REPORT
ON-ARRIVAL TRAINING
for EVS volunteers doing EVS in Russia
in January 2010 – December 2010
Nizhny Novgorod region
25-30 March 2010
TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Training objectives………………………………………………………………………………………...3
Topics covered……………………………………………………………………………………………….3
FRAMEWORK OF ON-ARRIVAL TRAINING
List of participants…………………………………………………………………………………..……4
PROGRAM DESIGN……………………………………………………………………………………………5
DAY BY DAY PROGRAM
DAY 1…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….5
DAY 2………………………………………………………………………………………………………....8
DAY 3……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…13
DAY 4…………………………………………………………………………………………………….….16
DAY 5………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17
DAY 6………………………………………………………………………………………………………..22
ANNEXES
ANNEX 1………………………………………………………………………………………………….…26
ANNEX 2…………………………………………………………………………………………………….27
ANNEX 3…………………………………………………………………………………………………...23
ANNEX 4…………………………………………………………………………….………………..……29
ANNEX 5……………………………………………………………………………………………………33
INTRODUCTION
On-arrival training was conducted by Movement SFERA, for 9 EVS from Germany, France, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Austria, The Netherlands, Estonia and Hungary. Volunteers hosted by SFERA do the EVS in Nizhny Novgorod.
On-arrival training was conducted in the frame work of the Action 2 – European Voluntary Service, “Youth in Action Program” of the European Commission.
The concept of the on- arrival training was based on “EVS Volunteer Training: Guidelines and Minimum Quality Standards” issued by the European Commission.
Training objectives:
ü To prepare volunteers to their stay in Russia and to work in Russian HOs
ü To give some useful instruments that can support volunteers in their project
ü To make the volunteers aware about intercultural learning process during their project
ü To work out possible conflicts and misunderstandings and practice conflict transformation methods
ü To make volunteers aware about Project management
ü To support the volunteers learning process during EVS projects.
Topics covered:
ü Team building
ü Motivation, expectation and fears of volunteer
ü Motivation and expectations of HO
ü Main actors in EVS project
ü Cooperation and sharing responsibilities between volunteer , mentor and supervisor”
ü Integration to Russian Culture
ü Intercultural learning
ü Prevention of cultural shocks
ü Main features of volunteering in Russia
ü EVS philosophy, values and technicalities
ü EVS support system
ü Project planning, management and design
ü Conflict management
ü Risk management
According the volunteer’s needs and group dynamics the main stress was done to the topic of integration into Russian Culture, Project Planning, and Conflict and risk management. At the same time volunteers got enough time to reflect to the most burning issues and to plan their own projects.
The methods used during the on-arrival training were based on non-formal education approach such are presentations, workshops, exercises, simulations, role plays, discussions, reflections and evaluation etc. and served to the maximum progress in the learning process.
FRAME WORK OF ON-ARRIVAL TRAINING
Place: Nizhny Novgorod and Zaliv sanatorium Nizhniy Novgorod region
Dates: March 25 – March,30
Trainers: Natalia Nikitina , Natalia Chardymova (Movement SFERA)
Reporter: Natalia Chardymova
Assistant: Alla Krinitsyna
List of participants:
# / Volunteer name / Country / Period of service / Project / Sending organization / Project number1 / Magdalena Kucharewicz / Poland / 15/01/10-15/07/10 / Hematological hospital / ANAWOJ / PL-21-156-2009-R4
2 / Andre Kaptein / Estonia / 01/03/10-01/09/10 / Open Air museum / NGO HEADEST
3 / Orsolya Králik / Hungary / 01/03/10-01/09/10 / Invatur / Messzelátó Egyesület / HU-2-060-2009-R4
4 / Aude BIRCHEN / France / 01/03/10-01/09/10 / Raduga / CONCORDIA France / FR-21-217-2009-R4
5 / Thijs Benschop / The Netherlands / 01/03/10-01/09/10 / Konkort / Code-X International
6 / Giovanna Digregorio / Italy / 01/03/10-01/09/10 / Children's library / Culturale LINK
7 / Bettina Windischhofer / Austria / 01/03/10-01/09/10 / Cancer hospital / 4YOUgend
8 / Konstantin Rehm / Germany / 01/03/10-01/09/10 / Cancer hospital / aha -Tipps und Infos für Junge Leute / DE-21-371-2009-R5
9 / Michal Veselsky / Czech Republic / 01/03/10-01/12/10 / Czech Consulate/workcamps/disability / INEX SDA
DAY BY DAY PROGRAM:
This program includes as theoretical issues which are useful for voluntary work as practical elements. The general mechanism of integration of training’s skills is the following:
1) practical introduction of the topic which gives a possibility for participants to touch the issue by the own experience
2) theoretical basis of the topic
3) discussion and conclusions
4) practice of using knowledge and skills
The program also gives a chance for participants to realize the activity closely related to their long-term project, so they collect the experience of successful voluntary work in Russia already in the process of the training.
