Supported by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission

O RGANIZED P ARTNERSHIP BY E UROPEAN VOLUNTEER N ETWORKING

A report by:
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A OPEN An overview

It all started in Oslo in January 2010, when three German and one Norwegian colleagues set down their idea for a common project. With the help of this first draft they were able to inspire enthusiasm for cooperation among two other organizations based in the Czech Republic and in Turkey and a continuous and fruitful partnership was created. The mixture of these four European participating countries could not have been more interesting. Norway, Germany, the Czech Republic and Turkey differ not only with regard to their location in Europe, but also regarding their socio-political background. Each of these countries has its own and very specific history as far as social work and the development of volunteering in society are concerned. The central idea of our project was to learn about and experience them. Furthermore, one of the main goals of our cooperation was to link up people in Europe who work voluntarily to achieve a more just Europe and a society with equal opportunities for everyone. Our goals will be described in more detail in the following.

Goals of OPEN: Getting to know the conditions/context of the other organizations Learning more about the relation between their salaried and voluntary workers Gaining practical experience Experiencing different concepts, methods and approved procedures in an international environment Comparing the structures of different countries and discussing their advantages and disadvantages Working out best practices Adapting these best practices to the conditions of the respective organization and integrating them into everyday work life Spreading the new insights in ones own local/ national surroundings. The learners/volunteers were the centre of attention and the target group of the project. They did not only attend the workshops, but participated actively in the project as a whole and in defining the content and implementation of every single workshop. At the same time they also contributed to the evaluation and spread of the workshop results. Thus there was a nice cooperation between volunteers and salaried employees.

The rough framework of the project was developed by the salaried employees of the four organizations. Therefore four workshops were held in the course of two years in the four participating countries. These three-day workshops were organized for about 20 to 25 participants, each of them having the same structure: on the first evening after the arrival people had the chance to get to know each other on the occasion of a pleasant dinner and at the same time, they could refresh themselves after an exhausting journey to be full of energy for the following days. The following two days were packed with lectures, discussions, talks to different topics, formal and informal exchange of ideas as well as visits to institutions and projects. Every workshop consisted of different methods and above all of a mixture of theory and practice. Nevertheless, in every country, different key areas became apparent, which were not defined beforehand, but resulted from the individual decision of every organization when planning the workshops. The key areas were: Discussions about the topic volunteering in Turkey Elaborating a hypothetical project for volunteers in Germany Diving into the diverse practical work of volunteers in the Czech Republic Development of awareness for the effect of communication and dealing with media in Norway. In all of the participating countries, the workshop was prepared together with the volunteers. Back home, they processed the results and presented them in public.

The results of the workshops are summarized in this document. In addition, reports were published on the homepages of the respective organizations.

The OPEN project is funded by the GRUNDTVIG programme of the European Commission, which supports many different projects in Europe under the headword lifelong learning. In Germany, the lifelong learning programmes are represented by the National Agency of the Federal Institute of Vocational Training. On the Internet under the headword European Shared Treasure there is a database giving further information on the current GRUNDTVIG projects, their international partners, project goals and issues. You can also find the OPEN project on this database!

B Toplum Gnllleri Vakfi

Toplum Gnllleri (TOG) was founded in Istanbul in 2002. Its mission is to contribute to the development of a youth marked by an awareness for social issues and by self-respect. By doing so, TOG wants to unite young peoples energy, to enhance solidarity and to create a society which is more socially aware. To achieve this goal, TOG offers financial and social support for all young people in Turkey who want to organize workshops, discussions, campaigns or other projects. At the same time TOG participates in the European Voluntary Service (EVS). Through various experiences TOG has gained valuable specialized knowledge, which makes them experts in national and international volunteer work. www.tog.org.tr

The first OPEN workshop took place in Turkey at the end of March 2011. The international team spent two days and respectively three nights in the beautiful city of Istanbul. On this occasion different topics were discussed, all having to do with voluntary work. The workshop in Instanbul represented the first step in the process of inspiration based on the experience of others and led to a transfer of this inspiration into our own local projects. On the first day the focus was on getting to know the different organizations and their structures concerning volunteers as well as on exchanging ideas about the notion of voluntary work in general. With the help of presentations and a project exhibition the participants from the different countries described the issues and framework of their

work. During this phase, many new ideas and questions, but also analogies as well as similar structures became apparent. Contacts were established to be able to exchange material after the two days in Turkey, to follow the course of interesting projects and to gain further stimuli for ones own work. Finally, the exchange about important issues led to a discussion about incentives and challenges, motivation and conflicts in volunteer work, with which the first working day ended. As many participants of the workshop were committed in the field of refugee work, the general conditions of (voluntary) refugee work in Turkey were on next days agenda. Representatives of three organizations operating on a local and national scale presented their work to an interested group of people:

