OUTDOOR ALTERNATIVES
ARAD
Hello our dear volunteers!
We are starting this mini book by wishing you WELCOME TO ROMANIA !!!
We know very well that leaving your home and coming in a foreign country, especially for a long period of time, it’s a difficult thing to do. But we understand also, that each one of you was well aware of these things and you thought very well before you said YES and accepted to be an EVS volunteer.
We want to congratulate you for making this decision and we want to ensure you that you WON’T REGRET IT. We are here for you to, to make you feel like home and to make your staying here as pleasant as it can be. All that we want is to create here a big family and your role is essential in doing this.
This project is going to be a challenge for both of us, for you as volunteers working to complete the assignments assumed in it and for us as a hosting organization responsible with you.
For the period of your staying here we want to make sure that you have everything that you need and for this thing we are asking you to communicate with us, let us know what are the problems that you are confronting with your fears and your expectations. Be sincere and don’t be afraid to let us know whatever your problems might be. Together we can find solutions for everything.
The project has a lot of challenging tasks that you are going to do. BE SERIOUS AND HARD WORKING to complete them and we promise you that together we are going to have a once in a life time experience. We know that you joined the project because you want to get new abilities, to make new friends, to learn more things about other cultures and many other things but most of all TO HAVE FUN. Working together we are going to achieve all of this and more other.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, BE OPEN MINDED and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
So, again, we are finishing this introduction by wishing you…
WELCOME TO ROMANIA
The EVS project „OUTDOOR ALTERNATIVES” will be organized in Arad / Romania. The project topics are relates to leisure activities for young people. The internship will take place over a period of five and six months , and project objectives are:
The “Outdoor Alternatives” project involves: (a) 1 group stage of 6 months, (b) 2 group stages of five months each, involving a total of 15 volunteers EVS with economic difficulties from Italy, Latvia, France, Germany and Macedonia (FYROM). Internships will take place in Arad / Romania, the EVS volunteers in collaboration with local project partners and local volunteers will develop the following activities in the thematic area "leasure" and "sports / outdoor education":
- Activities like: Picnik or alternatives, Orienteering, hiking, horseback riding;
- Interactive courses of foreign language (Italian, Latvian, French, German, Macedonian).
In the hosting communities, the main beneficiaries of the activities of the EVS volunteers will be children and youngsters from diferent ethnic groups.
1) to promote non-formal education;
2) to promote the volunteering service;
3) The main objective: protecting the environment;
4) The main activities : addressed to the Roma minority;
5) develop skills for employment and entrepreneurial skills.
Youth in Action is the EU Programme for young people aged 15-28 (in some cases 13-30). It aims
to inspire a sense of active citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to involve them in shaping the Union's future.
The Youth in Action Programme aims to achieve the following general objectives:
• Promote young people’s active citizenship in general and their European citizenship in particular;
• Develop solidarity and promote tolerance among young people, in particular in order to foster
social cohesion in the European Union;
• Foster mutual understanding between young people in different countries;
• Contribute to developing the quality of support systems for youth activities and the capabilities
of civil society organizations in the youth field;
• Promote European cooperation in the youth field.
Local community
Europe’s oldest remains of modern human were discovered in the “Cave With Bones” in present
day Romania and is estimated to be 42,000 years old. However the first written history of the country was about the Getae tribes and dates back in 440 BCE. In the Ancient years the land was inhabited by Thracian tribes from Greece who established the state of Dacia. The Dacians suffered many conquests made by the Romans eventually becoming under their rule. The area and its people where then subject to a complete Romanization, enforcing the Latin language onto the people. This was the beginning of the formation of the Romanian culture.
Romania has been a rather worn-torn country throughout it's history. Due to its location the country has had to encounter many invasions from its neighboring nations migrating through the area.
Through these battles and invasions many brave heroes arisen defending their lands. Notable is Vlad The Impeller's (The legendary Dracula) rein in Transylvania and Walachia against the Ottoman Turks and the Hungarians, and Stephen the Great in Northern Romania.
As the centuries past and the World Wars raved havoc through the land the country had to deal with another ordeal, the communist rule of Nicolae Ceausescu. His dictatorship literally destroyed the
country's economy and resources with his absurd giant building projects. Under his rule the people were forced to live a rather low standard of life. Despite this a revolt raised in 1989 in Timisoara soon was spreading all over the country. The dictatorship was overthrown and democracy political system was reestablished. This victory by the people allowed Romania's economy to return the European market and rejuvenate their cultural status.
Nowadays, Romania is rapidly integrating with Western Europe and becoming a popular spot for
tourism.
