France: ESC: EUROPEAN YOUTH IN SAINT QUENTIN

About the local hosting organization

CONCORDIA is a non-profit organisation for Youth and Popular Education founded in 1950 with the aim to promote international exchanges of young volunteers. Concordia's objectives are : - To contribute to the animation of social life by the participation of French and foreign volunteers in the realization of civil works of general interest. - To promote the circulation of people and ideas through international exchanges in order to develop knowledge, mutual understanding and peace. - To promote an education project, encouraging an active citizenship of people for a democratic, united and participatory society. Concordia has a national headquarters and 11 delegations spread throughout France. Our regional office was created in 1984 and is since 2010 located in Amiens, in the North of France. We are carrying out various projects responding to the needs of our local territory and can rely on the experience of the national headquarters. Our team is composed of 4 workers, having specific missions within the organization and numerous volunteers. The regional delegation depends directly on the national management of the association with autonomy in the setting up of projects and collaborating with the teams of the national headquarters on different aspects, which can be linked to the functioning (accounting, payroll, communication) or to the activities. In region, our main activities are the elaboration and realization of volunteering and mobility projects, both long and short term (international workcamps, former EVS, Civic Service, youth exchanges…). Concordia Picardie has been active in Youth In Action Program since 1998 and is now in Erasmus +. Activities carried out by our team are various : - about 15 international workcamps every summer in partnership with cities and villages, - hosting volunteers thanks to the Civic Service and providing our experience to our local partners, - hosting and sending EVS and now ESC volunteers - implementation of Erasmus + projects (youth exchanges and mobility of youth workers) - volunteering teams through ECS Activities : Historically, the main activity of Concordia is the organization of international volunteer workcamps. Each year we propose a program of about a hundred international workcamps in France and more than a thousand possibilities of departure abroad for projects set up by our partners. The association has developed other mobility activities and medium or long term volunteering in France or abroad. Thus, we propose volunteering activities apart from institutional programs (projects of 2 months to one year set up by our partners abroad without any specific financing), but we are also involved, since the creation of the system, in the implementation of the French Civic Service (mainly in France with local partners and in intermediation). Moreover, Concordia is strongly involved in European projects. As part of the European Youth in Action Program, now Erasmus +, the association organizes and coordinates youth exchanges, training for youth actors, hosting and sending volunteers and participates in various national and international seminars. Since 2018, the association has been involved in the European Solidarity Corps and continues to accompany young people on short and long term volunteering projects and team volunteering projects. Our action favors the diversity of the public, notably by the implementation of social inclusion programs (Young Followers on international workcamps, Youth with less opportunities on European programs, specific projects in the framework of the Civic Service). Most of our actions are addressed to young people from 15 to 30 years old, but we also welcome adults regardless of their age in our international workcamps for we believe in the added value of intergenerational exchanges. Networking : Concordia is a member of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service at the UNESCO, a founding member of the European Alliance of Voluntary Service Associations, a member of the C.N.A.J.E.P. (National Committee of Youth and Popular Education Associations) and of the Cotravaux network (network of voluntary work actors).

Presentation of the programme

This mission is carried out by Concordia in partnership with the city of SAINT QUENTIN. The missions will take place in connection with the youth pole of the city and could be: - Working on youth programs and mobility projects for young people – Intervening in schools with children aged 3 to 10 years old - Accompanying children during school time, after school and during the lunch break by proposing activities that promote immersion in the English language - Participate in activities for the population in social centers and associations in SAINT QUENTIN - Take part in thematic workshops organized by the Youth and Senior Centers - Promote your culture - Help prepare a meeting with young Europeans, - Discover the territory of SAINT QUENTIN, work on your future project and youthpass. We would like to welcome two volunteers on this mission. Interviews will be scheduled in July. Volunteers will be asked to present a clean criminal record as some of the missions are in contact with kids.

About the accomodation

Two volunteers will be selected for this mission. The two volunteers will share a fully equipped apartment with a single room and communal areas (kitchen, bathroom, living room...). The volunteers will receive an allowance for food (9 euros per day) and pocket money (8 euros per day). The host organization will provide bus tickets for travel within the city.

About the leisure activities

Volunteers will attend a seminar upon arrival and another midway through their placement, together with other volunteers from the European Solidarity Corps carrying out their missions in France.

Requirements

The Participant profile: We are looking for two motivated people, interested in the proposed missions and wishing to get involved in local life. Two people able to express an idea in front of an audience, regardless of age, and capable of working in a team. The accommodation is shared, we are looking for two people able to live in a shared apartment.Deadline: