Volunteering team project “Mandarine Land 2023”

We invite active and open-minded youngsters 18-30 y.o. from Latvia, Europe and EU partner countries to join a Volunteering project “Mandarine Land 2023”!

The aim of the project: together with local volunteers organize and lead 10 integrational events for children from orphanages and boarding schools of Latvia, to get new skills of organizing creatvie events and working in big intrenational team.

WHAT: Volunteering Team project
WHERE: LATVIA, RIGA
WHEN: 10.01.-28.02.2023. (50 days)
FOR WHOM: young people 18-30 y.o. from Latvia, any EU or EU partner country;

A TEAM: in total 18 youngsters, including young people with fewer opportunities and disabilities.

• 100 % ACCOMODATION, FOOD, PROGRAMME ARE COVERED BY CO-FINANCING OF EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS OF EUROPEAN UNION
  
• 100% TRAVEL EXPENCES WILL BE REIMBURSED AFTER PARTICIPATION IN THE PROJECT AND DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES BY
  PRESENTING ORGINAL TRAVELLING DOCUMENTS. COVERED TRAVEL LIMITS DEPEND ON YOUR DISTANCE FROM RIGA AND ARE CALCULATED ACCORDING TO ERASMUS DISTANCE CALCULATOR
• NO ANY PARTICIPATION FEE

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE:

The project “Mandarine Land 2023” was created for active people who are interested in working with children, volunteering and helping people. Our organization always encourages volunteers to develop new activities, own initiatives and ideas as long as they are in the framework of the project. We require no specific skills, but happy to have flexible and creative people. Also, we do not require any professional qualifications, but rather interest and enthusiasm.

We are searching for young people who:

– age 18-30 years at the first day of activity;

– are enthusiastic and energetic;

– are eager to learn, enjoy working with youth and full of creative ideas;

Strong organizational skills are considered very useful as the ability to communicate in English. In addition, people with singing, dancing, playing musical instruments skills are welcomed.

Moreover, volunteers:

– should be comfortable living on their own;

– be able to adapt to new situations;

– have good problem-solving skills;

– work and live in the mixed groups of volunteers from different nationalities that will have their project at the same time at our organization.

Our organization may involve volunteers with fewer opportunities into the project and ready to accept such applicants with:

1) Economic obstacles;

2) Geographical obstacles;

3 )Educational difficulties

4) health problems

The project is inclusive and it is open for all interested people, who are under the demands of European Solidarity Corpse volunteering projects. No any previously experience is needed.

Since 2013, the Cultural Association “Alternative Reality” is implementing our long-term initiative – a social integrational project for children “Mandarine Land”.  With the help of volunteers, a series of events is held every year for children aimed at promoting the social integration of children from socially vulnerable groups, regardless of social status, nationality or other affiliation.

Every winter we organize a series of creative events where at least 300 children from orphanages, crisis centers, low-income families take part and perform various communicative and team tasks aimed at identifying common values: tolerance, respect, honesty, solidarity.

 Every year at least 50 volunteers take part in the events – young people and community members.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• increase community awareness of the problems of the next generation, in particular the integration of children from socially vulnerable groups
• promote the involvement of children and youth from marginalized groups in society
• reduce discrimination and xenophobia between different social groups
• help children understand universal and European values
• Promote the development of communication skills in children, especially in children from disadvantaged social groups
• help children set positive life goals
• Encourage volunteers to participate in the project as socially significant charitable activities with a positive effect on the perception of volunteers of life, expanding horizons of life and attracting socially significant topic
• develope of a positive attitude of volunteers to volunteering and community service
• contribute to the development of competencies and knowledge of volunteers
• promote community solidarity by attracting volunteers from all walks of life to the project, regardless of origin, social or economic status, national or religious affiliation

VOLUNTEERS’ TASKS

The main product of the project “MANDARINE LAND 2023” is to organize the set of charity events in winter period for children from the orphanages, specialized schools and from Latvian families together with the local volunteers.

