Macedonia is a beautiful country in the center of the Balkan Peninsula. Throughout the centuries it has been a crossroad for many people and cultures and even today there is evidence of ancient times.
Struga is a small town with 20 000 inhabitants. It is situated in the southwest of Macedonia, on the coast of the famous Ohrid Lake. There is also a beautiful river, called Crn Drim, coming out from the lake and passing through the city, and the town itself is surrouned by mountains, perfect for hiking and pickniques. Struga is only 14km away from the capital of Macedonian culture - the city of Ohrid. It is 20km from the Albanian border and 43km from the border with Greece.
Another curiosity about Struga is that it anually hosts a poetry festival, the Struga Poetry Evenings, in which take part many poets from all around the world. This town is of great cultural richness with many ancient monuments such as churches from 10-16 century, Old Macedonian architecture, antique Christian basilica and so on…

Struga is a multi-ethnic town with 54% Macedonians, 31% Albanians, 7% Turks, 5% Roma, 4% Vlahs and 1% other ethnic groups. Official languages are Macedonian and Albanian ( according to the Macedonian constitution, each ethnic group existing in more than 20% of the population can use as official their mother tongue). 63% of the population are orthodox and 37% Muslims.
The natural predispositions as well the multicultural nature of the city makes it a perfect tourist destination and is therefore most lively during the summer and more serene and laid-back thrughout the rest of the year. The climate is mild in spring and autumn, not too cold in winter, but quite hot in summer. The summer sun is a perfect match with the neraby beaches at the lake and during winter ski centres are a true hit.
Macedonia has a rather fragile economy and what volunteers usually find impressive are low prices, as compared to their national economic surrounding.
Volunteers will be sharing appartments, which means the intercultural learning process will take place 24 hours, 7 days a week. It also means that the volunteer will be surrounded with other people who share his/her position and will help each other in adaptation.
Struga is not a big town and local transport is not necessary. The flats are all at five-to-ten-minute walk to the center and the premises of the organisation.

Proposed activities for EVS volunteers:
Volunteers we'll be hosting will have the opportunty to be part of a process of non-formal learning, which will be of great benefit for their future personal and professional growth. By spending 6 to 12 months in Macedonia, they will meet closer not only the Macedonian culture and lifestyle, but others as well (Struga is a multicultural community), experiencing intercultural learning, learning to be tolerant and open-minded to new cultures, new ideas and new outlooks different than their own.
Volunteers will be provided with intensive Macedonian language lessons, in function of the ICL process and the process of their integration into the local community. They will learn to work as part of a team, in a relaxed, friendly environment, with exerienced people in charged to be their support. The volunteer will have a mentor, who also has the experience of being EVS herself. This means that the mentor is familiar with all the dificulties that the newly arrived volunteer might face and will be there for anything the volunteer might need, as well as the rest of the YFE staff. All of us together will promote the volunteers' social integration. All the project activities we offer involve regular communication and cooperation with local youngsters, which enables the process of gaining communication, leadership and organisational skills, coming from the volunteer's coordinative role within the activities.
The activities we offer can be roughly categorised into two groups: Media and Comminications and Disabilities.
1. Media and Communications " Do Right" magazine
Youth Forum EYE has been publishing a youth magazine over the past several years (DO RIGHT Magazine). This magazine is being fully put together by local youngsters, students in the local elementary and highschool. It is a medium through which young people speak of topics of their interest, youth issues, but not only problems - positive aspects of living as well.What is worth mentioning is that the team workng on this magazine is of multicultural nature, uniting Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Vlahs and Macedonian Muslims. Struga is a multiethnic society and this magazine promotes interethnic tolerance and understanding. The magazine is published in three languages: Macedonian, Albanian and English. The articles are written as well as translated by youngsters themselves.
The volunteers have a very important role in this project. He/she is the person who coordinates all the youngsters' activities. He/she holds meetings with them, discussing the magazine's topic, gives assignments, makes sure tasks are done on time and most important of all, keeps the team motivated and united.

