A. Project environment: profile of the organisation and local community
We are an non-governmental, non profit organisation (foundet 1994) offering information, general support, advice, socio-cultural, linguistic and in general humanitarian aid; organising socio-cultural activities, artistic and cultural events and cultural publications. We are coordinating different activities like Youth Exchanges, Youth Initiatives, European Voluntary Services and Training Courses (support measures) with all countries from EU as well as countries from Eastern and South Eastern Europe within the framework of the programme "YOUTH". We have furthermore been participating in the European programmes SOKRATES and GRUNDTVIG as well as in the Phare Small Projects Programme. We are regularly organising conferences, discussions and other events of political education: these events cover a wide range of themes like political information about the European Union and Eastern and South Eastern Europe.
Our office is located in the citiy center of Potsdam. Potsdam, not far away from Berlin, the capital of Germany, is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. Potsdam's most popular sight is the Schloß Sanssouci palace. The Alexandrowka, the Dutch quarter and the Weaver's quarter (the historic sections of the city) provide a special flair. The Babelsberg Filmpark, the Biosphäre nature experience exhibition, the BUGA park, the tourist cruise ships and the crown estate, the Krongut Bornstedt, are all special attractions which can make your visit to & stay in Potsdam a very pleasurable experience.

B. Proposed activities for EVS volunteers
Introduction:

An aim of the european voluntary service is to qualify and give intercultural impulses to volunteers in the field of international youth work. This means that the youth participating should learn and develop skills in the areas of project conception, running, research, organisation and evaluation through practical work. She/he will be involved in all the tasks in international youth projects from the idea development to the concluding evaluation. All projects are worked out, evaluated and discussed in the team. She/he will gain theoretical and practical knowledge. Their interest in the projects should be deepened and the gathering of experience and the way she/he see themselve and her/his own competence strengthened so that in the future she/he can realise their own projects independently and responsibly. Activities will be work in project development, running youth meetings and their evaluation. In addition maintaining contact with international partners will be a central part of the young people's work. Visits to german youth work institutions will also be part of the programme. Further aims can be seen in the personal development of the youth. She/he should improve their social skills and team skills through shared work with the organisation's staff and other volunteers. The shared work

Role & Activities

Following the aims and objectives of our work the volunteer will be involved in various activities according to his/her interests and preferences and needs of the organisation. Working in our organisation on the mentioned tasks, the volunteer will be able to gain and skills and knowledge in the areas such as organisation, preparation and implementation of youth activities, communication skills, knowlegde in organisation and preparation of different youth exchanges, trainings, intercultural learning and organisation and preparation of initiatives and campaigns. The basement for his/her development is the interest and motivation to work in this field and that s/he is willing to learn and improve skills and knowledge by assistance in the regular communication in order to promote projects offered by us, by assistance to interested young people helping them in selection and application procedere, by assistance in preparation and implementation of different youth exchanges, training courses and workshops organised by us, by the preparation of materials on our activities, by assistance on other programme activities of the organisation like campaigns, public events, seminars etc as well as administrative work. It would be good for the volunteer to have a solid knowledge of English, basic computer skills and be ready to seize the opportunity for volunteering and make the most of it! The volunteer is expected to invest her /his personality and bring in her/his specific point of view. She/he will enrichen the institution with her/his nationality and culture. Tolerance and understanding will increase, prejudices will be conquered. The volunteer will benefit by improving her/his foreign language skills as well as the social skills and by gaining self-confidence.
The volunteer's duties: The volunteer will be placed in the organisation's different fields of work. All daily arising tasks in the organisation will belong to their duties. It is very difficult to describe a daily programme for the volunteer as the work can be different from day to day. Tasks will be the necessary working steps for the realisation of international youth projects. We plan for the volunteer to take on all part-tasks and thereby gain a comprehensive overview of all areas. The attached rough working timetable is based on this and can be seen as a guideline.

A division of the working steps could be as follows:



The volunteer will be involved in all working steps. She/he will after discussion take on part tasks independently and at all times receive the necessary help from the organisation's staff. A fundamental part of the volunteer's work will be in the idea development for the multilateral youth project and communication with our international partners is thereby a central part of the work. From our previous experience the preferred work for the volunteer is the concept development for the youth project, the support in preparing the grant application as well as during the preparatory and running phase the organisation of establishments and institutions to be visited and the planning and realisation of the daily programme of the youth project.

Programme of the voluntary service:

Introductory phase: 1st -6th week
This phase of the voluntary service serves the mutual getting to know each other of the staff of Mostar Friedensprojekt and the volunteers as well as an introduction and working in phase in the voluntary service duties. She/he will get to know the area of work through the staff by receiving a content introduction and participating in the daily work and taking on part tasks under staff supervision and independently. Under instruction she/he acquires the basic skills for european youth work. Through involvement in the staff's work the volunteer will deepen her/his knowledge and get to know new work techniques. Acquiring basic skills in the area of project ideas and running, financing possibilities and evaluation for youth work and educational work co-operation in the current youth work projects.