DAY 1, Introduction and team building
Introduction.
The training begun with introduction of training team, aims and objectives of the training, day-by-day program. After that trainers offered the participants small morning energizer “Morning Gymnastics”, to warm up and cheer up. First energizer is a first step to creation a good atmosphere inside the group.
Getting to know each other
To get to know each other trainers offered “Clock-face” game to the participants.
“Clock-face” game description.
Step 1 – make an appointment. All the participants are divided into two groups. Every participant gets the paper with printed “Clock-face” (see ANNEX 1). All the participants should make one appointment in one hour with one person; as a result every participant should have an appointment with everyone in his/her group.
Step 2 - appointments. Trainer announces the time and topic to discuss at this time. Every appointment lasts 3 minutes.
Time / Question10.00 / Country of your dream
11.00 / My family
12.00 / My hobby
13.00 / Education you already have or want to get
14.00 / My good and bad habits
15.00 / Food you love and hate
16.00 / Your favorite books and movies
17.00 / Something (one thing) about you
Step 3 – sharing the information. Everyone has a chance to share the information he find out with all the group.
Step 4 - storm of applause to everyone. Everyone is sitting in the circle. Every one pronounce his name and get the applause from others.
Conclusions made by participants:
- “ this a very useful exercise, we came here and did not know each other, now it seems we know each other for ages”
- “ I found people with the same interests, it is very important for living abroad!”
- “ Я плохо говорю по-английски, и сейчас я нашла друзей, кто тоже говорит по-руccки!
Comfort space creation!
Participants created a list of recommendations for everyone to get maximum from the training course and stickled them to the imaginary pillow. Method – brainstorm.
Comfort rules:
- Respect to each other
- Do not be late
- Be active
- Switch off mobiles
Team building
First we asked the participants if they know about the difference between team and group, and what are the characteristics of a team.
List of characteristics of a team made by participants:
- Work together
- Think together
- There is a leader
- Common idea, goal
- Sharing responsibilities
- Communication
We started the team building activities with the small exercise called “bench”, where participants had a chance to become closer through physical contact.
To try different ways of a team work we made after an exercise called “Simultaneous dance”. The participants had 10 minutes to discuss how they will dance all together, how they will talk without saying a word.
This exercise is very useful for team building, because it helped the participants to be very attentive to each other, and to try to understand people without saying a word, to understand their reasons of behavior and develop mutual understanding.
Team-building is very important, because it helps people to know each other better and start to trust. And this process starting from the On-arrival training will go on during the whole period of EVS.
To trust each other better, we offered the small exercise called “Circle of trust” - Participants stand in a tight circle, one person is in the middle with his/her eyes closed. This person lets him/her fall and gets caught and passed by the ones in the circle.
To finish the team building activities we made a small exercise called “knot”: Knot game: Participant stand in a circle, closing their eyes. Everyone reaches out their hands walking towards the middle and trying to catch two hands. When everybody is holding hands, participants open their eyes and try to sort out the knot, re-creating the circle.
All team building activities were directed to make people trust each other, to develop the interest in each other, and to make participants fell very comfortable and close with every member of the team, because to be a team is important not only for the duration of the training, but also in the EVS life after, because all the participants live and work in the same city, and they need to support each other in a daily life.
