have three young people who are doing their EVS in Spain at this moment (two at Fundacion INTRAS in Toro, and one at Asociacion Xuvenil Vrenza in Teo). Nataliia is of course welcome to contact all three of them and will get support and advice on her move to Spain and the start of the project before she goes.

q What kind of formation will you provide the volunteer with? (Languages, cultural formation about your own country and the hosting country?)

During the Pre-Departure Training we do a row of exercises on intercultural learning that should help the volunteers develop a new perspective on their own culture as well as on the cultures of hosting countries. We do not provide any specific language training because our volunteers depart to different countries and need to learn different languages, but as you know, Nataliia already speaks Spanish on the level that is enough for everyday communication. So we are confident that she will adapt very quickly to the new environment in your project.

q What kind of support do you give the volunteers during their EVS? And afterwards?

During the placement Youth NGO Iskra is committed to staying in touch with our volunteers. This includes e-mail exchanges and Skype calls at least once per month. We also want to stay in contact with you during Nataliia’s service to hear about her progress. In case of any conflicts between you and the volunteer, Iskra is prepared to work as a mediator to help solve all misunderstandings.

After the service we try to organise an Evaluation Meeting that usually takes place in September.

Topics covered include:

• Evaluation of the EVS project: practicalities, activity, input of volunteer within hosting organisation;

• Perspectives after EVS: future prospects and plans, possibilities of involvement in project work

• Evaluation of the personal and professional skills and abilities acquired during the experience

• Feedback and recommendations to National Agencies and coordinating organisations

• How to share and disseminate information on the experience made during the EVS project

We also try to involve our ex-EVS volunteers into other projects, for example by inviting them to go to our youth exchanges in the role of group leaders.

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 877