Action: You Are the Change
With Action You are the Change, our primary goal is to encourage young people’s active participation in volunteering and civic initiatives. The volunteers will participate in activities organized by experienced and active NGOs and institutions in Varna in support of the local community. Thus we will develop in them a sense of solidarity and motivate them for civic participation in solving social problems. The example of the volunteers participating in European programs and citizens’ initiatives at the local level, and the planned information campaigns, will increase the sense of European identity for the participants, but also for the local community, and will also foster European values in society.
Project’s objectives
The project will help young people to acquire professional and soft skills for their future realization and thus support their future professional and personal development. We will empower 10 young people, incl. disadvantaged people and 4 NGOs and educational institutions to participate in an organized long-term voluntary service at a national level – an opportunity that has not existed until recently and provides the youth and organizations with a structure and regulatory framework, security, full commitment and resources for its implementation. We will provide local actors and organizations with an opportunity for volunteering at a national level that is structured, complies with European Quality Requirements and provides validation of acquired competencies by the volunteers.
Throughout the project, we will raise awareness of the local community and organizations about the opportunities of ESC and Erasmus +, the strength of non-formal education, the opportunities for local and international volunteering. Also the project will increase the capacity of young people and organizations at a local and national level to participate in similar projects. In the long run, we will attract new participants to the programme, who might initiate both local solidarity initiatives and volunteering, as well as European partnership projects for exchange and volunteering. Last but not least, we will show the public how volunteering can be used to teach skills and respond to social problems.
Planned activities
Volunteers will engage in leisure activities for children and young people at risk (victims of trafficking and violence, children taken out from their families, people with low educational attainment and poverty), youth training, activities to promote youth mobility and Erasmus + program, events for the promotion of volunteering and active participation, organizing sports, youth and cultural events, creative workshops, marketing and advertising activities, photo and video filming and processing, design and construction of sports equipment, international cooperation. Together with the volunteers, will be organized an additional activity – an information campaign at 6 schools and universities in Varna, on the topic of civic participation and volunteering.
Who will participate?
The project involves 10 young people from Bulgaria who will participate in a 12-month volunteer service of the European Solidarity Corps in Varna, Bulgaria. They will begin their service in June 2020. 4 will support the SOS-Families at Risk Foundation, 4 Association Alternative Space, 1 the University of Economics-Varna and 1 Association FOR YOU.
A total of 4 local organizations are involved in the project – Association FOR YOU, UE-Varna, Alternative Space and the SOS Family at Risk Foundation. Throughout the project, Association For You will take on the role of coordinator and supporting organization, ensuring a good preparation of the volunteers and quality implementation of the activities. UE- Varna, Alternative Space and Foundation SOS families at risk will be in the role of hosting organizations and will provide good working conditions and support for the fulfilment of volunteer duties. FOR YOU will be a hosting organization for 1 volunteer.
All partners will be involved in disseminating information about the project and the results achieved. Everyone will be involved in organizing additional activity. Each partner organization has designated project coordination and contact persons to maintain regular contact with. Each volunteer will sign a voluntary agreement in which all parties will confirm the practical arrangements, training outcomes, rights and obligations of each party.
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