A. Project environment: profile of the organisation and local community
" Outline the project environment for the suggested voluntary activities, including the local community where the project will take place (e.g. geographical, social and economical environment).
" If the host placement is located in a live-in community, please include the rules and conditions that apply also for the volunteer.

The project will take place in the Southern Serbian municipality of Vranje, close to the borders with Kosovo, FYROM (Macedonia) and Bulgaria. Vranje is 360 km far from Belgrade, 100 km far from Skopje (nearest airport) in FYROM (Macedonia), 370 far from Thesaloniki (Greece), 220 km far from Sofia (Bulgaria) and 100 km far from Prishtina (Kosovo).
At one hand, this region is known in Serbia for its levels of ethnic diversity (ortodox Serbs and Bulgarians, islamic Albanians and mixed Roma, both ortodox Christians and Muslems) which bring almost "exotic" combination of different customs, but similar food, different languages but same words in all languages (Turkish words) etc. It is also a combination of modern and traditional life which can be seen on the streets of towns and villages - brand new cars and old vehical pulled by the hors or mule. Some people live in the traditional way as people in EU used to live 40-50 years ago. Roma's colourefull communities bring with them their perfect brass music, trumpettes, drums, daire…
At the other hand, it is known as well as for its recent history of high levels of tension among the different ethnic groups. This region is among the most underdeveloped and economically stagnant in Serbia. A weak infrastructure, lack of responsive local governance, economic stagnation, and ethnic tension characterize the remote area along the Kosovo border.
A range of organisations are currently operating in the region, implementing a number of projects and programs which address physical and civil infrastructure, economic development, civil society strengthening and peace and tolerance building. These organisations include: UNDP MIR 2 Programme; DAI with its USAID funded SCOPES programme; AWO with youth cross-border project; the ABC Centre for Peace, Security and Tolerance, based in Vranje, promotes basic human rights in the project region as well as emphasising peace and non-violence; Protecta, Centre for Development of Civil Society from Nis, works to reduce violent conflict; and our organisation Generator emphasises arts as a vehicle for young people to become engaged in a multiethnic society.
Our organisation is one of just a few youth organisations operating in the wider region. Our office is in the centre of the town and it is close to the banks, post office, City Hall, Police Department, local cafés and restaurants. Generator's office is very well equipped with technologies, such as: telephones, fax machine, copy machine, fast internet.
Although the best view is the one seen through our French EVS volunteer Mathilde Coppari's eyes.
She wrote in the EVS report:
" About the Balkans
I think I've had a very good and deep intercultural learning experience. I travelled a lot in Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Hungarian, Bulgaria and Bosnia Herzegovina… I had the chance to discover the similarities and the diversities of this region of Europe that was a complete stranger to me before this EVS. To meet people and exchange a lot and understand the relations or feeling that Balkans people have between themselves.
I will add that I learned a lot about the war times and its consequences, the situation and relation between the different countries of the Balkans, the history of Serbia, the culture. I didn't really know what a "country in transition" was; now I do.
" About Serbia
The best way to discover Serbian culture is to visit events or places in order to get know the area and people. I had the chance to be invited to several Slava (celebration of family Saint), to a wedding, to an orthodox baptising, to a Roma wedding etc. We also participated to a Roma celebration, went to villages, see and even help people who where making AJVAR (every year from august to October, Serbia is full of pepper "Paprika" - the pepper). People buy it in big bags and they prepare AJVAR in several phases. AJVAR is one of the best local salads, every family helps to the neighbours to prepare it and there is the sense of pepper all over the streets!
So I've learned about the history, the mentality, the religion, the situation, the traditions, the food, etc. I really have the feeling that I have been, during those 9 month submerged into Serbian culture and I loved the feeling of it….
" About Vranje
I was in a town in the South of Serbia, which is one of the less developed regions in the country and a particular area because of the dialect, for example. The dialect was really interesting to me. I got to know the culture and tradition in a different way than if I had been doing my EVS in Belgrade or Novi Sad. I lived with the local people and made friendships which took me to several celebrations.
There is a lack of cultural events in Vranje. As an example there are more or less 70 000 people living in this town and there is no cinema, a bad quality theatre and no concerts.

