ESC: Volunteering at Nõva/Laseri welfare Unit

AS Hoolekandeteenused is a state-owned enterprise and the main area of activity of the organization is providing social welfare services to adults with special mental needs. In addition to providing services for adults, we offer substitute home and childcare service to children with special mental needs. The enterprise was established in 2007. Several of our homes have a long and dignified history, for decades they have rendered services to people with special mental and physical needs and helped them to cope with their life better. EVS is very good opportunity and a big challenge for young person to learn something about Estonia and its culture, language and also about him/herself. Everyday we work for one goal- that people who live with us should have active and positive day no matter of their age, gender or disability. We are also very active in sports like walking, games, dancing, singing and activities like art and handicraft. Personnel monitors client´s health and development, provides medical care, teaches them basic skills and support every person to be as independent as they can, runs leisure time activities such as handicraft, sport, gymnastics and musical activities. Our aims are: - introduce social work and social service providing in Estonia; - introduce working with people with special nees; - provide opportunity to learn skills and knowledge to volunteers; - enrich the everyday life of our clients offering different kind of support and introduce different people to them; - it is opportunity to collect and find new approaches, get new ides and impulses trough involving people from different nationalities. Aims what we offer to volunteers: - opportunity to experience how to cope in a new language and cultural environment (he/she will learn about Estonian Culture and traditions); - opportunity to communicate with disabled people (get know them, sahre experience and find friends); - opportunity to learn about the life of people with special needs and different disabilities We are always standing for disabled people´s rights to be involved in society and feel safe at home and we support every person to be as independent as they can. Our units are open in both ways- we encourage our clients to be active members of local community and we welcome families, trainees and volunteers to our home. We would like our clients to have possibilities to get in touch with the outside world and the local community. There is an educationa value for the volunter of this EVS project. It provides young volunteers with profound experience of social work and assistance to those in real need. This experience may determine future studies of field of work for some of the volunteers. EVS experience are beneficial for the client´s and for the staff in the unit. Presence of volunteer meanas a lot for a client who get more attention and love. The new diverse activities provided by international volunteers are good for clients personal development. For the staff it is a source of inspiration and energy to go on with the hard work they are doing there. It is an opportunity to give a special attention to every client in the unit. The volunteers are the role models for the local people and teach to be tolerant among other culutes.