ESC: The Machers: volunteering for the Jewish Culture Festival

Name: ESC: The Machers: volunteering for the Jewish Culture Festival
Start: 2024-05-24
End: 2024-07-12
Location: Kraków, Poland

Code: 39329660ff49055c9e Copied

Poland Culture Education European Voluntary Service Social work Culture Education +2 Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

The Society Jewish Culture Festival aims to promote contemporary Jewish culture from Israel and the Diaspora, fostering a welcoming environment and combating anti-Semitism. Through events like the annual Jewish Culture Festival and year-round programs at the Cheder, as well as voluntary work opportunities through The Machers program, the Society engages young people from Europe and Israel. Volunteers assist in organizing one of Poland's largest cultural events, offering logistical support, aiding in event production, and promoting the festival. Emphasizing cultural diversity, intercultural competence training is provided to volunteers, addressing challenges like adaptation to new communities. The project seeks to activate volunteers' potential, enhancing their skills and competencies in personal, educational, social, and professional development. It fosters equal social opportunities and community engagement, aiming to empower volunteers to undertake their own projects. Through individual support and development opportunities, the project aims to create a more inclusive and equitable society, while also promoting cultural exchange and community development.

💼 What the programme involves

A Macher in Yiddish is “an important guy”, the one who not only “does” things, but also bristles with energy to act. It is a dynamic person – not only has great ideas, but also actively pursues them. In Yiddish, “a macher” refers to an important person who has an influence on their surroundings – a real influencer. A Macher is also a volunteer of the Jewish Culture Festival, who helps us to create the Festival in summer. All the Machers are also invited to develop their own projects, in order to learn, gain experience and make new friends. For the whole month, Krakow will be the volunteers' second home, whilst other volunteers and co-coordinators – their closest persons. It will be the time for experiencing multiculturalism and for seeing how beautifully we can differ from each other, still making up a coherent and well-functioning community. Join our partner's volunteers – become a Macher!

More info: https://www.jewishfestival.pl/en/the-machers

🏠 Accommodation on site

Volunteers will be accommodated in twin dorm rooms booked specially for them, located in Kazimierz. This is a modern dormitory opened in 2020. Each room has an ensuite bathroom, small fridge, electric kettle, most of them also have a large balcony.

🍲 Food

Our partner is covering all cost of the volunteers' food.

📍 About the location

Krakow, located in southern Poland, is a city rich in history and culture. Founded in the 7th century, it is one of the oldest and largest cities in Poland. Its historic center, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is filled with magnificent churches, medieval squares, and picturesque streets. Krakow is also known for its vibrant cultural institutions and thriving nonprofit sector. Many nonprofit organizations are active in the city, working on various social, cultural, and environmental issues. These associations regularly organize events, community projects, and awareness campaigns to improve the lives of city residents and promote overall well-being.

🎒 Leisure activities

In Krakow, volunteers will have plenty of options for activities. They can start by exploring the city's beautiful historic center, with its cobblestone streets, bustling squares, and stunning medieval churches. Don't miss a visit to Wawel Castle, the former residence of the Polish kings, and the famous Cloth Hall, where they'll find local artisans selling souvenirs and handcrafted goods. Krakow is also home to fascinating museums, including the National Museum, the City's Historical Museum, and the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. For a more relaxed experience, volunteers can stroll along the Vistula River, shop in the quaint shops of the Kazimierz district, or unwind in one of the city's many cafes and restaurants, enjoying traditional Polish dishes.

⚠️ Requirements

The participant profile: our partner is looking for an outgoing and open-minded person, willing to work in a diverse team. The main goal of the program is to educate about the Jewish culture in Poland and our partner is looking for someone open to such experience. Volunteers will also be a part of one of the most important cultural events in Poland and one of the largest Jewish culture festivals worldwide. They will also participate in the pre-festival events for volunteers.
Application deadline: 30/04/2024.

ℹ️ Additional information

Our partner is covering all cost of the volunteers' travel: our partner is buying return flight / train tickets to and from Krakow for the volunteers.

The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?

Training before and after the project;
health insurance during your project;
round-trip travel reimbursement;
accommodation and food;
pocket money;
language course;
return week-end;
Youth Pass and SVI international volunteer passport.

Before applying for this volunteering project, volunteers need to enroll themselves at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify their European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.