CREATIVE...MIND european voluntary service with children

WHO: Istituto Walden WHEN: June-December 2015

WHO: 2 EVS Volunteers ! WHERE: Menfi, , 6 months of EVS service in Menfi, Sicily, working in a Community with children and teenagers CREATIVE...MIND european voluntary service with children

Who we are What we do Walden Institute was formed in 1993 as Our staff is composed of 55 women and 2 "Psycho-Social Center for people with boys, divided in the three centers between Handicap, Disability and marginalization". and Menfi. This institute manages now four residential Recently, the cooperative has focused on the communities for minors, 3 in Menfi (AG) and integration of disadvantaged people, former 1 in Sciacca (AG), and a Center for pregnant drug addicts or alcoholics, and women and women and single mothers and women have men who have been in jail. Walden Institute been abused in Sciacca (AG). has also opened an office in support of family Walden Institute also manages a daycare relationships and educational responsibilities. center in Menfi. It carries out preventive Today the organization has a strong activities for Preteens and Teens. experience. This is the result of a strong It offers home care services for old people, professional identity and an effective disabled children and adults. collaboration among all the staff members, Our mission is to fulfill the general needs of who have been able to adapt to different Sciacca’s community, and in particular those situations and changes. Walden Institute has one of marginalized people. always operated in social work field, using We promote social and human integration of the knowledge and the experience of the citizens through activities for children and everyday life, in order to remove obstacles teenagers and social services for women, old and thus strengthen and consolidate the people and disabled. various cognitive processes and training. We offer domiciliary services and manage residential structures where our activities take place. CREATIVE...MIND european voluntary service with children

About the Venue

Menfi is a small town where less than 13.000 inhabitants live. It’s located in province, in Sicily. It is an isolated, conservative and tradition-rooted village, situated in a beautiful agricultural area, 2 hours far from the first main city, Agrigento, and 15 minutes to the seaside. The Menfi Municipality’s coastline has 10 km of beautiful beaches and in 2013, Menfi received by the Foundation for Environment Education (FEE) the recognition of the blue flag for the environmental quality of the sea and the cost. The two volunteers will be hosted in an independent apartment in the City centre of Menfi. CREATIVE...MIND european voluntary service with children

Main Activities of the Who are we looking for: Volunteers • A creative and proactive person The two EVS volunteers will be involved in • A friendly and active person different activities with children and • A person that wants to develop interpersonal teenagers from 0 to 17 years old, in the educational centers of Menfi. relationships The principal tasks they will carry out are: • a person that is really interested in working with • Support and help children young people between 0 and 17 in after-school • a person who is ready to live 6 months in a small, activities, helping them with homework and giving supplementary traditional and provincial town lessons if needed. • a person that wants to learn Italian language • Organize together with the staff and the • an open-minded person that is ready to local volunteers recreational activities understand the learning process and the rules of to create moments of animation such as games and workshops; artistic,musical and cohabitation in Walden Institute kitchen laboratories • structures • Organize together with the staff one • a person with a strong motivation to have an linguistic workshop in their own language. intensive experience of work with teenagers in • Organize new events like carnivals, storytelling evenings and outdoor activities difficult situations in different locations. • Support the staff and the other volunteers with excursions to the beach, What we need swimming pools and with many other kind of activities that take place mostly in • your CV summer time • a motivational letter • Help the staff and the local volunteers in • the questionary filled in food preparation and in clearing the premises before and after services. Send all this things to: [email protected]