Expectations of the participants:
Participants were asked to write down their expectations at green paper apple, fears at red ones, and help they may need form other people in yellow ones.
Expectations of the participants:
- To learn the Russian language
- To discover the culture
- To be useful at the project
- To be integrated into the Russian Community
- To get new skills and to learn something new
- Personal development
- To have fun
- To travel all around Russia
- To find new friends
- To find material for PHD
- To see real life
- To try myself in other community
Fears of the participants:
- To learn too less of Russian Language
- To be hit at the Russian disco
- To experience cultural shock
- To get into dangerous adventure
- That time will go to fast
Help they may need in their projects.
- Some help in organizing travel and other activities and free time
- Many connections with different people
- Good teacher of Russian
- Patient of our neighbors
- Useful contacts
- Support in my project
- Good communication with my project coordinator
DAY 2. EVS volunteering in Russia
Discovering of the hosting organization
Trainer explains that to realize expectations volunteers have to have a background, to orient in surrounded world. This world consist different resource circles: from friends to the city community. And today we will discover one of the main resources – your hosting organization – SFERA. Participants get a task to find in a room 12 letters with information about SFERA and to make in pairs a creative presentation (for example fairy tale) of the most interesting and useful information they found.
Concept of volunteering:
To come to the common knowledge who is a volunteer and what is a volunteering, trainers offered 2 exercises: make a sculpture of volunteer and draw a volunteer house. Every detail should mean something important.
So volunteer should be:
- Open-minded
- Kind and sociable
- Ready to help and responsible
- Creative and easy-going
- Should like volunteering
Volunteering in Russia
After the hunting exercise trainer presented some must know information about volunteering in Russia. It was done under the form of excursion from a year to year and from one important piece of information to another.
Main features of volunteering in Russia:
- Initiative lies on volunteer
- Only the general tasks are given to the volunteers
- Fundraising skills are necessary
- The society is not ready for volunteering
- Only few people speak English. You have at least to understand Russian
- Responsibilities of volunteers are really huge
- Openness is very welcome
- Networking projects are very popular
- The overall age of volunteers is about 19 y.o.
- Volunteering is not recognized at the official level
Trainers discussed with the participants that one of the biggest obstacles waiting for them in EVS is misunderstanding with a project, target group, other volunteers. To go over this obstacle volunteers have to be able to express themselves and to understand others even when they don’t have a common language. So, following exercise gave a chance to practice these skills.
Participants were divided into pairs. One person in a group was a teacher, the other one – a pupil. Trainer took teachers and went to the separate room where expressed the task. Teachers were disabled people: they were paralyzed and dumb. They had to teach their pupils to draw a bear which the trainer was showing for them. Teachers have 20 minutes to realize the task.
On the second round of the exercise people in pairs change roles. So, at this the task of a teacher to teach pupils to make an origami flower which trainer show for teachers in a separate room. Teachers again were disabled people: they were paralyzed and dumb.
Conclusions made by participants:
- “Impossible is possible, especially when people are patient to each other!”
- “ Just now I understood that body language ca express so many things. Now I know it for 100 %, that is not just one of the theories!”
- “ Be creative – and you will find thousand of ways to express yourself!.”
- “In Russia volunteering is oriented on the result, exact like origami. In EVS it is like a dance, you have to improvise, to help each other.”
- “In our EVS we play the both roles: a teacher and a student, we should be always to be open for new things and ready to teach as well, we should really understand and accept that this time is intensive learning for us!”
- “ Now I understood, that we should know which results we want to achieve in our EVS, without a clear goal it doesn’t have any sense!”
Additions
1) You have to find ways to realize your task (self-organized and self-responsible volunteers will survive)
2) Volunteering is a new phenomena. Be ready people won’t understand you as a volunteer
3) If you need something you have to request your request many times
4) Everything can be changed every day and even more often
5) Except your project; you are expected to help to other volunteers and to participate in organizational events
6) There is the real limit of resources. You have to be creative to find alternative ways of fundrising and getting materials
7) There is result-oriented approach in Russia, so you have to plan to achieve concrete things
Learning through EVS
As the previous exercise showed, EVS is a learning process; volunteers were offered to think from which points and conditions they can learn.