nyh esc solidarity corps france esc

Noored Ühiskonna Heaks (NYH) is promoting calls for participants for 14 European Solidarity Corps (ESC) long-term projects which will take place in the region of Le Mans, in France with one goal: to educate on Europe, cultural diversity and mobility.

“Let’s live Europe in Sarthe” is a collective ESC project in the region of Le Mans, in France. The project starts at the 23rd of August for 11 month until end of July 2024. It involves 14 volunteers in different places of volunteering, with a common goal: to educate on Europe, cultural diversity, mobility, and help people to get more easily in touch with Europe in making it more concrete by exchanging with people from different European countries. We strongly believe that meeting others can help strengthening open-mindedness, equality, diversity, and citizenship, and our team of volunteers is taking on this challenge all year long!

Organization:

The House of Europe (“Maison de l’Europe” in French) manages several European mobility projects, in particular European volunteering projects (European Solidarity Corps). Among them we can find the hosting of volunteers at the Maison de l’Europe every year. It is an EU awareness-raising mission. We also host volunteering projects which take place in various places such as the 6 rural boarding schools in our region Sarthe (the MFR), the Joseph Roussel high school, the “Les Horizons” high school (all above are vocational education centers), the municipalities of Le Mans, Rouillon and Saint-Georges du Bois, as well as the social center of Le Grand-Lucé, and more new places every year!

Volunteering at the House of Europe

La Maison de l’Europe Le Mans-Sarthe, hereinafter referred to as the House of Europe of Le Mans, also a Europe Direct Information Centre, is a non-profit organisation with no political or religious affiliation. In our daily activities, our purpose is to raise awareness and inform the inhabitants of the French department of Sarthe about European citizenship and thus contribute to building a Europe of citizens. The House of Europe is a friendly place, ideal for discovering, meeting, experiencing, and exchanging on Europe!

As an information Centre, we provide our visitors with information on the European Union and its politics but also on other European countries. Our Centre puts at your disposal a wide range of documents, books, brochures, and board games about Europe. We organize educational workshops on Europe on a nearly daily basis in schools, leisure centers, twinning committees, and social centers. We also organize workshops and fun activities within our premises to enable primary and secondary school pupils to discover Europe.

The House of Europe is a LEAD structure for the European Solidarity Corps program (ESC). Since 2016, we have welcomed more than 50 European long-term volunteers. We manage an Erasmus+ VET project and lead a consortium of 11 VET schools: Mov’Europe. We are raising awareness about mobility programs and encouraging students from underprivileged and rural backgrounds to have a mobility experience. As an Information Point for the Franco-German Youth Office, we advise young people on Franco-German mobility programs too. We also work with the Erasmus+ French Agency to develop Erasmus+ project in our region.

Activities:

Go to primary schools to promote Europe and talk about your country and your culture. You can create your own educational tools to present your country or the EU in a fun and interactive way.
Participate in the activities about European Elections of 2024.
Lead workshops about your country and your culture with local kids and teenagers during holidays in our Sarthe.
Create specific communication tools (videos, exhibitions, articles for the website etc.) in order to make young people aware of European citizenship and educational tools of communication to present the EU and its policies, or one of the countries, or mobility etc., on our website.
Help us to be active on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube).
Manage the specific Instagram account of European volunteers in Sarthe.
Inform on mobility opportunities for youngsters.
Take part and help to organize some European events (Europe Day, Green Deal activities, gathering of students…).
Connected to European subjects’ possibility to develop own projects and take initiative in the frame of the work of La Maison de l’Europe.
In addition, the volunteer will work on some common projects with the other European volunteers staying in Sarthe with the Maison de l’Europe which is the coordinator of these European Solidarity Corps projects.

Volunteering at the social center of Le Grand-Lucé

Our reference values are popular education, namely human dignity, solidarity and democracy. Our ways of action are rooted in the lived experience of the inhabitants. The social center is open to the whole population and offers them a welcome, activities and services; therefore, it is able to detect the needs and expectations of the users and inhabitants.

The volunteer will be involved in the various activities of the social center by welcoming a young person in CES, the social center aims to give the youth of the territory an opportunity to discover Europe in a different way. The presence of a young person in the ESC will be a chance to develop among young people the of non-discrimination, tolerance, openness, solidarity and Europe. His/her presence in the territory will bring benefits in the short and long term. In short term, through the projects and awareness that he will bring. In long term by its impact on the young people, the population, the team, the elected officials…

Activities:

participate in socio-educational, cultural, artistic, scientific and sports activities with a teenage audience
work with the youngsters from 11 to 17 years during the school vacations (2 weeks during the All-Saints’ Day vacations, 1 week during the Christmas holidays, 2 weeks during the winter vacations, 2 weeks during the spring vacations and the month of July)
preparation of activities and distribution of the program takes time and we will devote our efforts to it outside of the vacation periods
The volunteer will be asked to discuss with the young people to identify their needs and desires. He/she will build the projects with the professional animators and partners before the vacations.
to animate the youth room on Wednesday afternoon with a professional animator, opening from 2pm to 5pm.
to animate the school’s foyer daily during lunch break with a professional animator, opening from 1pm to 2pm.
to participate in cultural, linguistic and artistic awareness projects at the Grand Lucé school in partnership with the teachers
to participate in events organized by the social center (e.g. youth festival, forum of associations, day against harassment…).

