Elix - Conservation Volunteers Greece Search engine

PARTNER

ELIX - Conservation Volunteers Greece - is a non-governmental not-for-profit organization which promotes voluntary service and education since 1987. Our main goal is the personal development of individuals as citizens of the world through active participation. Social service, environmental protection, cultural heritage conservation and culture promotion are the main thematic fields of voluntary projects.

WORK

The Summer in the City VT aims to support families facing financial difficulties by providing creative activities to children through experiential processes and workshops, enhancing their skills and talents. The volunteering team involves working with children (ages 6 to 12), daily for approximately 5 hours during their summer holidays at their school. You will support the educational activities defined by the educators (sports activities, workshops, artistic events, theatrical plays, and many more). Volunteers are also very welcome to even implement their own activity ideas. What the program offers to volunteers: • Covered expenses: Volunteers will receive a daily allowance (pocket money) of 6 euros per day, groceries for cooking will be provided by ELIX and volunteers will be responsible to cook along with their team leaders and other volunteers. Further to the covered expenses volunteers will be insured during these two weeks, however it’s important to hold or apply for an EHIC (European Health) card. • Support and guidance: Trained leaders will be on the spot and will provide 24-hour support to the volunteers, while qualified educators will contribute to the volunteers’ training for the program’s implementation. • Participation certificate: Volunteers will receive a participation certificate upon completion of the program, detailing all acquired skills. • Skill development: Volunteers will gain valuable experience and skills in children’s creative activities, which can enhance their resumes and help with their professional development. • Cultural exchange: Through collaboration with volunteers from different countries, participants will have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and make friendships with people from all over the world. • Personal development: By participating in the vt, volunteers will experience something that will help them develop their confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills.

ACCOMODATION AND FOOD

You will stay in the premises of the school that the Volunteering Team will be organised. The school is situated approximately 20km far away from the centre of Athens, specifically in the Olympic village. The school will be ready and well organised to accommodate you. Please remember to bring your own matt and sleeping bag. The school has separate bathrooms and showers, as well as a kitchen. Food will be prepared and cooked by the volunteers which will share the various collective tasks and prepare meals together. The facilities among others include a conference class, various sports facilities (soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis).

LOCATION & LEISURE ACTIVITY

The area where participants will stay is the Olympic Village of Athens. Near at the area volunteers can find supermarket, pharmacy, hospital, caffes’ and bars. Participants will have the opportunity to experience the everyday life of Greece; the available sea is 29 km far away and the centre of Athens is approximately 18km far, they may attend different events during the period of their stay like excursions, familiarity with the local community, group activities that will help foster socialization among the volunteers and give a special identity to the programme. Part of the experience in this project is to get to know more about other people’s countries, culture, and background. We will organise “Circles of Interest” during some evenings where you will have the opportunity to participate in team building activities and games.

REQUIREMENTS

This is an ESC project, supported by the European Solidarity Corps programme of the European Commission. Compared to the usual workcamp, some main financial and administrative differences must be underlined. This project is open to 18–30-year-old participants. You do not have to pay any (participation) fees to participate in the project. You must be present for the entire duration of the camp in order to get your pocket money (6€/day) for common leisure activities and travel expenses. There is a maximum amount of financial support for your travel expenses. The cost of travel is returned to the participants after the completion of the programme. Volunteers will have to complete a participation report, submitted online through the ESC portal. After the selection of the volunteers, a criminal record is needed. The summer in Greece is usually warm, although dry. Check on Greek weather: https://www.meteo.gr/index-en.cfm Here is a list of ideas about what to bring, apart from your personal items (i.e. toiletries, bed sheets, towels and clothing): • Loose clothing which you would not mind getting dirty during work; • At least two warm sweaters and socks, for the night ‘cold’. • Sunglasses and suncream If you take any special medication, please bring enough supplies with you.

Host organization

Elix - Conservation Volunteers Greece

mission ELIX - Conservation Volunteers Greece is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization promoting, since 1987, voluntary service and education. The main goal of ELIX is the personal development of individuals as citizens of the world, through active participation. Environmental protection, cultural heritage conservation, culture promotion and social service are the main thematic fields of ELIX's voluntary projects. aims ELIX aims in bringing together people from different cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds, willing to live, learn and work together as a team, through their participation in voluntary projects of environmental, cultural, social interest. ELIX projects promote intercultural exchanges and offer young people the opportunity to participate actively in the everyday life of a hosting community. activities ELIX organizes two weeks workcamps mainly in the summer; participants offer voluntary work to the hosting community, learn traditional restoration craft and techniques organize and participate in cultural and fun activities, share ideas and speak about their cultures. ELIX workcamps give to communities and small villages of Greece the opportunity to meet and host young people from all over the world and, with their contribution, to implement important projects for the local community. ELIX organizes training seminars for youth workers and campleaders and a lot of activities addressed to volunteers, throughout the year, such as weekend and one-day excursions, environmental, cultural and fun activities, regular volunteers' meetings. ELIX realizes at present three hosting projects within the frame of the European Voluntary Service of the Erasmus+ and each year sends a large number of EVS volunteers abroad. funds ELIX income comes mainly from volunteers participation fees, national and local bodies, such as the Greek General Secretariat for Youth, private institutions or foundations, donations, the Erasmus+ programme and other European projects.