Link #103

LINK

DECEMBER 1 st 2017

N°103

December Editor: Mina Duma

Designer: Majka Dokudowicz

Cover Photo: Mirella Ka

LINK

#LINKEXPLORE

CONTENT Contact About us Youth Center - program The best opportunity Mina Duma Yana Volkova Ophelie Cottier

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Antía Fernández Martínez

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Mirella Ka

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Ola Kaczurba

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Bilal Zegoud Majka Dokudowicz

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Gordana Scepanovic Ophélie Cottier

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EVS, K.A.NE.

Opportunity Solidarity Corps Service Civil International Interview with a long term volunteer A workawaker in Thessaloniki!

My 'Erasmus, interuniversity exchange' experience FOSA - how I became a theatre nerd Art trip around the world Interview with an EVS volunteer My Project My Sending Organization

K.A.NE. EVS: Anna Szlendak Antía Fernández Martínez Gordana Scepanovic Joana Ganilho Marques Mariam Sassi Majka Dokudowicz Mehdi Jaffar Mina Duma Mirella Karadzhova Ola Kaczurba Ophélie Cottier Paquita Couppey Sheila Gómez Sofiene Lahdheri Yana Volkova ACT Volunteers: Antoine Werquin Bilal Zegoud Janae-Amira Jussa

Staff members of KA.NE.: Filaretos Vourkos Fotini Arapi Jelena Scepanovic Nantiana Koutiva Vyron Giannakopoulos

@kane.kalamata

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WHO ARE WE?

JOANA

OPHELIE

GORDANA

Hello ! My name is Joana, I’m 29 years old and I’m from Lisbon, Portugal. I studied fine arts, art education and museology and I just arrived Kalamata for a 12 months EVS project. I’ve worked for a lot of time in bookshops and I love to read. I like quiet places where I can be in touch with nature. I’m a curious person and I’m always better if I have a cup of tea with me.

Bonjour ! My name is Ophélie, I come from France.

I am in Kalamata for 11 months and volunteer at the Day Care Center for children with autism. Living abroad is a wonderful opportunity to meet fascinating people and to learn about cultures. It allows to become independent, open-minded and to avoid ethnocentrism. I can’t wait to discover the greek way of life and to visit the country. I’m also excited about tasting the food (of course !). I like to exchange and discovering so… see you soon around Kalamata !

Hello! I am Gordana Šcepanovic from Croatia. I am here because I want to try different way of life, improve my English and to learn all I have been offered during this EVS project. I like to dance very much and I will contribute to this project with my dance or language classes and of course with volunteering in the horse riding center. This is a great opportunity and I know that the time spent here will be very important for me.

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PAQUITA

JAE

YANA

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Hi ! My name is Paquita, I'm 26 years old and I'm from Marseille in France. I will stay here for eleven months. My mission will be to work in the therapeutic horse-riding and in the KEFIAP Center to assist people with disabilities. I just finished my studies in the Art-thérapy and I'm very enthusiast to begin my EVS. This will be a great experience for me :)

I’m not the best at introductions, but here goes nothing. I’m Jae, I’m nineteen years old and have lived in Liverpool, United Kingdom almost my entire life. My journey with K.A.N.E in Kalamata is centred around a project that’s going to help the migrants and promote the migrant crisis in Greece. For me this is an adventure of self discovery, testing my limits and finding out what I’m capable of. Bring it on Kalamata!

I am Yana from Ukraine. For 5 years I was studying architecture in university and I fond of everything about it as well as about natural building. Before coming here I was working as a project coordinator of the workcamps and as freelance graphic designer for different social festivals and non-governmental organizations. The last 4 years I’ve been travelling to different places in Europe such as eco-villages and rural areas helping people and promoting volunteering for peace. All kind of arts, nature, voluntarism, and travel - my biggest passions in life.

MARIAM

Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things is the best way to grow, and this is what EVS is all about. My name is Mariam, I am 24 and I come from Tunisia. Passionate by traveling, arts, adventures as well as meeting new people and discovering new traditions, places and cultures. I decided to leave all of my normal steady life in Tunisia to come seek inspiration and explore a new way of living in Greece, in the beautiful city of Kalamàta. I would use all of my knowledge and dig even deeper to give the best of me, but also try to learn everything I can from other volunteers, from locals and daily life experience, either languages, dancing, music instrument, sports etc.

MINA

MAJKA

I’m Mina and I’m 28 years old free spirit. I don’t like routine and I think that everything that seems interesting is worth trying. I’m fascinating about human interaction and being part of K.A.NE. gives me the opportunity to meet and work with many beautiful people. I am fascinated about sciencefiction and superheroes, and I guess that shaped me into an idealist who believes that there is beauty and courage in everything, no matter how small.

Therefore, our duty as human beings is to highlight it.

Hello! I’m Majka, I’m 27 and I’m coming from Poland.

I grew up in Warsaw, but the last 8 years I was living in Poznan, Wrocław and Thessaloniki. I’m a printmaker and graphic designer, I’ve finish Academy of Fine Arts and I’ve participate in more than 50 exhibitions worldwide. In Kalamata I will work in the office and I will also create my own projects.

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SHEILA

mirella

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Hello, my name is Sheila, I am from Valencia, Spain. I am graduate in Environmental Sciences.

I am passionate about nature and protection of animals. I like to travel and to know other cultures and new people. I will be in Kalamata for 3 months people with disabilities in KEFIAP Center. Before I participated in different Youth Exchanges and Erasmus+ program during my study-project. I think is an excellent opportunity to learn and improve a foreign language and to acquire competences for personal and professional development. I am happy to know you!!

Hello, Earth-citizens!

I’m Mirella Ka. and the Universe is my best friend.

I was born on the Black Sea Coast in Bulgaria, but now only my base camp is in Burgas, as my nomadic nature always brings me to different places.