Volunteering at the rural boarding schools MFR

The local training centres are called: the “Maisons Familiales Rurales” or MFR (literary translated as the “rural family houses”). The volunteer will work in one of the 6 MFRs. Each MFR hosts young pupils having difficulties with the French traditional school system and who are looking for a new way of learning. The MFRs are located in our region Sarthe and each MFR is located in a different village. The 6 volunteers will be accommodated together in a house in Le Mans, the biggest town of the department, but each of them will have to go by car or by public transportation to its MFR. Some MFRs povide a car to the volunteer to go to the MFR (1-hour round trip per day). Other volunteers need to take the train or the bus (2-hour round trip per day).

One of the challenges of this project is to bring Europe in rural areas toward pupils who have no knowledge at all about Europe and its countries. Therefore, the transports issue is important and all applicants must have a driving license. You can choose to apply for the 6 vacancies, or choose specific training centers regarding the topics of the diplomas prepared by the pupils (healthcare, forest…) for example.

Activities:

You will be considered as a full member of the team and will be included in the daily work of each center.
You will develop your sense of initiative, gain new skills and knowledge through the organization of different activities for the MFR (workshops, courses, individual support, sports, games, presentations, lectures)
You will work with teenagers by using non-formal-learning’s methods
During the project, you will mainly be in touch with the young people that are hosted in the MFR, and you will be as well encouraged to submit and implement your own projects, with possibilities of partnership with other local organizations
You will act as an ambassador of your country, and thus you will promote values such as diversity and interculturality
You will organize and lead some of the collective activities.

Volunteering at the vocational school “Les Horizons”

It extends over 2 places in the department of Sarthe, ST SATURNIN on the northern outskirts of the city of Le Mans and SAINT GERVAIS EN BELIN in the south of the department, and welcomes around 350 learners. The school has a wooded park, a large car park, a library, a self-catering and a boarding school, as well as 6 professional workshops.

Activities:

Listening to and chatting with students (students appreciate these times of exchange with young adults, related to adults of reference). The students will be 4th/3rd graders.
to participate in cultural exchanges through the participation in discussion spaces or the proposal of playful activities, such as preparing meals with students, staff members, etc.
to be present and active during outdoor games and various animations (blind test for example) animated by the volunteer (activities are always supervised by a professional from the school).
to propose workshops on their culture, country, passions and talents and invite interested high school students to join the group to join. For example, by integrating the volunteer into certain courses.

Volunteering at the vocational school « Joseph Roussel »

Located in the city center of Le Mans, the school provides courses specialized in social care, healthcare as well as catering. The technical college has always been developing international partnerships and organizing language and cultural exchanges e.g., in Spain and the United Kingdom as well as internships in Spain and Greece in order to develop students’ cultural openness. The project aims to develop students’ European awareness too and help them to open up more and more to the world and others. You will be part of this European adventure!

Activities:

The volunteer will be involved in the various activities of the college:

Your role is to promote Europe and your country among students (through socio-educational activities, language workshops and refresher courses, a Club Europe) and help the college in forging links with other schools and thus, create new working or mobility partnerships.
You will manage the Europe corner, in collaboration with the librarian, and work on communication actions (website of the college, blog, Facebook page, the press).
You will be invited to develop Europe-related games and recreational activities over lunchtime.
You will especially work on mobility programs: encourage students to take part in a European experience and promote mobility in Europe through the Language Club and the European section, support students in writing their application form (CV, cover letter), brief them before departure, follow-up, develop the optional Euromobipro mobility section. You will intervene during Individualized Support sessions to help students and take part in collaborative projects, Etwinning for instance.
You will come along with students to any exterior visit (+ travels and stays in France and abroad, professional mobility abroad).
You will take part in any key event of the school: Welcome Days in September, Olympiads (September), Christmas, Careers Fair (February), Carnival, Open Day (March), Day of Talents (April), Europe Day, etc. Any other suggestion will be appreciated for the European Day of Languages or Erasmus Days.
In addition, the volunteer will work on some common projects with the 11 other European volunteers staying in Sarthe with the Maison de l’Europe which is the coordinator of these European Solidarity Corps projects.

Volunteering at the municipality of the town of Le Mans

With more than 140,000 inhabitants, the city of Le Mans is the biggest city in the department! Famous for its sport competitions, Le Mans also conceals heritage treasures and offers major cultural events. The city, which has preserved its natural side, is perfectly accessible by different types of transport. The city of Le Mans applies for the inclusion of the medieval defense wall as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this lovely city we are offering two different ESC projects within municipal services: one in the child and youth service, and the other one in the event and external relations service.