For me to organize a concert of rock/alternative music was one of the best things that I could do during my EVS. Or at least something that I really wanted to do, most because of the people who don't like "Turbo Folk Music" and don't have money to go on concert in Skopje, Nis and Belgrade. There is nothing of cultural programmes for them in Vranje... And so we did it. Thanks to Generator and some friends who supported the idea and wanted this to happen in Vranje we organised a concert with two Serbian Indie bands (Repetitor and Popecitelji) in the end of my EVS. I mainly worked on the promotion of the concert. The concert has been really successful, we didn't expect that much! But it was crowded, full of people I had never seen out in Vranje! The crowd was in a very positive mood. All these show that there is a real need in this area for this kind of events for young people.

B. Proposed activities for international volunteers
" Describe what you can offer to volunteers in terms of service and learning opportunities.
" Please, explain what will be the role of international volunteers in the host organisation.
" Describe the activities in which the volunteers could be involved and the activities the volunteers could create in your organisation. Give examples of typical activities for the volunteers.

Generator is currently working on a one year human rights project, involving more than 150 young people from Leskovac and Vranje. The project is supported by European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), NED and Embassy of Finland.
We are also working on a youth project, "Activator - Accelerator", supported by Ministry for Youth and Sport which aim is to mobilze, motivate, educate and activate young people in 3 multiethnic Municipalities of Southern Serbia.
"Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for Uprooted People and Romani Women and Youth in Southern Serbia" 3-year project has just started. Care International NWB is the implementing organisation and Generator acts as a partner organisation ressponsible for theatre work with young people and organizing the performances, mainly coming from Roma and uprooted comunities in Southern Serbia. Our activists work also on human trafficking workshops with Roma youth returnees from Western Europe.
We prepare the applications for Youth in Action programme (youth exchanges and training course), intercultural summer camp etc.
The volunteer will have as task an obligation to help the Youth Co-ordinators in organising the trainings-theatre workshops, theatre performances etc.
The volunteer could assist in all phases of developing a project for youth - planning, implementing, direct work with youth and evaluating activities on the project, campaigns, camps, seminars and youth exchanges. That means being in contact with our international partners, coordinaton of meetings with young project participants, leading the workshops (optionaly), assisting in newsletter preparation etc. He/she will be given the opportunity to implement his/her own projects related to cooperation with youth from his/her country. Optionaly, the volunteer can give a lessons of foreign language in local high-schools.

Provisional weekly timetable:
Day Working hours Activity
Mon
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 4+2 Office work+Language course
Thu
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 6 Field trip - visit to towns in the District/Kosovo/FYROM/Bulgaria
Wed
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 4+2 Office work+Language course
Thr
2 - 8 p.m. 6 Rehearsal, theatre performance
Fry
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 4+2 Office work+Language course

The weekend is free except those weekends when theatre workshops will be hold. Whenever the volunteer works during the weekends, he/she will have two days off after the workshop.

Workshop during the weekend:
Day Working hours Activity
Saterday
10 a.m. -4 p.m. 6 Theatre in Education training/rehearsal
Sunday
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 6 Theatre in Education training/rehearsal

The volunteer will have 4 weeks off.