Since the Romanian Revolution of 1989, European Union (EU) membership has been the main
goal of every Romanian Government and practically every political party in Romania. Romania signed its Europe Agreement in 1993 and submitted its official application for membership in the EU in 1995, the third of the post-Cold War Eastern European countries to do so after Hungary and Poland. Along with its official EU application, Romania submitted the “Snagov Declaration”, signed by all fourteen major political parties declaring their full support for EU membership.
During the 2000’s, Romania implemented a number of reforms in order to prepare for EU
accession, including the consolidation of its democratic systems, the institution of the rule of law, the
acknowledgement of respect for human rights, the commitment to personal freedom of expression, and the implementation of a functioning free-market economy.
The Accession of Romania to the European Union took place on 1 January 2007. This date was set at the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003 and confirmed in Brussels on 18 June 2004. The country reports of October 2004 also affirmed the 1 January 2007 date of accession for both Bulgaria and Romania. The
Treaty of Accession was signed on 25 April 2005 at Luxembourg's Neumünster Abbey. The 26 September 2006 monitoring report of the European Commission confirmed the entry date as 1 January 2007. The last instrument of ratification of the Treaty of Accession was deposited with the Italian government on 20 December 2006 thereby ensuring it came into force on 1 January 2007.
Geographic location:
• South-East of Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, in the Lower Danube basin, bordering on the Black Sea. Time Zone Area: Seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (GMT + 2)
Boundaries:
• East: Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and the Black Sea
• South: Bulgaria;
• West: Hungary;
• North: Ukraine.
Climate: Temperate continental, with oceanic influences from the West, Mediteranean from the
South-West, excessive continental from the North-East. Mean annual temperatures: ranging between 8°C in the North and 11°C in the South. Average annual rainfall does not exceed 700 m.
Demographic structure: Romanians - 89.47%; Hungarians (plus Szecklers) - 7.12%; Gypsies -
1.76%; other nationalities - 1.65%.
Administrative division: 41 counties and Bucharest municipality (with a county status), 260 towns (out of which 57 municipalities), 2,688 communes (with about 13,000 villages).
Main cities
Iasi, it rests near the border with Moldova and has 348,000 inhabitants. It used to be the seat of the Moldovan princes during the 16th century and became their capital city during the 17th century.
The city is rich in architectural monuments, mostly churches built in the Byzantine style. It had been an important commercial and cultural centre of the Greek Diaspora from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
According to scholars, modern-Greek enlightenment started at the Greek printing presses of Iasi. Today, it is an industrial centre, specialising in medicine, textiles and agricultural products processing.
Cluj-Napoca, historical capital city of Transylvania, with 333,000 inhabitants. It is a cultural centre
with impressive gothic and baroque monuments. It also has many museums (arts, history and folk), while it is also a university and industrial center.
Constanţa, the main port of the country rests on the Black Sea and has 340 000 inhabitants. It is a renowned transportation junction and hosts an important museum with findings from the Hellenistic, roman and early Christian eras. Also, it houses metallurgic and ship-building industries.
Timişoara, lies in the Banat province and has 328,000 inhabitants. There is notable cultural and industrial activity.
Galati, is home to a trans-danubic port at the eastern part of the country, with 328,000 inhabitants. It is and international rail junction and has an important industry specializing in metal processing and ship-building.
Flag of Romania : Three vertical stripes : red, yellow and blue.
National day: December 1 (anniversary of the 1918 union of all Romanians into a single state).
The currency of Romania is the Leu, with one Leu – plural Lei – equalling 100 Bani.
The recently introduced New Leu is now the dominant currency, through the Old Leu can still be used until the end of 2006. Notes come in denominations of Lei 500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1, with coins coming in denominations of 50, 10, 5, 2 and 1 Bani. To get the value of the Old Leu in comparison to the New, simply add four zeros to the end of the number.
Note: As of 1 July 2005, Romania's legal tender, previously coded as RON, has been redenominated so that Lei10,000 are exchanged for 1 new Leu (RON).
ARAD
Did you know that Arad is situated on the West part of Romania, 50 km far from Hungarian border?
Did you know that is the 13th bigger city from Romania, with around 200.000 citizens?
But did you know this? Mureş is the river that crosses Arad and it’s the second biggest river from Romania (after Danube, of course) and we have a wonderful fortress here and in the past Arad was called “little Vienna” because the architecture from the center of the 2 cities were quite similar.
Accommodation – there will be 2 persons/room, you will have access to a bathrooms (common bathroom and showers/floor), kitchen (1 kitchen/floor and you will receive cutlery and pots also) and other utilities.
Meal – the volunteers will receive a monthly food allowance and they can either buy food, either cook for themselves.
Transportation – in case that the accommodation will be 20 minutes by walk far than the working place of volunteers, hosting organization will provide bikes or season ticket for tram/bus.
The volunteers will have access to internet at the place of work of the volunteers (office).