An example of the daily programme of the volunteer (introductory phase): Working hours are Monday to Friday from 10-16.00 including breaks.

10.00 Discussing the day's tasks
10.30 Presentation of a current organisation project by the staff responsible
12.00 Lunch break
13.00 Support a member of staff in work on a current project, contact maintenance with the partner
organisations by information and exchange on the state of the project preparation by e-mail or
telephone
14.30 Planning and discussing the further jobs with regard to the current project
15.30 End of day staff meeting (clearing up things unclear, improvement suggestions from both sides)
16.00 End of work

After the introductory phase the volunteer works independently, but also continues with assistance to work on self-selected and allocated youth work projects. She/he will be increasingly integrated into the staff's daily work with the aim of being included in all stages of work in order to gain as large as possible insight into international youth work. In this phase they learn and deepen further working techniques of the tasks of an NGO. If possible the volunteer will take part in a youth meeting as assisting co-ordinator.

2nd - 7th month:
Mutual concept design for a multilateral youth project; mutual concept design for a youth project; introduction to PR work and forms of presentation (flyer, brochures etc); introduction to computer work, e-mail (internet as multiplier instrument); if possible: Co-accompany a multilateral youth project

Example of the daily programme of the volunteers (2nd - 7th month):

10.00 Discussing the day's tasks
10.30 Continuing work on an application for a grant for a multilateral youth project within Youth in Action
12.00 Lunch break
13.00 Visit an organisation of international youth work in Potsdam or surroundings;
guide through the organisation; getting to know the projects organisation; getting to know the organisation's ways of work
15.30 End of day meeting with the staff (clearing up things unclear, staff providing help for the young
person's project)
16.00 End of work

Organisational Details:
During the voluntary service a mentor is always available for personal problems and questions with regard to tasks in the organisation. Holiday are included in the voluntary service. Basic language course for the volunteer will be organised by us or partners. In addition to that, she/he will be able to learn and practice local language in a daily work and activities communicating with members of the staff, volunteers and locals.
The volunteer will work closely with the the staff of Mostar Friedensprojekt. Moreover the staff will provide all assistance and support to the volunteer whenever needed and the main responsibilities will never be given to the volunteer alone. In other words Mostar Friedensprojekt will be providing constant, both professional and personal support to the volunteer. Thus staff will be responsible for professional guidance and support during volunteer's stay in our organisation. On the other hand, for any support of personal nature and any assistance especially in a period of adaptation, volunteer would be able to address to his/her mentor. Besides, volunteer will be in contact with all staff members on a daily basis being able to ask for a help any of them if needed. Finally, she/he will be considered as a member of Mostar Friedensprojekte in his/her full capacity meaning that he/she will be included in both formal and informal activities of the organisation.

C. Volunteer profiles and recruitment process
A very important criteria for the selection of the volunteer is motivation and the intention to integrate into the project and into the local community. The volunteer must be open for team work and cooperation with other staff from the local hosting organisation. So we are looking for hosting motivated, communicative and creative volunteers. Gender is not important. We expect open minds and tolerance toward cultural & religious differences.Good knowledge of english is important in order to be able to communicate with the persons in our organisation & our project partners. Knowledge of some other foreign would be an advantage.
Following this expectations, we ask from all candidates for a Europass CV as well as a detailed motivation letter to find out the social and educational backround, to experience the motivation of the candidates to join a EVS. These information will be shared between the partners in order to ensure opennness and transparency of the recruitment and selection process: regulary we are promoting announcements in electronic way all over Europe, first of all to our well know project partners, other potential Sending & Host Organisations as well as to youth clubs, initiatives, vocational schools, high schools and universities in order to reach all potential interested young people. Therefore we are open for all types of sending organisations.

D. Risk prevention, safety and protection
In addition to the On-Arrival Training the volunteer will receive an introduction on crisis management, what to do in an emergency and general complaints procedures will be explained to the volunteer. We are following strict guidelines regarding support and supervision requirements (e.g. health & safety) Each risk regarding the volunteer or a practical part of the project will be individually risk assessed. During the service the volunteers will have a regular contact by phone & email and internet with the project leader of their sending organisation at least one time per months. Therefore the volunteer will receive all contact details (e-mail, telephon number, post adress) of the sending organisation as well as the sending organisation will have all contact details of the volunteer in the hosting country. This is to ensure that arising problems can be discussed when they occur and problem solving actions can start immediately. In addition to the their midterm and final report of the volunteer, she/he is asked to write a monthly reports about her/his activities, integration and social elements and intercultural learning experiences abroad. The function of these reports is to get an overview of the volunteers situation. The aim is also to ensure that arising problems can be discussed when they occur and problem solving actions can start immediately. She/he will be supported by a mentor. In addition to the support around practical issues, this mentor will support the volunteer's emotional & social wellbeing. The mentor will ensure that the volunteer feels safe and secure in both their living & working environment and will also ensure that she/he knows the correct routes of problem solving and crisis management. All activities of the volunteer will be performed under the advise and supervision of the project staff of Mostar Friedensprojekt e.V.

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=6001161601