“What does volunteering mean?”

The participants started to think about the meaning of volunteering through a brainstorming activity. Then, the participants were divided in 2 groups and they started to discuss and  create a logo and a motto  related to volunteering [1].

Which skills can I  use as a volunteer and which ones do I want to improve? 

Youngsters, who participate in this workshop, had already volunteered in local or international projects. . Therefore, they had to reflect individually about 3 soft skills they acquired thanks to their experience and 1 skill they wanted to acquire. This activity was very useful for the participants, so as to reflect on volunteering. The main aim was to enhance the learning dimension of volunteering and to promote volunteering among young people as a resource of personal empowerment and to validate skills and competences developed during their volunteering experience. [2]

Sharing volunteering experiences

Volunteers participating in the project as well as previous EVS volunteers were invited to speak and share their experiences during the first part of the workshop.

In the second part of the workshop, they delivered music and drawing workshops for children,  participants and, also, tourists. Through active interaction between the volunteers and all the participants, knowledge about EVS and volunteering was shared and the volunteers received more appreciation by community members and parents thanks to their work and activities for their children [3].

Hat Game

Discuss about different subjects in small groups:

• What do you do as a volunteer?
• What kind of feelings do you have? (positive negative)
• What are your objectives for your volunteering project?
• How can you achieve these goals?

Finally they  presented their ideas in front of whole group [4]

Understanding diversity and promoting intercultural dialogue

This workshop was focused on intercultural exchanges through non- formal activities. During these sessions participant could think  about their cultural relativism and appreciate diversity. The participants could discuss about the meaning of interculturality and the benefits of intercultural dialogue in our society.

“What are the benefits of intercultural dialogue?”

Write and/draw the benefits of the intercultural dialogue. Then, discuss and reflect on  it [5]

How diverse are you?

The volunteers asked  the students to think about and write five things that might make them different from the others. Few categories (on the board): gender, ethnicity, age, religion, nationality, language, hobbies, right or left handed, favorite pets, etc. were given and they had to choose three of them and  think of two extra categories on their own and then share them with their own group [6].

“The Diversity Workshop”

Was divided into 2 different sessions:

1. Intercultural Dialogue – Stereotype & Communication

Sharing experiences and reflection about the different cultures and the way we can use to communicate to different people.

2. “Workshop on different educational systems”

In this workshop the volunteers presented their different educational systems in front of children from an English/German school. There was a question and answer session and a moment for traditional dancing. Both the children and the volunteers could learn about different educational systems and cultural differences [7].

Pour Partir A L’etranger: Concretement

Suggestions and tips to young people for travelling in Europe.

Each workshop lasted up to 30 minutes with short activities aimed at conveying this message [8].

“Understanding diversity and promoting intercultural dialogue”

The Vietnamese student presented to EVS volunteers about 3 topics: Vietnam, Nam Dinh province and Ngam mountain. After there was Q&A with EVS volunteers and the students. This was followed by a Diversity Workshop – leaded by two of the participants. They presented to the student about their respective cultures. The event ended with a quiz about the different cultures [9].

Task A: students were divided into four groups, each of them having a different role: Students, Teachers, Parents and Principal. Given statement: “In school students should not wear their uniforms.”

Task B: two groups, one agrees and the other one disagrees with the statement: “To be a teacher is better than to be a student.”

The groups had to collect their ideas, arguments, and choose one spokesperson . Then a debate started between the groups. Each group shared, their ideas while the others reflected and asked questions. They used an object, which should be held by the spokesperson [10].

Being an active citizen

Share with the participants the experience of being an EVS volunteer and thus to be an active citizen in the local community. Group reflection about this topic [11].

Panel discussion

In a venue easily accessible for youth, the volunteers together with former EVS volunteed organised and led a panel discussion in which they also introduced THE TOPIC of the participation of youth in democratic processes [12]

Debate

An animator showed different ideas about Democracy in practice. Each participant should reflect on it and then  share their opinion .

“What do you want to do?”

For this question, people were divided in  small team and discussed with one another about how to carry out the ideas. Each group presented their ideas.

Democracy Discussion in international scale

A representative from each country gave a brief presentation about how citizens in their respective countries can be involved in democratic processes.) [13]

“Presentation, Debate & Discussion”

Volunteers from different countries talked about their respective political systems. There was a presentation about the Communist system, the  Republican system and a monarchical system. After the presentation there was a discussion:

• What do you know and think about other political systems?
• What are the positive and negative aspects of each political system?

The presentation was followed by a debateconcerning the following question : “How are young people involved in their own country’s democratic processes?” This question was discussed by  three groups and, in the end every group presented their  own ideas [14].