ESC: Volunteering in Málaga: Education, inclusion, environment

The Association IMAGINA is a non-profit association with the main aim of promoting a sustainable development of our region of the interior area of Málaga where opportunities are fewer (less public transport, job/training opportunities, lack of alternative culture and different leisure-time activities). However, the region has a lot to offer, great natural resources and very innovative entrepreneurial projects based on social innovation and colaborative synergies. Imagina is born in this context with the main goal of enhancing civil participation in the social life of the region, promoting also learning opportunities and mobility for young people, especially for those with fewer opportunities. IMAGINA was officially created the 9th March 2017, however our experience in youth work and volunteering with different programmes (EVS, Erasmus + and ESC) is wider. We have been working together since 2015 as a Group of Young People Active in Youth Work. Our group was funded because of our needs to develop ideas and projects to work with other young people about key matters such as social inclusion, creating opportunities for young people with fewer opportunities, promoting gender equality, environmental care, the value of our local resources and of rural areas and empowerment through learning with non-formal education tools to develop key competences. Our association is composed of people with different profiles (students, young people, youth workers, project coordinators, volunteers, members with disabilities and their families) being more than 30 members, a team of 10 volunteers (international and local) and 6 staff members. Our main areas of activities are: SOCIAL INCLUSION: We develop different workshops and projects to promote social inclusion of people with disabilities by using innovative and creative tools. We promote independent life and social skills through motivating activities that are developed every day or the week in different towns. YOUTH MOBILITY, YOUTH WORK AND KEY COMPETENCES: promotion of mobility opportunities for young people with fewer opportunities, which are: -Geographical obstacles because of living in rural areas with fewer access to education, training and job opportunities. -Social obstacles: people with disabilities, migrants and the gipsy community, at risk of exclusion because of their differences. -Economical obstacles. The main aim of youth mobility projects is to promote social inclusion and learning of key competences for all young people in an equal way. In this field we also promote the quality of youth work through activities to enhance the exchange of best practices among organisations and youth workers. Since 2015 we have organised over 7 youth exchanges and training courses for young people/youth workers, we have coordinated and/or hosted 30 volunteers and have participated in several strategic partnerships to increase our quality in youth work. VOLUNTEERING: we promote volunteering as a way of growing personally while giving the best of ourselves to help others. We have always worked with international volunteers under EVS/ESC. We also promote local volunteering. Volunteers are a key for Imagina, increasing the value of all our activities by allowing a multicultural environment; exchange of cultures and new ideas. It also promotes european and civic values. Thanks to volunteering EU programmes we can offer a learning programme for volunteers in our association that usually helps volunteers to grow personally and professionally by developing key competencences as well as their self-knowledge. Our community and target groups benefit from volunteering by opening their minds towards different cultures, new opportunities and different ways of overcoming social and personal obstacles. Our main target groups are: -Young people from rural areas -Young people with fewer opportunities (geographical, social and economical). -People with disabilities and their families. -Youth workers and other organisations. Social Innovation applied to Local development is our way of working, considering people like the key to solve their difficulties, whether they are social, environmental or economical. Also the use of innovative and creative tools is always present in our methodology. We believe in the power of young people to be active and innovative. Thanks to Erasmus + we have a path to transform our dreams into projects, allowing us to grow in a multicultural learning process. Our association is integrated by people who have met thanks to the participation in other Erasmus + projects, discovering that we have common concerns and also common values that can be developed through this kind of projects and also with local activities, having also an impact in more local youngsters who can become part of this movement, so we can charge our batteries of energy, new ideas and youth initiatives that can motivate young people, make them learn, grow, improve their skills and act!