As I love always trying new things and activities, I’ve been through variety of experiences - in art & communication field, in tourism, in aviation... I love to share my experiences as a traveler, as a volunteer, as an adventurer, as a discoverer of diverse interesting events, as an activist, as an Earth-citizen in my blog - Let’s humanize (click here).

I came to Kalamata, because I felt in love with the description of the “ARTivist” project and after several tries to learn Greek, I hope this one will be the most successful one!

AntIa

ANNA

OLA

Καλημέρα! My name is Antía and I come from Galicia, in the northwest of Spain. I have arrived in this city because some years ago I made the “mistake” – but, who chooses these things? - of falling in love with Greece and with the Greek language. So, after finishing my university studies in Humanities and Literature, I decided to start my Greek periplus, periplus that, after Thessaloniki and Crete, has found its new stage here in Kalamata. Να μας δούμε στο ταξίδι!

Kalimera! I am Ania and I come from Poland. I will be working for KANE and running Photography and Ukulele workshops. I studied photography in the Institute of Journalism of the University of Warsaw and worked for press photo agencies when I lived in my country. I enjoy every form of photography, I use both digital and film camera, I also create my own pinhole cameras.

Besides, I am totally addicted to travel.

Hello there! I’m Ola but you can call me Alex. I’m 18 and I have just finished high school. I come from capitol of Poland – Warsaw. I love chocolate, breathtaking harmonies, good guitar riffs, totally crazy hairstyles and classic rock. I’m a dancer therefore I will be teaching contemporary/jazz dance and polish in the Youth Centre.Also, I will be helping with therapeutic riding in a horse centre.

See you around!

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SOFIENE

BILAL

Antoine

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Taking a decision to leave everything what you have and take a deep plunge into something unknown is never an easy one. I took such a decision, left my job and decided to take one-in-a- lifetime opportunity to do my EVS in Greece. My name is Sofiene, I’ am 26 and I am from a tiny country in North Africa called Tunisia. I am a photographer, videographer, graphic designer and I am here to share my experience and knowledge as well as expand it and acquire new skills. I’m social, open minded and always curious about different cultures and meeting beautiful people.

My name is Bilal, I am 25, I am Moroccan but I come from Belgium more precisely from Brussels. I study tourism. I am passioned by boxing and fitness. I will be in Kalamata for 6 months working with Refugees.

Amahoro !

My name is Antoine, I'm 25, I am here for 6 month.

I'm Graphic Designer and engaged humanitarian since 6 years. I joined the ACT (Youth on the Move) project to help migrants and refugees in Europe. I like traveling, meeting new people, music, cinema, my family, my friends, love, parties and pitas."

MEHDI

There are at least as many things to know as there are humans and countries. EVS enables the possibility to know much more about our World. Καλημερα, Hello, my name is Mehdi, I am 24 and I come from France. Passionate about Life and Nature, my biggest motivation is to learn from other cultures, from people, from life. I decided to quit my job there too, so I could catch the opportunity to experience something unique in Greece, in Kalamata, and all the Greek cities I will have the chance to see. I will bring you all I have, and I will learn from everyone all I can.

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K.A.NE.

FILARETOS

jelena

NANTIANA

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Hello, I am Filaretos Vourkos. For the last 10 years I am working in the field of Non-formal education as a volunteer, youth worker and youth trainer. 6 years ago,I decided to create the Youth Centre of Kalamata, in order to initiate youth work in Kalamata and promote active citizenship as factor for change.

Hi, I’m Jelena Scepanovic, an EVS coordinator in K.A.NE. and a volunteer of the Youth center.

I came from Montenegro in 2012 as an EVS volunteer. I really liked the idea of the Youth center and the work that KANE does, so I decided to stay and be part of it.

My name is Nantiana! I’m 23 years old. I live in Kalamata! I was living for 5 years in Patras! I was studying there greek philology and now I’m teaching greek to the youth center in Kalamata.

fotini

VYRON

Hi my name is Fotini Arapi and I am project manager in K.A.NE. organization and responsible, among other things, for all sending motilities (sending EVS volunteers, participants in training courses, interns, etc). Apart from my work in K.A.NE., I also volunteer in the Youth Centre of Kalamata, a volunteer initiative managed by a team of local volunteers. I am very proud of and I love the Youth Centre, its dynamic atmosphere, and most of all, its natural inclusiveness that allows everybody to feel “at home” there. See you around :-D

I would describe Vyron as an imaginative fast learning and inventive generalist with a passion for remarkable food and the great outdoors. That’s enough talking about myself in third person. Hello, I am Vyron Giannakopoulos, I consider myself a curious and open-minded person. I have studied the science of Geography and as the newest member of K.A.NE. I am here to help by managing the creative projects of EVS volunteers, planning events, creating new projects and doing anything that will add value to our organisation. In my free time I like exploring new places and learning new things. But feel free to contact me on any issue if you need help. Namaste

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o p p o rt u n i t I E S The best opportunity i had YANA Being a camp leader in international workcamp “Saint Miklosh castle” 2014 where 14 volunteers from all around the world came together to renovate a castle in the village in Ukraine. On the picture we are passing each other bricks that gonna be used for the roofing of the castle.

GORDANA The best opportunity I had is exactly this EVS project.

Primarily, it is an opportunity to raise the level of knowledge of my English language skills that I will need in further plans. And it is also an opportunity to learn a lot of new things during my life in another country.

OPHELIE Erasmus+ : Erasmus Student exchange program. Spring semester 2015 at Umeå Universitet (Sweden) Erasmus+ : European Volontary Service. 11 months in Kalamata (Greece)

JOANA EVS has been itself an amazing opportunity for growing; but it unfolded other opportunities that I could not expect. One of them was the coordination of a short-term EVS group that came to work in the Street Festival.

It was an immense challenge, I worked had but I loved every moment of it.

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OLA The biggest opportunity in my life was actually going to my high school. My class was theatre-profiled so I had theatre class and history of theatre as a regular school subjects. It helped me gain the awareness of my body, my language, opened my mind and made me boost my self-esteem. And, of course, opened me many artistic doors. It was a trigger… now I am here doing what I love

ANTIA The best opportunity that live has provided me, the opportunity that truly has marked a before and an after, was the possibility of studying away, the possibility of taking my degree in a different location of mine. Because sometimes we create opportunities and not vice versa.

