LC Youth volunteers have created a short film about their EVS as part of a competition organized by the organization EV Youth in Nicosia. The name of the film was met with smiles and tells how the activities and opportunities that had the European Voluntary Service volunteer arriving in Limassol.
Our EVS volunteers visited the high-school of Agios Antonios and the high-school of Apostolou Louka Kolossiou where they gave a presentation about the EVS program, they described all the details of the program as well as their personal experience as volunteers in LCYouth.Young students had the opportunity to discuss with our volunteers and to pose questions.
The EVS volunteers present in schools and organizations what is the EVS with 5 steps:
1- LCYouth
2-What is EVS
3- How to apply
4-Our activities
5-Our experience with EVS
The on arrival training took place on the 4th-8th of February 2015 in Nicosia, it was organized by the National Agency of Erasmus + in Cyprus .Overall, it was a very nice experience for all of the volunteers, they learned a lot of things about EVS and its objectives. During the training volunteers had the opportunity to meet other EVS volunteers , in total they were 11 volunteers from 4 different organizations: 2 from “Cyprus Autism Association Nicosia”, 4 from” Nautilos Search and Rescue Team”, 1 from “Anemoni/ Cultural Workshop” and of course 4 from “LCYouth” and from different countries Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Greece, France and Spain.
It was good opportunity to get know each other, but also to get in touch with the National Agency of Cyprus.Also during the training volunteers discussed various issues related to the EVS Program as well as to the hosting country Cyprus. Additionally, they had the opportunity to observe Cypriot culture and to participate to various activities.
‘The seminar was a very nice experience and I am really glad I had the opportunity to take part. The project organized in order to collect the best ideas and proposals for making a good practices guide for EVS volunteers. And we did it :) We were 37 participants from 24 countries of Europe and we collaborate with each other through interesting and fun group activities to achieve this.
Personally I am happy to say that I met new friends from different countries and I hope to meet many of them during the next years. I strongly recommend young people to take part in this kind of seminars mostly through Erasmus+ programme.They will not only expand their social network but they will have the opportunity to gain more experience and knowledge about Erasmus+ and European Voluntary Service.’Antigoni Nicloaou
Our organization implemented successfully the seminar Key Action 1 ‘Networking‘, the seminar took place in Limassol, Cyprus from 2-8th of December 2014. The themes of the seminar were Entrepreneurship, Networking of young people and Innovation.
Additionally, the main objectives were to support entrepreneurship among young people in rural areas, to promote social integration and the well-being of young people, to support innovation and creativity of young people and to disseminate EVS program.
During the project various activities took place such as workshops, presentations, discussions, debate, study visits etc. In total 32 young people participated from Cyprus, Jordan,Hungary,Italy, Skopje,Czech Republic, Spain and Serbia.
All of the participants contributed positively to the implementation of the seminar. The second phase of the project will take place as a short-term EVS in April 2015.
Our organization hosted 4 volunteers in the program of European Voluntary Service for 8 months. Below the experience of Elisa:
Testimony EVS by Elisa Revert Santamaría
“After finishing my studies in Journalism and performing a long period of work and internships as a journalist and audiovisual producer in the European institutions, I needed a break.I wanted and needed to go beyond Brussels for a while, maybe in a warm place… I wanted to do something different but not completely disconnected of my profession and passion, the Journalism and the International and European affairs. I wanted and should to improve my English and maybe learn a new language, I wanted to learn about the called non-formal education, I wanted to meet people and travel, I wanted to discover and integrate myself in a new culture.
But above all, I wanted to spend my time and energy helping other people through my work, it means, I wanted to help to build a more caring and inclusive society, contributing to achieve a better world with my daily work. I wanted also learn and improve my skills to do new things in my professional future, more in line with my professional interests and personal happiness.
But, how to do ALL THIS if my precarious financial situation didn’t allow me to pay a volunteer service, language lessons, specialized courses, travels… and performing a Master was not yet in my mind? Money, money … might not buy happiness, but it helps!
During this time of darkness, like a godsend, my computer’s screen enlightened me and with big letters but a bit confusing appeared the solution to my problem: European Voluntary Service.
What is this called EVS (European Volunteer Service)? All information regarding this program financed by the European Commission can be found in different places and websites. For example, here a good website where it explains all the practical details about it:
http://europa.eu/youth/eu/article/european-voluntary-service-what-it-really_en
But leaving formalities, after performing my EVS in Limassol (Cyprus), I can attest that this program can make a change in your life. Certain that this experience is very personal and everyone going to live and perceive in a different way, but without doubt this experience will impact in your life, either professionally or personally, or both.
Well, as it’s said a picture is worth a thousand words, here a video which shows what was for my “MY EVS”, enjoy!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEDGNHdQfzw&list=PL38FaQXDUHRRm3G3jLuw1UhAF3prcAEGu&index=3
Elisa we wish you all the best, it was great pleasure to host you in our organization.
Warm Regards
LCYouth team
