“EVS Hotspot” -Study Visit to Albania for quality partnerships within the European Voluntary Service

""All volunteers are here for different reasons, with different stories to tell, with different backgrounds. We share the travel, the change, the dream of something better"". EVS volunteer in Albania Interest in the European Voluntary Service has rapidly increased among youth organisations in Albania. Receiving and sending EVS volunteers has already become a regular practise for some, and building upon their good experiences, many others have been newly accredited, now looking for partners for future cooperation. Interested applicants from the Erasmus+ Programme Countries are invited to explore Albanian youth work scene together with the local organisations, and to discover how to mobilise the developed potential for cooperation within EVS. For many people, Albania has still remained one of the less known countries in Europe. Therefore the emphasis of the activity is not on mere partnership-building between organisations, but also on learning about the local context organisations operate in, and from which the volunteers are sent or to which they arrive in. The purpose of this is to facilitate the future cooperation and promote reflection on what is quality in EVS. Aim: The aim of the study visit is to familiarise the participants with the local youth work context in Albania and establish quality partnerships for the European Voluntary Service between Albanian organisations and organisations from the Erasmus+ Programme Countries. Objectives: • Discovering the activities of local youth organisations, as well as getting to know their plans and / or prior experiences within the European Voluntary Service • Exploring and reflecting on the local youth work environment in the context of possible future cooperation • Facilitating partnership-building within the European Voluntary Service between the organisations from Albania and Erasmus+ Programme Countries • Introducing the participants with quality elements within a European Voluntary Service project, with a focus on partnership, support and learning Target group: The participants should be: • Representatives from European Voluntary Service accredited organisations from the Erasmus+ Programme Countries, wishing to start cooperating with Albania • Having some knowledge or prior experience in the European Voluntary Service • Able to make a commitment on cooperation and partnerships on behalf of the represented organisation • Capable of communicating in English • Over 18 years of age