ON THE WAY TO SOLIDARITY (2021-2022)
Through the project, we wanted to strengthen the position of international volunteering again, because after past 2 years there is a significant loss of participants interested in longterm projects - foreigners so as Czech ones. SVČ Lužánky has been hosting EVS volunteers since 2006 and their presence is positively perceived and appreciated by our clients and also by partners (Brno city districts, cooperating organizations). In this year we hosted 7 volunteers from 5 countries.
Work of volunteers in SVČ Lužánky is based on regular contact with young people and children through educational programs for schools, leisure time activities and hobby clubs, events for the public, their own personal projects, etc. We aimed to support community life and positive attitudes towards foreigners living in our country. We believe that the direct contact with foreign volunteers expands other people‘s horizons and leads to intercultural understanding. It helps to reduce racism and xenohobia in the local community. We wanted to highlight volunteering and dedicating personal time to others as an important personal and social value. At the same time, the presence of a foreign volunteer and participating in such programme is an example of how international mobility works and its importance in EU policy. Nevertheless this project hopefully provided the hosted volunteers with the opportunity for personal development and the acquisition of practical skills that will improve their employment opportunities in the future and increased their potential for initiative and selfesteem. We wanted our hosted volunteers to get as much experience as possible for them, which they would be able to implement later in their lives and work. To sum what they learned and what they are want to do in their close future. Each volunteer left with his/her own experience, and by the contain of the project we are glad that by range of the activities we could again show the best what we can offer.
SOLIDARITY AS BIG AS BRNO (2020-2021)
Through the SOLIDARITY AS BIG AS BRNO project we wanted to continue in a row of successful projects of hosting EVS volunteers for several years in SVČ Lužánky and basedon the experience gained from working with volunteers to bring it one step further. In the past two years, with a morecomprehensive EVS strategic project, we have expanded to other regions and have partnered with other leisure timecenters and organizations in other cities. We have hoped that the partial cooperation could be reflected in this project too and that the Solidarity Corps program could slowly spread beyond the largest Moravian city into regions whereno permanent vacancies for volunteers are and that from this cooperation could later arise new positions for volunteersin those partner or other organizations.We continued to cooperate with our Brno coordinated organizations, because we consider it beneficial to have a largergroup of volunteers working in various organizations, in which they gain experience and can mutually enrich each other.
The project supposed to focus on three objectives: developing the local community so as solidarity as a value, raising awareness and promoting international volunteering aimed at people with feweropportunities, and increasing the competences of the European Solidarity Corps volunteers.
Given that this is a new program (at least in title), we wanted to focus on its greater promotion and intensify cooperationwith other Brno organizations, especially those working with young people with fewer opportunities, with different typesof disadvantages in order to to take part in the program and get this unique experience.Unfortunately, the covid19 pandemic affected basically the entire project and most of the activities changed completelyin terms of content. Solidarity as big as Brno project nevertheless hopefully provided the hosted volunteers with the opportunity for personaldevelopment and the acquisition of practical skills that will improve their employment opportunities in the future andincreased their potential for initiative. We wanted our hosted volunteers to get as much experience as possible for them,which they will be able to implement later not only in their working lives. To get an idea of what they want to do in theirlives. Some certainly did that, and despite the unfavorable circumstances, they had plenty of opportunities to try out thenew skills in practice.
We hosted a total of 9 volunteers in the project, 6directly in SVČ Lužánky at various workplaces throughout the city and 3 in coordinated organizations - French Alliance,forest kindergarten Šiška and Rezekvítek.Within SVČ Lužánky, the main scope of their work were daily activities of the given workplace. Some of them arefocused on a wide range of leisure activities (sports, art, dance, music, cooking) - Lyska, Louka; some focus a littlemore on a certain target group or a certain type of activity. Ateliér Lávka is mainly focused on multimedia education andrelated educational programs, at Legato the volunteer is part of the LeGrando circus. In Lidická it's more artistic and inLata the volunteer works a lot with small children and in educational programs.Compared to previous years, we wanted to use the possibility of complemetary activities for joint activities of volunteers,in the style of teambuilding. We were in the rope center Jungle park and on a trip in the area of Lednicepalace. In February, we then held some training workshops for volunteers, although in a slightly different concept thanoriginally planned.Contrary to the plan, due to the pandemic, the content of the activities has changed greatly, with the exception of Šiška,as a kindergarten, which operated normally most of the year. Present hobby clubs have become online clubs. Wherepossible, volunteers got involved - making videos, creating production tutorials, participating in online broadcasts. Someevents for the public were also creative. The most popular became the trails for parents with children. We built dozensof them during the year and they were organized by almost all workplaces. Another task was to create creativepackages that we started to sell through the e-shop before Christmas 2020. In Rezekvítek, the activity focused on fieldwork and production of educational tools for schools.In workplaces where it was possible, volunteers also engaged in promotional activities - such as spots for languagecourses at the Alliance, posters for events. In some places, they could also focus on improving workplaces - paintingnew rooms at the Louka and Lidická workplaces.At some Lužánky workplaces, volunteers took part in babysitting IRS staff, which we were in charge of as a regionalstate-funded organization.At least the summer activities were already in casual mode and volunteers participated and helped in a number ofsuburban and residential camps.
