PROJECT ENVIRONMENT

Kaunas House of Generation was established by Lithuanian Caritas in January 1996. Now this house is supported by Kaunas municipality. This is the first such type institution in Lithuania. The Generation House is a home for the aged people and single homeless mothers with children. The purpose of the project is to provide shelter and care for aged people, young homeless mothers and their children. There are separate programs for each group and one general program aimed to unite the generation. Both aged and young people are expected to benefit from the programs.
The main regular activities are described above, in the description of the organisation. Usually they are hold in Kaunas House of Generation. The house is situated not far from the center of Kaunas (5 minutes by bus) in the district of Vilijampole.

Kaunas is the second biggest city in Lithuania with the population of more than 415,700 and the area of 156 sq. km. It was founded in the 12th century and owes its existence to its favourable geographic position. Kaunas is situated in the centre of Lithuania, at the confluence of the two biggest rivers the Nemunas and the Neris, 100 km from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and 250 km from the port city Klaipeda. Kaunas is one of the most Lithuanian cities in the country, 93 percent of its habitant are Lithuanians.
Kaunas is divided into 11 district : Aleksotas, Petrasiunai, Sanciai, Silainiai, Vilijampole, Zaliakalnis, Centras, Dainava, Eiguliai, Griciupis, Panemune.
Vilijampole is an old district of Kaunas city, Lithuania, located on the right bank of the Neris River and the Nemunas River, near their confluence. The district covers 1,720 hectares and houses about 32,000 people. It has been a place of Slabodka Yeshiva and the main site of Kaunas Ghetto. Lithuanian Veterinary Academy campus is located in the neighbourhood. Vilijampole Bridge connects the district with the Old Town. More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaunas


ACTIVITIES

There will be one main person - social worker who takes care about EVS volunteers. The social worker will be responsible for their activities and safe working environment. Also he/she will help to settle in our institution and community. This social worker will organize weekly meetings/supervisions, what helps to organize learning process in best way.

Our organization has a lot of experience in working with homeless people and others who are in social exclusion. The institution is working for local community and our work and workers are a little bit closed from innovations. It is good possibility to host volunteers as a people who can bring a new experience, new ideas and new possibilities in our organization or just to refresh our work atmosphere. It woul be usefull not just for our organisation: for workers or target group, but also for volunteers, who can spread their ideas and work creativly in our organization. Our activities are different and we can suggest for volunteers various kind of work. Our team was discussing about the volunteering host and we are thinking it would be great to have at the same time two volunteers. Our organisation is quite big according by the number of workers and also by working space (rooms, kitchen, etc.). The volunteers would be as our helpers or little colleagues for our working team, who could choose their activities by their possibilities and wishes and give us more creative view in our organisation work. And, of course, we hope that they could be also as our new inspiration or motivation for our community. Aims and activities for volunter in our home might be:

- helping to organize day center for elderly people activity about 30% of all volunteer work;
- spending free time with elderly people in different activities - games, music, reading about 25 % of all volunteer work;
- housekeeping activity with young mothers and their children about 20 % of all volunteer work; working in children day care group about 25 % of all volunteer work.

Volunteer can also implement his/her own ideas in work with elderly people, young mothers and their children, and can choose which activities are more or less interesting, and where volunteer want to spent more time. Each day volunteer will work up 10 to 16 o'clock (each day 6 hours). All week is similar and planed before. Volunteer will have 2-3 weeks for own holiday. Also will not work during national holidays and on weekends.


PROFILE OF VOLUNTEERS

Our organization is open for everyone volunteer who loves children, can work with elderly people. It is very important, because work experience says us that not every young person can work with elderly. There is no other special requirements for volunteers.

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=46000186401