VOLUNTEERing at La Baraka in Liege

Looking for one volunteer

Trip type

ESC Volunteering

City + Country

Liège, Belgium

Dates of the next project

From 22d of August 2022 to 21th of August 2023

Deadline to apply

23 June 2022 (11:59 pm)

Hosting organisation: La Baraka

The youth centre of the west district – La Baraka is a non-profit organization which aim is to favour the emancipation and fulfilment of individuals while turning them into critical, responsible, active and solidary citizens. La Baraka is accompanying mostly young people between 6 and 26 years old.

It uses active pedagogy and lifelong learning processes based upon:

interculturality and inclusion: take into account and valorize diversity in a broad sense (intergenerational, of gender, at the economical level and so on)
commitment to local and societal environment
co-building of skills and knowledge
artistic creation, individual and collective expression, and cultural awakening

Check them on Facebook and take a look at their Website🙂

L’Ecole des Devoirs, proposing activities to children and young people after school, and also accompanying daily the children for their homeworks.

A Youth House, where young people from 12 to 26 years old can go after school or during weekends and holiday. The Youth House offers sport activities (boxing, dance, introduction to different sports…), cultural activities (trips, exhibitions…)… encouraging a peaceful coexistence

A Centre of Expression and Creativity, with several artistic activities: theatre, dance, singing, video editing, film making… And other interdisciplinary activities in which the process takes precedence over the result.

Classes of French for people coming from abroad for children from 10 to 18 years old and young people until 35 years old.

Support organisation: CBB

Check us on Facebook and take a look at our website!

CBB is a nonprofit, apolitical youth organisation recognized and financially supported by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. We propose different activities based on volunteering and nonformal education: local and international workcamps, short and long term volunteering services (including ESC), leisure time activities for and with disabled people, camp leaders trainings, etc. CBB is active within the different European programs of volunteering and non-formal education since 1997 and also hosts ESC volunteers each year.

CBB’s role as support organisation is to:

Promote the project and links between local and international associations
Support the selection and preparation of European volunteers before arrival
Manage administrative matters such as budget allowances, creation of bank account, enrollment at the municipality, insurance contracts
Write the activity agreement
Provide pedagogical support for the volunteer and the hosting organisation by ensuring the participation to the NA seminars, organising evaluation meetings with the volunteer and the hosting organization to reflect on learning outcomes
Handle practical arrangements, including accommodation, health insurance, French lessons, online language tools, etc.
Create networking activities with all ESC volunteers of the hosting organisations we support

Most of the tasks of the volunteers will take place in the LaBaraka through tutoring and activities.

1. Help with school homeworks

The objective of the school tutoring is to develop the taste to learn and curiosity among the young people by using more exciting and alternative methods. You will help Baraka staff and local volunteers to help with the homeworks. If volunteers and young people come upon something unknown to them, it is an opportunity to look for the answer with the youth and think together.

2. After school activities

These activities are very varied and depend on the ideas given by the volunteers, the staff and the young people in attendance. It can be games, creative workshops, cooking, visiting an exhibition, ice skating… The activities take place on Wednesdays and are also organised in parallel to the school tutoring for the kids who don’t have homework to do.

3. Holiday camps

3. During school holidays, you support the creation, preparation and implementation of holiday camps. These revolve around a theme that the staff has previously identified with the youngters. These camps last from Monday to Friday. They happen at each school holidays (which makes six of them) and two of them take place during the summer.

The volunteer's tasks

In general, you will support the EDD team and its local volunteers:

Help children from primary school with their homework
Propose your ideas for activities and organise them throughout the year

Supervise the activities on Wednesday afternoons and on other days after 4pm (during a visit, the animation of a game, during a cooking workshop)
Set up and clean the rooms for the activities
Participate in team meetings
Lead your personal project in line with the values of the EDD and Baraka

You may also contribute to tasks benefitting the entire site of La Baraka, such as help for the building maintenance and tidyness, support the “Fête de la musique” or “Fête du quartier” events.

In the morning, you will also take part in the French lessons for foreigners. First as a learner and then, if you wish, as learning support for the other beneficiaries.

Your work schedule will therefore be adapted to school schedules and will be significantly different from a classic 9-17.

The city - LIÈGE

La Baraka is located in Rue Sainte Marguerite, 51 in Liège. Liège is the second biggest city of the French-speaking part of Belgium after Brussels. In Liège there are 200 000 inhabitants and almost 450 000 more in its surroundings. Liège is known to be one of the most attractive and lively Belgian cities. The city benefits from a very dynamic cultural life thanks to its various artists and associations. The volunteer can discover cultural activities, concerts, festivals and language exchanges.

Liège is an old industrial city that has faced a lot of changes while adapting to the 21st century. Well renovated historical areas are mixed with old industrial buildings and very modern architectural projects. The river “La Meuse” runs through the city, which is close to the German and the Dutch borders.

The country - BELGIUM

Squeezed between the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France, Belgium is one of Europe’s tiddlers. The north is flat, with a beach of 65km along the North Sea full of resorts, except for a few patches of windswept dunes. In the south you will not find mountains, but the hilly forests of the Belgian Ardenne. We have 4 seasons well contrasted, cold winter and sunny summer… But be ready to look up to a grey sky at least half of the year.

Despite the rainy clouds, Belgian people are usually warm. A lot of cultural and free events happen during the year, which makes your journey in this little country entertaining and resourceful.

