VOLUNTEERS |
Information for volunteers:
We do not have a complicated application procedure. We just ask you to send a cover letter/motivation letter explaining why you wish to volunteer, your expectations, skills and interests. We also ask you to attach a CV or resume, with references, and the approximate dates you wish to volunteer.
Most of our volunteers do not speak Croatian and have still had an interesting and productive time here in Gvozd. Almost at all of the youth and older children speak English so you will be able to communicate and have an interesting experience.We have all sorts of volunteer positions available. There are only two of us that run the community center so we have lots of opportunities for volunteers.
Volunteer opportunities vary from more organizational and office work to direct community actions: Webpage development, creation of local news letter, creation of posters and invitations, help in editing documentaries, grant writing and fund raising, event planning (exhibitions, etc), classes and workshops, arts/crafts, games and play with kids, dance/music. We also hold ecological cleanups and community actions (bridge building, graffiti, murals, karaoke, theater.) which our volunteers help us with.At the center we have an Internet club, computer classes, English tutoring, dance/music classes (when we have volunteers with this particular skill), arts and crafts workshops, animation of children and youth.
Basically we are open and flexible and like to offer volunteers what they feel most comfortable doing and what they feel that they have skills and knowledge in. The volunteer experience is also intended to serve as a way to animate and include youth and children as well as the adults of the local community. The Suncokret Center in Gvozd is the place where youth and children hangout and come to participate in educational and recreational activities. We hope that you will be able to help us run various activities with and for the children and youth (e.g. dance class, art/craft workshops, and the shops just sell the very basics. While here you will have the opportunity to share your skills, knowledge, enthusiasm, creativity and information about your country with the local music, plays, games or other skills you can share with us, etc).
It is also interesting for youth if the volunteers bring pictures, posters and music from their home country and possibly can tell a little about their country and traditions. Also skills such as music, dancing, drawing are also very useful here because the children and youth are just waiting to learn something new.For 3 years we have held the international work volunteer camp in the summers which have been very successful. Thus we are now expanding the volunteer experience so that we have volunteers coming continuously through out the year. We feel that two weeks a year is too little. The youth and children love volunteers and much enjoy the cultural exchange and we hope that we can make this a more continuous part of their lives.
Volunteers are responsible for all their expenses such as travel and insurance costs, accommodations, food and other costs. The cost of living is cheap here for foreigners. We can find accommodations for you for about 7-8 Euros per night per person.
Leila Buffa and Sabrina Riedl, Austria
