Local Community
Cantabria is a region located at the North of Spain. It has very nice natural areas and landscapes.
Population: 500,000 inhabitants (123,000 young people aged between 14 and 29).
The regional economy is centred in the service sector. The capital of the Community is Santander, with 250,000 inhabitants. Coast city with beautiful beaches. It main source of economy is tourism, mainly cultural tourism due to the large number of art, archaeological,… sites in it and rural tourism, as there is a large diversity of small towns in beautiful natural areas.
Communications: ferry to Plymouth (U.K.) twice a week; airport, train and bus stations. Roads communicating the community well communicated with the nearby communities.
Cultural life of the city is also very important as it has an international University (Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo). The city also has a Festival Hall, Sport Hall, Exhibition Hall and several cultural centres offering small and big sport, cultural and leisure events.
Climate: oceanic, with mild summers and winters. Precipitations: around 1,200 mm./year at the coast, higher in mountain areas. Mean temperature: 14ºC, varying from 9 to 25ºC. Snow: frequent in high areas between October and March. En
In some areas of the Picos de Europa, with high mountain climate, over 2,500 m.a.s.l., there are snowfields which do not disappear in summer. July and August are the driest months, though they are not dry, as there is always a minimum amount of precipitation and the temperatures are not very high.
B. Proposed activities for EVS volunteers
We want the EVS volunteers to form part of Atrio, so the service and learning opportunities will be the same as those for the members.
Voluntary activities:
Volunteers will mainly carry out support tasks in the following activities:
-Lapanda (help preparing the activities in the centre, help with homework, support in children's activities);
-Trips (help preparing and organising, support the activity)
-Fair trade shop (support in shop, organisation and preparation of awareness activities in schools in Cantabria).
Learning opportunities:
Volunteers will receive specific training given by hired staff in Atrio with ample experience in social work and leisure. There will be regular meetings with the coordinator of the project Lapanda to clear questions, talk about problems, plan activities and work, etc. volunteers will participate in the activities, trips. Thanks to this, they will not only know the youth in the organisation and the children they work with, but they will also know customs and landscapes of Cantrabria.
We always intend to receive volunteers from different countries so that the project is more enriching and promotes cultural diversity.
Role of EVS volunteers in the host organisation:
Volunteers will form part of Atrio and carry out their tasks, established by the coordinator of the project Lapanda. Volunteers do not substitute employments, as they are integrated in the volunteering programme of the organisation. The tasks are non-profit and non-paid. Los voluntarios y voluntarias nunca serán solos responsables de un grupo de niños. Siempre serán un apoyo al personal contratado.
Profile of the volunteer(s) and selection process:
Profile of volunteers
Youth aged between 18 and 30, from any ethnic, religious, sexual or political background, who, unselfishly decide to dedicate part of their time in benefit of our target group. Recruitment will be done by Ser Joven (coordinating organisation). Specific training will be provided, so there is no special requirement. Experience with social excluded people, as leisure leader or belonging to children's associations are an asset.
Notions of Spanish language will be taken into consideration. This may be very useful, but not a must, to enable contact with target group and supervisor of work. Anyway, we will control that volunteers receive basic language training before departure and we will provide web sites where they can get in touch with the language. Once in Spain, volunteers will receive Spanish language classes.
This project is open to participants of both genders so it may be more versatile. Complementary profiles will be taken into account.
In order to provide an environment with cultural diversity, if possible, volunteers from different countries will be hosted. Volunteers from South America are welcome.
Volunteers participating in this project shall commit to fulfil and respect the aims and objectives of the Youth organisation Atrio. They shall also commit to actively participate in the different training and evaluation sessions which form part of the project.
Open and transparent recruitment
Recruitment is done by members of Ser Joven together with members from Atrio in a meeting in which they chose candidates and evaluate their profiles, taking into account their interest for the project and motivation.
Different countries of origin is also a decissive factor. We try to widen the number of organisations collaborating with this project, so some volunteers are usually from new countries and organisations who didn't know the project before.
Collaboration with any organisation is possible, though we specially welcome those working with leisure, youth, cooperation development programmes and European programmes.
D. Special needs:
Entre los miembros de la Asociación Juvenil Atrio tenemos especialistas que trabajan con el tema de la integración social. Es por ello que estamos dispuestos a trabajar con los jóvenes de los países culturalmente diferentes al nuestro, con dificultades económicas y geográficas. Creemos que podemos ofrecerles el apoyo y atención suficiente para poder desarrollarse ellos como personalmente y profesionalmente.
Prevention of risks, security and protection:
Once in the project, volunteers will receive information about the organisation of the project, how we work, training, contact with the mentor and supervisors of work and rules in the flat to prevent risks of using equipment in the flat inadequately.
As well as information about how to use the medical insurance, what to do in case of emergency, who to contact, where to go. Volunteers are in contact with the mentor and supervisors of work through a mobile phone from which they can call, free, any time they want. At any moment, for example in crisis situations, volunteers can count with the support of the mentor and everybody working and collaborating with the Youth Organisation Atrio.
We intend to host youth aged between 18 and 30, so there are no foreseen measures for infant protection.

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=30000993538