The Inclusion in Action was a group EVS project. Within the project we hosted 25 volunteers coming from 10 countries hosted by Creative Space. 13 other volunteers participated in the project from other two countries, their costs where financed from other sources. They lived and worked together in Hollókő and other villages of Nógrád county from 10th of July till 2nd of August. The theme of the project was European awareness and equal opportunities because the participants were less opportunity youngsters and we put big emphasis in supporting them to use their experiences at home and to develop skills and competencies which can help them to integrate better in society back home. Besides this they worked in international groups so they could informally get to know the culture of other European countries.
The goal of the volunteer work was be to help in the villages to introduce the sustainable development and life forms connected to it and also to promote it amongst the local people – the volunteers will support to develop tools for energy saving and they will do a campaign on recycling.
The project was based on the long term cooperation and partnership with the villages and the sending organizations. This means that they were familiar with the tools and methods we use (including experiential learning, and tools of non-formal youthwork).
Activities of the placement:
- On-arrival training: the first 2 days of the project (10-11th of July). The training is especially for this group and it will be done by to professional trainers from Egyesek.
- Project 1: cleaning and restoring of the bicycle road between Rimóc and Hollókő. With the help of local workers and volunteers they will clean the road from plants, they will clean the area around, set up some resting places on the way.
- Project 2: bycicle shelter and information posters. They will build a bycicle shelter in Hollókő, where bikes can be kept and they will decorate it. They will put posters in Rimóc and Hollókő promoting the idea of using bikes instead of cars and buses.
- Project 3: creative ways of recycling: creating selective rubbish collection spots in the villages (there are a lot of old people and the distances are big, so they don’t carry their rubbish to the central rubbish collection spots); creating furniture and small objects from old materials (used clothes, bed sheets etc.) together with the local volunteers and to be shown to the local people; creating a compost site in Hollókő. Creating 2 workshops for local people promoting recycling and creative usage of used materials.
- Project 4: creative ways of using energy: creating a solar-heated shower on the bike path, and puting explanation posters.
- Project 5: publicity – shooting and editing the video about the project; making publicity of the workshops organised by the volunteers; organising and promoting the open day with the help of the mentors.
- Other tasks of the volunteers: organising creative cultural evenings where volunteers present their culture; organising useful and fun free time activities; keeping the house clean and proper.
- After the EVS back home they create their own workshop projects based on the project and their experiences; with the help of their sending organisation. The theme of the projects can be: how to recycle in general; how to use again used materials – creating objects, jewellery, furniture etc; promoting the idea of sustainable development; promoting the using of bikes etc.
