Evs call 2017 ngo dems latvia

LONG TERM EVS PROJECT IN LATVIA. COMING SOON… Dear volunteers the NGO „Dēms”, located in Gulbene district, Latvia, applied for a long term EVS project to host 5 volunteers.

Action: KA2, European Voluntary Service Country: LATVIA, Gulbene district Hosting organizations: - Gulbene 3rd Pre-school “Auseklītis” (2 volunteers) - Tirza Primary School and Tirza Social Care Center (1 volunteer for both organisations) - Gulbene Regional Library (1 volunteer) - NGO “Dēms” (1 volunteer) Duration: 01/10/2017 – 31/07/2018 Practical arrangements: Volunteers will be ensured will all necessary practical conditions – proper accommodation (a usual flat) in Gulbene town, wi-fi connection in HO and accommodation, work materials, local transport et.c.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO BECOME A SENDING ORGANISATION OR A VOLUNTEER – JUST LET US KNOW SENDING AN E-MAIL ilze.vanaga@gulbene.lv ASAP. Volunteers’ profiles: - 2 volunteers interested in creative working, sports and healthy lifestyle working with children in Gulbene 3rd Pre-school „Auseklītis”; - One volunteer interested in working with children, youngsters and elderly people in countryside in Tirza primary school and Tirza Social Care Center; - One volunteer interested in working with media, archives and organizing different intergenerational activities in Gulbene Regional Library; No restrictions on volunteers` gender, better if 18+, we can support volunteers facing social, geographical and economic obstacles.

A bit info about our region here www.visitgulbene.lv/sakums-en/

INFORMATION ABOUT HOSTING ORGANISATIONS Gulbene 3rd Pre-school „Auseklītis” 3rd Gulbene Pre-school educational institution (kindergarten) is the newest pre-school in Gulbene city.

But at the same time it is also the biggest pre-school of the town and it has been working since 1989.

There are 53 staff workers (including teachers and technical staff). There are around 240 children attending the kindergarten.

Structure of our pre-school: - Children are divided in 13 groups; - 5 groups realize obligatory pre-school program (for 5 till 7 years old), including one speech therapy group;

- 8 groups are for children aged from 1,5-5 years.

Our Pre-school realizes pre-school educational program that includes: - preparation for a school, respecting each child's individual development characteristics; - culture and hygiene skills, communication and cooperation skills development; - health maintenance and enhancement; - moral values and ethical standards training; - national ownership of the popular traditions and folklore learning.

Additional activities: - folk dance group; - English language classes; - Hot Sand Box, psammotherapy for kids who are experiencing difficulties with their emotions, health or behavior; - Esthetics of Natural Environments Studio - workshops with nature materials to raise the closeness and awareness of nature and allay everyday stress.

For children with speech disabilities we provide special group with two teachers, speech therapist, masseur, psychologist.

To make children life in Pre-school more interesting, we organize several events and activities: - annual traditional celebrations as Michael, Martin, Christmas, Easter etc.; - playing mornings, parties; - events for children along with parents and grandparents; - sport games and activities; - different musical events.

Our Pre-school has established successful cooperation with Gulbene children library, Gulbene Music school, Gulbene Arts school, Gulbene Sports school, Gulbene Secondary schools. Since year 2017, our Pre-school is involved in a national level educational project (European Social Fund) aimed to develop competence-based learning model in educational institutions. From September, 2017, we will be involved in a project coordinated by Gulbene Municipality Council (European Social Fund, State foundation) aimed to raise awareness of healthy food and healthy lifestyle for 3-6 aged kids and their parents.

Possible voluntary work activities in our kindergarten: - to play with 5 and 6 year olds and thus teach them English and learn also Latvian; - learning by doing - any sort of work together with the staff and children; - assistance to children in household skills and learning process; - volunteer’s own cultural and traditions activities; - involvement in daily activities, helping children to dress, walking, playing, sport events and all other daily activities and events and their preparation; - organize events related to healthy eating, lifestyle, sports and outdoor activities; - assist and help teachers or organize activities and events working with nature materials, using sense education methods; - learning Latvian language and traditions.

Gulbene Regional Library Gulbene library is one of the institutions in Gulbene municipality and it is central library of the municipality and also the main regional library. Gulbene library is a methodical and advisory center for 39 municipal and school libraries. There are 20 staff workers in library. Gulbene library functions are as follows: - to provide its collection of databases, information systems, and other library collections available to all users; - to make a common library catalogue of the collection and to make it available to every library; - to be the main children library of the region in collaboration with the children's libraries in the administrative area; - to provide advisory and methodological assistance to all the libraries in administrative area; - to provide that all library collections are coordinated.

Gulbene library consists of several departments: - Information Center; - Internet reading space; - Europe Direct Information Centre; - Children's library; - Readers' Service; - Local History and Humanities Reading Room; - Stock picking and processing department; - Regional Training Center.

