🏢 About the local organisation
Associazione InformaGiovani is a no-profit organisation founded in 2001 with the following aims:
- to promote human and civil rights, with particular attention to the right to information and participation of young people;
- to protect social interest, with particular attention to students and young people;
- to promote active citizenship, in particular among disadvantaged young people and at risk of social exclusion, and promote youth empowerment;
- to promote local and international volunteering as a tool for non-formal education, active participation and social inclusion.
The association pursues the mentioned purposes through two main fields of action.
1. Social voluntary work.
The association regularly carries out projects that intertwine the themes of volunteering, legality, social inclusion, sustainable development and media education. For several years we have specialised our activities on the issues of social inclusion, involving NEET participants and unemployed young people, young migrants, young people with sensory disabilities, and young offenders in probation period. Over the years, the association has managed numerous international projects in Italy and other European countries, within the "Youth in Action" programmes ("4.3 - Training and networking of operators active in youth work and youth organizations", and "4.6 - Partnership"), "Erasmus Plus" (Key Action 1 - Mobility of Youth and Youth Workers; Key Action 2 - Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good Practices, Capacity Building in the Field of Youth; Key Action 3 - Support for Political Reforms, Civil Society Cooperation: Youth Sector), Daphne III, and "Europe for Citizens".
In particular we have been regularly implementing:
- European Voluntary Service / European Solidarity Corps projects both as coordinating, sending and hosting organisation, involving more than 100 young volunteers both in short and long-term projects;
- training courses and seminars for youth workers, social workers, teachers, juvenile justice workers, aimed at promoting international volunteering as a tool for social intervention and on the themes of interculturalism, group management and leadership, media literacy and critical thinking, digitisation of youth work;
- international youth exchanges under the "Youth in Action" and Erasmus + programme;
- restorative justice activities through voluntary work and international mobility for the social inclusion of young people in the penal area (in collaboration with various territorial offices of the Department for Juvenile Justice);
- international workcamps in Sicily and Italy, addressing local community needs related to environment and sustainable development, public space renovation, creativity and arts.
2. Information activities.
InformaGiovani carries out an intense activity of youth information through its multimedia tools. In fact, the association manages:
- the content of two web pages (www.informa-giovani.net and www.campidivolontariato.net) and a regular newsletter to disseminate information on job, training and learning opportunities at national and EU level, volunteering and international mobility opportunities, thematic news related to the work in the youth field and EU programmes/policies;
- three Facebook pages (@associazioneinformagiovani – general profile of the association where news about job, training, volunteering, calls, awards are posted; @Campidivolontariato – specifically dedicated to international individual and group volunteering mobilities; @EUNetworkIG – dedicated to international initiatives implemented by IG and its EU partners);
- Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/inforgiovani) with a total of over 50,000 views and a Twitter and Instagram account;
- Issuu profile (https://issuu.com/inforgiovani), where publication and output in the field of youth work are shared.
Moreover, InformaGiovani organises meetings and info-days in local youth centres, schools and public spaces to promote volunteering and active citizenships, mobility opportunities and European Programmes for youth.
Finally, InformaGiovani manages an information desk located in a property confiscated from the mafia obtained in concession by the Municipality of Palermo. In the information desk, we provide consultancy on Erasmus+/ESC programmes, orientation and support to young people about mobility and volunteering opportunities, we implement events on topics of interest to young people, training and preparation to international mobilities.
💼 What the programme involves
Municipality of Roccalumera, recently affected by Cyclone Harry. Even though the town was only slightly affected by the cyclone, the limited local resources have been redirected to relief efforts. Consequently, the work of the volunteers will be helpful for the community, enabling initiatives that would otherwise be overviewed.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Volunteers will be accommodated in a local apartment, sleeping on camp beds and sleeping mats in shared rooms. Food will be provided by the host organisation; volunteers will cook their meals together as a group.
The project takes place in Roccalumera, a seaside municipality located on the eastern coast of Sicily, along with its surrounding hamlets (Sciglio and Allume). During their free time, volunteers will have the opportunity to explore the area, enjoy the local beaches, and interact with the resilient local community.
🎒 Leisure activities
Volunteers will provide concrete support to the local community of the Sicilian town of Roccalumera. Main tasks will include the maintenance, cleaning, and requalification of public spaces, such as painting railings, garden upkeep, setting up "book huts," and beach cleaning. The work will be carried out in the town of Roccalumera as well as the nearby hamlets of Sciglio and Allume. Furthermore, volunteers will assist in organising a final public event to promote volunteering and European youth mobility programmes to local residents.
⚠️ Requirements
The Participant profile: To participate in this project, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria: candidates must be 18 to 30 years old and reside in one of the eligible countries. When adding together this new volunteering opportunity and any previous participation in EU volunteering programmes, the total duration cannot exceed 12 months. Attitude & Interests: aptitude for teamwork, adaptability, and willingness to carry out manual work. No prior experience is necessary, but participants must be eager to learn and actively engage. Interpersonal Skills: Openness to collaboration and interaction with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Full availability for the entire duration of the program is mandatory. Note: activities will be implemented outdoors, and volunteers must be prepared for the summer heat in Sicily.
Deadline:
ℹ️ Additional information
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, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (
https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your 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.