GAIA

Kosovo, Prishtina/Gracanica

 

Description of the organisation

GAIA is peace organisation from Kosovo, which stands up for peace work, solidarity between people across ethnic boundaries and minorities rights. Since 2010 GAIA organize workcamps, youth exchanges, public events mostly related to rights of minority, environmental justice, youth empowerment, trough ARTivism, music, video, volunteering, non-formal educations etc. Volunteering program is the core activity of GAIA as well as spreading the idea of volunteering for peace around Kosovo.
GAIA is branch of Service Civil International (SCI), one of the oldest volunteering organization dedicated to promoting a culture of peace by organizing international voluntary projects for people of all ages and backgrounds. So far, GAIA has been working mostly in smaller ethnically diverse communities and our work has been mostly focused on issues and topics which are being neglected or simply forgotten.
Imaginatorium is an alternative educational center in Roma mahala in Gračanica/Graçanicë, which offers different programmes that provide necessary space, tools and materials, offer experience and support from adults, and all with aim to create opportunities and therefore motivate and interest participants in further education and lifelong learning.
More information about projects and actions of GAIA can be found at www.gaiakosovo.wordpress.com and about SCI at www.sciint.org
More information about Imaginatorium can be found atFB page Imaginatorium and GAIA web-page.

Volunteers’ tasks

The volunteer will be working from GAIA’s working place in Gračanica, 10 km far from the capital, from where GAIA will be coordinating programs for Kosovo, but also new educational program for youth from minority groups, based on alternative educational programs based on digital tools. This project will involve an educational place in Gračanica where young people will come everyday to learn by using new educational tools.
As international volunteer s/he will be role model with her/his engagement for local volunteers and opens spaces for people of different backgrounds. In the same time the volunteer will act as multiplier and promoter of our values and ideas in different communities and as such having an important role in lives of youth, which is facing different problems and obstacles. Besides, since we are organizing several climate justice related activities this year, most probably a good part of the activities will be related to it as well.

The volunteer will be supporting GAIA in the following tasks & activities:

Volunteers will be working five days a week with Roma children aged 3 - 20, and will create and realize programme where languages, maths, arts, nature, music and different crafts explore the creativity of kids. Technology lessons and movie screening for children, are also part of the current practise.
The volunteers will be living in Gračanica/Graçanicë, in a house that will be shared with other volunteers and that is close to Imaginatorium. House has all necessary conditions, including heating system (on wood), running water, bathroom, kitchen, living and sleeping room. Food will be vegetarian, seasonal and as local as possible. Gračanica/Graçanicë is easily reachable with buses and for local transport the volunteer will get a bike.
The volunteer will live in small community with other volunteers, so they should expect to live according to principles of sharing, caring and solidarity. Since the house is situated in Roma mahala, the volunteer will also establish contacts with neighbors and become part of the neighborhood.
The volunteer will be involve in the following activities:

- implementation of educational, creative, environmental and sport programs in Imaginatorium

- maintaining and improving the permaculture garden

- preparation and organization of voluntary workcamps (Imaginatorium and other projects)

- support internal and external communication

- following policies related to the topic

- support fundraising activities


The main tasks of volunteers will be to:

- coordinate activities in Imaginatorium,

- spend time with children, teach and help them in learning process,

- create new programmes for future of Imaginatorium

- coordinate voluntary actions (one day long) and international workcamps (2-week long)

- maintaining and improving working and living spaces, including care for animals and garden


The volunteer will be offered to attend several training courses/workshops which will help him/her in running activities. For instance a training for camp coordination, placement officer training, human rights etc. The volunteer will also have a chance to participate in some of the youth exchanges in the Balkans. The volunteer is also encouraged to initiate a personal project in and with the community. It could be a language course, audiovisual or creative workshops, documentation, workshops in schools etc.

Skills and competences
The volunteer should be:

The most important is motivation to work with children.
We are looking for volunteers with creativity, new ideas for Imaginatorium, lots of energy, and patience for children. Volunteers should be flexible and open minded, tolerant to with people with fewer opportunities with different backgrounds and affected by different problems.
We welcome skills and talents that can improve existing program quality or create new one.. Willingness to learn languages of the community would also be included.
The volunteer should be also interested in peace building, youth work, human rigths and environmental issues. Also, it would be great that the volunteer is empowered with strong self-initiative and self-motivation, responsible, open and direct in communication, without judgments, and sensitive for any kind of discrimination.
The volunteer should be willing to learn Serbian and/or Albanian and/or Romani languages, flexible in terms of working place and dynamic, flexible to living conditions due to electricity and water cuts willing to learn and share.
The volunteer should be ready to face different cultural and social challenges, as well as occasionally demanding working and living environment due to intensive contacts with kids and people. In addition to that, living in an isolated community, will provide an opportunity for a new perception and inspiration.
Experience in other organizations, collectives and/or youth work is beneficial, but not required. Also, skills for documenting (photography, video, interviewing, reporting and story writing) are also beneficial. However, at least basic knowledge about the political and social situation in Kosovo is helpful.

 

Janosch zu seiner Einsatzstelle GAIA

 

Erfahrungsberichte

Unten findet Ihr Berichte von Janosch, Freiwilliger bei GAIA 2015-16. Hier könnt Ihr außerdem nachhören, warum Janosch gern Freiwilliger bei GAIA war.

Anhänge:
DateiBeschreibungDateigröße
Diese Datei herunterladen (Dritter_Bericht_Janosch_2016.pdf)Dritter_Bericht_Janosch_2016.pdf 1452 KB
Diese Datei herunterladen (Erster Bericht_Janosch_2015.pdf)Erster Bericht_Janosch_2015.pdf1. Bericht3168 KB

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