"Bridge to Solidarity PBA" - European Solidarity Corps

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together” says James Cash Penney.

This PBA will offer the opportunity to establish an international cooperation in the field of volunteering and increase the quality of European Solidarity Corps projects.

“Bridge to Solidarity” is a Partnership Building Activity (PBA) that aims to increase knowledge about the European Solidarity Corps and to create a solid and trustable network of partners interesting in organizing ESC projects.

The activity is especially addressed to members of participant organizations on European Solidarity Corps but it’s open also to organizations with experience that are interested in finding new partners for future projects.

By exploring the European Solidarity Corps in different dimensions, methods and resources, this PBA intends to promote innovation and creativity in the developing of youth volunteering activities by exchanging methods, experiences, points of view and ideas.

Through the principles and practices of non-formal education and in an atmosphere where participants can learn from each other, “Bridges to Solidarity” will include teamwork and network activities, capacitation activities, exchange of ideas and practices, and visit to inspiring projects.

Objectives:

- to understand the volunteering meaning and context;

- to ensure a thorough understanding of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC);

- to explore and understand the different roles within a ESC project ;

- to provide space to exchange ideas, sharing realities and good practices in the field of Volunteering projects;

- to feel inspired by non-formal education methods and exercises that could help the organizations and their actors to fell more empowered and acquire new skills and competences to work with youngsters;

- to provide space for networking between participating organizations and planning of further Partnership Building Activities, Seminars, Volunteering Projects, Solidarity Projects, Traineeships and others.

With this overall and objectives we intend that participants achieved the following outcomes:

- conceptualize the deeper meaning of Volunteering projects and its benefit to local community, volunteers and organizations;

- to enhance the quality of Volunteering projects, especially with attention to selection of partners and selection of volunteers;

- apply new methods for recognising learning and developing competences with young people in the daily work and in the hosting activities for volunteers;

- reflect and work in Volunteering project(s);

- identify potential partners for future projects;

- create a network capable of creating new Volunteering projects.

Summarising, the PBA will give the opportunity for organizations, with and without experience in ESC projects, to exchange ideas and to create new projects on Volunteering through an inclusion and supported process.