Long term EVS in Rijswijk, The Neteherlands

“You(th) Moving to Future: Volunteering in a Multicultural background Long term EVS 2016-17” is a long term EVS Program organized in Rijswijk, The Netherlands. This project aims to give volunteers an experience of European Voluntary Service promoting intercultural learning and working with children (often disadvantaged) and young people. Responsibilities are given to the volunteer, and through daily interaction with other (EVS) volunteers and living together with them, the experience is being shared and learned from.

The role of the EVS volunteer:
The volunteers are expected to work with other staff members, volunteers and youth workers to carry out the program for the children and youth. Possible tasks of the volunteers will be to assist the children in different age groups in the overblijf (lunch break in a school for those who are coming to the Netherlands) and inorganising a big youth exchange in the summer. There are additional activities like: organizing kids feasts, open house, and holiday activities for the children.
The tasks and activities of the volunteers: The tasks and activities of the volunteers are generally conducted from Monday to Friday, from 11.00- 17.00 hours.
The concrete activity of the volunteer is to carry out activities in Don Bosco Youthnet and Don Bosco youth centre:
1. Their primary task will be in a Youth Centre. Together with Don Bosco’s staff they carry out activities. Their concrete task is to carry out programmes for school children in the project at and outside schools. These programmes are on the basis of prolonged school activities and community school (Bredeschool) activities. Overblijf (aasisiting kids during the lunch break) will be one of the daily activities of the volunteer.
2. Receive the guests (Groups) to Don Boscohuis (Don Bosco Youthnet) and see to their accommodation and assisting the staff members with programs for this group. The volunteers will be supported by Don Bosco staff and qualified persons.
Practical arrangements for the volunteer
Food: The volunteer will be staying in a student community with other volunteers. Volunteers will have opportunity to take part in all the meals with the community. Once a week the volunteer will also get an opportunity to cook for all (8-10 persons).
Accommodation: The volunteer will have to share the room with another same gender volunteer with attached shower and toilet (so 2 people in one room). The volunteer can make use of the community living room, TV, dining hall, parlour to receive guest etc. There is also facility for launtary in the community.
Holidays: On the special occassions like Christmas and Easter our centre is closed. So the volunteers are allowed to take holidays during those days. However, the journey expenses for this holidays will not be met by the Host, send, or coordinating organisation. During other school holidays, the centre has special activities for children in which the volunteers can contribute much to the running of it. So we do not encourage the volunteers to take holidays during those days.
Local Transport: As a rule, the volunteers have to use the bikes to go to the work. Other transportal charges for the work will be met by the host organisation. This will not include outings and visits of the volunteer on her/his own initiatieves.
Language training: We find learning a language is very important for the volunteers. So we provide a Dutch language course on arrival in professional school. In community also people speak Dutch language to make it easy for the volunteers to learn the language fast.