EVS project in EU ( Austria, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain ) , African (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda), Asian (India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines ) and Latin American (Colombia, Honduras, Mexico) countries.
20 long-term volunteer placements from August 2010 to May 2011
This reciprocal volunteer exchange project, which is dedicated to the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010, engages 12 young people from 10 EU countries in voluntary service projects dealing with poverty alleviation and inclusion in 4 African, 4 Asian and 3 Latin American countries as well as 9 volunteers from partner countries in similar projects in 8 European countries. The volunteers work and live in a variety of local host organisations such as shelters for street children, orphanages, micro-credit associations, soup kitchens, vocational training centres working with vulnerable groups, disabled care centres as well as migrant institutions, providing access to basic services as well as participating in advocacy activities of organisations and networks involved in combating poverty and social exclusion. By participating in this reciprocal EVS project, the volunteers will get a better understanding of cultural values and social practices in other countries which will have a long-term impact on their personal development. The host communities will benefit from the time, energy and practical ideas brought by the volunteers, as well as their personal skills and a different cultural perspective.
Project Documentation
As part of their final report, the volunteers filmed part of their experience abroad. Below you can see nine examples of those short films. Enjoy!
XXVII ICYE General Assembly 2011
/in General Assemblies /by icyeThe XXVII General Assembly (GA) of the ICYE Federation took place from 7 to 12 November 2011 in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and was attended by 70 participants, representing 39 different countries, including partners in Tanzania and Togo.
Highlights: acceptance of new Associate Members in Indonesia, Peru and Vietnam; workshops on ICYE’s vision and goals for 2020, programme development; adoption of long-term development strategies for training, quality assurance, impact assessment and documentation of the ICYE programme.
Our heartfelt thanks to ICYE/ACI Costa Rica for the excellent preparation and organisation of this unforgettable event!
For more information about the XXVII ICYE General Assembly please contact the ICYE International Office at icye@icye.org .
EYV 2011 Volunteering Matters
/in European Voluntary Service /by icyeIn the framework of the EYV 2011, Reports by 16 volunteers
EVS project in EU (Austria, Iceland, Spain, Sweden and Turkey ), African (Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania), Asian (India, Philippines, Vietnam) and Latin American (Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador,, Mexico) countries.
16 long-term volunteer placements from April to October 2011.
EYV 2011 – Volunteering Matters, on the occasion of the European Year of Volunteering 2011, aimed to take stock, raise awareness and promote the benefits of volunteering programs and practices in the participating EU and partner countries for young people and for society as a whole. By contributing to the activities to mark the EYV 2011 and the IYV+10, this project was a unique opportunity for the participating organizations and volunteers to promote their contributions to social and human development at local, national and international levels and to make volunteering a worldwide-recognized and beneficial practice. The volunteers were based at the national offices of national and international voluntary service organisations. Besides participating in their daily activities and learning about how voluntary service is conducted in that particular society and cultural context, they were exposed to the work and experience of local organizations hosting international volunteers and carry out research and interviews with volunteers and hosts and carried out surveys about history, recognition and impact of volunteering in the respective host country. The dissemination of the surveys and other project results serve to further promote voluntary activities and active citizenship at national level in the participating EU and Partner Countries as well as at European and international level.
We invite you to read the reports of the 16 volunteers that describe and analyse the issues revolving around volunteering and its impact on volunteers and local communities in their respective host countries:
16 Action Research Reports made by the EVS volunteers during EYV 2011
Young Volunteers Contributing to Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
/in European Voluntary Service /by icyeEVS project in EU ( Austria, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain ) , African (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda), Asian (India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines ) and Latin American (Colombia, Honduras, Mexico) countries.
20 long-term volunteer placements from August 2010 to May 2011
This reciprocal volunteer exchange project, which is dedicated to the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010, engages 12 young people from 10 EU countries in voluntary service projects dealing with poverty alleviation and inclusion in 4 African, 4 Asian and 3 Latin American countries as well as 9 volunteers from partner countries in similar projects in 8 European countries. The volunteers work and live in a variety of local host organisations such as shelters for street children, orphanages, micro-credit associations, soup kitchens, vocational training centres working with vulnerable groups, disabled care centres as well as migrant institutions, providing access to basic services as well as participating in advocacy activities of organisations and networks involved in combating poverty and social exclusion. By participating in this reciprocal EVS project, the volunteers will get a better understanding of cultural values and social practices in other countries which will have a long-term impact on their personal development. The host communities will benefit from the time, energy and practical ideas brought by the volunteers, as well as their personal skills and a different cultural perspective.
Project Documentation
As part of their final report, the volunteers filmed part of their experience abroad. Below you can see nine examples of those short films. Enjoy!
