“PREPARE THE JOY” Volunteering team project

WHO CAN TAKE PART:

The Mandarine Land project is designed for active people who are interested in working with children, volunteering and helping people.

Our organisation always encourages volunteers to develop new activities, initiatives and ideas of their own, as long as they are within the scope of the project. We don’t need special skills, but we are happy to have flexible and creative people. We also don’t need professional qualifications, but interest and enthusiasm.

Organisational skills are considered very useful as well as the ability to communicate in English.
In addition, people with singing, dancing and musical instrument playing skills are welcome.

And for volunteers is important to learn:

• would be comfortable living independently;
• be able to adapt to new situations;
• have good problem-solving skills;
• work and live in mixed groups of volunteers of different nationalities, whose project will be implemented simultaneously in our organisation.

Our organisation is able to involve volunteers with limited possibilities and is willing to accept such applicants.
The project is inclusive and open to all interested persons who are subject to the requirements of the European Solidarity Corpses volunteering projects.
No previous experience necessary

Since 2013, the Cultural Association “Alternative Reality” has been implementing our long-standing initiative – the social integration project for children “Mandarine Land”. With the help of volunteers, a series of events for children is organised every year, with the aim of promoting the social integration of children from vulnerable groups, regardless of social status, nationality or other affiliation.
Every winter, we organise a series of creative events in which at least 300 children from orphanages, crisis centres, low-income families take part and perform various communicative and team tasks aimed at exploring common values: tolerance, respect, honesty, solidarity.
Every year, at least 50 volunteers take part in the events – young people and members of the local community, people from different cultures, ages, backgrounds and outlooks on life, united by their love for children and their desire to give them a part of their hearts.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• to raise public awareness of the problems of the next generation, in particular the integration of children from socially disadvantaged groups
• to promote the social inclusion of children and young people from marginalised groups
• to reduce discrimination and xenophobia between different social groups
• to help children understand universal and European values
• To promote the development of communication skills in children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds
• helping children to set positive goals in life
• Encourage volunteers to participate in the project as a socially relevant charitable activity, which has a positive impact on the volunteers’ perception of life, broadening their life horizons and raising a socially relevant issue
• to develop positive attitudes among volunteers towards volunteering and community service
• to contribute to the development of volunteers’ competences and knowledge
• to promote community solidarity by involving volunteers from all walks of life, irrespective of origin, social or economic status, national or religious affiliation

VOLUNTEERS’ TASKS

The main product of the project “MANDARINU ZEME ” is to organise, together with local volunteers, a series of charity events during the winter period for children from orphanages, specialised schools and Latvian disadvantaged families.

During the project, volunteers will learn how to organise and manage charity initiatives, promote their campaign in the local community using different means and methods, learn from their peers and also from local volunteers, get to know a new culture and language, develop and grow as individuals with a sense of initiative and compassion

The project provides training for volunteers:

• organise various workshops and activities for children and young people;
• lead sports and active games;
• lead children’s groups;
• promote European values and active citizenship, civic responsibility, community work,
• spread the European idea, friendship between people and peaceful coexistence;
• teaching leadership skills and knowledge about the EU, European integration;
• promote cultural diversity and break stereotypes about volunteering;
• to promote and work with feelings of tolerance, mutual respect, responsibility especially towards the world, basic concepts of human rights;
• promote volunteering among local young people;
• organise leisure activities;
• organize their own activities like workshops for other volunteers or wider audience
• maintain a volunteer blog, instagram and FB pages
• assist in the day-to-day tasks of the organisation

Practicalities

VISAS

EU citizens do not need a visa to cross the Latvian border and can stay for up to 90 days. They can use their passport or ID to enter Latvia.
For foreign nationals, to cross the border, volunteers will need:

• a valid international passport (valid for at least 6 months after returning home);
• Invitation from the cultural association Alternativa Realitate (volunteers will be provided with an electronically signed invitation approved by the Latvian Migration Department);
• insurance – will be provided by the Coordinating Organisation after the conclusion of the Volunteering Contract, but preferably EU citizens will obtain an EHIC card
• good mood and motivation to make a great difference in the local community

TRAVEL TO RIGA

You can get to Riga directly by flight to Riga International Airport
As soon as the Host Organisation receives your travel plans, instructions will be sent with transfer information to the venue.
You will be transferred to Riga by bus 22 from Riga Airport to Riga city centre. The city bus ticket price is 2,00 EUR, buy the ticket from the bus driver.

ACCOMODATION

There are three possible accommodation options:

Volunteers will live in a shared apartment. This is a moderately modest apartment with all the necessities: washing machine, fridge, bed linen, kitchen utensils and cooking utensils, Wi-Fi router.
Towels and personal utensils are the responsibility of the volunteers.

Volunteers will live on campus with shared rooms and a shared kitchen.

Volunteers will live with a host family.

WORKING APPROACHES

We have a separate room in our office where volunteers can prepare for their activities, language clubs, etc. Wi-Fi is available, so we recommend that volunteers bring their own laptop or tablet if they can. For personal use. It is better if you have your own laptop to work on at home.

You can use the technical equipment available in our office to prepare for your activities. The activities themselves will take place in different locations.
The first week after the volunteers’ arrival will be an adaptation week. Volunteers will see the workplace, get to know people and existing volunteers, meet people from the community.
The work schedule is flexible, but no more than 6.5-8 hours per day. If volunteers are involved at weekends, they will get days off during the week. Each volunteer has 2 days off per week.

On event days, you will need to arrive at least 3 hours before the event and work until the end of the event, as well as help the team prepare the premises for the next event.

FINANCING

According to the Erasmus+ Programme Guide, each volunteer will receive travel expenses (or reimbursement) from both parties:

• EU participants – up to €360 according to the Erasmus+ Distance Calculator;
  All volunteers will receive pocket money (€5 per day), food allowance (€8 per day). The volunteer allowance is monthly in EUR and is calculated on a daily basis, provided there are no irregularities or unjustified absences/non-performance of tasks.

COORDINATORS, MENTORS AND SUPPORT

The project is funded by the Latvian NA. All general matters of the project will be followed up by the participating partner organisations. Throughout the project, each volunteer will be supported by a coordinator and a mentor from the local community in Latvia. For participants with fewer opportunities, enhanced mentoring will be provided

PLEASE APPLY BY 1 OCTOBER 2025:

AFTER APPLYING AN ON-LINE INTERVIEW WILL BE ORGANIZED WITH SELECTED PARTICIPANTS.

PREPARE TO Co-funded by the European Union. This publication reflects the views and opinions only of the author, and not necessarily those of the European Union, the European Commission or the National Agency (Agency for International Youth Programmes), which are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.