Project update ACT now

ARDR is opening a new chapter in the process of strengthening the transcontinental relations for fair opportunities and development for all, by giving substance to the EVS network. Last week we were officially notified by the Executive Agency of the European Commission that the project that we deposited in June was approved. After several discussions within ARDR, we are committed to lead the administration and development of this project despite heavy difficulties we have faced with some of you- an email is to follow this one. The project assistant is my colleague Raluca.

e. to give visibility to international youth work in Latin America and Africa

f. to strengthen the trans-continental EVS network

TRAINING COURSE:This activity is to bring the country managers, the two trainers/ experts and project manager and assistant. It has a fourfold objectives: to discuss all technicalities in the project (travel, visa, finances, fine tune responsibilities), to learn from each others’ experiences (exchanging all partners experiences in volunteering work in general and international volunteering in particular), to define common aims, goals, actions, and to define the benchmarking methodology to be used for tracking developments in the job shadowing; also, a particular attention is to be given to the development of the minimum standards programme and the composition of the in-country trainings. Moreover, the job shadowing design is to be decided and a common approach is to be defined. Particular skills of the country managers are to be developed in relation to the needs analysis and the risk assessment. Here, the evaluation grid to be used for the selection of the participants for the job shadowing is to be developed. Here, also it will be designed the project information campaign. 

-          select a local/regional/country EVS manager- fluent in English and committed to work on EVS in the long run;

-       committed to run a 3 days in country training for at least 12 organizations and assist the organization involved in ACT NOW to recruit the youth workers to be sent in the job shadowing programme

-          work on the visa and travel details

JOB SHADOWING:The main aim of the job shadowing is to offer opportunity for exchange of best practices and setting the foundations of long term partnership by means of a thorough examination of working styles, culture and opportunities and risks. There is going to be 1 month in between the job shadowing in Europe and the ones in Latin America and Africa. Each job shadowing must comprise the following minimum activities:

- take part in minimum 2 community actions/events run by the hosting organization

Hence, you need to work on:

1. chosing the placements were the team of international youth workers are to  work during the job shadowings; they have to be in at least two distinct regions, two weeks per region;

2. exact programm, by day; keep in mind that you have to include various meetings with public figures from the youth sector, leaders of youth NGOs or structures dealing with youths in the two regions where you arrange the job shadowing

3.the people you are to recruit:

The Conference is to gather all youth workers that took part in the job shadowings, all country managers and other interested stakeholders from Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

A large promotion campaign to disseminate the results of the project but also to launch invitation for participating in the project is to be developed via emailgroups, newsletter, Eurodesk, National Agencies offices and by all partners involved.

The conference is to last 1 day and will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels.

That will be a good occasion for the project participants to spend the other 2 days in meeting public figures from the European Parliament responsibly for youth work and also in development in Africa and Latin America. Appointments will be established also at the European Youth Forum headquarters. Also during the last day, a final evaluation of the project with all youth workers, country managers and the experts is to be convened.