MINA I consider every opportunity I’ve been to as a great experience and it’s hard to choose one as the best. But I would like to mention as one of the best opportunities I’ve ever been a part of the Skills for Public Speaking Youth Exchange organized by Butterfy Dreamer Romania. There I’ve had the pleasure to meet great people and I’ve learned useful things and developed new useful skills. Also, I’m very excited about what my EVS will bring!

MIRELLA I wouldn’t say that one opportunity I had in my life is better than another, because each one has taught me something and had opened a door for a new one. But my most emotionally precious experience is being part of the volunteer’s family for the creation of Beglika Fest.

CLICK HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsJQYIdDRsQ] Each year, the festival brings together a community of visionaries, free-minded, free-spirited people, artists, musicians, enthusiasts and dreamers who seek harmony with nature. Dozens of volunteers live for a month in the mountains to prepare a Festival for thousands of visitors!

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O P PO RT U N I T I ES S O L I D A R I T Y C O R PS

What is the European Solidarity Corps?

I believe that the European Solidarity Corps is a great and more easy way for young people to get out of their comfort zone in order to develop, learn and help. This is a new European Union initiative that creates opportunities for young people between 18 and 30 years old to volunteer or work in projects that benefit communities and people around Europe in order to build a more inclusive society, to support vulnerable people and respnd to societal challange.

Slidarity Corps was announced during the annual State of the European Union speech in September 2016, and it was officially launched in December 2016. Since it was launched until January 2018, the European Solidarity Corps ran aside with the European Voluntary Service.

Starting 2018 the European Voluntary Service will not be available anymore for the European Union countries, as the European Solidarity Corps will take over with opportunities not only for volunteering but also with the opportunity of a job, traineeship or apprenticeship in a wide range of sectors which are engaged in solidarity-related activities. Because it is a new asset, the occupational strand will be set up gradually through partnerships with public bodies, NGOs and commercial organisations that are active in these fields.

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European Solidarity Corps has more types f projects that can be covered: Inclusion – This kind of projects implies working with people with disabilities or additional support needs, minority group, fighting discrimination and intolerance, intercultural, inter-religious and intergenerational issues.

Reception and integration of refugees and migrants – These projects are about helping to provide a safe welcoming for people that are new in Europe, and in integrating them into their new communities.

Citizenship and democratic participation – The projects are potentially working on human rights, justice and legal issues, and they imply helping people to understand and to create a better connection with the democratic processes and the decision makers.

Disaster prevention and recovery – It is about helping or supporting communities to avoid the already identified risks and to recover after natural catastrophes.

An important notice is the fact that the participants of the project will not be asked to provide any kind of services that are related to the immediate response to disasters. As before, these tasks will continue to be performed by the specialists with proper trainings and proper experience to operate safely in these kind of dangerous environments.

Environment and natural protection – Implies the projects related to climate change, energy and natural resources across different areas such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Health and wellbeing – These implies projects that encourage and promotes general health and wellbeing, as healthy lifestyles and active aging ot the people.

Education and training – These type of projects include a wide range of education related topics. They can be about combatting early school leaving, teaching foreign languages or increasing basic competences such as maths or IT skills.

Employment and entrepreneurship – Implies assistence in projects which tackle issues around unemployment, and they are also helping people to become more enterprising.

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Creativity and culture – These kind of projects are using culture and creative arts to work with communities to approach a wide range of issues.

Sport – Implies increasing inclusion, equal opportunities and participation in sports, and encouraging grassroots sport.

I think that European Slidarity Corps is a very useful platform that can be used by young people around Europe that are interested in their professional development and want to gain new skills or improve the ones that they already have but is also for those who are interested in their personal development and want to help others.

European Solidarity Corps is as useful as it it is for the potential participants as it is for the NGOs, the commercial organisations and the public bodies that want to join the platform and search for highly motivated and socially-minded young people.

MINA DUMA 22

O P P O RT U N I T I ES S erv i c e C i v i l I n t er n at i o n a l

For a few years I was lucky to work in the ukrainian branch of one of the few first voluntary organizations in the world - Service Civil International. Experience to be part of the SCI family totally changed my life and the way I see this world now.

Photos below date back to 1951 and 1952 and report on the contruction of the bridge, school and their inaugurations.)

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A bit of history: SCI was founded by Pierre Cérésole, a Swiss engineer who established a peace and humanitarian movement in the aftermath of World War I and laid down the foundations of SCI in 1920.

The first international voluntary project -workcamp- took place on the former battlefield of Verdun in France in 1920. The aim of the project that was to reconstruct the war damaged village and to be a symbol of reconciliation between France and Germany. The team built temporary homes for the people in the village and cleared the farmland. that’s how it’s all begin….

And now: SCI consists of 42 members (branches) and an ever bigger number of partner organisations all around the world!.

Short and long term voluntary projects take place worldwide and application processes have been modernised.

The organisations still believe in promoting peace through concrete acts of solidarity and international cooperation.

But there is also a belief that peace and peaceful attitudes can and need to be learned. This is done through various forms of peace education: learning about and from peace. Seminars, trainings and workshops in the field of non-formal education have become an important additional method of SCI today. A method that supports the organisation in achieving its mission of `promoting a culture of peace`.

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SCI is open to all. It was one of the first organisations to divest itself of all political or religious affiliations in its work of promoting peace and intercultural understanding through practical action.

If you want to take an action and help SCI to promote piece you can join us in any action you want. It can be: voluntary work camp -- 2-3 weeks project www.workcamps.info join one of campaign-- “Building Bridges”, “Piece Messengers”, “NO MORE WAR” long term voluntary projects local actions organized by local brunch volunteer online participate in the training become a partner and many many other projects.

How you can get involved?

