Pécs is a middle sized city 200 km from Budapest located on South of Hungary with app. 160 000 inhabitants and many high schools and the biggest university in the country. That is why there are a lot of young people and entertainment facilities: many cultural events and festivals are organized here. There are a lot of facilities to do sports as well. The city bears the title of European Capital of Culture in 2010; therefore there is a big activity expected in the cultural life of the city. www.pecs2010.hu

Pécs is also famous about its Mediterranean atmosphere, that can be also found in the surroundings of the city; there are good places for excursions (Mecsek mountains, wine-routes, the lakes of Orfű, etc.). www.pecs.hu

The HO, Kerek Világ foundation was established in 1990 and it provides services, assistance and support for people – especially children - with disabilities, and helps their families as well. Our aim is to empower disabled people in any possible way to integrate into the society. We would also like to improve the social sensibility of nondisabled people, emphasizing the virtues of the disabled. Our main activities are education, various trainings and therapies (physio-, communication-, music - , swimming -, horsetherapy etc.).

Our institution has three departments:
1. Primary school for the mentally disabled
2. Day-care centre for persons of different ages
3. Support service

Our target group: children (including severely, multiply disabled and autistic ones) and physically and/or mentally disabled young adults.

The number of our clients in the institution are 50, aged 3 to 30.

Our tasks are to help our clients in daily activities, to improve their skills, to develop their personality in a complex way (education, several kinds of therapies and trainings, workshops etc.). We aspire to compensate the disadvantaged life of our clients, to provide them opportunities to get experiences.

In our special primary school as well as in our day-care centre we take into consideration all the individual needs of our students.

There are 5 to 7 children in each class. They get to school every day either with their parents, taking the special public transport bus, or using the van of our organization.

We support their living with their families as long as possible.

We are hosting EVS volunteers since 2007. Each of them worked together as an assistant with one member of our staff. We had very positive experience with the volunteers, since the children and the parents both accepted them. They gave a great aid and assistance both to our organization and its community. After the service 2 of our volunteers chose their profession at the same field.

The volunteers – under the supervision of one member of the staff – will assist in various activities, games, handicraft, education, physiotherapy, nursing tasks etc. We often organize outdoor programs: swimming, riding, excursions etc. The volunteers can assist in these activities, adding their knowledge according to their background.

The volunteers should work 6 hours a day from Monday to Friday as required by the group they assist (usually from 9 am to 3 pm).
Example:

• Assist the transport of the physically disabled children going to school

• Take part in the lessons, helping the children

• Walking, playing with the children in the garden

• Help at lunch

• Assist in the afternoon programs (horse therapy, swimming, handicraft, playing games, gardening, outdoor activities etc.)

Take part in our feasts and community programs with the families of the disabled.

They will also have their language class together with other volunteers at the coordinating organisation twice a week.

Worktime: 30 hours, 5x6 hours /week. Two days free at the weekend

Hungarian lessons: for the first 2 months 3 times a week, and in the next six month once a week.

There are members of the staff directly involved in the EVS project who help the volunteers to adapt themselves into the organisation and its activities.

The volunteers will have all administrative things done at the coordinating organisation, and they will have a contact person helping them in problems connected to the project and the practical arrangements.

Volunteer profiles and recruitment process:

No special previous knowledge is required of the volunteers. The volunteer should be a flexible, open, mobile, friendly person with good communication skills. The volunteer must be open towards multiply handicapped and autistic children. Basic knowledge of Hungarian, German or English is required. It would be an advantage, if the volunteer could actively take part in various activities: drawing, singing, helping in handicrafts, etc.

We appreciate any other knowledge or personal interest of the volunteers: playing an instrument, leading simple games, telling stories of their homeland etc.