The project projects is realizing on the base of SFERA interregional youth public movement of support of volunteer initiatives. SFERA works on promotion and development of volunteering and charity with participation of young people on the territory of Russia. The headquarter of SFERA is situated in Nizhniy Novgorod. Today’s EVS vacancies are opened in Nizhniy Novgorod city and region, on the land with ancient culture and traditions, where you can find more than 100 institutes and colleges, with very well developed business sector and,.. as everywhere in Russia, with a big number of social problems, like poverty, disability, low level of social service etc. So we have a lot of people who can help and who need help.

SFERA realizes some general lines of activities:

1. Promotion of volunteering in workcamps – SFERA is the partner organization of 2 international networks – SCI and Alliance which work in workcamps sphere, we send volunteers abroad to participate in such programs and host volunteers in Russia. SFERA suggests summer and winter workcamps all around Russia.

2. Development of long-term volunteering. SFERA promotes participation of young people in voluntary activities during the long period, so we open vacancies for EVS and other long-term volunteering programs, where we host foreign volunteers and give them a chance to co-operate with Russians. Russian volunteers have a chance to make their long-term projects in our partner organizations abroad.

3. Improvement of the social service in Russia – SFERA invites foreign volunteers to participate in different projects on the base of municipal and non-governmental organizations working on social service, like orphanages, NGOs, hospitals, schools. Volunteers show for the local community abilities of voluntary service and perspectives for involvement of Russian volunteer into social help. Volunteers also open possibilities for disadvantaged people to get better service and equal opportunities with others.

4. Promotion of youth participation. First of all, SFERA is an official multiplier of Youth in Action program in Russian Federation, so we promote youth participation through YiA program. But we also support and promote national programs on social participation of youth.

So, SFERA invites EVS volunteers to support these activities through different projects described below.

Local community

Nizhniy Novgorod was founded in 1221 and has a population about 1 500 000 people nowadays. This is the third large city in Russia situated at the intersection of 2 huge rivers – Oka and Volga. Nizhniy Novgorod is a capital of Volga Federal district and this is a trade and industrial center. A lot of traditional Russian arts was born on Nizhniy Novgorod land – Khokhloma, Gorodets, Metal decoration etc. The great Russian poet – Pushkhin had lands here. Nizhniy Novgorod region is a motherland of great Russian Saint – Seraphim Sarovskiy, so this is a place of pilgrimage of Orthodox believers.

In the soviet times Nizhniy Novgorod (Gorkiy) was a closed city, so people still have not many chances to communicate with foreigners. Foreign languages are not very prevailing here, and you have to know Russian a little bit at least to be able to communicate with locals. But people are very friendly to who respect local culture and inhabitants, and ready to communicate and co-operate with foreigners. Interest of youth to foreign cultures is growing every day. Nizhniy Novgorod has quite strong relations with Germans, because of the twin city – Essen. There are some cultural centers in Nizhniy Novgorod – Alliance Françoise, Japanese center, Swedish center, Czech center etc. So foreigners can find people speaking on their mother tongues there.

Inhabitants in Nizhniy lead a measured mode of life, their life’s temp is not so intensive like in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. But, on the same time, there is a lot of opportunity for self-realization and emotional life here – extreme sports, night clubs, museums, theatres, parks, fitness centers, libraries etc. Every body can find a way to be satisfied in his interests and hobbies.

Project conditions

EVS volunteers usually live in flats with other volunteers or in families. Actually they have to share domestic facilities with 2-5 other volunteers or family members. Nizhniy Novgorod is a very big city, so the way from home to the city center can take 1-1,5 hours (like in any big city), but we do our best to provide volunteers with accommodation not far from their working places. Volunteers are provided with necessary kitchen equipment and bed-linen.

Volunteers can use Internet at the office of SFERA 2-3 hours a week, and they can make telephone calls to home 5-10 minutes a week (of course, if you have SKYPE, you can take more time ). In a lot of hosting projects there are Internet possibilities as well.

In Youth in Action program volunteers have 90 euro of the pocket money a month and SFERA provides them with 100 euro for food monthly as well. The middle salary in Nizhniy Novgorod is 200 euro, so that money is absolutely enough to survive  Volunteers local travel costs (necessary for the project) compensate by SFERA as well.

Every volunteer has a mentor from the local youth speaking English or your native language on the level enough to communicate. There is an EVS supervisor in SFERA whom volunteers meet at least 1 hour a week for discussion of the projects, and this supervisor is available for volunteers 24 hours a day for an emergency situations.

Volunteers are provided with AXA medical insurance and can get a medical support of private clinics in Nizhniy Novgorod.

SFERA actually organizes Russian linguistic courses for volunteers twice a week during the whole project.

The working day of the volunteer is 6 hours a day 5 days a week. We also provide volunteers with vacation during the project. Optionally SFERA consults volunteers about opportunities to travel in Russia during holidays and suggests special travel projects for volunteer’s group integration and discovering of Russian treasures.

The theatre is placed on the base of school for children with hearing difficulties, the main activities in the theatre – pantomimic performances. Some of children visit “Piano” workshops every day. Theatre is like a second family for children, so EVS volunteer is also going to be part of the “Piano” family and can be involved in any events.

There are different kinds of work, which can be done by the volunteer, depends on skills and interests of the volunteer. First of all the volunteer can help with translating information for the web-site or s/he can focus on finding contacts and links with international partners for the theatre. Second line of the activities connected with art decoration (making costumes and theatre dress, making decorations and accessorizes for the rooms, performances, cleaning).

Work as an assistant of theatre pedagogues during workshops and master classes every day is also possible for the volunteer. The volunteer will be able to organize her/his own workshop for children depending on skills and talents.

During conferences, seminars, meetings with parents making by “Piano” the volunteer will work as a support administrative staff, as well as during performances.