Find a branch in your country www.sci.ngo/where-we-are get in touch with them and start to volunteer for peace!

YANA VOLKOVA 25

O P P O RT U N I T I ES Interview with a long term volunteer Hello Laura, I am writing an article about volunteering work, and what it implies. I know you've been volunteering for a while, and I'd like to interview you. I am under the impression that this experience meant a lot for you, and I would like to get your feedback about it.

Where and how long have you been volunteering for?

I have been volunteering in North of France (Grande Synthe mainly) with refugees for 1 year. But between 2 volunteering time, I also got hired for 6 months to coordinate volunteers and projects in a refugee camp; which allowed me to work there for a total of 1 year and half.

How did you decide to become a volunteer with refugees in the north of France?

During the summer 2015, I was in Canada with a working-holiday visa. I remember reading articles online about a refugee crisis, and how thausend of people had to leave everything behind, hit the road and face unbelievable risks to seek for safety.

I knew (and I still know!) very few about geopolitics, and the only knowledge I had about refugees were mainly procedure-related, about claiming asylum in France, basically what remained in my memory from my study to become a social worker, a few years before.

I remember feeling overwhelmed by the news, feeling both compassion and helplessness towards so many people I had never met. And I think it was the first time that the unfairness of the system hit me so hard: I was having the best year of my life as a foreigner worker in a country so far from my own, and all it had taken for me to arrive there was filling up a few forms and showing up my french passport at the airport. The only reasons I came were because it pleased me to travel, improve my english, discover a new culture and live new experiences.

I had the right to spoil myself with all of it because I owned an elitist paper I had 26

done nothing speficic to deserve (well, aside of not killing anybody). Meanwhile men, women, children were extorted lifetime savings by mafia networks to cross borders and reach countries that were not prepared - well,were lacking a political will - to welcome and protect them from death, considerable risks and human trafficking. People were (still are) risking their lives - too many times loosing them - in a survival journey while so many others are easily travelling around the world for holidays or seeking a renew in their lives.

Taking a step back after this year and half in north of France, I really think that this particular thought was the necessary awareness that brought me to consider volunteering. But at the time I first had it, I had no idea I would ever get involved myself, I actually didn't even know there were people volunteering in France for this cause at this very moment, and there had been for tens of years already.

Back from Canada, I had to look for a job in France, in January 2016. Difficult time (…). One day, I read an article online (https://mrmondialisation.org/jungle-decalais-francais-mais-ou-etes-vous/) explaining briefly the work of volunteers in the "jungle" of Calais, stating that help is always needed and that main volunteers at the time were from the UK. A question was directed to readers: "where are you?". It really moved me, I realized that it was actually my choice to try and contribute; or to close my eyes. People sleeping rough in an overpopulated; knocked up camp; getting no right to anything else: this was not happening tausend of kilometers away, but right there in my homeland. Being unemployed also meant I was available; and I made the choice to go there for a month.

I googled (in french) something like "humanitarian organization calais", and contacted a local organization named "salam", initially with the intent to help in Calais. But when I got in contact with them, they told me they were in need of back up for the Grande Synthe camp. I didn't know anything about another camp, but agreed to join them wherever it was the most needed. And this is how I headed up to north of France, initially for 1 month.

What task did you accomplish as a volunteer?

The first month (supposed to be the only one), I helped « salam » regular volunteers to prepare lunches and distribute them in the Grande Synthe unofficial camp (named "Basroch") 4 times per week. I also helped with sorting out donations, and distributing some clothes. But the functioning of this organization is so that they 27

are on the ground on a regular basis, for those specific tasks. Since I was supposed to be there for 1 month only, I wanted to help as much as possible and not only during « salam » hours, so the rest of the time I backed up the staff of volunteers and employees from MSF (Doctors without borders) at the camp precarious showers system. The tasks were mainly managing access (not more people than the number of showers at a time, communicating before starting the water to make sure everybody was ready, timing up (8minutes of hot water) because there were up to 40 showers (when no technical problems occured) for more than 2500 people (and a separation between showers for men on one side, and women and children on the other), cleaning up after the round and letting the next people access.

1 month after my first volunteering time, an official camp (La Linière) build up by MSF (doctors without borders) and the city of Grande Synthe opened, and the inhabitants of the muddy jungle moved into it. It was coordinated for 2 months by an organization functioning with volunteers only, Utopia56, but a 3-way convention was then signed between the french government (initially against the project), Grande Synthe city hall and a social organization state-funded chosen by the goverment to coordinate the camp. From April to end of September, I was coordinating projects and helping with the everyday of the camp as an Utopia 56 volunteer. When I first arrived in the new official camp, I was amazed by the positive energy and hard work provided by the many volunteers; and by the efficiency of utopia56 volunteers coordination. There were many other organizations involved, but this one had a great part in giving french citizens (as well as people from all over the world) the opportunity to come and help from a half day to several months depending on people availability and will. Accomodations in a camping site and then in a city building as well were managed by the organization to give volunteers a place to say for 5e a night (free for long term volunteers); which 28

made possible for volunteers to get involved as much as they pleased.

During those 6 months, there were many hard times. Volunteers were facing refugees despair and lack of perspectives everyday. It was a routine to greet people every morning, and answer their "no chance, my friend" with a supposedto-be-cheering-up "next time Insh'Allah". Those people had spent the night trying to catch a truck heading to the UK. Some got ditched last minute for some reason by their smuggler and had to walk back tens of kilometers to the camp. Some had gotten threatened by a gun hold by a man they were giving their money to to go quicker, or jump in a freezing lorry. Some had made it to the ferry control, but had gotten caught and either sent to the police station or droven tens of kilometers away by police, in case it would discourage them to try another time.

