International Youth Volunteering with the Spanish Red Cross - Tarragona
The International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement is the largest humanitarian organisation in the world. It promotes humanitarian values and provides emergency help to people in crisis throughout the UK and around the world.
The British Red Cross has ambitious plans to increase the engagement of young people to take action as humanitarian citizens. In joint partnership with our sister Spanish National Society, we are able to offer a unique long-term youth volunteering opportunity in Tarragona, Spain for one young person from the UK.
THE CONTEXT
The Spanish Red Cross is part of the international Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement which shares the seven Fundamental Principles. The Spanish Red Cross is a highly regarded emergency response organisation in Spain, whose work includes refugee and asylum issues, First Aid, International Humanitarian Law and education and participation work, including with the Red Cross youth (la Cruz Roja Juventud) which is a parallel organisation.
In Tarragona, the Red Cross runs a house for 8 people living with HIV/AIDS, who have been homeless, may have been drug users, and have no family/financial support. The 24 hour house provides the service users with a place where they can get help in the transition from living on the streets towards becoming independent, gaining skills for employment and accessing adequate health care. Different organizations across the region run houses like this one, and provide different levels of care to the service users. The Spanish Red Cross house is a level 3 house which means that it provides 24 hour support to the residents (1 being the most basic level of care, 4 the most intensive).
The Tarragona Red Cross office is the main office, with about 60 employees, in the area. Their main focus areas of work are Emergency Response, with a particular focus on sea rescue, First Aid at Events and First Aid training and projects on social intervention with immigrants, the elderly and managing a surplus food distribution programme for vulnerable families in the community. The Red Cross youth also has a department within the building and works on humanitarian education in local schools through a network of 60 young volunteers. In total the area has about 2000 Spanish Red Cross volunteers.
THE ROLE
We are looking to recruit one volunteer, who will live with volunteers on other EVS projects in Tarragona over the course of the 6-month placement. The volunteer will work daily at the HIV/AIDS house run by the Tarragona Red Cross, and run activities depending on their areas of interest and the support needed by the service users.
The service users tend to be mostly men, and aged around 30-40 years old, although there are always exceptions and most are referred to the Red Cross house by social services or the local health services. No drugs or alcohol are permitted in the house (although methadone is allowed and all residents take ARVs), and the residents are monitored by psychologists and social workers, and the volunteer will be part of this team. Service users must adhere to the house rules of attending meals, sleeping there, attending all activities and taking part in the daily rotas of cooking and cleaning.
The EVS volunteer will help the social workers run sessions, both activity sessions and group therapy sessions, and, with time, the volunteer will hopefully organize and run their own activities for the service users – usually once a day for a couple of hours, ranging from yoga, computing, music to creative and craft activities. Volunteers will also be asked to accompany the service users on local medical visits, and to attend weekly team meetings with the psychologists and the social workers to plan the week’s activities and discuss any of the service user’s individual medical and social needs.
Volunteers will work alongside the social workers and university volunteers during the first few months to gain a clear idea of the service users’ needs and the range of activities that are possible. Volunteers will work in the house between 10am to 2pm Monday - Friday, 5 days per week, and several afternoons per week. Language classes (Spanish and Catalan) will also take place in the afternoons. Some flexibility is required to accommodate activities that occasionally run at the weekends and team meetings. There are also 2 days of holiday per month of placement (not including national public holidays nor compulsory training courses during the EVS placement), which can be taken with prior arrangement with your supervisor.
The volunteer will be expected to study Spanish and Catalan for at least two - four hours per week in order to facilitate integration into the host community and the project. Moreover, the volunteer is strongly encouraged to become actively involved in other activities or services of the Red Cross in Tarragona that may be of interest.
Volunteers will be encouraged to use their own initiative, and will be provided with support from the Spanish Red Cross. It is important that volunteers are committed, involved and sensitive to the needs of others.
QUALITIES WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The successful candidate will be aged 20-28, and will also demonstrate the following:
· Committed, mature and independent work ethic
· Genuine interest and/or experience in social work and working with those from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly the homeless or people with substance misuse issues or HIV/AIDS
· Excellent communication and social skills
· Creative, supportive and willing to take the initiative when running activities for vulnerable people; understanding of working in a project with long term goals
· Understand the importance of looking after yourself and have the ability to switch off at the end of the day
· Realistic expectations regarding the benefits and challenges of volunteering overseas for 6 months
· Prepared to live with a modest allowance and accommodation
· Good English & a good knowledge of Spanish (at least AS level or equivalent, if not higher) with a willingness to study, learn and communicate in Catalan
· And most importantly, a commitment to the Red Cross movement, volunteering and working with people living with HIV/AIDS
PRACTICALITIES
The placement will run from mid-September 2011 for 6 months. The successful candidates will be funded and accredited through the European Voluntary Service (EVS) scheme of the European Commission. More details about EVS can be found at http://www.britishcouncil.org/connectyouth-programmes-evs.htm
Our priority is to recruit young people who would otherwise not have access to such international opportunities. A small, but comfortable house will be provided for volunteers to share in Tarragona. Travel to and from work will be via public transport. The service users’ house is next door to the Tarragona Red Cross office, about 20 minutes out of town on the bus. In addition, each volunteer will receive a small maintenance allowance of 130 Euros per month and 105 Euros per month as pocket money.
