A. Project environment
The Centre for Promotion and Development of Civil Initiatives OPUS is a non-governmental organization for support third sector in Lodz region. Our main office is situated in the city centre. In our office work 15 people and we have different kinds of activities. The Program of International Cooperation at the moment is all European Union countries and East Europe oriented. The OPUS Centre also would like to put stronger stress on cooperation with International network of Ecoclubs, promote and support development of European network.
Lodz is the second biggest city in Poland. Thanks to its location in the centre of our country it's well communicated with other parts of Poland. Although Lodz was established in the 15th century it rapidly developed in 19th century as a Polish main centre of a textile industry. For this reason Lodz is known as a Polish Manchester. During the time of "an industrial revolution" Lodz attracted a great number of people, also from other country, for whom it seemed to be a "Promise Land". In this way Lodz became a melting pot of many nations, especially: Polish, German, Jewish, Russian. At the present time Lodz proudly celebrating its multicultural traditions organising each year International Festival of Four Cultures.
Lodz is also the academic centre with several public and privet Universities and colleges. Probably the most famous is the Film School from which graduated such well-known directors as Roman Polanski, Krzysztof Kieslowski or Krzysztof Zanussi. Albeit the film industry- our "factory of dreams" collapsed in the beginning of 1990s, Lodz still has unique film atmosphere that is expressed for example by International Film Festival of Cinematographers "CamerImage" that each year host celebrities like David Lynch, etc.
Lodz is multicultural city. Every year in our city takes place Festival of Four Cultures (Polish, Russian, Jewish and German) and other cyclic events connected with multicultural and multinational aspects of our city. Volunteer in his free time will be able to take part in it and know about other cultures, not only Polish. Lodz is a place where you can find lot of foreigners, mainly they are students, so they will have also possibility to meet with them.
Local NGOs activities are very relevant to promoting of healthy way of life and solving local problems.
The lodgement will be in appartment or student's dormitory with the bathroom and acces to the kitchen. The food will be cooked by the volunteers in their house.
The volunteer will have about 5 hours per day of activities during 5 days per week, with holidays during the project and 2 free days per week. To mention that sometimes the volunteers could be involved in activities at the weekend, but they can take days off after.
Volunteers will have linguístic trainning with a private qualified teacher and they will have oportunity to contact with youth in Poland.. She will be supported by the coordinator but also by other employees and volunteers that are involved in International and Ecoclubes Projects and other projects connected with Youth Program.
B. Proposed activities for EVS volunteers:
During terms of Service volunteer will gain new skills and knowledge in many topics connected with NGO workers' job. Volunteers will have a chance to learn about the condition of 3rd sector in Poland, especially about organization which work in the field of sustainable development and ecology. Our volunteer will also have possibility to meet and learn about other our partner countries and projects, broaden the knowledge about the fundraising, the EU funds, social activisation programs. The volunteer will be able to gain new skills connected with creating and managing the project. Volunteers will have a possibility of establishing a new strategic alliances between the organizations and in this way also have the chance to develop new projects.
Beside gaining theoretical knowledge on environmental education the volunteers work will mainly be conducted with local staff and other local organizations and will be coordinated by experienced team leaders who provide training and guidance.
Obviously volunteers will be able to actively participate in events like trainings, seminars, informational meetings. Volunteers will be also invited to the events that the OPUS Centre organizes in order to promote European Voluntary Service among the youths from our region what will be very useful in his/her learning process.
Proposed activities for EVS volunteer:
- support of International Cooperation Office - development of cooperation and implement new joint projects: maintaining contact with partners from other countries, especially Eastern Europe countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia), organising international training, study visits, meetings, writing informational issues concerning projects' implementation.
- help in administration of International ECOCLUBES Portal for 28 countries from South America, Africa, Europe and Asia: put new information about Ecoclubes events and activities on the website, create a newsletter about Polish Ecoclubes, which he/she translate into native language, maintain contact with Ecoclubes from another countries in order to collect all necessary information.
- help in promotion and development of Ecoclubes Network - movement composed of young people who live and promote the belief that we all have to transform the world, beginning with our own environment and community: cooperation with Ecoclubes from Poland and Europe, preparing informational materials about ECOCLUBES, visits to local ecological farms, companies, institutions, cooperation within the project of Polish ECOCLUBES Network, collaborating with Ecoclubes network in Europe and Latin and South America
- realization Volunteer's ideas according to project's management, creation new initiatives connected with local and international cooperation in the field of development of civil society
- participation in events that the OPUS Centre organizes in order to promote European Voluntary Service among the youths from Lodz region. During the information meetings he will have possibility to present own experiences connected with EVS and in this way encourage his Polish counterparts to take opportunity of EVS.
