“Chance. Choice. Change”
Asociatia Sirinia Berzasca—România
www.facebook.com/asociatia.sirinia www.sirinia.ro
The story we truly believe in
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GENERAL INFO
“Chance. Choice. Change” - we believe contributing to a humanitarian project like this is not
only a chance for the community, but it is also a major opportunity for introducing life-transforming experiences in the lives of the volunteers we'd be hosting. Their acquiring transversal competences,
as outlined in the Youthpass Certificate - and beyond - would be
an integral part of their participation in the project, and the
mutual exposure beneficial.
Our objectives within this project are to:
- increase the level of education and future opportunities for children
and youth through a consistent program of non-formal educational
activities;
- foster curiosity and positive attitudes towards other cultures of
the world, through inter-cultural events in the community;
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- educate expectations for their own future for the youngsters, especially by promoting European opportunities in the field of youth, and promoting active citizenship;
- enhancing the international dimension of our activities by
partnering with European organizations, through the best
praxis exchange;
- showcase the intrinsic beauty and value of remote, rural areas of Romania, which conceal great potential, by creating a context for
living and working there for 6 foreign volunteers;
- provide a true learning experience in a non-formal environment for 6
young people from Italy, Spain, Portugal.
6 VOLUNTEERS FROM:
Italy...2 Portugal... 2 Spain...2
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
• School after School: non-formal, educational activities for
underprivileged children and youth
• Community in Action: awareness campaign, workshops, etc.
• Waves of Visibility: the local community is an eclectic mix of nationalities (Romanians, Czechs, Serbs, Roma) —> great platform for raising awareness on world cultures and traditions(including the volunteers’)
• Romanian language class Other activities of the organization &
administrative tasks
PROJECT PRIORITIES
• Youth Participation & Work
• Intercultural / Intergenera- tional Education
• Lifelong Learning
The story we truly believe in
We look forward to welcoming you in Berzasca
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Berzasca is a border town, situated on the Danube, 55 km of large boilers
named “Cazanele Mari”, the wonderful sight on the Danube, 100
km from the Iron Gates (Portile de Fier) and Baile Herculane resort -
famous since Roman times. The nearest border crossing point is Naidăș and the distance between Berzasca and Belgrade is 200 km. In
the Danube Gorge up to Orșova there were found traces of Turkish
and Austro-Hungarian influences;
also, the Ponicova cave, famous for its stalactites and stalagmites, is in this area. Several castles of Maria Theresa are scattered around both banks of the Danube - the Romanian one and the Serbian one. The nearest international airport is 200 km away, in Timisoara. Berzasca is located in an
area rich in resources, but very poorly explored. This last fact is
something we want to change through constant international presence in Berzasca. Young people
nowadays have greater mobility opportunities. The volunteers we
currently host in Berzasca have already expressed their intention to
come back, once their stage is finished, on vacation in Berzasca.
The area of Berzasca is considered an Underprivileged Mountainous Area.
Its population of approximately 2000 people live in geographical isolation, made worse by the meager transport infrastructure into the village. This recluseness has kept the potential of
the area from flourishing; the isolation has impacted not only the
economical status of the area, but also the human spirit and state of mind, which has been perpetuated
from the parents to the children.
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PROJECT-SPECIFIC INFO The EVS volunteers will benefit from
relevant experience which will offer them the chance to learn, to see things from different perspectives, to practice and gain new abilities that will be very
useful in their development as young adults. They will have the opportunity
to plan projects based on their own ideas, to get involved in the preparation
stage of the activities and they will be encouraged to offer input for the
follow-up plan.
A weekly program of non-formal activities for children between 6 – 15
years old, providing after-school activities. The activities foreseen will take place both indoors and outdoors.
The methodology used will be non- formal; of the activities that will take place we can enumerate: learning-by- playing, role play, theater, name games,
sports activities, cooking workshops, quizzes, painting, handicraft-making, foreign language workshops (English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese), arts and crafts, sports competitions; healthy
lifestyle and personal hygiene workshops.
This sector of activities will generate impact locally, among the population of
Berzasca, through engagement of the locals in various themed-campaigns, on
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topics ranging from environment protection (such as “Let’s Do It, Romania!”), human rights (such as a
human chain), European concerns and citizenship (public debate);
education and social responsibility.
Besides from the project blog and Facebook page, volunteers will elaborate 2 newsletters; 1 brochure
in which to encompass the main activities and the inter-cultural impact relevant for them; 1 project
journal, highlighting the main points of each month; and 1 video
clip of the project, with footage taken throughout the 9 months in
Romania.
WHAT TO BRING:
- Winter Jacket and boots - Camera (don’t forget the
charger) - Laptop (although we do have computer here for you to use) - Small amount in cash in an easy-to-change currency (EUR, USD) - Sewing kit (for those emergency re-pairs) - Personal medical AID kit - Photocopies of all your
documents – Towel (we provide bed linen)