Possible project activities in Gulbene library: Each department of the library has its own specific tasks and activities, which will be presented to the volunteer. In every department there will be possible to offer activities also for volunteer. For example, in the Europe Direct information center and library information center volunteers can gain experience and knowledge in assisting and organizing various events (seminars, competitions, European Language Day activities, Europe Day event, the cultural events, exhibitions, etc.), information materials, making video materials, photography, presentations, advertising, and other informative materials, finding potential partners in projects, as well as, possibly, assisting in language classes for seniors and other inhabitants. Volunteer can use information from a database EBSCO, and other information resources.

In Children Library volunteer can work with children, organizing and managing a variety of workshops to introduce own country and the culture. Volunteer can teach his/her native language for those who might be interested in that. If the volunteer will have good English language skills he/she can be involved in a variety of writing works in English, helping to work on international projects.

Tirza Primary School and Tirza Social Care Center (1 volunteers for both organisations) Tirza Social Care Center and Tirza Primary School are located in Gulbene Municipality, Tirza parish.

Tirza Social Care Center is a social care institution for seniors, persons with disabilities, who require long-term or temporary social, spiritual and medical care. In this building care house is from 2002. Prior to that, worked here Tirza rural hospital. In 2004 the building has been partially renovated. As a department of the institution operates health point. In the health point people are able to get daily

medical help. Care house clients are involved in culture, self-care, creative works (poetry, songs, crafts) activities.

Tirza primary school is an institution of the local municipality. It is 27 km away from municipality center – Gulbene town. The origins of the school were found more than 300 years ago. Present school building was built in 1867. From 2005 to 2009 the school buildings and the boarding school were renovated, the easement was built and the gym was put into service. School has an aesthetic environment for training, recreation and sport. The total number of students is around 100 + 30 in preschool groups. 17 teachers work at Tirza primary school. Both organizations are cooperating and organizing events together, we are looking for one volunteer who is interested both in work with children and seniors.

Possible voluntary work activities in Care Center and Tirza Primary School: - Be a teacher's assistant in the pre-school and primary school; - Organize and/ or assist in different workshops based on volunteer’s interests; - Participate in the local initiative groups; - Participate in joint activities and joint work, sporting events, local amateur groups; - Organize intergenerational events based on volunteers own interests and experience; - Assist seniors, organize workshops and life-learning activities; - Organize sports, arts, musical activities for local community; - Cooperate with other volunteers in the municipality.

School has experience in organizing different summer camps for children and youth, civic engagement projects implementation, running EU projects, Comenius, the SEA project "Lifelong learning for employed persons", English language and computer skills training for adults. The school promotes the formation of citizens' initiative group in collaboration with the NGOs, including educating people.

School children have regular activities together with seniors from “Doktorats”. “Doktorats” clients are visiting school regularly, also school children are often guests in care house and we are looking for someone who will strengthen this friendship!

NGO “Dēms” NGO "Youth organisation "Dēms"" is founded in year 2004 as a youth organisation aimed to create an accessible environment for youngsters for their participation in social processes. The priority of organisation was to build a cooperation with municipality to develop and implement youth policy in Gulbene district. With initiative of its members the Strategy of Gulbene Municipality Youth Policy was constituted as well as 3 youth centers in Gulbene town and 2 parishes.

In 2014, organisation changes its title to NGO "Dēms" and its profile as well widening the scope and target audience due to social economical conditions in Gulbene.

Currently our priorities are: - Public benefit aimed to create accessible environment for active participation in social life, to represent and protect interests of people in Gulbene district; - To widen the accessibility of life-long learning and sustainable development; - To carry out local and international projects.

We are open to all initiatives our members and other active people come up, from public benefit projects, to charity, sports, lifelong learning and environmental activities. There are 12 active members and 10 support persons in our organisation. We are actively cooperating with Gulbene Municipality Council, Gulbene pre-schools and schools, other NGOs as "KAPO" in Kalniena parish, "Jumata" in Beļava parish and "Gulces Gēns" in Gulbene.

Possible tasks for a volunteer would be to: - Organize meetings for NGO members (practical arrangements, team building activities); - Organize charity events – auctions; - Assist/coordinate local volunteering activities; - Work on project result – informative poster/brochure/video about our NGO and local volunteering activities; - Become an ambassador of EVS in Gulbene municipality schools and other institutions; - Organize discussions with different target groups on different topics (sexuality, refugees, inclusion et.c.); - Work for a regional level events – municipality festival, International youth day, youth awards ceremony “Gada Atsitiens” et.c; - Carry out his/her own initiatives; - Cooperate with other volunteers in the municipality.

Volunteer will be a part of our team and will have a possibility to gain the experience working in active NGO and realize his/her own initiatives.