The first mission is a mix with two services of the city, the Childhood Youth and Sport Service, and the Education Service.

The volunteer will be on mission on 2 distinct structures but we will keep the same use of the time. In the morning at Education, and in the afternoon at EJS during school term. There will therefore be mainly 2 people in direct link with the volunteer’s missions and another person who can be the relay in each of the services. The 2 main tutors will be in regular contact and will endeavor to respect a year-round schedule so that the young person has a global vision and the possibility of anticipating your holidays. And, there will also be a shorter-term schedule and regular meetings between the 2 tutors and the volunteer to ensure that their missions are clear and understood, particularly in the event of any changes. Together we will define a roadmap, concerning the missions that are achievable throughout the year and not directly related to the animation.

Activities:

Your role will be to propose after-school-activities to the children of primary schools.
You will be in contact with teachers and students in secondary schools to promote the European Union, solidarity and mobility programs.
You will help to organize youth activities, events and festivals taking place during weekends (about art and music) or school holidays (organization of sport courses, photo-press-radio sessions, and other).
You can contribute to inform and organize your own activities for young people (exhibitions, language exchanges, video contests…) in the Youth Information Point of the city and you will invite to share about your experience as European volunteer.

The second mission is in the Protocol-External Relations-Events services of the city.

The Protocol-External Relations-Events department, attached to the Cabinet of the Mayor of the City of Le Mans is composed of 4 poles and has 15 agents:

protocol, public relations, and events (contributing to the promotion of the City of Le Mans and Le Mans Metropolis by setting up, coordinating, and monitoring various actions and events);
international relations;
tourism development;
physical (City Hall and Condorcet) and telephone reception.

The volunteer will be physically welcomed within the first and second pole. These services already have experience in welcoming volunteers in civic service but also trainees. Our interest in the European volunteering is directly linked to the desire to open our city to Europe and the world.

Activities:

Your role will be to assist the team in the creation of communication tools aiming to welcome new residents and tourists.
You would be in close contact with the «center of attractiveness» which aims to boost tourism.
You will support the development of twinning between the city of Le Mans and its partners (in Germany, UK, Russia, Greece, Japan, China…).
You will work on the development of new partnerships with future twinning.

Volunteering at the municipality of the town of Rouillon

No need to be an expert… just full of motivation about this subject and willing to share it with locals. The main objectives will be to improve the status of the school canteen by working on sustainable initiatives, and to promote carbon-free travel by leading various projects with the school and community.

Activities:

The volunteer will lead the development of eco-friendly initiatives in the municipality of Rouillon, educating and encouraging inhabitants to take care of the environment with their daily actions. More specifically, missions may include:
Work with the school canteen and local producers to educate school children on the benefits of a greener menu (local produce, organic produce, changing their attitude to vegetarian options)
Work with the school, school canteen, activity center, and other local institutions to lead by example by reducing waste and promoting more sustainable waste management (recycling, compost, etc.)
Coordination of walking bus/cycling bus (Pédibus/Vélobus) for greener school journeys
Facilitate cycling in Rouillon: propose cycle paths, bike reparation stations, etc.
Organize activities for children around the topic of taking care of the environment, in class, during school break times, or at the local activity center (which runs on Wednesdays and during the school holidays).
Support the local Youth Council (CMJ) in launching eco-friendly projects for the town
Organize community events (workshops, excursions, fairs, clean walks) to encourage eco-friendly actions.

Volunteering at the municipality of Saint Georges du Bois

Located 8 kilometers from Le Mans, this peri-urban commune has about 2,200 inhabitants and hosts many services: bakery, restaurant, bar-tobacco shop, supermarket, medical and paramedical office, pharmacy, dentist, nursery school, etc. It is part of the urban community of Le Mans Métropole.

Activities:

In a general and transversal way, the volunteer will be accompanied by his referents to acquire skills for the following missions
Setting up individual or group activities.
Designing educational projects with the other animators present in the structure.
Organization of an activity program.
Setting up activities and games with the material provided.
Sensitization and mobilization of the public and partners on the different projects.
Accompaniment of the different persons.
Interaction and exchange with the different actors of a project and with the colleagues of the team

Travel: You will be reimbursed on a base of a budget depending on your means of transportation and the
country you are traveling from.
Accommodation: You will have your own room in a shared house near the center of Le Mans, with easy
access to local transportation for your daily commutes. Common spaces are shared with other volunteers.
Monthly expenses: You will get each month money for your food, and pocket money, transferred in your
bank account at the end of the month you have just done. Pocket money is 210€/month, and food money is either 210€/month + lunch offered at the school canteen on workdays or 240€/month if no lunches are covered.
Language: You will have access to the EU Academy platform for online French classes, and you will have the possibility to take part in French classes at the university of Le Mans.

For more information about the projects you can check the infopack here.

How to apple for the project:

To apply for the project, candidates have to send their CV & MOTIVATION LETTER to marco@nyh.ee.

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