UNHCR (United Nations Commission for Refugees)

High

Project Citizens of Hope (a student initiative supported by TOG)

Helsinki Citizens Assembly (Counsellor and important mouthpiece for refugees in Turkey) This very informative and interesting day passed very quickly and the group finished it with a jovial farewell celebration, where we could say goodbye to our new

acquaintances before starting our journey home a journey enriched by new experiences and ideas. Moreover, it was still possible to meet on a private basis or on the Facebook page which had been created for the OPEN project.

...I got a lot of new information about a refugee issue in Turkey, which was particularly interesting because Turkey has a different refugee policy contrary to the European Union. Karolina (CR)

that ideas can be turned into projects and that projects can really be realized. You simply have to have the courage to start such projects and you should know where you can get support for your project. Thats what I have learned from TOG. Selma (GE)

Best practice in Toplum Gnllleri: The 5 key concept

This concept is meant to be a five-step introduction to volunteer work used in short training courses with volunteers. The number of courses a volunteer has completed can be used to indicate the intensity of his commitment to his/her organization. Key nr. 1: ORIENTATION - Introdution to the basic structure of the superordinate organization Key nr. 2: VOLUNTEERING AND CIVIL SOCIETY TRAINING - Deeper knowledge about volunteering today and its place in history Key nr. 3: PROJECT MANAGEMENT TRAINING - Learning methods to implement ones own projects Key nr. 4: TEAM WORK IN VOLUNTARY PROJECTS - Reflection on ones own way of communicating and its effect on the team Key nr. 5: SUSTAINABLE PROJECT VOLUNTEER - A two-months internship in one of the projects of the respective organization

C Asylzentrum Tbingen e.V.

The Asylzentrum Tbingen e.V. has existed since 1987. Its mission is to support refugees and to promote an intercultural exchange. The Asylzentrum offers a wide range of supporting activities. First of all, there is legal and everyday life counselling and people may be accompanied when needed. Furthermore, there are diverse group-oriented offers, different campaigns as well as qualification and public relations work. Without the help of volunteers the Asylzentrums work would not be possible. Hence, the promotion of volunteering represents one of the organizations central tasks: Volunteers are regularly trained (plus special trainings when required), accompanied and supported by professional and practical advice. www.asylzentrum-tuebingen.de

At the workshop in Germany, which took place in Tbingen in July 2011, the focus also lay on volunteering. There were three participants from Norway, four from Turkey and five from the Czech Republic. Similarly to the workshop in Istanbul, the one in Tbingen consisted of a manifold mixture of different methods and issues: After having got to know the colleagues at a pleasant get-together, there were two theoretical lectures on the first working day. First, an expert on the topic volunteering in Germany was invited to give a speech. In the Federal Republic of Germany volunteering has a long tradition. Yet, the commitment of young people seems to be motivated by personal, individual and ethical considerations rather than by an active effort for civil society. Second, we learned more

about legal issues by a lawyer who informed us about the background of the volunteer work of the Asylzentrum, the asylum seeker benefit law. After this rather theoretical introduction it was shown how both fields of work are put into practice by visiting a childrens group in Sindelfingerstrae and the caf run by the Asylzentrum in Neckargasse. The visitors now had lively conversations about the difficulties that volunteers face. They had many questions to the people who take care of, accompany, teach (private tuition) and advise refugees as well as to the refugees friends and to the refugees themselves. Thus, the official programme was extended into the free evening, which the majority of the group spent together. The second day started with a visit at the Institute of Peace Education in Tbingen.

Very interested the group followed the line of thought of the peace educationalists. Whereas the media constantly show how to make war, these people showed (illustrated by a number of pictures) different possibilities to achieve peace. This morning was very instructive and useful for the working life of the participants, who all do social work in different fields. To consolidate what they had learned, the participants had the possibility to elaborate their own project ideas in small groups in the afternoon, which were presented at a celebration in the evening.