And so on. There are as many stories as there were, there is and there will be people trying to reach the UK. The political decisions were also hard to cope with. It started with the dismantling of some shelters, and continued with the denial of access to new arrivants. As per the 3-way convention conditions. But, of course, people were still arriving and no other option was given to them. Utopia 56 policy no longer matched with the way things evolved, and the organization decided to leave the official camp to reinforce the Calais team and start getting involved in Paris. While agreeing completely with utopia56 disapproval of the situation; I was not resolved to leave the camp with whatever was coming next. I knew deeply that its departure would affect the everyday of the camp and wanted to stay to try and keep helping, as little as it could be without its support. City hall was taking over volunteers and projects coordination, and offered me a job since I had experience with the matter. I was happy to be able to stay and got hired. To make it short, I worked as hard as I could to welcome volunteers, link them to the different organizations and tasks of the camp, inform them before and during their arrival to favour an expected and efficient action on their as well as on the camp ends...but I was often overwhelmed and felt like I didn't belong. Indeed, I was often supposed to represent decisions I was personnaly not supportive of; and was not always heard while pointing out situations I considered indecent and needing a solution.

I was sometimes feeling desperatly alone, a feeling I never had to struggle with while volunteering.

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In April 2017, tensions due to overpopulation of the camp and the lack of decent living conditions it induced lead to fights, and to a fire that destroyed 80% of the shelters. The facilities were still in place, but the goverment didn't want to open it back. I was considering leaving the north of France, but this event was so sudden and changing everything, I decided to volunteer again, and joined a friend doing a civic service with the organization Salam. Another friend, that had joined me to coordinate volunteers and projects in the camp 2 months before came as well.

Everything needed to be organized from scratch, all over again. But this time, people were sleeping outside - they still are. We decided to try and facilitate the communication and coordination between the different organizations involved, state the lacks and try to find actors to do what needed to be done. We starting charging powerbanks and phones for people. Initially a few, when asked. But the population increased, and our "charge" reputation as well, so we set up a ticket system: 1 to 30 for lunch (given back on the evening) and A to Z on the evening (to be given back the next day), the point was first not to take more than we could actually charge, and also to avoid giving the devices back to the wrong person. We also distributed blankets and hygiene products everyday. We quickly started to organize the transportation of people needing medical care (Dunkerque hospital had a service for people without insurance, open a few afternoons in the week), as well as people needing legal advice (La Cimade could receive them 2 afternoons a week in Grande Synthe), or dental care (in Calais).

And after a few weeks, we realised that no organization was doing a regular somehow fair distribution of clothes to men, so we started taking 30 orders a day and distributing them back in the evening. Families were already taken care of by Dunkerque Refugee Women's Centre. In september, my friends had to go back to university and there was no way I could continue the work without them. We were 3, working together all day, living together as well; and we had a team spirit and support I would have never thought possible. This allowed us to stay for so long, running around all day long trying to find inexistant solutions to inconceivable situations. We worked alongside amazing organizations and volunteers, but through everyday non-sense, despair and a dysfunctional system (due to the lack of an european political will to face the situation and look for appropriate solutions). We helped as much as we could, it was never enough, we made mistakes and we sometimes managed to learn from them. We got to meet many amazing people, both volunteers and refugees. We struggled with 30

the will to provide a fair help and target more vulnerable people, and the reality of a mafia-controled, no-rights context.

If you had to sum up your volunteering…

This experience was the most intense of my life. I discovered the power of commitment to a cause. So much can be achieved if there is only a will, and a few people to build towards the goal. Volunteering doesn't make people wealthier, but it made me richer. For the first time, I really stood up for a cause; and in a concrete way. Everyday was a physical and mental challenge, for the energy and dedication it required, but it felt like the right thing to do, and there was always a volunteer to support another. This spirit is very contagious, and it was actually very common for a person to come and help for a few days...and ending up volunteering for months and being in charge of other volunteers coordination on a task or a mission.

I decided to interview Laura for the « Opportunities » LINK magazine to present other ways to become a volunteer even if you do not take part to a national or european organisation like Erasmus+. The matter of her volunteering time is unfortunately a hot-topic; with thousand of people in lack of basic safety, decent living conditions and future all over the world. If you consider getting involved with refugees in Greece, as she did you can look up the internet for organizations.

If you want to get involved in the North of France, here are some organizations currently in urgent need of volunteers and donations: http://www.laubergedesmigrants.fr (website available in english, many english speaking volunteers on the ground) https://www.dunkirkrefugeewomenscentre.com/ (page in english, both english and french speakers on the ground)

OPHÉLIE COTTIER 31

O P P O RT U N I T I ES A WO R KAWA K ER I N T H ESSA LO N I K I!

WHAT IS WORKAWAY? Workaway (www.workaway.info) is an online platform that serves to put in contact hosts and volunteers around the entire world. What does that exactly mean? In its own words: “Workaway.info is a site set up to promote fair exchange, volunteering and work opportunities between budget travelers, language learners or culture seekers who can stay with families, individuals or organizations that are looking for help with a range of varied and interesting activities. A few hours honest help per day in exchange for food and accommodation and an opportunity to learn about the local lifestyle and community, with friendly hosts in varying situations and surrounding”.

So, registering in Workaway like a volunteer (annual fee of 29 Euros as a single person) you can freely get in contact with all the hosts that the page has registered in there. The rest, it is in your hands!

MY WORKAWAY EXPERIENCE Because the proof is in the pudding, let’s go to tell my own experience with Workaway. After finishing my studies, I decided to spend some time in Greece, 32

knowing better the country and the culture and practicing the language. I found different ways for reaching this goal; and when the agenda of my future was filled with an EVS short program and a job in a hotel, I found myself with a gap in between of around 4 months. So, I decided to fill it with the experience of a Workaway.

The first step was to figure out how much I could spend on the tickets, check the period and days that I could travel but especially, start the search of hosts.

And through this deep and patient search (yes, it needs time, a lot of time) was how I found the project Fix in Art. The old factory of Fix beer close to the port of Thessaloniki had been reconverted in an amazing cultural and artistic space, and its driver forces, Evita and Dionisios, were looking for helpers for the maintenance of the space and/or the teaching of workshops.

