EFIL is taking part in the project “Time to be welcome” which encourages young volunteers and youth organisations in Europe to support the welcoming of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and their integration process in both society and their new country through the use of non-formal education and youth work.
The project started in December 2016 and will last 24 months until November 2018. It will involve volunteers from several different countries, volunteering for various durations of time (2 months, 6 months or 12 months).
The project is co-funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus + Programme KA3 – Support for policy reform and Social Inclusion.
In October an international training was held in Dublin, Ireland where volunteers placed in Paris and Athens had the chance to meet and share their experiences with the project so far. Furthermore. volunteers participated in sessions on diverse topics that aim at helping them in their volunteer work. EFIL staff delivered the session: “Increasing tolerance of hosting communities at large through better cultural understanding and the promotion of joint activities together with migrants – sharing best practices.”
In addition volunteers had the chance to reach out to the local community in a dissemination event that took place in a youth centre in Dublin. There volunteers organised activities and explained “Time to be welcome” to local youth and other guests. All in all it was a fun and rewarding event.
Following the conclusion of the volunteer training, the project partner representatives met for another two days to focus on the Mid-Term Review of the initiative. The group discussed the project objectives delivery, assessed the key steps already implemented and the cooperation within the partnership. Significant time was dedicated to the processes and challenges for the volunteers already engaged on the ground in Greece and France, and to planning for the next volunteers to still arrive in 2018.
From the EFIL/AFS side, two volunteers are currently being recruited to leave to Greece in January for 6 months. Then there will be two more, who will be recruited in spring 2018, for shorter stays.
Please stay tuned for further communication about the project, and follow the project website www.timetobewelcome.eu !
For more information: izabela.jurczik-arnold@afs.org
