Advice while searching for an EVS project...

One of the best advices that I got while I was searching for an EVS project was to create an excel file with the applications that I've sent. I used to write the name of the organization that I have sent my application, the duration of the project, the town/country, the date that I have applied and the deadline.

 It helped me a lot , monitoring my tries and not getting completely lost. Unfortunatelly it happens that after 3-4 applications a person is not able to remember where has applied, when and for what so the best solution in order not to be found in the position "Oh-no-they-called-me-for-interview-$#%#-I don't remember-for-what-I-had-applied" is this!

Here you can download the template that I used!

How to find an EVS project : Tips&advices!

As soon as you have collected all the necessary info and you are sure that you want to go abroad for a period offering volunteer work, you have to find a project that you like and of course be accepted.

How do I find an EVS project?

•  The first step that you can do in order to find an EVS project is to contact a local organization that sends volunteers (or at least want to try to send you!). There , apart from all the info that you have -first hand- they may have some placements to propose you, from organizations that they already collaborate. In this case, they know the conditions, the problems that may errupt and you will have all the support needed.In case that they don't have direct contacts and projects with other organizations, problably they will forward you some mails with EVS vacancies. 
• The most official (and long) database it the one of the European Commission

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm  There you can find all  the EVS projects that they are approved but also lots of projects that they were approved years ago and they are not any more valid. Plus there are not information like deadline for application.

The best that this page has to offer are the contacts of organizations that they are active in doing EVS projects. In case for example you are searching of doing an EVS project on a specific theme or in a specific country the best thing you have to do is to contact directly the organizations asking if they are any places avalaible!

• Another database, very updated and useful is the one of Youthnetworks

www.youthnetworks.eu

There they are plenty of vacancies, updated very often, so give it a try!

• A last one (but not least because like this I find my EVS project!) is to use social network. If you are in contact with organizations, you may see a post or a tweet about a position that may be your ideal EVS!

Finding an EVS project takes a lot of time and unfortunately a lot of energy. Searching a project on a theme that you like, for a period that yoy like, starting on a period that you like and on a country that you like is indeed very hard. For example you may want to do volunteering with kids, in a country that you would love to go, the program description is fantastic but the program is for 12 months and you go abroad only 6!

Addittionally, a lot of people are searching for doing EVS, probably more than the places so there is a lot of competition. Writing applications and motivation letters over and over it can be dissapointed. :(

My advice is to try different channels for searching for projects, keep noting the applications that you have made (because in the end aftetr 10 applications you would nemember if they call you for interview what was the 5th application job description about and nobody garantees that the announcement will be online!) and try to compromise. See what is more important for you the dates of the project? the theme? or the place? And choose according these priorities!

Rome's secret #3

Porta Portese

One of the best things that one can do in Rome is to visit Porta Portese flea market on a Sunday morning

https://maps.google.it/maps?daddr=Italy&gl=it&panel=1&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=0,41.883555,12.474773&cid=0,0,13726538680109631787&hq=porta+portese+market&hnear=0x132f6196f9928ebb:0xb90f770693656e38,Rome&t=m&z=16

Apart from the fact the market is HUGE and you can find whatever you want, there are many second hand clothes that cost from 0.50e and are from famous labels.

Tip: Go as early as possible in the morning!

What is a Youth Exchange?

What is a Youth Exchange?

The European Commission's website describes it like this:

Youth Exchanges offer an opportunity for groups of young people from different countries to meet and learn about each other’s cultures.

What is the aim?

The aim of Youth Exchanges is to get groups of young people from different countries together so they can explore their social and cultural differences and similarities. Youth Exchanges are targeted at young people between the age of 13 and 25. They receive the unique opportunity to experience significant mutual learning situations and to strengthen their feeling of being Europeans. Each exchange must have a theme that is relevant to the daily experiences of the young people involved but also has a clear European dimension. 

 Age limits

The participants should be 13-25 years old. However there is the possibility for participants aged 26-30, but this cannot exceed the 20% of the total number of the participants.

Youth Leader 

Every group has to be accompanied by a Youth Leader, a figure that guides the team , support the participants and usually has taken part in the APV. There is no age limit for the Youth Leader.

APV

The APV (Advanced Planned Visit) is usually a 3 day visit that the Youth Leader does some weeks before the youth exchange in order to meet the organization team, the other Youth Leaders, the location that the exchange will take place, discuss the economic issues etc.

Economic conditions

The program offers up to 70% reimbursement of the travel tickets for the particpants, food, accommodation, insurance and the Youthpass certificate.

Duration of the Youth Exchange

It can be from 6 to 25 days but normally they are around 8-10 days.

Youthpass

A certificate from the European Comission. For more info here

Rome's secret #2

After a lot of months in Rome, some people talked about "The secret of Rome", a place that is very close to the Metro Station Circo Massimo and is actually a door with a hole that you look through.

In piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta

https://maps.google.it/maps?q=piazza+dei+cavalieri+di+malta&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Piazza+dei+Cavalieri+di+Malta,+Roma,+Lazio&gl=it&t=m&z=16

it is located the door that a lot of tourists make a line in order to have a glance through the hole. Or "Il buco di Roma", in italian.

So what is seen through the hole?

Well, everybody keeps the secret and try not to say until you look through, therefore I am not going to reveal the secret either!!

Trip to Napoli and Pompei

On a cold weekend in February , I decided with a friend to visit Napoli and Pompei. Napoli is very close to Rome, around 2h by train and the ticket cost around 12euros.

Napoli is considered to be "dangerous" city by many, as the presence of Camorra, the famous mafia is very intense. Additionally, we have heard a lot of stories about pickpockets, murders and other horror stories that happened  in Napoli to people that went to visit, exactly like us. Overacting 100%! Being always careful with your personal staff and not choose dark small alleys to walk in the midnight kept us alive and safe. The only bad thing that happened is maybe to gain a little bit weight of all these delicious food that the city has to offer!

 

With around 15 euros, we stayed to hostel Mancini (http://www.hostelpensionemancini.com/) a youth hostel in the center, close to the train station. The rooms weren't the cleanest ever, but the stuff were helpful enough and provide us with a lot info and tips! 

 

Worth to visit: Pompei

 

Very close to Napoli and cheap enough to go by train is the ancient site of Pompei, a city that was destroyed and buried under the ash by of the Vesuvius.

The magnificent with the visit to this archeological site, (apart the 11 euros entrance), is that you walk across the village and with the help of the audio guides and the very well preserved houses you can understand exactly how life was back then.

 

The Gym (if I remember correct)

Ancient fast-food (down from these holes there was fire that was preparing the food. In front is the main street, that citizens used to pass by)

 

Tip: Allow at least 4-5 hours to visit and take the audio guides! Without them you cannot understand the story of the city and what your are seeing!

 

Rome's secret #1 "Nasone"

Soon after I arrived in Rome, I noticed all these small fountains around Rome that provide water for free to Rome visitors and citizens.

In italian they are called "Nasone",  meaning big nose as the metallic form that provides the water a lot of times looks like a big nose..!

You can find online also a map of the nasone in Rome (but normally you don't have a problem to find them they around almost around every corner). The water is very fresh and is said to be one of the cleanest in Rome!