2. Media and Communications "VoluntNET"
Another Media-and-Communications-related activity is making short movies. Youngsters who wish to be involved in NGO activities but are not good at writing or translating can choose to participate in this activity. Under the guideline of the volunteers they make videos or photo workshops, through which they attempt to draw attention to issues of their interest.The volunteers engaged in these activites gain computer skills, by editing sequences or photographs. They are often included in the graphic design of the magazie as well, thus closelly cooperating with the rest of the volunteers. Also volunteer will help to design posters, flyers and promotional materials for the organization using his/her creativity.
In this project we start a radio show, completely produced by young people, under the monitoring of a volunteer. Ideas and toughts about the show will be generated by the volunteer and youngsters with full support from the local radion station. Mainly the show is for the youngsters who are living in Struga and aorund the city.

3. Disability
In Struga there is a day-care centre for young people with slight or medium handicap. Everyday, around 15 youngsters visit this centre, with the hope to fulfill their routine days with some fun and laughter. Volunteers, together with the staff in this centre, organise the activites for these kids. They draw, sing, make jewelery, pottery, play games, do sports, go on excursions... Volunteers are free to use their imagination and creativity, all within the possibilies of the centre and with the suport of its staff, as well the staff of Youth Forum EYE.
Other activities
Volunteers are expected to spend 30-35 hours a week working. Their timetable predicts space for language lessons, days off, social activities etc. In their free time, volunteers are encouraged to develop their own project ideas and interest, for which they get our full support as far as feasible. They are also included in other activities in the organisation: they are sometimes involved in writing project applications, help out with organising youth exchanges and other seminars, participate in other current projects the organisation has taken on etc, which enriches their experience in the Youth in Action Program and Project Management in general.

Volunteer profiles and recruitment process:
The volunteers are not required any particular degree of formal education. This project aimes at providing a non-formal learning experience for them. However, they should have social abilities, in terms of good communication skills and readiness to work with youngsters, mostly aged 14-18. We would like to host volunteers with positive atitude, tolerant, flexible and eager to learn of new cultures and lifestyles. It is desirable, however that they have some knowledge of English.
Volunteers must be over 18.
The EVS vacancies will be announced not only in the EVS database, but also in the frequently visited on-line groups (on Facebook, Yahoo! Groups etc.), and we will make a Call to all the partners on our contact list. Hence, it will be accessible to all those interested in doing EVS.
All applicants will be asked to submit a CV and a cover letter, based on which we will try to choose the ones that are most motivated to join us in our activities. Everyone involved in the process of selection will be informed of our decision.

Number of volunteers hosted:
Youth Forum EYE has would like to host up to 7 volunteers at the same time, depending on the variety of activities. The working space is not a problem, because the office is spacious enough and it is mostly used for coordination and finalisation activities, while most of the volunteers' activities are done outside the office, in the field or in the day-care centre.

Special needs (if applicable):
If your placements are open to hosting volunteers with fewer opportunities, please provide information about the competence, experience and infrastructure and (human or other) resources available in your organisation to accommodate and support them.
N/A

Risk prevention, protection and safety:
Interested volunteers will be informed about all details of accommodation and working conditions from the very beginning, so that there will not come to misunderstandings and conflicts upon the arrival. Volunteer will live with other EVS volunteers, sharing kitchen, bathroom and living space. There isn't a high rate of violence in Struga, the streets are safe to walk along even late in the night.
The working activities are not physical and therefore not risky by their nature. They require more intellectual efforts, streamed through coordination, innovation and motivation. Nevertheless, volunteers will have insurance.
In order to avoid crisis of any sort, volunteers will be provided with on-arrival training, where they will learn about the society they are joining, so as to mitigate culture shock.
Volunteers will have their mentor who will be there with them all the time of their service and especially in the beginning until they get used to the new environment.
The mentor with have regular meetings with the volunteer, discussing the progress of the project and possible difficulties in his/her social integration. This will help prevent potential emotional crisis. Except for the formal meetings, the mentor and the volunteer will be engaged in informal activities as well, in order to develop their relationship on a more personal and friendly level, so that the volunteer doesn't feel alone, lost or ignored.
We do not plan to host minor-aged volunteers.

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=66000125107