Daily activities : 7hours/day ; Monday and Thuesday FREE ! and another 2 days/month are Free !
The behavior
Don’t misunderstand us, but we have to tell you also about the behavior. Please take into consideration that the people from Romania are very hospitable, they are always welcoming their guests. But there is one aspect, though: when you meet people from a different culture than some of you are used to, it may take a while to integrate fully. So, our suggestion is for you to be a little reserved at the beginning and to have patience until you get to know the people because an action of yours may have an impact on the whole group.
Luggage
It’s not necessary to take a big luggage, because you will have the possibility to wash your clothes. We suggest you to take some warm clothes, but also clothes for warm weather. Don’t forget to take with you some casual clothes !
Tasks for the volunteering stage
a) „Picnik Alternative”
- Actions to inditify green spaces in the county of Arad
- Actions to arrange picnik spaces designed from eco-friendly materials (eg vines / tree trunks, branches, etc.) manufacture / refurbishment and stacking of chairs, tables, warning signs basic rules for how to organize a Picnik; We estimate at least one Picnik space every month of the project (execptii: first month internship when activities will be mainly oriented to accommodate young people in the hosting community and to participate in OAT module, last month internship when activities will be oriented towards dissemination and exploitation of results);
- Organization of events such as "intercultural Picnik". At least once every 30 days of internship (except first month), volunteers will: launch invitation among Arad NGOs and Roma community leaders, to make outdoor events of "intercultural Picnik", to help promote dances, songs and local legends, as well as those in the communities of origin of EVS volunteers. Also, during these types of events EVS volunteers will facilitate the activities of "team-building". At each event we estimate will take part, along with EVS volunteers, at least 12 people from the locam community;
- Achieve e-map of green spaces for Picnik, EVS volunteers will make foto-reportages and articles written to be inserted into a Picnik- map places of Arad. It will be posted and promoted through the project website mainly among young people;
- Creating a guide for people who use Picnik spaces: EVS volunteers will carry out a practical guide (text + images) on: measures to prevent fire hazards, implementation of the fire waste collection, storage hygiene, first aid, food preservation, etc. . The guide will mainly address the target group of people who participate in Picnik activities durring weekends and / or holidays and often negligence / ignorance contributes to the deterioration of nature. The guide will be distributed through the project website and public campaigns like : "man to man" on Saturdays / Sundays and legal holidays occasion, mainly in the area ofThe Natural Reserve "Lunca Muresului".
b) "Alternative Hiking & Orienteering"
- Identification of trails for hiking and actions of "orienteering" weekend inside the Natural Reserve "Lunca Muresului" and in the proximity of Arad;
- Actions to mark trails (marked by at least three routes during the internship) and design resting spaces (planning at least 6 spaces): marking trails by difficulty (as coding specialist in the field); Arranging the rest places using eco-friendly materials (eg: the development and installation of benches / tables / seats ; Alert panels, branches and other material etc. )
- Organizing at least 3 events of "group hiking" / "orienteering" which will be invited to take part, among others, the Arad young community of Roma people and voluntary organizations working on the youth field;
- Achieve e-map of hiking and actions of "orienteering" (including attaching descriptive text messages / help and routes of photographic reportage) and posting / promotion on the project websites;
- Create a support material for the organizations who promotes activities of "hiking" and "orienteering" inside the Natural Reserve "Lunca Muresului" and near Arad: a practical guide for planning and organizing events such routes "hiking" / " orienteering ".
c) "Alternative Horseback riding"
- Maintenance on horses / ponies for pleasure: hair cutting, mounting harness, participation on cleaning stables and horses / ponies, feeding horses / ponies, horses walking, etc.
- The promotion and facilitation of type Riding organized by local partners: achieving 2 Video report and five themed photo reportages about leisure opportunities practicing horseback riding and the opportunities for the participation of young volunteers from Arad for the partner organizations' Poney Club ";
- Facilitating the riding actions of the „Poney Club” : configure paths for calorie (at least 3 tracks on the length), riding therapy for children with disabilities (intend to involve at least 10 children with mental disabilities and / or physical); organize study visits to the stables for children to get familiar with horses and ponies (10 visits where takes part at least 100 children); interactive workshops (mainly outdoors) with children for a better understanding of elements of mythology, history, fairy tale,equestrian theme (at least 10 workshops during the internship);
d) "Interactive foreign language courses" for Roma children from families in need. - weekly lectures on the EVS volunteers mother language at the Volunteer Center Arad (or to a different address, depending on the space available in Arad for this activity). Each volunteer will work with at least 5 children to develop language skills and communication methods using: song / music / role play for the following languages: Italian, Latvian, French, German, Macedonian.
The selection will be made by childrens hosting organization. EVS volunteers will be involved from the beginning in the selection of children (including Roma children and parents meetings with presentations of course).