At the farewell party on the second day/third evening the visitors had the chance to experience another form of volunteering in Tbingen, because this evening was organized in cooperation with the Aktion Asyl bye bye food packages! in the Schlatterhaus, where they offered one of their famous food package buffets. Many more guests, among them also some refugees, joined the party and this made the last evening (with further information, a lot of fun and also music and dance) a perfect conclusion of the preceding days.

I think we can be inspired by the volunteer support system from Turkey or the idea of Caf International project from Tbingen.

... I am very thankful for the trip under the Grundtvig Programme: it brought me yet another step forward on my journey towards improving my capability to understand other cultures and treat them with all due respect the way they are with everything that it takes. Iva (CR)

Best practice in Asylzentrum Tbingen: Caf International

Caf International is a place where the local population, students and refugees meet. It is a place where refugees can go without having to explain things, which is open to all questions and needs. Apart from the possibility to meet, to chat and to get to know new people, the caf offers free Internet access, a cup of tea, games and different activities like for instance cooking together. The caf is located directly next to the office of the Asylzentrum. Thus, the refugees have the possibility to get to know the institution and the people working there on an informal basis. If they need, they can get help for legal and everyday life concerns during the opening hours of the caf or during the regular consulting hours.

D Organizace Pro Pomoc Uprchlikum

Oranizace pro Pomoc Uprchlikum (OPU), the Organization for the Aid of Refugees, founded in 1991 in Prague, is a humanitarian non-profit organization. During the last 20 years, it has developed further and gained experience in the field of asylum seekers, recognized refugees and migrants in the Czech Republic. Today, OPU offers a wide range of legal and social counselling as well as educational measures in different parts of the Czech Republic. At the same time the employees of OPU are active in international development aid. www.opu.cz

The workshop in the Czech Republic in October 2011 also inspired many new ideas, new knowledge and motivation and was a lot of fun. We spent four days together with some old acquaintances and many new ones in the rather rainy but nevertheless very beautiful city of Prague. Although there was a new mixture of people like at every workshop, the group came together quickly and set off to learn new things. The main goals of the workshop were to explain the situation of the minor unaccompanied refugees (MUR) and the Romani in the Czech Republic to the participants. Both issues are currently of topical interest in Czech politics and are thus widely discussed on a national scale. At the same time they were placed on the agenda at the request of the international participants

themselves because both issues represent one of the challenges concerning employees and volunteers in the field of migration not only in the Czech Republic, but throughout Europe. On the first working day we were welcomed by the employees in the offices of our Czech host and we learned a lot about the Czech asylum system. Special emphasis was put on the MUR, who are very rare in the Czech Republic and who profit from a special treatment. On the next day (the second working day), we could form our own opinion about the accommodation in an institution for MUR and other refugees. Moreover, we encountered the question of how to deal with the group of the Romani. In the Romadrom we talked to social workers who had created an offer for kids and 8

adolescents of this ethnic group. Furthermore, we could find out more about the personal and political attitude of the Czechs towards the Romani. Unfortunately, as it is often the case, there was not enough time to work on the topics in more

detail. However, this could be made up for during personal conversations in the underground, on our hike through Prague, at breakfast or at our pub evening.

I was really inspired by the fun gang from [] Romodrom who also works with creative expression. Tone (NO) Volunteerism is humanity! This great trip allowed for reflection and creative ideas for other forms of volunteerism. [] What struck me was that a good part of the voluntary work was similar to our own work. This I interpret as the colunary sector to a large extent is about humanity and care for each other. Camilla Peace (NO)

Best practice in OPU: Commitment

OPU is the only facility of its kind to focus on foreign minors in the Czech Republic. There is a childrens home with a school and an educational institute for children Permon is intended for foreigners unaccompanied in the Czech Republic by parents or statutory representatives. Volunteers of the Organization for the Aid of Refugees have been working for Permon for four years and organizing free time activities for their clients. However, the volunteers felt that there was still something missing. So they started a project called Generation Lost Generation Found aimed at informing young foreigners about the educational system and the labour market in the Czech Republic. During the common weekends, Czech volunteers presented in an entertaining way all types of schools, conditions for admission and successful completion of each school and job opportunities. To increase the young peoples chances of success on the labour market, volunteers advised them how to write a CV and cover letter, behave in a job interview and presented types of work contracts etc. All activities were combined with visits of different parts of the Czech Republic and their attractions (castles, museums, IQ Park, restaurants etc.). The Generation Lost Generation Found project was unique in the Czech Republic because of its way of creation as well as its focus.

