(source: Caroline Tolkemit)
September is not only the month of going back to school or to work, but it is also the month of volunteering in Slovakia. To follow this tradition, Bratislava Volunteer Center is organizing the Bratislava week of volunteering on the last week of September.
After the holidays it's time for new beginnings. Isn't it the perfect time to start volunteering? Bratislava Volunteer Center is coordinating the Bratislava week of volunteering, which comprises different volunteering activities organised by several associations during the last week of September. From rearranging the premises of a children's home to fundraising, from spending an afternoon playing with children in a hospital to accompanying seniors to the museum of trade, everyone will find something that suits them. In total there will be about 30 organisations offering more than 100 volunteering positions. The participants can try several activities and are encouraged to decide to become a regular volunteer.
Bratislava volunteer week is the perfect occasion to try something new and meaningful. There will also be open doors in several associations, offering a chance to discover an NGO and meet the people who run it. They will explain in depth what they are doing and what they are expecting from their volunteers. Also, for those willing to have a big picture on volunteering in Slovakia, Bratislava Volunteer Center will host three infomeetings in Slovak in the premices of the city hall on September 28th.
For those with limited time on work days, on Saturday October 3 there will be a volunteer fair in Stará Tržnica during the regular market. On the first floor, around 20 different NGOs will be presenting their activities, looking for new volunteers. During the volunteer fair, there will also be talks and a living library on European Voluntary Service.
A living library is a library where books are real people and reading consists of a conversation. You can “borrow” someone for a conversation of 30 minutes maximum and get to know someone's experience on a particular topic. In Stará Tržnica, the topic of the living library will be the European Voluntary Service (EVS), a program of the European Union allowing youngsters to volunteer in another country for a period of up to one year all expenses covered. On October 3, wannabe EVS volunteers will get the chance to talk to former or current volunteers willing to share their experience.
There are many ways to make a difference waiting to be discovered during the Bratislava volunteer week.
By Claire Billon-Grand, EVS volunteer at the Bratislava Volunteer Center .
For detailed program visit : www.dobrovolnictvoba.sk
Note : All the organizations taking part in the Bratislava week of volunteering are active members of Bratislava Volunteer Center and have been approved to work with volunteers.
