We are looking for volunteers having sense of initiative, interest for European issues and good skills in communication.

Our organization is located in Altamura (Bari). The city has about 70,000 inhabitants and is one of the most culturally active city centres in the province. Its importance is due to its history, its monuments, including the Romanesque cathedral of Frederico II di Svevia, which dates back to the XIII century, Its area within the Alta Murgia National Park and its archaeological finds including man fossils dating back to 200,000 years ago and nearly 30,000 dinosaur footprints. The city has an excellent geographical position: it's located 45 km far from Bari - Puglia capital - and only 17 km far from the city of Matera, with its historic centre, the "Sassi", declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1993. The tourism coming from this geographical position, enriches the city of Altamura and contributes to the development of its economy joining the main economic activities: agriculture and breeding, food products export and sofa industry. An important aspect of the city is represented by a significant number (about 3.000) of non-EU citizens from Albania, Tunisia, Romania, Poland and Ukraine. Altamura is a city with a strong presence of young people and many informal groups and youth organizations engaged in cultural and sports activities.

The volunteers will be accommodated in a full-furbished independent flat, located in the centre of the city and close to Link's office. They will be receiving the pocket money, foreseen by the Programme, every month and the food money every week. During events like international exchange and meetings, the volunteers will share the meals with the international groups. The volunteers will gain autonomy, will learn how to manage their own budget and, by sharing the flat, will have to face the basic rules of living together. By participating in the project, they will get to know the Italian culture and traditions and those of the hosting community. The volunteers will be supported while learning the Italian language by attending an Italian language course organised by the association and by interacting with the local community both during the activities and informal time. The volunteers will participate in training meetings to prepare themselves for the activities; they will have the opportunity to live a strong intercultural experience by being with other long and short term volunteers coming from different countries; they will develop their skills and gain or improve competences concerning the use of technological devices. The implementation of the activities, made in contact with young people, will allow them to improve their interpersonal and organizational skills. Hosting european volunteers is an example, for the local youth and people, of the intercultural exchange potential and of how we can concretely contribute to spread european values through ideas and active participation. The volunteers will be part of Link staff and will help the association in different activities related to the world of media, information, volunteering promotion, projects and local initiatives implementation. The several partnerships at local level, which have been confirmed and multiplied since 2003, allow Link to offer to the volunteers the opportunities of being involved in other activities related to art, sport, music, children and disabled people. After a first phase of introduction to the activities, the association and the local context, the volunteers will be able to engage bigger responsibilities inside the organization. They will receive tools and support needed to develop one or more personal projects which fit the organization's aims and their aptitudes, bringing an added value inside the association and the hosting community. The volunteers will be supported by a mentor through the whole project who will assist them during the activities and on personal level, particularly for solving problems and conflicts, and who will help them to integrate in the local community. The volunteers will be engaged in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the following activities:
- information activities: meetings with students, associations, informal groups for promoting the ¡§Youth in Action¡¨ Programme and the european values; running a radio programme with music and news about Europe and youth; creating a monthly publication on youth topics.
- cultural events: organising thematic debates with movies, intercultural parties, etc.;
- creativity educational workshops based on the method of Bruno Munari; workshops for learning the local history through games and manual activities; workshops on environmental topics organised in cooperation with local schools and associations;
- inclusion workshops: by using non-formal education and different art techniques (painting, photography, video) in cooperation with local organizations, the association and the volunteers will run workshops and initiatives in the city quarters with minorities, like immigrants and disabled people, and summer camps;
- sport activities in cooperation with local associations;
- international activities: the volunteers will help in the implementation of international projects, youth exchanges and seminars planned by the association during their project. In the international projects the volunteers will take care of documenting the activities and will act like facilitators for the participants integration (for example they will be responsible for ¡§getting to know the city¡¨ activities).

The project is open to all the young people aged between 18 and 30 years, regardless their sex, race, social class, political orientation or religious beliefs. Volunteers younger than 18 can be hosted only in special cases, which will be analyzed ahead with the partner organizations. The project does not require any specific skills or requirements; however, volunteers must be interested in the proposed activities, motivated to live an intercultural learning experience and have a spirit of adaptation. Skills and competences (related to languages, information technologies, practical or interpersonal abilities, etc..) already in possession of the volunteer will be appreciated, but will not affect the selection process, that will be developed in a transparent and democratic way. A fair treatment will be guaranteed to all candidates; the participation of young people with fewer opportunities will be encouraged. Project opportunities will receive a maximum spread and attention, and they will be promoted on the website of the association and on all the online networks of which Link is member. The volunteers selection will be done jointly with the partners and will be based on the presentation of the volunteer given by the sending organization and on his/her CV and motivation letter. Applicants who will not be selected, as well as their sending organizations, will receive a communication of failed acceptance right after the selection of volunteers. Link is available for working with any partner.

Number of volunteers hosted: 20

Link is open to host young people with social or economical problems, youngsters at risk of deviance, with mental disability, youth with problems of interpersonal relationship, who live in under privileged geographical parts of Europe and immigrants. Since 2003, the association has hosted young people with this kind of characteristics and the experience gained throughout this years guarantees the success of projects addressed to their inclusion. The staff of Link ensures a specific approach to answer the needs of every single volunteer and will apply for the reinforced mentorship if necessary. The staff of Link is perfectly prepared for hosting young people with less opportunities and constantly continues to gain competences and to search for new working methods through training courses on local and international level. The success of the projects implemented until now and the feedback of the involved youngsters are tangible. Unfortunately, the infrastructure of the city and the actual situation of the hosting places does not allow us to host volunteers with physical disability.

The volunteers will be supported during the project by the mentor and the project team, composed of trainers, youth workers and local volunteers that have already experience in organising EVS hosting projects and other youth projects in general. The staff of Link will work together with the volunteers and will be able to answer all their requests related to the project activities and to take care of them during their stay in the association and in the local community. Regular meetings between volunteers and mentor are foreseen in order to constantly evaluate the project and to solve problems if necessary. The mentor, as well as the local volunteers, will meet the european volunteers also outside the activities, giving to Link another tool for monitoring and evaluating the project. Furthermore, both the mentor and the association staff, are prepared and ready to face conflicts, crisis and personal difficulties of the volunteers. On their arrival, meetings on crisis management and prevention will be organised in order to make the volunteers able to recognize and manage them, but in any case they will ask help to the mentor and to the other staff members. Dialogue and exchange are the basis of the relationships that will be established between the association and the volunteers, with the aim of creating a pleasant work environment where everyone will feel accepted and free to be him/herself.

Please send CV and letter of interest + picture.