I wrote to them with the proposal of the realization of two workshops during my (still) hypothetical stay with them: one of ‘sevillanas’ and another one of Greek and Spanish literature. They were glad with the idea, so… I start to make the suitcase!

BEING A WORKAWAKER IN FIX IN ART 5 weeks was the time that I spent in Fix in Art. 5 plenty weeks of art, creativity, inspiration, learning, work, laughs, comradeship, songs…

In the time I spent there we run into the same space four Workawakers and six European volunteers, as well as the continuous artists and travelers that constantly were filling the place. It means a continuous exchange of points of view, personal histories, skills, jocks…

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Due to the fact that a space like Fix in Art sometimes could be difficult to organize, especially if it is plenty of newcomers (like us or the European volunteers), linked to a lack of time and some personal circumstances that happened during my stay there, the original idea of the workshops had to be modified, and I finally only gave the Sevillanas’ classes.

Ok… let’s be honest… only, only…

The true is that during my time in Thessaloniki, I helped to finish the EVS’ house; we filmed three short movies and we created a photonovel; we assisted to concerts, festivals, theatre and circus sessions, workshops of theatre or Japanese methods of storytelling and a pretty long etcetera. I even ‘survived’ to the assistance to the local television for an interview (and, yes, in Greek…). Eight months after leaving Thessaloniki, what can I say? Thessaloniki reminded me that art was still there in some place waiting for me, waiting the moment I find it again.

Thessaloniki whispered me in my ears “please, do yourself the favor of not lose it again”.

But, chiefly, Thessaloniki taught me to hug.

ANTÍA FERNÁNDEZ MARTÍNEZ 34

O P P O RT U N I T I ES M y ' Er as m u s, i n t e ru n i v e rs i ty e xc h a n g e ' e x p e r i e n c e

The best thing a youngster can do until it’s 30’s is to take part in an intercultural youth exchange. This is the perfect combination of discovering new places, getting to know new cultures, enlarging one’s point of view and finding new horizons.

An experience that gave me priceless fruits for a lifetime was my interuniversity exchange program “Erasmus” in French Academy of Arts.

Back in the time, in 2011 I was a student in the last fourth year of “Visual arts” in a private university in Sofia, Bulgaria. It was actually the last chance to catch the program “Erasmus” and to study for a semester in a foreign Academy of Arts, somewhere abroad. But for me the most important was this abroad to be France. Unfortunately 35

the Visual Arts Department in my University didn’t have any contract with any higher-education establishment, so I had to find another way to make my dream come true. I wrote “one hundred” application forms and spoke with “one hundred” teachers and professors from my University, so in the end I was admitted to the Erasmus interview trought the Plastic Arts Department. Conclusion: if you want to attract something in your life, don’t believe in limitations. Do everything possible and in one way or another the Universe will help you.

When I received the results that I had won the place to study the last semester of my Bachelor Degree in “Beaux-Arts de Nancy”, I was the happiest student in the world! And then the panic came.

Where am I going to live, will the scholarship be enough to manage my life in a foreign country, how should I take my boyfriend with me, when he is not a student and we cannot profit a student campus... then step by step everything started to happen in the perfect synchronized timing and place!

A month before the beginning of my Erasmus project I received an email from someone telling me “from the Erasmus office they told me you are coming to our Academy, and I’m actually going to your University, so do you wanna rent my room while I’m not here?” My reaction was “WOOOOOHOOOOO” I found the perfect option... or well, the perfect option found me...and in this case I can even take with me my boyfriend! I remember that when I was leaving my job in Sofia - a French company where I was working as a graphician, my collegues offered me a blanket as a goodbye present when they understood I’m gonna spend the winter in Northern France!

The day we arrived in our “new home” was endless 36

and crazily tiring! In the same day we had crossed and spent time in 4 countries - Bulgaria, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. And since then the adventure begun!

I wanted to try from every single workshop that the Academy offers... I even couldn’t decide if I choose the Department “Art” or “Communication”, so I was visiting courses from both. There I discovered for first time lino-gravure, modeling with gypsum, serigraphy, performance, installation, street art and murals. I found so many differences between my University and the academy in France, most of all regarding the opportunities. The necessary equipment and the material base for instance! In the “Beaux-Arts de Nancy” we were working on a printing press from the time of Victor Hugo! In the gypsum atelier there were so many materials and that, for a student coming from a country where everyone is paying the material by their own, it was unbelievable!

But the biggest scale of opportunity was the possibility to expose our works. For example in Bulgaria when you are a young artist, a lot of doors are closed for you because the “old” names have occupied all the spaces, projects and institutions.

If a young artist manages to find their place in the whole pictures it’s as a result of a lot of hard work and it’s like a gained battle. In France I’ve noticed the opposite! There is no concurrence between young and old artists, there is an endless cooperation and partnership. Every single discipline in the Academy in France assured to us in the end of the scholar year a place to show our works, like for example in the Botanic Garden, in the Minicipal exhibition hall, in a street art festival in another town... To summerize, for 6 months in France I received more opportunities for participation in different art projects, forums, exhibitions and workshops than for 3 years and half in my native country! I also discovered a lot of 37

new international events, which are happening each year in different corners of the world and which stayed in my interests list forever, like Africa Day and the International 3x3 Basketball Tournament, for instance. I also met one of my favorite musicians – Zaz and Stromae.

Regarding the cultural differences, of course I faced them, which was a challenge.

But once you overcome and adapt to them, that widens more your horizon! I’m very thankful to my teachers that they were calling sometimes my projects “useless” and “idiotic”, because that provoked me to investigate more and deeper and to go further as an artist, so that I discovered some aspects from myself that I couldn’t discover if the conditions weren’t as they were.

And also being geographically in such profitable place as Nancy helped me a lot!

