The Dream Team

My EVS is coming to an end so for this reason one of the last blogs (written by fabulous me) will be about the team I spent working with this all year!

João – the Boss (who hates to be called boss). He is one of those people who is more like a buddy than a scary boss. Sadly this year he had less time to be around us EVS, but I think for everyone who wanted he managed to find some time.

Cintia- the everything person. She is the coordinator of the JV in Action. Also she is a mentor, a friend, our coordinator and a boss for those who work with her on the projects. I think she is the first person us volunteers call for in any case.

Luís – the little guy, with a huge heart. He is a coordinator of the project +Atitude. Also one of the mentors, and has always a joke hidden in his small pocket. He also did EVS so feels close to us.

Vanda – the materials queen. She is also a coordinator of +Atitude. Another person who will welcome you with her arms wide open. What is more, she has anything you might need in the office.

Tiago – the silent mind. He is responsible for the national coordination of the Youth Departments. A little bit shy, and will not talk all the time like Luis, but has such a big Aura that anyone becomes a better person just by standing next to him!

Tânia – the hidden secretary. She is one of the coordinators of the project Geração Tecla, but also does all the paper work that everybody needs but has no idea how to make it happen.

Virgínia – the nice witch. She is the head of Geração Tecla. All the kids love her and are afraid at the same time and not only kids. Besides, she is great at gardening. Has a great husband, but I am not allowed to get more rides from Lisbon with him.

Vanessa – the gypsy queen. She is also a part of Geração Tecla. What is more, she is our bridge to the gypsy community. Will never speak with you in English, but always understands what you are saying to her.

Catia – the Library. She is one of the mentors and a part of JCV in action project. She always comes with cookies and supplied us with all the 7 Harry Potters besides the other books to practice on our Portuguese.

João Reis – the boss of Barhouse. However, he is not the boss of any bar, but he is the coordinator of coordinators. He is the boss of Barhouse, because you can always meet him there and of course it was the first bar he showed us in Braga.

Pedro – the wicked beard. He is the coordinator of Copos…Quem decide és Tu! He is the friendliest person you can find, with crazy ideas and always a helping hand. Participates in as many international projects as he can; and does it with all his heart.

Ana – the Saturday girl. She is the coordinator of Colorir o Sábado, that is why she is the Saturday girl. Also works with the marketing team and some other projects on the spot. In the beginning I thought her name was Hanna.

Sofia – the Pinterest girl. She is the coordinator of the Atelier Criativo and sometimes gets her inspiration in Pinterest. Also is responsible for healthy eating project and finds ways how to mix both projects with great results.

Ana Rita – Miss j’adore. She worked with us together in  JCV in action as the right and left hands of Cintia. And now she is doing her EVS in England what I am really happy about and also sad, because my last month is without the craziest little shining star.

There are way more people her in Juventude, but I wanted to mention the people I had an opportunity to work most with. I hope that one day, someone will write a blog about every little and big person who once have stepped through the doors of Juventude with full heart of willingness to volunteer. It is still a pleasure to work with all of them and I hope they will never lose their touch!

Gi

Atlantis XI

This year is really great for Juventude and I feel more than lucky to do my EVS during this period. So many things are waiting ahead and so many things have already happened. So once again let’s look in the past and see what more has happened during this year. Whole last week was dedicated to one international training course – Volunteering 4 Humanity. And the best part that it was not the only one international project this year!

Exactly the next day when Volunteering 4 Humanity ended another international project started. This project is called Atlantis Youth Camp and is the biggest Red Cross event for the Youth. This project is an annual project and this year was the 11^th edition.

This project is just for Red Crosses and what is more, just for the Red Cross Youth departments from the Mediterranean Sea region. And this year Atlantis was organized by the Portuguese Red Cross in partnership with the Centre for the Cooperation in the Mediterranean. And as you already probably understood the part of Red Cross was made by the Delegation of Braga.

And now a little bit more about the project. As I have already mentioned, Atlantis Youth Camp is for the youth of Red Cross National Societies. Around 60 young people came to Portugal from all the countries of the Mediterranean region. They all gathered to share their ideas, to learn more and widen horizons. As the theme of this camp was Youth Volunteering: Opportunities and Challenges of Making a Difference.

The camp took place in amazing city of Guimarães. What is right next to Braga and made it easier to do all the preparations. And of course it was an inspiring place for all the participants, not only to work in but also to stay. Whole week was full not only of different kind of seminars but also exploring the city where the Great Country of a Portugal was born!

I think Atlantis Youth Camp is a spectacular event. It combines lots of different cultures, nationalities and even religions. But at the same time, all the people with their different customs were working for the same goal and it makes you think that everything is possible!

Gi   

Volunteering 4 Humanity (Part I)

This week I want to dedicate to an amazing project called Volunteering 4 Humanity (V4H), that had happened here in Braga almost a month ago and I had a pleasure to help make it real. Today, tomorrow and Thursday all the blogs will be about this project.

I was thinking how could I manage to describe the project in one blog and I decided to look at it from the other way and I hope you will like it!

Once upon a time an idea was born in the heads of three crazy people. In the beginning it was a small idea, but those crazy people decided to grow the idea till it becomes reality.

Idea is like a little plant that you need to take care of. First of all, you need to give a lot of water for it to grow. And these crazy people did exactly the same – they put the idea into words that they could share it with others and made the first step of growing it. 

However, as we all know water is not enough for a flower to grow. It needs sunshine, good dirt and some lovely touch. An idea is the same; it needed more people to work on it, some people to sponsor it and some to supervise it.  Here came the Juventude Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, Delegação de Braga, Erasmus+ program and trainers from YOPA to the help.

When the plant grows enough you need to change the vase, because the roots are too big and the plant cannot fit in the same place anymore. The idea was also not fitting in the hands of only few people. The crazy people were not only crazy, but crazy smart. They decided to share this idea to the world and the best way to do it is including more people from other countries to the process of the growing idea that later the seeds could faster split all around the world. 4 people were invited from 8 different countries to be a part of the process.

And then it all started. All the masterminds from different countries with different qualities and sets of mind came all together the great city of Braga. They all came from different backgrounds and for a moment the idea, like that little flower, started being afraid, if it will work, but this feeling was just for a second.  After the first task they all did together it was already obvious that idea will grow and turn into the brightest flower of the year.

The team of masterminds was working really hard for 8 days. As real scientists trying to find a new flower type, they also had great supervisors who helped during all the process. The group was analyzing themselves – to find a way which quality is the best to use for the growth of the idea. Working in a team – sharing ideas, teaching each other new things. And finally, it happened, all the hard work, all the adventures, all the smiles and sad faces paid off, the IDEA became real.

The entire town was invited to see that new type of flower: the idea becoming reality. And it really happened. The idea was real now. All the participants were glad with their results; supervisors could not believe how great the results were and the town was amazed by what they saw.

It was a result of a team work, of people engaged to what they were doing and a result of some huge hearts. But it was not all. After those 8 days, all the scientists left Braga, but they didn’t left it like they came before. They left with new friends, new contacts and most important with new ideas.

Now our little idea is a huge flower giving seeds, that we can spread all around the world and make this idea not only one flower, but as a huge garden of shinny bright flowers, that makes you not only look at it, but also take some actions to make it last forever.

Once again I want to say, it was really great to see this flower growing and I think that the real growing process just started and in the end I also want to share the results of this amazing idea. (More videos next time!)

For more information about the project click here.

Gi

Roteiro+

Holidays are good, but as everything good in life they also tend to end. So for this reason after holidays I still want to talk about traveling.

Normally holidays consist of travelling somewhere even if it’s from work to home. I am not going to talk how Red Cross Youth works during holidays, but will present a pretty new project that is called Roteiro+ and is connected with traveling.

Roteiro+ is a project of Red Cross in partnership with Portuguese National Agency for Erasmus+ Youth in Action projects. The protocol was signed just in April and I am really proud that I can be part of this project.

The main idea of this project is that Red Cross Youth department of Braga travels around Portugal to the other Red Cross departments presenting them the opportunities of the Erasmus+ program.

As it is a new project so not so many sessions have happened, but we already visited Chaves, Porto-Matosinhos, Fafe and Gondomar. Of course in every city we were welcomed more warmly than just with open arms. It is really interesting to see how other Red Cross departments looks like, to find the similarities and differences. One thing is for sure – all Red Cross departments are more than friendly. I cannot even compare any visit with another because they were amazing in their own way.

The presentation is more concentrated on the youth and we explain more in details all the possibilities of Erasmus+. What they can do, where they can go, how everything can be real.

My part in this presentation is just to talk about me. How I found my EVS, how is life in EVS and all other details that might be important of interesting to hear. It sounds really easy and it kind of is, just the fact that I need to do it in Portuguese makes it more interesting.  

The part I love the most about Roteiro+ is the faces of people; how they change from the first sentence of presentation till the last word after everything is over. You can see the sparkles in the eyes and the will to do everything. I feel like I managed to change someone’s life just in one day!

I am sad that I will not be able to attend all the sessions, but I can still feel happy, that I would have participated at least in some. Spread the news, inspire others and make someone realize that EVS is something not only to listen about, but also to live it!

Gi

The week of Barraquinha

Last week was mentioned the great festivity of São João, but it is not just a festival, but also a fair. In Braga the whole city is already decorated more than one week before the festival of São João and it also has more nice things.  One of them, as already mentioned – is the fair of São João.

In one of the main streets of Braga you can find more than hundred small Barraquinhas – little stand that sell everything. Starting from cookies to shoes and anything you can imagine. The traditional music is playing almost all day long and every evening there are way more events in the city to prepare for the great festival of São João.

Ponto Vermelho also has its own Barraquinha in the fair. For this reason once again all the great people of all departments of Delegation of Braga unite and share their time also working in Barraquinha. All the resources are needed because the working hours of Barraquinha are from 10 in the morning until 11:30 in the night.

 It is nice and interesting experience. The easy part is that everything is sold for 1 Euro, for this reason anyone can work not worrying that they might forget the price of sell some things in the different prices, and also it is easy to count how many things you have already sold. Another reason why is it fun, is that you can work on your sale person skills. From trying to convince people to stop by your Barraquinha; to trying to convince them to buy more stuff.

I loved working there and trying to communicate with people. We had lovely customers and of course not so lovely. Some just wanted to chat and others were almost demanding to find them their size even if we tried to explain that we only have what they can see.  

Anyway, it was a new experience and I think it is a good from time to time to run away from your routine and be someone else for a change.

Gi

Wrap it up!

Despite the fact that we are in the middle of summer and the sun is as hot as it could be, let’s remember some other actions that happened more than half year ago when it was even snowing in some parts of Portugal.

This action that takes place in the same Continente and is another National level action and is called Embrulhamos a causa! (Wrapping the cause!). This action takes place between the end of November and Christmas. The main idea of this action is that people who buy presents in Continente can come to the wrapping stand of Red Cross and get the presents wrapped for free.

Actually, presents are wrapped for a donation, but the donation depends on you. Nobody will look at you differently if you donate more or less money. The main point is that you are donating for a good cause!

Working there is really funny. Firstly, not all the volunteers know how to wrap presents nicely, so we are again like a big family trying to help each other to cope with the presents who are not in the perfect box shape or needs more than one sheet of wrapping paper. It is also funny, because you can use your imagination while wrapping a present and make it look like a candy, dinosaur or whatever you can make happen.

What is more, you get to see what people are buying as presents and maybe it will help you to get some ideas for the presents you want to buy. Some people are nice and they not only bring some things for us to wrap, but also bring us presents, like a bar of chocolate, so you can feel the real Christmas spirit in the air.

Some presents are impossible to wrap or at least it looks like that. Once there was a human size toys of Santa Claus and Snowman that we needed to wrap. Another time we needed to wrap raw Bacalhau – traditional Portuguese fish that was also a great challenge. And I also heard stories about last year when someone had to wrap a bicycle!

I think this action is really great, not only to learn how to wrap presents, deal with impossible presents, but also get in the spirit of Christmas, when everyone is nicer, with bigger smiles and wants to help with a great cause by getting their presents wrapped!  

Gi

Missão Sorriso!

Juventude is just a small part of a very big movement. For this reason, it not only has its own projects, but also takes part in some projects that are happening in all Portugal at the same time in all Red Cross Delegations. Today I am going to tell you about one of the projects like that.

The project is called Missão Sorriso (Mission - Smile). It is made in partnership with Continente (Shopping center). The main idea of this project is really nice – to collect food for those who cannot afford to buy it themselves. People, who buy food in Continente can put it in a special Missão Sorriso bags and donate it to the Red Cross volunteers who are collecting the bags next to the cashiers. 

For me it was the first project I participated while doing my EVS. It was in the end of October, so I just have managed to get around with all the things that a happening in Juventude and I already had an opportunity to participate in such a great action.

During this action all the volunteers are divided in 3 groups. The first group gives people flyers with the basic information about this action and explains in short how can they participate and be part. The second group receives all the food donations and gives a very welcoming thank you! The last group consists of strong men, who take all the donations, put them in the storage room and prepare for it all to be taken to the Red Cross.

My Portuguese was still non-existing, so my job was just to collect the food and say a very big thank you with the biggest smile in my face. It was really strange, because I was not expecting that people are donating so much food. It was the first time that it made me feel that I am a real volunteer in Portugal and that I am a part of making someone’s’ life better. The smile on my face was as real and bright as the sun and I was feeling more than amazing!

This action takes place for one weekend (including Friday). All the volunteers of Red Cross delegations tries to be a part of this amazing action by giving at least 3 hours of their time and working in one shift.

It doesn’t matter what is your job during the week, or witch department you work in, on this weekend whole National Society of Red Cross is like a big family that joins together and works as one! This is the spirit that made me see how amazing are everyone and how little you need to make someone’s life a little bit better!

Gi 

Copos... Quem Decide és Tu!

 Copos... Quem Decide és Tu. (Drinks…You Decide!) - Project that work in close relation with schools, promoting non-formal education methods and tools for responsible alcohol consumption.

Finally, one description - that says it all. Actually, there is not that much to add, but of course, I will add.

Copos... Quem Decide és Tu!, first of all, is a project that is running in the national level and is happening all around the Portugal, so probably other Red Cross Youth Departments could also share their stories what Copos... Quem Decide és Tu! is for them, but today, as lately, it will be my interpretation.

This project, as written above, is being realized in the schools like +Atitude or some actions of Geração Tecla, but of course it is different. Copos... Quem Decide és Tu! is a project about alcohol consumption so the target group is older students.

What I like about Copos... Quem Decide és Tu! is that it is not like your parent telling you what not to do or what to do, but letting you decide what is better for you. It’s not about stopping youth from consuming alcohol, because it’s obvious it is not going to happen, but more like teaching them how to consume alcohol with moderation.

As all the projects they have the theoretical part, when they explain youth what are the consequences of drinking too much alcohol and what to take in consideration while drinking (to drink water between the cups of alcohol, know your limits, and etc.).

Another part is way more interesting – the practical part. I like it a lot, because they try to show the youth what are the consequences of drinking while playing games. They have several games and normally the session takes around 3-4 hours, but it is so fun, that neither you nor they want to stop. One of the games is imitating a Night Out, with all the parts, from going for a coffee, dinner, a bar for a drink after, a disco and finally fast food bar on the way home, where you can still drink some things. After every time someone takes a drink (they just say, no one really gives them drinks!) we tight their hands or legs or block their vision, to show how the alcohol will affect them, and in every place they visit after taking a drink or not, they need to do some tasks, that seems impossible after being tight up!

It’s a great project, for the youth to understand the consequences of drinking. No one is saying that you cannot drink, just ways how to drink, that you and your friends would have a great night!     

Gi

+ Atitude

+Atitude (Attitude +): Project established in several schools of Braga, with office hours and working sessions, working with youngsters from middle school, to create awareness for the effects of drugs and develop social and personal skills, in order to achieve drugs prevention.

