Project environment: profile of the organisation and local community
Culemborg
Culemborg is situated in the centre of the Netherlands, with a small harbour along the river Lek (the Rhine). It is an old town with a multicultural and religious population over 26.000. Culemborg has everything you may need; schools, sportclubs, churches, supermarkets, shops, bars, cafes, restaurants, a small harbor and a rich environmental habitat for birds watching and fishing.
Culemborg is well known as a national trade and distribution centre, located on a distance of 5 kilometres from the main high way in the Netherlands, the A2 between Maastricht(the South) and Amsterdam(the North-West).
From Culemborg train station there is a train going north- and southwards every 15 minutes. Within 20 minutes by train you can find yourself in Utrecht (the 3rd biggest city in the Netherlands, population 350.000) or s'-Hertogenbosch, another large city and the provincial capital of Noord-Brabant in the south.
Code-X International has its office in the old centre of Culemborg. It is a 5 minute bike ride from the railway station. A bike will be provided to the volunteer.
" If the host placement is located in a live-in community, please include the rules and conditions that apply also for the volunteer.

Proposed activities for EVS volunteers
*There will be Dutch lessons provided for the volunteer and the opportunity to put this knowledge into practice.
*The volunteer also learns more about the Dutch culture while working with internship students in the office, and will be able to practie his knowledge that he learned at the Dutch lessons.
" Please, explain what will be the role of EVS volunteers in the host organisation.
*the volunteer will get the possibility to make his own contribution in the development of the policy and work of Code-X International by contact making and cooperating with partners. The presence of the volunteer in Code-X International will be very important because the volunteer can use his own experience that he learned in his country. We can combine his knowledge with ours.
" Describe the activities in which the volunteers could be involved and the activities the volunteers could create in your organisation. Give examples of typical activities for the volunteers.
Hosting:
Code-X International can host up to four volunteers. The volunteer will not be responsible for staff or any of the volunteers .(EVSers at Code-X are NOT involved in the managment or implementation of EVS projects!) For 2 days per week
His main tasks will be:
*Expanding local network
*Creating local awareness of Youth In Action programm
*to help prepare and set up an international youth exchange
*projects of own initiative welcome
In order to maximize the local impact of the EVS program, EVSers who are hosted at Code-X International will work for two days in the local community. The community projects are Beatrix and a Children's Farm.
Beatrix is an elderly home in Culemborg. The volunteer will work 1 day per week here:
*the volunteer will socialize with the seniors
*The volunteer will take the senoirs on walks
*The volunteer will organize actvities for the seniors (own initiative welcome)
*The volunteer can help in the bar, restaurant or shop
The Childrens farm is also a place where the volunteer will work 1 day per week:
*The volunteer will take care of the animals
*The volunteer will help create a butterfly garden

The volunteer will work 4 days a week, from Monday till Thursday. The volunteer will have free time from Friday till Sunday.
The working days are 8 hours The volunteer will start at 9 o clock, at 12 o clock there will be lunchtime of a half hour and the volunteer will finish at 5 o clock.

Volunteer profiles and recruitment process

Sending:
Each volunteer has an appointment at Code-X International before starting the EVS search. In this appointment she will be provided with information about EVS and how to handle certain situations. At the same time Code-X International takes a look whether the volunteer is ready to do an EVS project.
We use our network to help the potential EVSer find a good project, and help them through the entire process from application to evaluation. We keep in contact with them and make sure everything is running smoothly.
Hosting:
We are looking for volunteers, who are interested in youth and community development on a local and international level:
open minded, in basics self-independent, responsible and with a strong motivation for international youth work and intercultural communication;
capable to help in preparing international youth exchanges and activities;
motivated to learn Dutch in a short time;
selected and send by an organisation with a purpose and methodology comparable with Code-X International;
The volunteer position is 2 days of work in an office setting, 1 day of work with senior citizens, and 1 day of work outside and physical labour. The volunteer should be interested and happy to work in all these environments.
Volunteer
The volunteer can apply to us during all the year. The volunteer has to send us his or her motivation letter and CV. We have specific selection dates, on the dates we will choose the volunteer that fits our profile.
When volunteers apply we will inform them about the selection dates.

Special needs
Our organization shares a building with another organization - Betuwe Wereld Wijde. This organization is a work placement for Dutch people with physical and/or mental difficulties. As such, everyone at our office is comfortable and has experience working with people with fewer opportunities. Our office, and that of Betuwe Wereld Wijde, is highly mulitcultural with people from at least 5 countries always active. We give preference to host people from Latin America and Euromed countries who otherwise would never have a chance to be involved in a European Program. This can be a make obtaining a visa difficult (which means many Dutch organizations will not take EVSers from these regions), but we try to provide them with our services.

Risk prevention, safety and protection
Hosting:
The volunteer can always contact hosting- and sending-organization when necessary. Therefore the volunteer will be provided with telephone number of both organisations as well as the telephone number of both legal representatives. When there will be an emergency situation, a solution will be made through solid communication between all parties.
Before the volunteer starts the activities there will be held another meeting at the Code-X International office. This time the volunteer will be prepared at working and living in the country of the project. Information is also provided by the host-organization.
From the start of the project the volunteer will receive mentorship and good guidance during her project.