Because it is not far away from all the interesting countries around. Like this I managed to take part in an art contest in Belgium, I visited my favorite Van Gogh in his museum in Netherlands, I saw real paintings from my favorite Joaquín Sorolla and discovered “Art Brut” in Switzerland and I won a prize in a Youth Art Fair (Salon Arbustes de Mantres-la-Joli (click here: http://www.arbustes.org/) which brought my artwork to the Annual Fine-Art Fair (Le Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts) in Musée du Louvre, which was the 150th Anniversary and in the long way of that historical event are kept names as Delacroix, Manet, Degas, etc.

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MIRELLA KA 39

O P P O RT U N I T I ES FOSA - how I became a theatre nerd

I was always in love with theatre, music and musicals. When I was little, with my sister we used to make small acts that included some dance show-off and madeup songs. We would change our living room into stage and put some chairs next to the wall for the audience.

Fast forward, January 2016, I find myself on a stage of Dramatical Theatre in Warsaw for the first time. One of the best and well-known theatres in Poland.

Lights! Scrim! Action! The opening number…

How did that happen? Because of Cezary Domagała’s idea! He is a director in Rampa Theatre – one of two musical theatres in the capitol of Poland. He thought “Why not let youngsters create a musical during 2 weeks of their winter holidays?”.

Idea came into life thanks to SCEK (Stołeczne Centrum Edukacji Kulturalnej) and that’s how I got the opportunity to make my dream come true.

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During two weeks participants wrote the script, recorded songs, learned choreography, made costumes and learned a lot of things about acting. Also, I have met tons of amazing, broad-minded and creative people, who opened some doors for my tiny “career”, for example choreographer from the dance theatre I became a part of… but that is a whole different story.

Last day of project we had two spectacles. I really felt like the whole world is beneath my feet and I’m diving into it. Fish in the water. My tiny universe. Getting out of the stage was the most heartbreaking moment at the time. Fortunately, we played it again, couple of months later, on stage of amphitheater in Royal Łazienki.

Since then, I spend all my energy, passion, time and mind on creating performances, plays, spectacles… I joined dance theatre, drama group, took part in several street performances, couple of theatre festivals and even some competitions…

But I didn’t quit from FOSA. In 2017 my story began again. Casting, preparation, rehearsals… and grand finale OLA KACZURBA 41

O P P O RT U N I T I ES ART TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

A trip around the world through the interpretation of Brussels artists.

ARTWORLD The exhibition artworld.be took place from the 12th to the 22nd of September 2013 at Les Caves, in the area of ​​the Anderlecht Slaughterhouses.

The entrance was free for the public.

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Inaugural evening (Opening) September 11th at 7:30 pm.

Presence of the Minister of Culture Fadila Laanan.

Date / from the 12th to the 22nd of September 2013 Opening hours / 10am to 8pm Location / Rue Jules Rhul 1070 Anderlecht Brussels ARTWORLD.BE WEBSITE Thirty artists from the Belgian capital gathered for a joint project: artworld.be.

Experienced and amateur artists had the opportunity to reveal their talent to the general public during this event. A synergy of this kind has mixed different audiences and also shared the personal world of each artist in a single exhibition.

Trip The trip has been honored during this event.

The artists have worked starting from the photos taken by Brussels globetrotter Ilyas Essadek during his travels around the globe.

Brussels The artists have been selected varied by their origins, their backgrounds and style but they all had one thing in common: Brussels.

BILAL ZEGOUD 43

i n t e rv i e w w i t h a n E VS V O L U N T E ER I N T ERV I E W W I T H M I N A

Hello Mina, can you tell us something about you and what are you doing here, in Kalamata?

Hello! I’’m Mina, form Romania. I came here because I wanted to improve my skills in the NGO field and K.A.NE gives me this opportunity with my project.

Is it your first Erasmus+ project?

No, it’s not. I’ve had the chance to participate and organize a few Erasmus + projects for Key Action 1 and also I had the opportunity to work on some projects for Key Action 2.

Can you say something more about this Key Actions?

The Key Action 1 activities supports mobility in the education, training and youth sectors and aim to bring long lasting benefits to the participants and the organisations involved. The Key Action 2 activities make it possible for organisations from different countries to work together, develop, share and transfer best practices and innovative approaches in the fields of education, training and youth. There is also Key Action 3 that aim to stimulate innovative policy development, policy dialogue and implementation, and the exchange of knowledge in the fields of education, training and youth.

Can you describe some of the opportunities that you took part in?

The first opportunity that I’ve got involved with was the No Hate Speech Movement in Romania. I held one of the workshops - the drawing workshop. All the event was organized by Butterfly Dreamer. Also for this project, I took part in the final debate competition that took place in Niš, Serbia. It was very challenging for me, as I was a judge at the competition and I just learned the Karl Popper debate rules and judging methods. With Butterfly Dreamer I also took part in the “Health Academy” Youth Exchange in Rødekro, Denmark and another one in Romania, the “Skills for Public Speaking”.

I also took part in non formal training courses, like the Erasmus + Project Writing and Cooper Active: Train the Trainer (as far as I can remember) Do you feel that you are using the skills you gained in everyday life? Are you finding them useful?

First of all, I want to say that they were very nice personal experiences that helped me grow on a personal level, in improving my english and I’ve meet a lot of awesome people. I believe that every person you meet leaves a mark in your personal development. And of course, from each opportunity I’ve improved my skills and I learned new things also. For example from Health Academy I learned that a healthy life it’s not only about physical exercises and healthy eating as I thought before, it’s also about keeping your mind and spirit healthy. From the No Hate Speech Movement I learned more about the difference between hate speech and free speech, I learned to be more tolerant and from the final debate I also learned to be objective as a jury. I learned how to write a project for Erasmus+, what are the things that a trainer should know and how to organize it’s training course. For the Skills for Public Speaking I got out of my comfort zone because I had a huge 45

fear of public speaking and I actually improved this aspect and I also improved the skills of creating the content that needs to be presented. I think each of those skills help me in everyday life and most important of all, I feel more secure about the things that I know and how to put them in practices.

You told me before that you were also organizing some projects. Could you tell a little bit more about this experience?