This project will take part in the south of the country where we speak French. Be therefore ready to learn and speak French! Especially as this project involves kids.

Specialities : FRIES and BEERS and FESTIVALS
AREA: 30,518 sq km
POPULATION: 11.420.163 million
CAPITAL: Brussels (pop: 1.191.604)
REGIONS: Flanders (North), Wallonia (South), Brussels – Capital
COMMUNITIES: Flemish, French and German speaking community
LANGUAGE: Dutch (±59%), French (±37%) and German (±1%)
CURRENCY: Euro

Working Hours

The Ecole des Devoirs welcomes children and youngsters from Monday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Wednesdays, children don’t have school in the afternoon, so hours go from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
You will decide your work schedule with the staff according to your preferences and the needs of the EDD. This will not change once the observation and adaptation period is over.

Accommodation

You will live in a flat in Liège, in walking distance from food stores, pharmacies as well as various facilities such as a post office or a sports hall.

Food

You will receive a budget and will prepare your own meals.

Pocket Money

Participation in the European Solidarity Corps is free of charge, except for exceptional contribution to travel costs. You will therefore receive free board and lodging during the whole activity. In addition, you will receive pocket money for personal expenses throughout the duration of the activity, including holidays.

Insurance

You get covered, throughout the activity period, by the obligatory European Solidarity Corps insurance plan (CIGNA) that the European Commission sets up. This coverage is only complementary to the mandatory coverage of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which you must obtain prior to departure.

In certain cases, when national rules deprive participants from coverage under EHIC for the duration of the placement, CIGNA will provide full coverage. However, you must provide proof that obtaining the EHIC in your case was not possible. You should contact your National Agency for advice on your specific circumstances. You must read carefully the insurance-related information here.

Language course

OLS + French lesson. We provide an online language course as part of the budget from the Commission. You will need to complete a level test before the activity starts. We encourage you to join free French lessons given in the municipality or around if possible. We recommend that the participant starts practicing French prior to their arrival in Belgium and that they participate in as many activities as possible in order to get better at the language.

Aged 18-30 years old
Open-minded, curious, enthusiastic, empathetic
Able to work in a team, with different target groups, and in a multicultural environment
Willing to learn French
Interested in working with children and teenagers
Ready to propose, take initiative, discuss and give your opinion
Flexible in terms of working hours, which do not correspond to a classic schedule
Before departure, being in contact with a support/sending organisation to receive information and preparation
> Look up for a support organisation in your region via this link
Project open to everyone, regardless of their nationality, religion, believes, diploma, or professional experience
Able to give copy of certificate of good conduct related to the work with minors before starting the activity

How to apply ?

Deadline: 23/06/2022 (23:59)

1. To join the European Solidarity Corps programme, create a profile on the European Youth Portal (click on “register” at the bottom)

2. Find our project here and click on “apply”

3. Answer the questionnaire below (you will be asked to attach a CV at the end of the form)

4. If you’re feeling creative, feel free to send us any additional material related to your application to esc@compagnonsbatisseurs.be (optional)

IMPORTANT: You have to apply through both the ESC portal and the form in order for us to take your application into consideration. In the days following the 23d of June at 23:59, we will contact the pre-selected volunteers for a Skype interview.

ESC La Baraka / Apply form and motivation letter

Step 1 of 4 - Personal Data

Personnal data
By filling the information below, you provide us with personal information. You are aware of the fact and agree that the pieces of information will be used in the frame of the call for candidates for the Erasmus+ volunteering project. Your personal data will be used by the persons in charge of the selection of volunteers in the sending and coordinating/hosting organizations. Each part mentioned takes the responsibility of erasing the documents containing your personal data once the selection procedure is over.
Name*
Surname Name
Birthdate*
Day
Month
Year
Current address*
Street Address City ZIP / Postal Code Country
Phone number*
E-mail*
Availability period for the project (preference will be given to the volunteers able to join the project for the whole period)*
Have you ever taken part in a volunteering project under ERASMUS+?*
- YES
- NO
Sending organization (Name, Accreditation or PIC number, post address, phone number, contact person’s name and email address)*
What are your (long term) travel experiences?*
PRN (if you already have it: it’s a super long number you receive when you get registered into the PASS)*

Here you get more into the AMO Le Cercle project
What are your general motivations to join along term volunteering activity abroad?*
What do you like about this specific ESC project at La Baraka?*
What do you think is the role of an organization as La Baraka, and more specifically, L’Ecole des Devoirs?*
How do you see your role, as a volunteer, within these activities?*
Which are your weaknesses and qualities for our project?*

What do you think about working in a team?*
Do you think you might have some difficulties during the project? If yes, which ones? If not, why?*
Do you have some skills in animation with children? Which ones?*
Do you speak French? If yes, what is your level? If not, do you think you can commit to learning it?*
Can you explain how you see your typical week (working hours, tasks, colleagues, location, ...) in our project?*

Do you have ideas about a personal project (or activity) to develop during your volunteering experience?*
What do you like to do in your free time?*
What would you like to know about our organization and activities?*
Do you have any questions or doubts before accepting to be a volunteer in our project?*
Regarding the recent Covid-19 crisis, how do you see yourself adapting to possible measures that might come in the future (social contacts, work and traveling) considering that you will be living in a foreign country?*
How do you feel about experiencing a collective international life?*
And now, write down in (1500-3000 charachters) +- 20 lines, your motivation letter
Please add your CV*
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