A. Project environment: profile of the organisation and local community
Our schools and center OSW is based in Poznañ, the regional capitol of Wielkopolska - a province in Western Poland. This is one of the biggest regions in Poland. The biggest city of the region and its capital is Poznañ, with 570,000 inhabitants. It is an economic, cultural and scientific centre. There are many well-known universities in Poznañ, and the city takes an active part in academic social and cultural life. City of Poznan has rich history connected with the origins of Polish state, over 1000 years ago.
OSW is located in 7 buildings, among which the oldest is 300 years old and the newest was erected in 1918. As part of the revitalization of the Œródka district of Poznañ, the entire center has been renovated in part by the European Union.
The education and upbringing of students is based on a system inspired and developed by the teaching staff of OSW. This system consists of coordinated activities in such areas as diagnostics, education, didactics, therapy, revalidation, and family support.
In the vocational school, the following trades are taught: cooking, bread-baking, pastry and sugar, tailoring, gardening. The vocational school normally lasts 2 years, though in some cases it is prolonged to 3 years. Whether a program is two or three years is geared to the needs of the students, to enable them to best prepare for their certification exams in their chosen trade. At the Technical College students who have completed Gymnasium can study such skills as printing and graphics, clothing technician, and environmental protection technician. The Complementary Technical College available to the graduates of vocational schools offers training in such areas as chef and tailor, and the education lasts 3 years. The Comprehensive Lyceum lasts 3 years, while the Complementary Lyceum lasts just 2 years; both are completed by the Matura examination. Since 1st of September 2006 we have a new program in the Post Lyceum College specializing in computer graphics. Each school is adequately equipped to teach at its level of education. Some subjects or programs require specialized classrooms, notably Polish, history, maths, chemistry, physics, geography and, in the technical College and Vocational schools, information technology , tailoring, cooking, and baking. Since 2006 OSW installed a new computerized classroom with high quality equipment for the teaching of information technology. This is used mainly by the students of the Post-Lyceum College.

B. Proposed activities for EVS volunteers
All OSW's students can attend after-school programs, such as dancing lessons, theatre group sessions, pantomime, and art activities. Internet and swimming lessons are available for all. Students with intensive needs attend special classes for therapeutic gymnastics, audiometrics, and additional classes of preparation for the final exams in Polish, maths, history, and English. Students who need additional help may also attend remedial courses in cooking. All this programmes are open for volunteers.
Volunteers will work directly with children and youth from the OSW. They are welcome to act as assistants, and therefore their tasks will be directly related to pupilse of the centre. Nevertheless, since the volunteers have a different cultural background, we are open to their ideas, suggestions and point of view. We welcome their suggestions and any new responsibilities.
Volunteer's tasks will generally be divided into the fields of linguistic training and integrating into the host community .
Volunteers will have the opportunity to assist, prepare and co-run numerous educational and leisure activities. Besides the regular school curriculum, the educational activities might include:
- arts and crafts
- theatre classes
- sports (and other outdoor activities such as excursions, walks etc.)
- computers
- helping with homework and preparation of classes along with teachers
- summer and leisure time activities
As part of OSW there are dormitory facilities where133 students currently live. They are divided into 18 groups, according to age. 30 teachers oversee them day and night.
Each group consists of 8 children. Their teachers (known as nurturers) organize different activities for each group, counsel them about childhood and adolescent problems, and teach them how to deal with daily routines and skills useful in the grown-up world. Children also become acquainted with different ways of spending their free time, as well as becoming sensitive to needs of their classmates.
We offer great atmosphere, comfortable place to stay, nice food and unforgettable moments with great people

C. Volunteer profiles and recruitment process
Recruitment process will be lead by coordinating organization. The volunteer should have a strong motivation and positive attitude in working with people with auditory problems. Some experience in working with handicapped people would be an advantage. We are open to cooperate with different types of organizations and institutions.

D. Special needs (if applicable)
There is always a place for youth with impaired hearing as well as for youngsters with economic disadvanages. Such volunteers will be taken care of by individual mentors as well as by educators-activelly involved in this project. The recruitment process of voluneers with fewer oportunities will be lead in close cooperation with sending organisation.

E. Risk prevention, safety and protection
OSW has got a standard of policies and practices including Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities, Child Protection and Protection Vulnerable Adults. The volunteers will undertake an induction programme which will include child and vulnerable adult protection and health and safety. EVS volunteers must be over 18 to volunteer on this project.
We will prevent risks and crises by:
- integration activities (overcoming language barriers, ice breaking games)
- meetings with educationalist and psychologist, if it will be necessary,
- we will inform the volunteer about his/ her rights, regulations in our organization, consequences of unacceptable behavior,
- the volunteer will have the opportunity to stay in contact with his/her family/ sending organization via e-mail or telephone ,
- release negative emotions through meetings, talks and excursions

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=58000395410