E Norsk Folkehelp

Norsk Folkehjelp, the "Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA), is a humanitarian organization which developed out of the labour movement and is based on the principle of solidarity. Since its foundation in 1939, the support of psychological and physical health as well as international solidarity has been the centre of its attention. The goals of NPA are human dignity and equality regardless of sex, skills, ethnic background, religion, age, sexual orientation or social status. By combining political lobbying and practical work NPA aims at improving peoples living conditions and at creating a more just society. The work of volunteers who work for NPA plays a crucial and irreplaceable role in achieving this goal. www.folkehjelp.no

Last but not least, our last workshop took place in Oslo. On 21st March 2012 six participants started their journey from Tbingen to Oslo. In the evening we met all participants at the welcome dinner in Oslo: Six from Norway, four from Prague and five from Istanbul. But at first there was no time for sightseeing, because the first day was packed with information: Laila Nikolaisen, a representative of our host NPA, told us about the historical development of the organization. After that Elin Lestrange of Labour Youth told us more about the principles of democracy and their realization as well as the ideals of adolescents and young adults in Norway, notably after the terrible attacks of 22 July 2011. At the end of the morning Ingvald Bertelsen (working for NOAS,

an NGO doing a lot of refugee counselling) told us sobering facts about the perspectives of (chiefly tolerated) asylum seekers. After a short snack the first workshop Asylum and refugees began. The multicultural participants had the task to identify incorrect press releases about refugees and to transform them into socially acceptable versions. Last, Brigitte Brekke gave a presentation on the structures of volunteering in Norway. The next day started with a journey to a collective accommodation near Oslo. There, Clelia, a young, committed woman working for NPA, told us about her voluntary work in the accommodation. Then, we were welcomed by the accomodations head who showed us around the buildings. Rune Berglund Stehen, who works for the Norwegian centre against racism, then 10

welcomed us in the rooms of NPA to inform us about his organization, the different fields of activity and the difficulties they are facing because of prejudice existing in Norway. He focused on the paperless people in Oslo, who stay in the city without accommodation, work and medical care. NPA representative Birgit Misfjord presented her impressive paper against racism in the context of the local campaigns. In a last workshop after our trip to the Nobel Peace Centre we worked out the basic conditions which would be necessary to promote volunteering in refugee work on an international scale.

We are discussing in our team the tea time project and the living library. We want to try to transfer it to our situation.

Best practice in Norsk Folkehjelp: campaign work

The Norwegian organization has a lot of great ideas for campaigns which attract peoples attention, among them Fordommer fordummer (prejudices make you stupid), Menneskebibliotek (the human library), rasismefri sone (racism free zone) and many others. Here we would only like to focus on two of these concepts. Die human library, which Norsk Folkehjelp runs in cooperation with some partner organizations, is based on a concept from Denmark. The name stands for the idea that for a certain period of time, a group of people can borrow a book in form of a person who, for some reason, suffers from various prejudices. Possible book titles to be borrowed are for example blind, refugee, suffering from Aids, homosexual, disabled or wearing a hijab. If you borrow one of these books, you can ask them all the questions that you have always wanted to ask such persons. The campaign aims at reducing prejudice and thus chose the slogan: Dont judge a book by its cover! In the campaign called tea time project, which is a great success in Norway, Muslims invite whole parts of a town, certain associations or a certain group of people via extensive poster advertising to drink tea at their home at a certain time. Surprisingly many guests have accepted the invitation.

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have the workshops changed the work of the volunteers?

Here are some statements of volunteers who describe in how far their attitude and their work itself have changed: We are more critical. We have got new ideas. Now we understand that fund-raising is crucial besides the work of volunteers. In future we will make every person aware of his/her rights. We will hand on the knowledge we gained in the OPEN project to the people around us. We are more creative. We are more motivated. We need more elderly people and more men in volunteer work. We need more volunteers who reunite the minority and majority of our population.

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