I actually was a volunteer for Butterfly Dreamer since 2015 and I helped there with many things. One of them was translation of Erasmus+ projects. Once that I got to know how the projects works and how to write them I started to help with creating the info packs, files, and materials for the actual event, with promoting and taking care of open calls and with the dissemination process. Also I was preparing the content for the website, and being in charge of the Facebook page, newsletter and reports. It was a lot of work, and sometimes I was working on more than 46

one project at the same time, so I was in different stages with them. At the beginning it was very hard for me to keep up with evolution on every project but as the time pass you get used to it and it becomes easier, more efficient and you can actually enjoy it. You see how they are getting better and better. I’m very proud with ‘Skills for Public Speaking” Youth Exchange because a year after it took place we still got positive feedback from other partner organisations about it.

What do you like more: taking part in projects or creating opportunities for others?

This is a tough one, I can’t choose between this two. Being a part of organizators team is my opinion a big honour and satisfaction as you can help others to become better and improve themselves. On the other hand, being a participant in trainings and Youth Exchanges is a unique experience from project to project.

And even if you think that you know the topic, the experience itself proves that you’re wrong and that there’s always room for something new, you discover and develop new skills in you.

So I assume that after all of this experiences the decision to take part in an EVS program was easy to make for you?

Yes it was. It was actually something that I wanted to do a year ago but I changed my mind back then. I regretted it. So when I saw the opportunity of EVS in K.A.NE. I felt like this is what I have to do and I was also excited about the fact I will need to get out of my comfort zone again. I knew that it can be a great opportunity and it would be stupid not to use it.

After your EVS you are still planning to be involved in different projects?

Yes, for sure EVS is not the last project that I will be involved with. I wish very much to continue working in this field and to create opportunities for other people, even if i wouldn't participate in them. I really like to do what i was doing in the last 3 years and what I'm doing now considering opportunities.

Thank you, Mina!

MAJKA DOKUDOWICZ 47

MY PROJECT Therapeutic Horse Riding Center

I am a volunteer in Therapeutic Horse Riding Center-Ipposhesi. Beautiful place of a big importance.

Ipposhesi is a non-profit civil society offering services to people belonging to vulnerable groups. With a horse rider and companion, horseback riding and other horse-related activities, they develop the capabilities of each individual in order to contribute positively to his cognitive, physical, emotional and social development.

For some people, horses are a symbol of strength, beauty and freedom. In this center, they symbolize much more. As scientifically proven, interacting with horses reduced cortisol level, which is the “stress hormone�, that negatively influences on learning abilities and our overall physical and psycho-emotional health. Moreover, riding and handling such a large animal as a horse can increase self-confidence.

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At “Ipposhesi” center, they organize programs of the therapeutic horse riding, hippotherapy sessions and equineassisted psycho-educational programs and also rehabilitation therapies that include physical therapy, speech therapy, parental counseling and psychoeducational programs.

Their programs are designed for people with developmental disorders, neurological and musculoskeletal diseases and also for a healthy population, such as pregnant women or elderly that aim to improve their physical health through personalized programs.

The work of volunteers is of great importance. Our job can be divided into 3 groups: • Horse leader (leading the horse and keeping him under control all the time) • Sidewalker (ensuring the safety of the participant and helping the instructor in many ways) • Stable helper and Facility maintenance (feeding, picking manure, grooming and bathing horses, cleaning grooming kits, putting on and taking off horse clothing…)

I enjoy working in this center. Horses are great animals, and it is a very good feeling to control them. I’m happy that I learned and I’m still learning a lot about their behavior.

Also, it’s a pleasure to contribute during the therapies and to watch the progress of participants.

GORDANA SCEPANOVIC 49

MY SENDING ORGANISATION Peuple et Culture

Peuple et Culture is a french national union, founded in 1945, which stands up for the universal right of education and access to the Culture. I-PEICC, my sending organisation, is affiliated to Peuple et Culture.

I-PEICC is a Non Governmental Organisation founded in 1963. Its foundaters compaigned for non-formal education, which is still at the heart of the organisation’s actions. Their goals are promoting social integration, fighting against inequalities and exclusion, offering access to knowledge for everybody and also offering the opportunity to take part/create social experimentations.

I-PEICC promotes community work between volunteers-activists-trainersfacilitators-politics, cultural and artistics projects, international/multicultural exchanges, active citizenship (local, national, european) and the involvment of young people. I-PEICC is often described as a « open-air laboratory » where facilitators and local people are trying out. Its educational approach encourages innovations, self-formation, creativity and initiatives.

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Five main tools are used to achieve their goals: The project space which helps individuals with projects related to community work, trains volunteers and guides politicians. The outsider cultural space where artistic activites and cultural mediations take place. A citizen university where local people, helped by skilled workers of the domaines of interest, can share their ideas and knowledge with politicans. International exchange area which is promoting/organising EVS, Youth exchange, Study exchange, seminaries: « In the association i-PEICC we consider international exchanges as a real pedagological exercise, which allows candidates to develop themselves and collectives attitudes. We could resume it by: to know yourself you have to know others. European mobility is a way to develop the autonomy and to emancipate young people. It allows them to have a better picture of different cultures, languages and to meet people that they would not meet in France, as well as to develop a critical thinking about their own situation. The mobility creates meetings and inclusion in the society ». Traning area which is adressed to anybody who want to develop his critical analysis or/and want to get into the social and cultural activities approaches which allows emancipation.

I-PEICC’s interventions are intented for young people but also adults. The organisation want to boost personal development but also the collective emancipation. Through the cultural activities, i-PEICC allows individuals to find their place in the society, understand the world and acquire the ability to step back.

Here find links, I used and which will help you to better know i-PEICC : http://ipeicc.com/fr/accueil/ http://www.peuple-et-culture.org/spip.php?article20

OPHÉLIE COTTIER 51

LINK DECEMBER 1st 2017

The volunteers responsible for this publication are hosted in Greece in the framework of the European Erasmus+ programme, KA1/youth - European Voluntary Service.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.