Project details

• Number of volunteers: 1
• Duration: September to July (changes possible)
• Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy), Creativity and culture
• Hosting Organisation: aha – Jugendinformationszentrum Vorarlberg Dornbirn, Austria
• Supporting/Coordination organisation: aha – Jugendinformationszentrum Vorarlberg Dornbirn, Austria

The main target group are young people between 12 and 30 years of age. Information is provided on education and training, employment, travel, active citizenship, leisure time activities, legal questions, health, politics etc.

In different activities and workshops with young people we cover aspects such as active citizenship, democratic values, transnational interest and solidarity, equality, diversity and inclusion, youth empowerment, enabling informed decision-making, peer-to-peer education in non-formal and informal settings.

The International Department of our organisation also coordinates the regional activities of the programmes “Erasmus+" and "European Solidarity Corps”; coordinating all local volunteering projects as well as sending volunteers and informing youth organisations on a variety of funding opportunities.

(In this case, the aha youth information centre is at the same time hosting organisation as well as coordinating organisation. Keep in mind, though, that your main tutor and the overall project coordinator are different persons, working in different areas of the organisation.)

At our organisation, volunteers will have a diverse volunteering experience, where they can meet many people and try out working in different areas. After having been introduced to the different areas, the volunteers can deepen the experience in their fields of interest. Our main areas which have proved quality experiences for volunteers are:

Assist youth with developing their knowledge and skills, support them if they have questions.

Help preparing and organising special information events (e. g. on “going abroad”) at information fairs (Dornbirn fair, University fair etc.).

Most of the activities can be done without or with only little knowledge of German. Some of the activities will only start when the volunteer’s German has reached a certain level.

Most importantly, though, the volunteer should be motivated to communicate with young people and be prepared to take the initiative to get in contact with them. They should be flexible and willing to take part in our work, our activities, projects and workshops.

The infrastructure with trains and buses is very accessible and frequent. Additionally, s*he will also have a bicycle at her*his disposal. The volunteer will receive a ticket for free use of any public transport in the whole region of Vorarlberg during the complete duration of the ESC project.

The Project Coordinator will hold a monthly evaluation meeting with all volunteers in Vorarlberg. At the end of the project, we will evaluate the project together with the volunteer: to see what s*he has learned and which competences s*he has gained and as a result fill out the Youthpass. Furthermore, there will be a final personal evaluation meeting with the Project Coordinator.