The example of our French volunteer's activities:
The volunteer was mainly involved in youth projects. In the beginning of her EVS, the language barrier was a problem for the activities that she could carry out. That is why her activities were more simple:
" Establishing of thrimonthly newsletter about current activities of Generator in English;
" Assisting in reporting in English
" Attending Forum Theatre trainings and study visits under Youth Activists project
" Assisting in fashion review preparation.
After a while, a volunteer has started to work with youth activists on their local actions helping them to coordinate their work. Some examples of local actions: GOTV campaign for parliamentary election targeting young people; recognition of 1st of December - anti-AIDS day, 5th of December - International volunteer day, 10th December - International Human Rights day; documentary film about youth problems in South Serbia etc.
Besides these activities, volunteer was engaged in preparing evaluation forms/questionnaires for three different projects: evaluation of Youth activists' study visit, evaluation of Communication II (photo workshops for young people of different ethnic background) and evaluation of weaving training course for unemployed women. This was the idea of volunteer because that was how she could find out more about what people think and feel about the projects and our activities.
Additionally, Mathilde Coppari was engaged in cooperation with the Gymnasium, Vranje high school, where she cooperated with the French teacher and they tried to organize advance French lessons for good pupils.
She organized, in cooperation with our associates, a concert for young people in Vranje. Young rock'n'roll bands from bigger towns performed and this concert was accepted very well in local community.
Regarding the accommodation, the volunteer will have a chance, as an option, to stay in Serbian family for the first few weeks in order to meet local people, their customs, food, drinks and way of living and to rent a flat in the wider centre (not more than 15 minutes walk to the office) later on. He/she will have the opportunity to learn about Serbian/Balkan culture throughout direct contact with the citizens and especially our young employees and volunteers. There will always be someone ready to assist the volunteer in solving any problems or uncertainties that might arise.
The volunteer will have good quality food, 3 meals per day, included in the project budget. At least 50% of meals will be domestic products taken in local restaurant of national food, close to the office; other 50% will be on volunteer's request. There are two open markets with fresh vegetables and fruits 6 days a week.
The Serbian language training, a basic one, with the possibility for improving in every-day use, will be provided to the volunteer, 5 times a week, 2 hours per session, in first 3 months and 3 times a week later on. The teacher will be experienced language teacher (English and French speaking person).
The mentorship, training and support will be provided to the volunteer. The volunteer will be trained to work in multiethnic and civil society environment by getting theoretical and practical knowledge and gaining the experience through work in local NGO. The volunteer will gain the basic skills required for work in our NGO. Those trainings will be done in first period of volunteering. The mentor will be available for eventual additional support on every day basis. The mentor will be an English speaking psychologist, working in partner organisation. Beside the mentor, at least 3 people from the office will be assigned to follow and cooperate with the volunteer in different areas of work, plus the young people involved in Generator's activities.

C. Target group
Please describe the profiles of volunteers you would like to receive in your organisation. Include information on the interests they could have. Consider further information about the type of sending organisation you want to cooperate with. This information can help the match-making between volunteer candidates, sending organisations and your organisation.
We would like the volunteer to be flexible and curious, with ability to adapt easily to a new environment, and showing interest in the experience of living in an unknown country. We are especially keen on people with self discipline and sense of responsibility. He/she should have the will to work in a multiethnic environment, with young people, with minorities and refugees (in hosting organisation and in home town) We used to host interns and students of Youth work in last few years. All of them, including volunteer, were bringing to Generator and the wider environment new ideas and creative solutions.
Previous experience in the field of youth working or intercultural awareness raising, basic knowledge of English would be an aditional plus. A volunteer coming from the environment of an independent cultural centre or socially engaged NGO would find her/his way much easier in our organisation. But, we are open to host and support those without any previous experience.

D. Special needs (if applicable)
If your placements are open to hosting volunteers with fewer opportunities (i.e. facing educational, social, economical, cultural or geographical obstacles and/or to disabled volunteers), please provide information about the competence, experience and infrastructure and (human or other) resources available in your organisation to accommodate and support them. Please note that hosting volunteers with special needs can refer both to short-term and long-term placements.
This project can host young people being educationally, geographically, economically and socially disadvantaged or/and young people belonging to minorities. The aim of the project is to provide the volunteer with the work in multicultural environment. Taking a part in the project will decrease his/her perception of being disadvantaged. The technical and mental support will be given to the volunteer by mentor, our project staff, and project participants and youth activists. Regarding the disabled volunteers, the problem can be the fact that our office is in the flat on the first and the second floor (there are four levels) in a building without the elevators.

E. Child safety and protection (if applicable)
If your activity involves children or youngsters under 18, please provide information about the child safety and protection will be ensured.
Whenever we work with young people, age of 16-17, we try to ensure as highest level of safety and protection as possible. We have regular communication with parents and high school principals. When travelling with youngsters under 18 the permeation letter signed by the parents is obligatory. There is always at least 1 group leader per group of 10 youngsters. There is also a first aid box that is carried out by our coordinators.