SOUTH MORAVIA KNOWS NO BORDERS (2018 – 2020)
This project was designed as Strategic EVS. It involved our lesiure time center Lužánky, our coordinated partners in Brno and associated partners based in 5 places in South Moravia region (Kyjov, Znojmo, Hustopeče, Bzenec, Strážnice). In the two years’ time frame, this project hosted 24 EVS volunteers. The project was supporting young people from programme and partner countries of European voluntary service in their personal development, getting to know other cultures and gaining new skills and knowledge. It was also our last project under the programme European Voluntary Service.
Main objective of the project was exchange of experience between foreign volunteers and the diverse group of people which they will meet during their EVS. The volunteers were supported in exploring their own potential and space for professional and personal growth. They set their learning goals, which they could fulfil through activities in their hosting organizations. Their contribution during the project apart from their work directly in the hosting organizations was presentation and promotion of EVS both in Brno and in South Moravia region. They worked not only in their organizations but also visited other organizations such schools, leisure time centres, charity or kindergarten in the region to try work in new environment and also bring some wisdom about EVS/ESC program outside of Brno borders. Volunteers were also creating so called Interactive map of the region which was monitoring working opportunities in that particular place and its description. This map will be an active tool for future volunteers or those interested in joining the program.
Main goals of the projects were – to raise the awareness and support of international volunteerism, trying to reach out and address young people throughout the whole South Moravia region, promotion of European Solidarity Corps in Brno and the region, empowering competencies for EVS volunteers.
DIVERSITY + STRENGHTENING COOPERATION (2017 – 2018)
In those 2 project managed in the same time we hosted together 14 volunteers and 1 Czech volunteer was send for 2 weeks to Hungary. All volunteers were encouraged to implement their ideas and organize their own activities together with working on daily tasks in their hosting organizations. Throughout its service volunteers had chance develop their sense of initiative, communication skills and entrepreneurial attitudes. We believe that the contact which not only young people start with volunteers from abroad is broading their horizons, strengthening the sense of belonging to European community, leading to intercultural understanding and contributing to the elimination of racism and xenofobia in the local community. In the meantime the presence of a young person from abroad is an example of mobility as a natural part of EU policy.
The presence of EVS volunteers in SVČ Lužánky is positively perceived and apreciated by our clients and partners (Brno city parts local governments, cooperating organizations). Work of volunteers from abroad is based on work with youth and children through programs for schools, afterschool activities, clubs for unorganised youth and public events. The project includes three quite new host organizations with which we are linked by personal ties. Environment of the organizations is yet open to volunteers who will be on the EVS in Lužánky as well as the public - there is space for the implementation of other activities or presentation of new projects. Volunteers will learn about the specific cultures - whether it's Romani culture and community or community of environmentaly-wised workers and sympathizers around Rezekvitek and Lipka. They will have the opportunity to be at the origins and development of new projects and initiate their own activities.
OVERCOMING BORDERS + NEW HORIZONS (2016 – 2017)
In 2016 we celebrated in SVC Luzanky 10 years of cooperation in the field of EVS. With the project OVERCOMING BORDERS we want to continue with the line of successful projects of EVS. The hosting of EVS volunteers we broadened with sending and as time passed, with gained experience, we also coordinate hosting of volunteers in Alliance Francaise and Siska Forest Kindergarten. This year we include these organisations into this big common project with volunteers for SVC Luzanky again, mainly because of our good experience and high-quality cooperation in last year.
Main objective of the project is exchange of experience between foreign volunteers and the diverse group of people which they will meet during their EVS. The volunteers will be supported in exploring their own potential and space for proffesional and personal growth. They will set their learning goals, which they will fullfil through activities in their hosting organisations. In the project OVERCOMING BORDERS as another objective we want to, in cooperation with volunteers, boost the discussion and offer different points of view on the current theme of migration. Project OVERCOMING BORDERS will allow to eight young people in the age between 18 - 26 to be part of the team of Centre of leisure time Luzanky and will give them opportunities for personal development and the acquisition of practical skills that will improve their chances in the labor market and the potential of their own initiative. In NEW HORIZONS project we will host another 4 volunteers in Brno and they will work in our coordinated organizations – Lipka, Romani museum and Rezekvítek - three newly accredited host organizations with which we are linked by personal ties. Environment of the organizations is yet open to volunteers who will be on the EVS in Lužánky as well as the public - there is space for the implementation of other activities or presentation of new projects. Volunteers will learn about the specific cultures - whether it's Romani culture and community or community of environmentaly-wised workers and sympathizers around Rezekvitek and Lipka. They will have the opportunity to be at the origins and development of new projects and initiate their own activities.
