Project Dates : September 2020 – September 2021
Project Duration : 12/10/9/6 Months
Project Venue : Holywood (UK)
Number Of Volunteer : 18 (Eighteen)

Statement
In this project there will be 18 Long Term Volunteers taking part (6 volunteers for 12 months, 6 for 10
months, 3 volunteers for 9 months and 3 volunteers for 6 months). The volunteers must be from the
following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy,
Portugal, Romania, Spain and Turkey. A decision about this project will be made in July/August 2020
and the first volunteers can arrive from September. All volunteers should arrive before the end of
December 2020 because from the 1st January 2021 there will be travel restrictions put in place for EU
volunteers visiting the UK. The UK government does not intend to continue with ESC projects after the
1st January 2021. However if you arrive by the end of December 2020 it will be possible for you to stay
during 2021 until your volunteering project is completed. In order to stay you will need to apply for
temporary immigration status - European Temporary Leave to Remain (Euro TLR). To apply for this
scheme it will be simple, free and will be made after your arrival in the UK.

About Hosting Organization
Our NGO situated in Northern Ireland between Belfast and Bangor, it is on a beautiful estate of 100
acres (45 hectares) with woods, fields and parklands sloping down to the shore of Belfast Lough. It is
part of the International Camphill Movement started in 1939 by Dr Karl Konig and influenced by
recommendations from Rudolf Steiner. Our NGO established in 1954 to provide a unique approach to
supporting children, young people and adults with learning disabilities. The Our NGO also promotes
social, cultural, artistic and sustainable environmental practices.

Project Description
Volunteering has always been a fundamental aspect of what is provided at our NGO. Each year 20-40
international volunteers would come and stay for at least a year at our NGO. Most of these volunteers
came from mainland Europe but some came from other Continents, Ireland and other parts of the UK.
In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of volunteers coming to our NGO because of
this we set up a pilot project for three Erasmus+ volunteers who arrived in November 2018 and
completed their project in November 2019. In order to expand on the pilot project, the Life Sharing
Project was set up and is an inclusive project where volunteers live and work together with adults who
have a learning disability. The project is also open to people with special needs and fewer
opportunities. As a volunteer, you will support adults with a learning disability, five days a week in one
of the houses at our NGO. You will also supports people with a learning disability in the following
inclusive settings: Farm, Garden, Estate, Laundry and Craft workshop. You will be involved in
volunteering activities for approximately 38 hours per week and have 2 days off during the week. There
will also be 2.5 days holiday per month spread over the duration of the placement. There is access to
public transport links to the nearby towns of Bangor, Holywood and Belfast. There are ESC volunteers
in Belfast and Bangor, our NGO encourages volunteers participating in our project to link in with them
during their stay. During the longer holiday periods, you can use the time to explore the lovely locations
on the island of Ireland. Personal protective equipment is provided but you should bring adequate
clothing for all weather conditions.

There is the opportunity for you to participate in the following social and cultural activities:
• Social and cultural activities organised in our NGO and in the local area
• Participate in cultural projects such as plays, musical performances and activities
• Outdoor adventure, physical exercise and sporting activities
• Take part in activities that raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity, nature protection
and the problems associated with climate change
Volunteer Profile
The volunteer must be between 18 – 30 years of age at the start of the placement and have an interest
in the following:
• Promote and develop inclusion for people with special needs and fewer opportunities
• Willing to engage with people who have a learning disability
• Enthusiastic to work in an environment with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and
a wide range of abilities
• Undertake physical work that may be outdoors in a variety of weather conditions
• Willing to engage in social and cultural activities outside of the primary volunteering activities
• It helps if the volunteer has a basic foundation in the English language and is willing to develop
their skills in this language


The volunteer should have an interest in the following ESC topics:
• Health and wellbeing
• Environment and natural protection
• Creativity and Culture
The volunteer will have the possibility to develop their knowledge and experience in the following ESC
areas:
• Working with disabled people
• Working with children / young people
• Healthcare
• Environment and natural protection
• Arts / music
The volunteer should be interested in developing the following qualities in themselves and others:
• Friendly, approachable and develop positive social relationships with others.
• Patient, supportive, respectful and be able to care for yourself and others.
• Intercultural learning, the ability to communicate in different languages and by using other
communication techniques e.g. Makaton.
• Creativity, with ability to think on your feet and adapt to the environment to provide enriching
positive experiences for yourself and others.
• Skills and competence that will support your continual professional and personal
development.
• Responsible, positive, enthusiastic attitude, increased understanding and awareness of
yourself and others.
No academic qualifications are needed and if a participant has a concern about any of the above,
sending organization (Pi Youth Association) is willing to answer questions, give advice and provide
additional support to reasonable requests.

Accommodation and Other Arrangements
The volunteer will live in one of the houses on the site this might be in a house where people with a
learning disability live or it could be in a house with other volunteers. Each volunteer will have their
own bedroom, but will have to share bathroom, living room and kitchen with others. The volunteers
will have the possibility of eating together and preparing their own meals. Our NGO provides basic
household stuff (bed linen, towels, shampoo, soap, etc.) and food. The volunteer will receive an
allowance of approximately €184 per month paid directly to the volunteer to cover the purchasing of
personal necessities. There is funding available for travel to and from project place at the beginning
and the end of the project. This funding you will only receive after successfully completing the project.
If this arrangement makes it difficult for any successful volunteer to participate in the project, please
contact the Project Coordinator. Robust risk assessments will be undertaken in conjunction with the
volunteer and the necessary mitigating steps will be taken to ensure the safety of the volunteers during
their placement and in their tasks and activities. Our NGO has a 24-hour emergency community contact
number that volunteers will receive upon arrival. Our NGO will support the volunteer registering with
the local GP (Medical) practice, the volunteer should bring a valid EH111 card with them.

Training and Support for the Volunteer During the Project
You will receive pre-departure training from your supporting organisation (Pi Youth Association), which
will include information about the project, rights and responsibilities, intercultural learning and
experiences and goal setting. Our NGO will register you on the Online Linguistic Support (OLS) and you
must complete the OLS assessment before departing for project. At the beginning of the project, you
will identify your learning goals and during the project you will complete regular evaluations at least
once a month that will encourage active reflection on your progress towards the agreed learning
objectives. You will receive a full induction training within the first month of arrival at our NGO that
will include training in relevant policies and procedures including health and safety and supporting
people with learning disabilities. You will receive on-arrival training soon after your arrival at our NGO.
The on-arrival training is organised by another organisation, provides valuable information about
Northern Ireland, the ESC framework and is an opportunity to meet other ESC volunteers based in
Northern Ireland. You will take part in the foundation course with other volunteers living and working
at our NGO. This will cover areas such as the Camphill approach, creativity, inclusion, sustainability and
bio-diversity. As part of the Foundation Course, you will complete the Massive Open Online Course
(MOOC) in Social Pedagogy across Europe. This course is very suitable for volunteers at our NGO
because it provides knowledge about the approach practised at our NGO that is linked into a European
framework. During the course of the year, there will be the opportunity to attend conferences, talks,
lectures, meetings, social and cultural events. We will register you on to Youthpass and will provide
support in using this tool that will enable reflection on your learning throughout the placement. You
will receive a certificate at the end of the project that will provide evidence of your achievements.
There will be many opportunities for learning during your placement at the project. This will include
informal learning where you will learn through involvement in daily tasks and interaction with others
and is a core part of the Social Pedagogy approach. You will be assigned a team leader who will provide
informal and formal supervision. This will enable continually evaluation of your performance and
identify at early stages any barriers to learning. You will also have a mentor who will provide additional
support and help you plan individual learning goals.