Grow to Dream – WEB FORUM - European Volunteering in the moment of COVID-19

We wish to create a space for a dialogue among practitioners (experts, youth workers, social activists, volunteers) from around Europe involved in ESC-Volunteering projects, for:

• exploring how to support solidarity and mutual learning among volunteers and local community in the time of COVID19, with a special focus on young people with fewer opportunities
• sharing best practices, which could be directly adapted in the project facing a crisis with isolation and virus.
• as a result finding solutions to deal with ESC volunteering projects in the present situation
• harvesting impulses how to work constructively with the present situation, how to monitor it, take lessons, evaluate it, and plan future steps 
• creating a networking space for mutual support among the different actors (coordinators, mentors, volunteers, stakeholders)
• sharing good practice examples on how to continue the implementation of ESC volunteering project during pandemic times
• developing strategic solutions for our organisations, collecting recommendations for stakeholder (NA and SALTO), empowering volunteers for networking

We aim with the forum to: 

• develop a common ground of quality for future network activities within the European Solidarity Program
• raise awareness of how to foster the inclusion dimension and accessibility of our activities with young people 
• develop better understanding of how to increase the impact of our activities on local and international level
• create a space for sharing good practices, and exchange our experience to grow together within future partnerships

Topics/Questions:

• how could we use resources, skills and knowledge from the project to deal with the new curcumstances: dealing with uncertainty, fear and motivation of the volunteers - how to support?
• how to restructure project activities according to the circumstances, remaining the solidarity dimension, digital solutions, local community support
• formal aspects of the project implementation (finances, changed duration, recrutation...)
• how to keep the volunteers learning process going on in times of Corona-crisis
• change of activities/ space for reflection/recognition of learning/ digital learning
• vision for the time after the Corona-Pandemia - how ESC can support the restart

Program Elements:

• solidarity - inclusion dimension
• best practices from the projects which could be relevant in present situation (using appreciative inquiry method and the Art of Hostig Approach )
• developing support structures (for Voluneters, Organsitions, Local Communtiy)
• innovation and flexibility in project implementation
• non-formal learning ONLINE (explore tools and methods)
• project management in an uncertain perspective of the future
• visioning and design thinking for project development and future partnerships

Practical Info:

dates: 24./25. of April 2020

place: WEB-CONFERENCE

registration: open till the 19th of April – follow the LINK
https://forms.gle/98yXDAn5CSNQmgrB9

costs: registration, materials and conference expenses are fully covered

contact for questions: efd@cabuwazi.de 

Organiser: 

CABUWAZI is a social youth circus based in Berlin. With its five places in socially difficult areas of the city, CABUWAZI offers circus pedagogical activities for children and youngsters aged between 4 and 21 years old. Next to regular training, CABUWAZI organises shows, holiday camps, co-operations with schools and refugee camps and circus pedagogical training for teachers. The activities of CABUWAZI are based on the idea that individuals, and children in specific, need to increase social competences in order to build up a stable and safe environment. For many years CABUWAZI has been active in international networks and partnerships to strengthen the impact of its local work and develop strategic cooperation with international partners (within the Erasmus+, ESC-Program). More info: www.cabuwazi.de