In my opinion, this project is a little bit similar with Geração Tecla, but at the same time very different. As written earlier + Atitude works with kids and teenagers and have different projects that can be done with kids. Just the kids are different. Mainly, +Atitude is a bigger project, cause they work with several different schools and the impact is not concerned mainly to one special group of kids, but they are trying to do drugs prevention projects with all of them.

So let’s start from the beginning. What does +Atitude do in schools? Firstly, they have theoretical presentations about drug prevention. They also spend one morning or afternoon per week in each school, at a special office where students and teachers can come and talk about themselves or people they are concerned with and try to find some answers. What is more, they do some more non-formal education activities, like trying to show the kids that their free time can be better occupied with sports than with risky behaviors, by making, for example, a lot of different sport activities during the school year.

Another place of intervention is after school activities, like mentioned before can be sports or music, but also they have private after school sessions, where one volunteer helps maximum 3 kids at the same time to develop their study skills. Of course, they try to do it one on one so that the kid would get more comfortable and could better open up. I think this is one of the most amazing experiences that anyone can have. Sharing your knowledge with others and being that Big Brother or Sister for someone, who really needs that, is the real volunteering.

And finally, +Attitude is responsible for another project +Saúde –Riscos (More Health, Less Risks). This project is for academic festivals. Like here in Braga there is one huge festival for the university students that happens in May and takes place for one whole week. During that time, in the place of festival +Atitude has a tent there people can come in time of crisis. In the first part of the night volunteers walk around the campus of the festival, giving information about drugs and alcohol, as well as providing protection material. Later during the night they are dealing with crisis and trying to help people with, for example, panic attacks. And in the end of the night they do alcohol tests to prevent drunk driving.

All in all, during the whole year there are many different places where a person can contribute to the +Atitude and become not just a better volunteer, but also a better person!

Gi

JCV in Action

JCV in Action is a project of International Cooperation working with ERASMUS+. We receive and send EVS volunteers, participate in European youth exchange, training courses and seminars – sending participants, organize training courses and assist our partners in their actions. We participate and organize various actions of Erasmus+ focusing on building our volunteers and professionals competences as well as providing valuable learning opportunities to youngsters of our community. We work hard to build a great network and find projects to join.

This is how it sounds officially. Well, it is true, every single word, but I also think that JCV in Action is way more…

 Firstly is not a routine job. You cannot even plan your schedule as it can change like the wind and from nice breeze turn into a tropical storm. Normally, it is working on projects, but there are so many small details that I have never thought of and the worst thing is that those small details take a lot of time and without them the projects would not happen.

Despite that, it is very exciting job. You have to be very creative, good communicator, have good social skills (while reading other people) and also be very responsible and picky to all the details.

The creative part comes from promoting the youth exchanges that JCV in Actions organizes, to the ones they want to send participants to. From making a poster or a banner on the wall, posts in Facebook or other social sites to live presentations to volunteers for getting their attention.

Without good communication you will not have any partners. You have to know how to deal with people and how to ask for the things you need. Projects are partnerships between different organizations and you have to know how to make it happen.

  

Social skill of reading other people is a must for choosing participants for a one week training, youth exchange and, of course, EVS. It takes a talent to read the person during the Skype interview, because it is just a half an hour or something like that, and it is even too short to see though the first layers of masks that we put on, even in real life.

The responsibility is normally not only to your organization, but to all the partners as well. Sometimes we depend on other people and sometimes they depend on you, so it works both ways, and neither wants to disappoint or be disappointed.

And the most important thing is the details. While writing a project you cannot miss any detail. Because of one tiny thing the application can be not approved and this is not a solution. Everything has to be checked 5 times, all the counting and all the planning to make things happen.

That is why I love working in JCV in Action. It is never boring. It is extremely rewarding; it makes you feel that you are learning every day and improving all these things. You see how things work behind the curtain. It becomes easier to understand how lucky I am to be here and how grateful I have to be for all the people who worked on my EVS project and that my dream is now a reality!

Gi