Volunteers at the Red Cross are highly valued for the skills and energy they bring to our work. The successful candidates will receive pre-departure and on-arrival training from both the Red Cross and the European Commission, as well as have access to confidential support and supervision throughout the duration of the placement.
Location: Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
Tarragona is the capital city of the north-eastern Spanish province, sharing the same name. With a Mediterranean coast sporting several Blue Flag beaches, local dishes are themed around seafood, nuts, oil and garlic; whilst the local attractions tell of its past – the city is peppered with Roman ruins. Barcelona is nearby, a 1 ½ hour train journey away.
Reporting to:
· Araceli Otón Sánchez – Volunteer Coordinator and HIV/AIDS project Coordinator, Tarragona Red Cross (responsible for volunteer’s role at the house)
· Denisa Roventa and Olivera Taban – Associació PROA (responsibles for volunteer’s housing, finances, language tuition, Youthpass content supervising and drawing up, medical expenses claim proceedings)
· Rachel Butler: Programme Coordinator – International Youth Volunteering, British Red Cross
Application deadline: 27th May 2011
Interviews: Suitable candidates will be invited for an in-person interview at our UK Office in London with Rachel Butler w/c June 13th. Please be aware that part of the interview will be in Spanish. To apply, please fill out the enclosed application form and return to with your name and ‘Tarragona RC opportunity’ in the subject heading of the email.
We have applied for funding from the European Commission for this role and should know if this is secured by early August. Any offer of a placement will be provisional on a positive response for this.
British Red Cross pre-departure training dates are likely to be 16-17/18th August, plus another 2-3 days EVS pre-departure training.
For more information, see:
www.cruzroja.es www.tarragonaturisme.cat
www.redcross.org.uk/internationalyouthvolunteering or email Rachel Butler
International Youth Volunteering Programme
Tarragona Application Form 2011-2012
Please complete all sections in English. All information provided will remain strictly confidential. Please send a CV (max 2 pages) with your application form.
Section 1: Personal InformationLast Name / First Name / Middle Name(s)
E-mail: / Date of Birth: / Gender:
Male Female
Town and Country of Birth: / Passport number: / Nationality:
Current correspondence address: / Home telephone: / Mobile telephone:
Permanent address (if different): / Home telephone:
Do you have any existing insurance cover (travel/medical)? If so, please give details below
Emergency Contact Information
Name: / Relationship to you: / Home telephone:
Home address: / Email address: / Mobile telephone:
Section 2: Education (continue on additional sheet if necessary)
Secondary School/College: / Years Attended: / Qualifications Obtained (GCSE, A-level, NVQ etc.):
to
to
Tertiary Education (College, University etc.): / Years Attended: / Qualifications Obtained (Diploma, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate etc):
to
to
Section 3: Work Experience (continue on additional sheet if necessary)
Organisation: / Year: / Position: / Responsibilities:
Section 4: Additional Skills
Languages: / Spoken: / Written: / Reading:
Driver’s Licence: / Other:
Section 5: Additional Questions (continue on an additional sheet if necessary)
Please describe any relevant prior work or voluntary experience, especially with people who might have substance misuse concerns, be homeless or be living with HIV/AIDS, or with running creative activities for small groups.
Please explain your reasons for volunteering abroad with the Red Cross. Why do you want to go to the Red Cross in Tarragona particularly? Please write at least 200 words.
Please describe any personal trials and how you overcame them.
Please describe any prior international experience List any long holidays, independent travel or overseas volunteering experience.
What challenges do you think you will face during your time abroad?
How will you overcome them?
As the Red Cross, our priority is to provide international placements to people who would ordinarily have less access to them due to socio-economic, health or other personal reasons. If appropriate, please use this space to describe why you think this programme is especially applicable to you.
Section 6: Additional Information
Please detail any allergies, medical conditions or other support needs.
Section 7: Practicalities
We are looking to send 1 volunteer out to Spain in mid-September. Please state when you would be able to leave, which (if any) Red Cross training courses/events you have already attended, and confirm that your passport will be valid for departure in September.
Section 8: References
Please provide the names and contact information of two referees. These may include an employer, supervisor, teacher, or a close friend (but not a relative).
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Relationship to You: / Name:
Location:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Relationship to You:
I hereby acknowledge that all information contained within this form is true to the best of my knowledge.
Signature: / Date: