The Great ESCape

EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS La Fenice - , “NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD; INDEED, IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS.”

M. Mead

Dear future volunteer, WELCOME!

We are always open to all volunteers without any prejudice, giving them opportunity to work in team and individually. All our volunteers have space to create workshops, events and activities for young people. We want to ensure that anyone who joins our team is feeling good and empowered, is motivated and is getting all possible support and help along the way. Hence, we will try to give our best to be here for you at all times! The most important for us is that we are honest, always communicate and mutually respect each other! Motivation of young people to join ESC is usually to make new friends, acquire new skills, learn new things, learn more about another culture and after all to have fun. Working together we can achieve all of this and much more, but we have to be open minded, ready for new challenges and not to be afraid of new things and of asking for help. In the following pages you will find some information about our association, about our town, region and Italy in general, as well as some additional things we thought it can be useful for you! Let us start by giving you a few advices about how to deal with you ESC experience and the different issues you may face.

First, would probably be the cultural shock. You'll arrive and suddenly find yourself surrounded by a new culture, a new community, new habits, a new language, people with different ideas and opinions than yours. Be patient! Be curious! Be engaged and willing to learn about and embrace diversity!

Second, don't be afraid to speak out, to share your problems and doubts, to engage with your fellow ESC volunteers and La Fenice volunteers, to start conversations, to ask for your help... whether it's about your ESC experience, your work, your living conditions, or your own ideas and visions.

Lastly, be aware you may encounter something called "The moral curve of volunteering": it means that every 2-3 months, there is a possibility that you feel a little bit homesick, have some blues. Stay strong! Talk with someone! Be confident! Ask advice to your mentor and friends!

In short, LIVE YOUR EXPERIENCE TO THE FULLEST! Find what makes you happy and enjoy this new, incredible, human experience! ABOUT ESC IN GENERAL Most opportunities through the ESC are cross-border volunteering activities. These projects are an excellent opportunity to help where needed, learn new skills, spend time abroad, maybe learn a language – and definitely come back with unforgettable memories.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ESC HERE: https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity

WHAT PRINCIPLES ARE BEHIND THE ESC? https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity/young- people/principles_en

ABOUT LA FENICE

APS LA FENICE was born in July 2012, after a journey of about 6 years that brought some young people with common experiences (European exchanges, national voluntary service, volunteering and work at educational facilities and at the former Youth Center OFF) to meet and work together.

The key words of La Fenice work and actions are: Culture, Education, Participation, Europe and Inclusion.

To know more about APS La Fenice: www.lafenicetortona.org https://www.facebook.com/LaFeniceAps/ https://www.instagram.com/apslafenice/ The specific sectors of intervention in the last two years (2018-2020) have been the following:

Education: develop non-formal and peer-to-peer education opportunities; offer quality training opportunities in a lifelong learning perspective; develop inclusive educational pathways to support fragility; promote experiential, dynamic and intercultural educational actions by creating opportunities for the expression of talents and potentials. Sports and free time: Promote recreational initiatives for children, teenagers, young people and adults; support community building; enhancing outdoor education and the social role of amateur sports. Social development: Involving young people in decision-making processes to contribute to the development of sustainable policies and social projects for the community; support structured dialogue with local actors to support paths of co-responsibility; support quality interventions in schools and beyond; intercept European opportunities and funding for local development and for the enhancement of youth talents and potentials. International mobilities: Promote opportunities for exchange, discussion and dialogue with other realities across Europe and the world; to foster mobility of young people (and not only) at European and international level; open Tortona to the world to share good practices and community development models and encourage innovation and creativity.

ArtEducation: Promote the access of young people and citizenship to culture, in all its forms; support actions aimed at developing culture, innovation and creativity as elements of participation and active citizenship; give life to shared cultural and artistic experiences; promote the social value of art and culture; enhance the talents, cultural and artistic resources of young people and of the local context.

CHECK SOME OF OUR VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOYc MZlUvLGz3xzXnwNbmtw ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project involves a total of 10 young people aged between 19 and 28, from Portugal (1), Spain (1), Belgium (2), Austria (2), Estonia (2) and Greece (2), and each mobility will last from 6 to 12 months. The volunteers will be supporting the local youth center "YoutHUB" which La Fenice manages in collaboration with the local municipality, offering various opportunities to the young people in Tortona, as well as to the local community in general. The project objectives are:

To promote quality and To initiate participatory To reinforcing inclusive and inclusive educational actions processes at the local level, innovative digital actions, for young people aged 13- aimed at strengthening the in those that promote 19, aimed at facilitating sense of community and community building, their learning both in school solidarity and to increase the bringing different contexts and in informal and sense of responsibility among generations closer non-formal contexts young people. together.

Activities organized within the project may include: - artistic and creative workshops to encourage personal expression and devleop empathy - study support groups, directed in to youth facing socio-educational challenges - events and initiatives aimed at the whole community to promote sense of belonging & solidarity, intercultural & intergenerational dialogue, participation - support for activities, workshops and socio-educational and inclusion initiatives launched in collaboration with the Municipality of Tortona and local schools - creation of digital tools to facilitate access to socio-educational activities and opportunities at local and European level

To know more about the Youth Centre and La Fenice volunteers: https://www.facebook.com/ChaletYoutHub https://www.facebook.com/LaFeniceVolunteers/ ABOUT TORTONA

Tortona is a rather small town situated in the North west of Italy! Tortona is a municipality in the southern part of the region , in the Province of .

Known in ancient times as Derthona, the city was the oldest colony under Roman rule in the westernmost section of the Valley of the . The city was founded c. 123–118 BC at the junction of two great roman roads ( and Via Emilia). Today, the area referring to Tortona covers up to 40 small towns for a total of 600km (approximately 1/5 of the whole province). Half of the area is flat, 1/3 is hilly and the rest is mountainous (reaching 1700mt of height). Tortona is in a strategic area, being in between of 4 different regions (Piemonte, Lombardia, and Emilia Romagna) and well connected to 3 big cities such as: - Milano https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan - Genova https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoa - Torino https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turin

The city is also surrounded by beautiful and peaceful hills and countryside, the so called “Colli Tortonesi”, with tons of tiny villages spread over the hills that are definitely worth exploring!

To know more about Tortona: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortona https://it.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tortona http://www.vivitortona.it/

YOUR NEW HOME Volunteers have their own apartment, in the centre of Tortona. The apartment is located in a typical two-story house in the city center, just 2 minutes away by foot from the main square, Piazza del Duomo.

The apartment consists of: 1 fully equipped kitchen with terrace and dining corner; 1 furnished living room, with a sofa bed, a 2-seater sofa, a dinner table and TV corner; 2 fully equipped bedrooms, on the first floor, with single beds and wardrobes; 1 bathroom with shower; 1 bedroom, on the second floor, with single bed, a wardrobe and a private bathroom; wifi throughout the apartment; washing machine. The living environment is pleasant, informal and safe. Practical management of the apartment (bills, problem solving, small maintenance, etc.) is provided by La Fenice volunteers. You will be independent in your everyday life (expenses, meals management, cleaning, etc.), but support will be always available if needed! Tortona does not have a public transport network such as to require subscriptions or monthly tickets. The whole city can be crossed on foot within about 30-40 minutes, the Youth Centre and the city's high schools (main places of activity for the volunteers) are at a distance of about 10-15 minutes on foot from the apartment. The nearest supermarket is 15 minutes away on foot, but in the center there are also several small shops (grocery store, butcher, mini market, bars, etc.) useful for daily purchases. The train station is about 10-15 minutes on foot. The hospital and the emergency room too. The Municipality is approx. 10 minutes away. Moreover, to facilitate the movements in the city, the Association can make bikes available to the volunteers, upon request.

The landlady lives in the same building, in the apartment opposite to that of the volunteers and is always available and present to help, to give information, and to also facilitate relations with other neighbors (who often do not speak English). Be careful, this also means that in case of troubles or non-agreed hosts and parties, we will be immediately informed ☺!

WHAT TO BRING

Comfortable shoes and clothes: there are many outdoor activities and projects to do at the Youth Centre! Bring something typical! We love to organize traditional dinners and evenings at the Youth Centre! Don’t forget to bring warm clothes, winter can be pretty cold…even we’re in Italy! A water bottle… we’re trying to be as sustainable as possible at the youth centre (and tap water is good!) We’re providing 1 set of bed linens and towels, but we advise you to bring a 2nd set of each (there’s no drying machine in the apartment!) Medical prescriptions, if you need to take any specific medication …or bring your own (please, inform us in advance!) Valid ID/Passport and your European Health Card… !!! COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS

As you may know, Northern Italy is one of the areas that has been more affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In Tortona, luckily, numbers are not rising, but many restrictions still apply. Many of our volunteers' activities have been moved online or outdoor and we're doing our best to keep it as "human" as possible, building connections with La Fenice people despite the impossibility to gather and do physical activities at the Youth Centre. We're also taking all precautions and necessary measures to ensure you are safe and welcomed: we're covering for Covid tests for all volunteers traveling to Tortona, we're going to pick you up at the airport, we're sanitising the house before your arrival, buying food for you for as long as you'll have to isolate waiting for the test results, and we're providing all sort of hygienic equipment in the house as well! CONDITIONS

Pocket money: 150€ per month. Food allowance: 108,50€ per month. Remember that you will have to keep all your food invoices and receipts! Travel costs: reimbursed according to Erasmus+ distance bands. We can buy the tickets for you, if you prefer! Insurance: all volunteers are covered by the ESC Cigna insurance scheme. Linguistic support: you will be able to access the OSC online system and to attend Italian classes for free! Transports: there is no public local transport in Tortona; if necessary, we can provide a bike! Wifi: is available both in the volunteers' house and at the youth centre! Working hours: 5 days / approx. 30 hours per week + 2 days of holidays per month. SOME WORDS IN ITALIAN!

QUESTIONS? Email Address Please feel free to contact us, [email protected] through email or phone. Staff Maha +39 345 584 8480 Laura +39 3462112224 Alessandra +39 334 875 2298 Bo ard Silvia +39 3489376260 Giulia +39 3293933111 Emilia +39 340 544 3906 Hanaa +39 351 839 5833 Dejvi +39 389 479 6696 Elisa +39 329 451 5681