During the project the volunteers will learn how to organize and manage charity initiatives, promote their campaign among the local community using various means and methods, learn from their peers and also from the local volunteers, meet new culture and get to know the basics of the language, develop and grow as a personality with the sense of initiatives and compassion.

In the frames of the project volunteers are proposed:

– to organize various workshops and activities for children and young people;

– to conduct sport and active games;

– to promote European values and active citizenship, civic responsibility, community service,

– to distribute ides of Europe, a friendship between people and peaceful coexistence;

– to lead kids groups;

– to teach leadership skills to youth and provide them with knowledge about EU, European integration;

– to promote cultural diversity and break stereotypes about the volunteer’s countries;

– to explain and operate with the basic concepts of tolerance, mutual respect, sense of responsibility particular in relation to the world, human rights;

– to promote voluntary service among local youth.;

– to organize entertainment events;

– to fulfill volunteers’ blog and FB pages of the organization.

PRACTICALITIES

VISA PROCEDURE

EU citizens do not need to make a visa for crossing the border of Latvia and can stay in the country up to 90 days. They can use passport or ID for entry to Latvia.

For Non-EU citizens for the crossing of the border volunteers will need:

– a valid international passport (data of validity not less than 6 months after the returning back home);

– the invitation from Kulturas biedriba Alternativa Realitate (volunteers will be provided by the electronically signed invitation confirmed in Latvian Migration Departament);

– Cigna Insurance – will be provided by Coordinating Organization after signing a Volunteering contract

– good mood and motivation to make a great thing for the local community 

TRANSFER TO RIGA

You can get to Riga directly with flight to Riga International airport

There will be the instruction letter with the transfer information to the place of the venue as soon as the Hosting Organization gets your travel plans.

You will get to Riga by city bus 22 from Riga airport to Riga city center. The price of the city bus tickets is 2.00 EUR buying a ticket from bus driver.

ACCOMMODATION

There could be three possible variants of accommodation:

1. Volunteers will live in a shared apartment. This is an average modest flat which contains all necessary things for a living: a washing machine, a fridge, bed linen, kitchen utilities and kitchenware available for cooking, Wi-Fi router.

Towel and stuff of personal use is volunteers’ responsibility.

2. Volunteers will live in a Students’ campus with the shares rooms and common kitchen.

3. Volunteers will live in a hosting family.

WORKING CONDITIONS

In the office of our organization, there is a separate room where the volunteers may prepare for their activities, language clubs, etc. There is Wi-Fi there so if volunteers have a possibility we would recommend you to bring your laptop or a tablet for personal use. It is better if you have your own laptop in order to work at home.

You may use the technical equipment available at our office to prepare for your activities. The activities themselves will take place in different locations.

The first week after volunteers’ arrival will be an adaptation week. Volunteers will see the place of work, get to know the people and the current volunteers, get acquaintance with people from the community.

The working schedule is flexible but no more than 6,5 – 8 working hours per day. If a volunteers are involved at weekends, they will get free days during the week. Every volunteer has 2 days free per week.

FINANCIAL ISSUES

According to the Erasmus+ Programme Guide, each volunteer will get the coverage (or reimbursement) of the travel tickets in both sides:

– for EU participants – up to 360 euro according to Distance calculator of Erasmus+ program;

All the volunteers will get the pocket money (4 euro per day), money for food (200 euro per whole month of the project). The volunteer’s allowance is given every month in EUR.

COORDINATORS, MENTORS AND STAFF SUPPORT

The project is financed by the Latvian NA. All general matters of the project will be followed by partner organizations involved in it. During the whole process of the project, each volunteer will be supported by coordinator and a mentor from the local community in Latvia.

PLEASE APPLY TILL NOVEMBER 10, 2022:

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union,European Commission or National Agency (Agency for International Programs for Youth) neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them