BUILDING BRIDGES IN SOUTH MORAVIA (2015 – 2016)
With the project BUILDING BRIDGES IN SOUTH MORAVIA we wanted to continue with the line of successful projects of hosting EVS volunteers in SVC Luzanky – and move it again a little bit further, based on the experience gained from cooperation with volunteers. In last year in separate project we started to cooperate as a coordinating organisation with Alliance Francaise Brno (AF Brno) and Siska, o.s., who now host their first EVS volunteers. Because the cooperation was successful, this year we include both organisations as partners in one big common project. In this sense we „build the bridges“ through EVS volunteers in between the organisations in Brno. We would like to newly offer the opportunity of introduction about EVS programme (including sharing of personal experience by a volunteer) also outside of Brno, in the centres which work with young people, at high schools etc. in South Moravia. In Brno we would like to strenghten promotion at Universities and newly also start and focus to promote EVS among young people with special needs.
SVČ Lužánky has been EVS receiving and sending organization since 2006 and their presence is positively perceived and apreciated by our clients and partners also (Brno´s city parts local governments, coooperating organisations). Work of volunteers from abroad is based on work with youth and children through programs for schools, afterschool activities, clubs for unorganised youth and public events.
All 8 volunteers will stay with the EVS in Czech Republic 12 months from October 2015 to the end of September 2016.
EVS IN LUZANKY: EXPLORE – MAKE VISIBLE – SUPPORT + ACROSS THE BORDERS (2014 – 2015)
The project involved five European Voluntary Service volunteers aged 18-30 years in SVČ Lužánky. Young people from Croatia, Germany, Scotland and Spain, from October 2014 to September 2015 participated in the activities of the host organization – individually in different workplaces and activities of various kinds – from the artistic classes and children’s circus through educational programs for schools to open youth clubs .
The role of volunteers was first to become familiar with our activities, and after assist our teachers and keep in touch with young people from among our clients to participate in the open atmosphere , introduce them their culture and to motivate them, to show initiative and cooperation.
Project objectives were aimed at two levels: Volunteers were encouraged in exploring their own potential and scope for professional and personal growth. They set their educational goals that they meet through activities in SVČ Lužánky. They were supported by us and support each other. In addition, they participated in common projects dealing with social issues, volunteering and innovation, presenting them to the public along with examples of good practice from their home countries and tried to establish active cooperation with young people in Brno.
The project objectives were achieved by cooperation between volunteers and their colleagues from the staff and volunteers and young people.
Volunteers were guided by experienced intern worker who spend with them the most of the working time and help them with work related tasks. For project monitoring and evaluation of learning process we established regular meetings with the coordinator and the evaluation meetings of all staff involved in the EVS project.
Project EVS IN LUZANKY : EXPLORE – MAKE VISIBLE – SUPPORT provided opportunities for personal development and the improvement of practical skills of five volunteers. They improved their chances in the labour market and increase the potential of their self- initiative.
EXPERIENCE_LEISURE_LEARNING (2013 – 2014)
The main aim of this project was to involve the 5 volunteers to the activities of Luzanky Leisure Time Centre. They stayed in hosting organization 12 months and deal with the different fields of activities, but part of their activity consisted of common project — preparing together campaign about volunteering incl. EVS, social initiatives and important issues. We also ask them to find out the events attractive for young people where they can put the information about EVS itself as well as about the cultures they are comming from.
We wanted the EVS volunteers to get known our praxis and by assisting to our pedagogues and communicating with the youngsters, prepare the wide range of activities offered to young people, build up the open atmosphere, interduce other cultures to the young people and motivate them for initiative and cooperation. The volunteers were involved to the activities of our organization, they have had an opportunity to learn our methods and use our background and support for realization of their own projects.
TOGETHER (2012 – 2013)
From October 2012 to September 2013 we hosted 5 volunteers.The main aim of this project was to involve them to the activities of Luzanky Leisure Time Centre in Brno, Czech Republic. They spent 12 months in hosting organization and dealt with the different fields of activities. Part of their activity consisted of common project — they prepared together EVS (chose motto, made photos for posters and organized several events for public and exhibitions).
Raquel was working at Legato youthclub, Emese and László at Lyska youthclub, Susanne in Multimedia Center Lávka and Matteo was assisting at the Centre of Dance and Theatre activities. Volunteers got familiar with our praxis and by assisting to our pedagogues and communicating with the youngsters. They prepared the wide range of activities (workshops, presentations, parties, happenings…). Emese collected ideas for handicraft with children and together with Hanka — Czech volunteer in Estonia — made DIY blog.