Volunteering - a Road to Tolerance

Volunteer activities will be implemented in Bulgaria, in Kyustendil and specifically in the building of Bratstvo 1869 Community Centre.
The town of Kyustendil lies in the Southwest of Bulgaria at an altitude of 525 m, 86 km away from the capital city Sofia. Kyustendil is one of the most ancient Bulgarian towns. The area has been inhabited for eight thousand years and has been a town for two thousand years now. Curative mineral springs, favourable climate, fertile land, crossroad of major transport routes, rich cultural heritage – all of these are favourable conditions for development of different forms of tourism. The town is also a centre of an agricultural area with old traditions of fruit growing. Today it is known as the town of artists, the orchard garden of Bulgaria or the green town.
The volunteers will be involved in the main activities which are carried out by the Community Centre – as a trainer or a trainee in the existing groups of creative performers – folk singing and dances, lessons in foreign languages, painting, guitar, accordion, piano or in the organization of cultural events - concerts, festivals etc. The volunteers could also participate in the organization of information campaigns, and the preparation and distribution of informational materials. They could create their own project and work with the target groups of Bratstvo 1869 Community Centre – children, youths and adults and they could also participate in the various social and youth activities which the Community Centre implements. The volunteers will have the opportunity to develop new programs to provide the citizens of Kyustendil with positive activities which fill up their free time.
The volunteers could share their experience with the the volunteers of Bratstvo 1869 Community Centre.
The volunteers we would like to receive should understand and respect cultural diversity and put efforts in getting familiar with the local culture and language and respecting them. They should understand their mission as volunteers and perform their volunteers’ duties, they should also be enthusiastic and motivated to establish relationships and friendships in the community. Good communication and teamwork skills are essential as well as creation of positive and valuable for the organization and the public volunteer’s image. Dedication of part of their working time to encourage young people to participate in public life through organizing information meetings and lectures for youths, presenting different topics on the Europian Union, the culture of their countries or their experience of youth activities etc., will be appreciated. In view of the better communication between the volunteer and the host organization we would like to receive volunteers who can speak English.
The role of the EVS volunteers is important for Bratstvo 1869 Community Centre as a host orgaization since this is a way to become familiar with different cultures, history, value systems and ways of life. We believe that youth in the XXI century should interact with people of different nationalities, different cultures and different religions. And volunteering is a way for the yhoung people to get information independently- information which becomes significant and interesting to them. Volunteering awakens the desire in people to assume their responsibilities and to become an active factor in the civil society. Culture and art is an unconventional way to perceive the culture of the European peoples and diversity without xenophobic attitudes. It is our ambition not necessarily to turn the young people into actors, painters or singers, but to teach them, through culture and art, to be good people who are tolerant,value diversity and assume their resposibilities. The role of the volunteers will be to assist the everyday work in the Community Centre, to participate in its activities sharing and putting their own experience and initiative into practice. The volunteers have the opportunity to develop their own projects depending on their interests. Volunteers’ work is a two-way process of mutual enrichment and cultural development of personality in individual, social, national and universal aspect. The volunteers will work for the formation of an active citizenship, critical thinking, creativity and acquiring skills for active participation of the young people in public life. Above all, the volunteers will work not only for the prosperity of the host organization, but for the whole community. The volunteers are important for our organization because by their efforts they contribute to the realization of the organization's mission.