The OPUS Centre will be open to new idea initiatives that a volunteer would like to launch. We hope that all that task enrich volunteers skills, knowledge that the volunteer will be able to use in the organization from which volunteers comes. The activities in which the volunteer will be engaged will take place mostly in OPUS Center's offices but also youth Ecoclubs in our region and whole Poland. Some tasks will give him/her opportunity to visit different parts of Poland, to acquaint with other regions.
C. Volunteer profiles and recruitment process:
The OPUS Centre didn't have any criteria connected with gender or age, or any professional qualifications. The volunteer ought to be first of all high motivated. We recommended that he/she should be open to new challenges, eager to involve in new activities and he/she should enjoy a team work and have an ease in an interpersonal communication because work place we prepared for him/her demands often contact/ cooperation with different people.
In order to communicate with the workcamp participants and realised his/her tasks it is necessary that the volunteers speak basic English. The volunteers should be ready to travel around Poland to visit various institutions and organizations. They should bring their own ideas, personalities and cultures into the life of our organization. We want to receive volunteer from Easter Europe, Caucasus or volunteer from West of Europe, who is interested in contacts and cooperation with East. It will help us to develop our interbational cooperation.
We also invite volunteers from European ECOCLUBES Network member, so the candidate should be from Portugal, German, Spain or other country interested to join the network. It will help us to make the network more integrated and stronger.
D. Special needs (if applicable):
The OPUS Centre is an organization especialy opened for volunteers from less developed regions, for people from rular areas, little towns and villages. Unfortunatelly, OPUS Centre's office is not available for people with fisical disables because of old structure of building which is not equipped with elevator and driveway for wheelchairs. That's why we cannot host volunteers on wheelchairs.
E. Risk prevention, protection and safety:
As a hosting organisation we will work in close cooperation with volunteer and sending organisation to prevent any problems concerning safety, work and living environment. Volunteer will get an insurance in case of any health problems or unexpected situation. Volunteer will have meetings with his/her mentor to check how is he/she adapt in new place and culture, as well as check if there is any problems with living conditions. Volunteers will have support person from hosting organisation with who they can speak about problems before it's become too big. Also other workers of The OPUS Centre are always ready to help, advise or support new member of our team. Regular meetings with volunteer as well will help to analyze our as a hosting organisation work. If it will be necessary we will ask help from National Agency.
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By hosting international volunteers, our organisation intends to promote youth information, exchange of knowladge and culture and Eorpean awareness as well. Lately The OPUS Centre became also The Organization for Promotion of the Ecoclubes Network, and one of activities is environmental education. That's why through European Voluntary Service we want to also rise awareness environmental issues and promote voluntary work in area of nature and ecology.
The OPUS Center is organization which promote voluntary work and culture of volunteering. The volunteers are important part of our organization. They take part in all kinds of the OPUS Centre activities. They are involved in some simple works but as well as in more complicated independent task like an implementing of project. The volunteers in our association are not only support for us but partners - equally important as employees.
Involving international volutneers we want to interact with other community institutions to work towards the improvement in the quality of life of the population. It will strength our cooperation with international partners from other cultures and improve effectiveness of our joint project. OPUS Centre and their employees want also to develop their own awarenss of other cultures and specific of work people from other countries. It is very valuable knowladge for every NGO worker, especially for someone who want to help other countries to develop sivil society.
The volunteers bring an added value to the local community, young peole and organizations which, thanks to this help, can participate in a better way in the different solidary and intercultural training projects that the coordinating organization has planned with other organizations from other European countries.
Very often volunteers after EVS project decide to continue cooperation with NGO structures. For them it is a very strong experience and sometimes gives them motivation to future work. European Voluntary Service show them different ways they can go through, volunteer become more aware of his own possibilities and skills. The OPUS Centre is determined to help young people in this process.
The OPUS Centre has long experience in hosting and sending international volunteers. Since Autumn 1999 to Autumn 2001 the OPUS Centre was hosting the American volunteer from The Peace Corp. Her main task were creating the Grant Research Centre, translations, helping in creation of the network of local partners, seeking partners for international projects, etc.
In 2006 OPUS Centre hosted volunteer from Belarus in the framework of project "The NGO's cooperation on the crossroads of the East and West" Ales Zaleuski was first volunteer who support the Programme of international Project financed by Youth in Action Programme.
Since January 2007 we also host the Moldavian volunteer Olga Conop and since April 2007 Georgian volunteer - Malkhaz Lataria, their main tasks are to help team of International Programme, that implements international projects, especially with Eastern Europe.
The OPUS Centre has sent 3 volunteers within EVS. We also organise information meetings and workshops for people interested in the Youth Program and EVS. Among others in 2004 year the OPUS Centre prepared special project promoting EVS among unemployed graduates.
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