POLONYA 2011 - 09

Contact person: Katarzyna Jackiewicz
Coordinating organisation: Foundation of Education and Creativity
Host: Centre for Aliens Applying for a Refugee Status or Asylum: http://www.uric.gov.pl
Location: Białystok/Czerwony Bór, Poland
Deadline: 20/10/2011
Start: 01/03/2012
End: 30/09/2012

• Our project will take place in the Podlaskie region of Poland, with the coordinating and planning centre in Bialystok, in the Foundation of Education and Creativity. We can coordinate 3 volunteers in this project, each volunteer should work at least 6 months. We would like to involve EVS volunteers in the following activities:

- working with refugees and asylum seekers in a reception centre in Czerwony Bór
- lessons about human rights, stereotypes and refugees, aiming at raising the society's awareness of the refugee issue (in high schools, junior high schools and primary schools throughout the region of podlaskie)
- 'passages' - a simulation game which helps the participant understand the feelings, emotions and situation of refugees and asylum seekers (in high schools, junior high schools and primary schools throughout the region of podlaskie)
- activities integrating Polish and Chechen children (libraries, school-clubs in the Podlaskie region)
- discussions with language students (non-profit language school in the Foundation of Education and Creativity)

EVS volunteers will be accomodated in a flat in Czerwony Bór and dormitory in Białystok. Each of them will be offered a room of his/her own. In Czerwony Bór they will have a 3-bedroom flat. They will spend 3 days in Czerwony Bór and the rest of the week in Białystok

Tasks
- human rights, refugee law - Chechen history, culture and tradition - designing games and activities for children and teenagers - developing the strategy of integrating refugees in the society of the country they arrive in - psychology and pedagogy of working with war victims - Russian language - Polish language, culture and tradition - language teaching practice - 'passages' simulation game - creating lesson plans, leading group discussions - administration/office work - fundraising EVS volunteers' education will take place both through organised training and individual research. They will actively take part in preparing the strategy, plan and activities concerning their work. After introductory training they will start working in the reception centre. Meanwhile, together with the coordinator from our Foundation, they will prepare lessons, presentations and tasks (including 'passages' game) connected with the topics of human rights and refugees to be used with Polish pupils. They will present the prepared classes to pupils in the Podlaskie region. Their presentations at schools will be combined with visiting different parts of the region and meeting the local people. They will also discuss the topics in the language students in our language schools. Each EVS volunteer will get their own Polish mentor, whose task will be to introduce a volunteer to the Polish reality, culture and social life. Each EVS volunteer will be also offered the possibility of intensive Polish language learning in exchange for his/her native tongue. With the assistance of the coordinator, EVS volunteers will have the possibility of carrying out their individual research and pursue their own personal interests and hobbies. If they are willing, they will be invited to our Big Brother Big Sister programme and will get a 'brother' or 'sister' from a dysfunctional family to take care of.
Criteria
all who are motivated, open and eager to work:)
Procedure
send your CV and motivation letters to voluntary.info@gmail.com till 20.10.2011