Cultural Diversity, Indigenous people and Social Inclusion
/in European Voluntary Service /by icyeEVS project in EU (Austria, Belgium, Italy, Finland, Spain) and Latin American Countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay)
15 long-term volunteer placements from January to July 2010
The project aimed at actively promoting volunteer engagement in cultural, social and non formal learning activities targeting vulnerable groups in the participating countries. The volunteers supported host organizations working with children and young people with less opportunities / in need. The participation of international volunteers was an added value for the daily life of young people and staff in the local host organizations. The project fostered mutual understanding of young people from different cultural, social and religious background as well as intercultural awareness and dialogue.
Project Documentation
XXVI ICYE General Assembly 2009
/in General Assemblies /by icyeThe XXVI General Assembly (GA) of the ICYE Federation was held from 23 thru 29 November 2009 in Tauranga, New Zealand, and was attended by 60 participants, representing 40 different countries.
Highlights: celebration of ICYE 60th Anniversary; acceptance of new Associate Members in Ecuador and South Africa; development of cooperation with ICYE partner organisations in Indonesia, Peru, The Philippines, Tanzania, Uruguay, and Vietnam; and adoption of long-term development strategies for training and quality assurance.
For more information about the XXVI ICYE General Assembly please contact the ICYE International Office at icye@icye.org.
Youth Action for Civil Society
/in Capacity Building Activities /by icyeBuilding Capacities and partnerships for youth volunteering programmes between European, African, Asia/Pacific, Caribbean and Latin American Countries
The Project “Youth Action for Civil Society” aimed at enhancing the exchange of experience and good practice in the field of youth volunteering as well as the development of sustainable partnership between youth organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. The project consisted of distinct objectives and strategies to enhance: the training and transfer of know-how around long-term EVS projects between ICYE members and partners in Europe and Africa; on-the-job training and exchange of good practice between Europe, Asia and the Pacific; and training cum planning for partnership development and volunteer exchanges between youth mobility and women organisations in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. The main activities were: a Euro-African training seminar in Africa on EVS programme management followed by a 7-month action plan to pair organisations thru in-country job shadowing, on-the job training and joint EVS activities; 2-month reciprocal job shadowing to enhance partnership building and the capacity of AP youth organisations to plan, implement, report and document long-term EVS projects between Europe and the Asia/Pacific regions; and a Training and Partnership Building Seminar in Latin America on the active role of women in society and to promote EVS exchanges between participating organisations.
Youth and the Environment
/in European Voluntary Service /by icyeEVS project in EU and Asia
17 long-term volunteer placements from September 2008 to June 2009
The objective of this project was to make a worthwhile contribution to environmental efforts in the respective host communities and to foster environmental awareness of young people in different EU and Asian countries. Both the host organisations as well as the EVS volunteers, benefited from the intercultural exchange as well as possibility to exchange opinions and share experiences regarding environment policies and regulations, pollution prevention and control, biodiversity protection, climate change, sustainable production and consumption, capacity construction, model projects, environmental technology and environmental industries.
Project Documentation
Youth and Children’s Rights
/in European Voluntary Service /by icyeEVS project in EU and Africa
19 long-term volunteer placements from September 2008 to June 200
The objective of this project was to foster awareness and protection of Children and Youth Rights by involving young volunteers from different African and European countries in projects dealing with youth and children at risk as well as in projects dealing with young people of disadvantaged background / with less opportunities, such as SOS Children villages, child care centers, after school activities, and youth volunteering organizations. Joint preparatory training and final evaluation meetings enabled the group of volunteers to meet and share experiences, as well as to engage in thematic discussions and intercultural dialogue alongside the volunteering experience. This project furthermore fostered exchange of good practice, enhanced networking and capacity building.
Project Documentation
Youth United Against Violence
/in European Voluntary Service /by icyeEVS project in EU and Latin America
13 long-term volunteer placements from September 2008 to June 2009
This EU – LA multilateral EVS Project, which stemmed from the training seminar “Youth United against Violence” held in Quito, Guatemala, February 2007, aimed at supporting youth organisations and institutions by involving young volunteers in running educational, cultural and social activities with youth at risk. The young volunteers engaged in a variety of local hosting projects, ranging from youth clubs and youth initiated networks to community development and social work projects. The involvement of international volunteers in these projects stimulated the debate on youth violence prevention and further enhanced the interest of local host communities around volunteerism and its benefits for social development.
Promoting Young Women’s Active Citizenship
/in European Voluntary Service /by icyeEVS project in EU, African, Asian and Latin American Countries
17 long-term volunteer placements from February 2009 to May 2009
The objective of this EVS project was to enhance capacity-building, transfer of know-how, and exchange of experience and good practice between European, African, Asian and Latin American organisations active in developing and running women empowerment programmes. Joint preparatory training and final evaluation meetings enabled the group of volunteers from EU and African, Asian and Latin American partner countries to meet and share experiences, as well as to engage in discussions about the situation of women and different approaches to women empowerment in the participating countries.