EVS Megavolunteers 2018
EVSMeGa - EVS in XVIII Mediterranean Games Tarragona 2018 was a large scale type SVE volunteer project, which welcomed around one hundred volunteers from Euromed, the Balkans and Europe in the framework of the Mediterranean Olympic Games. They were held in Tarragona between June and July 2018. Asociación Mundus coordinated the volunteering of all these young people from 16 countries for a month.
The Project
Asociacion Mundus was the coordinating entity of the large-scale European project called European Voluntary Service "EVSMeGa - EVS in XVIII Mediterranean Games Tarragona 2018".
The Mediterranean Games bring together several countries in a sport competition that connects Asia, Africa and Europe, to promote integration between the geopolitical and cultural area. This edition was held in Tarragona in 2018.
The aim of this action was to support a large-scale volunteer project, which in this case included about a hundred volunteers from Euromed, the Balkans and Europe in the framework of the Mediterranean Games of Tarragona 2018, a prestigious event sports that promotes the culture of peace and intercultural dialogue between countries in the Mediterranean area.
The EVS MEGA project was integrated into the organizing activities of this event, in the volunteer scheme developed by the City of Tarragona, in the cooperation with local youth and interested organizations. The volunteers had the opportunity to learn the management of an event of this scale and contribute with their effort by sharing their energy, culture and interests. In addition, they participated in the Games themselves: as guests in their free time and as volunteers in the activities, adding value thanks to the wide range of countries involved, mainly all Euromed participating in the Games. This international event was the perfect occasion to explore cross-border Europe and values such as fair play, intercultural understanding, tolerance, anti-racism, human rights, inclusion, gender equality and many more. All the people that benefited from the project became ambassadors of these values representing Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The total duration of the project was 12 months, although the volunteer period itself took place during 31 days between June 8 and July 7, 2018. The project included preparation activities, intercultural training, coexistence, practical learning, exchange of ideas or creative workshops. The culmination was the participation in the 2018 Mediterranean Games.
This project offered different activities for 63 international volunteers in the city of Tarragona.
21 organizations sending organizations and associated countries (SEE and EUROMED) sent young volunteers who stayed for a period of one month in Tarragona and who actively participated during the 10 days of the Games.
Project Activities
FIRST WEEK
- Date. From June 8 to 13, 2018.
- Main activities: arrival and collection of volunteers; meeting and welcome with the authorities; arrival training.
- Complementary activities. Sports’ Day with the Castellers.
- Description. During the arrival training several activities were carried out, including an intercultural night in the centre of the city of Tarragona, in cooperation with the town hall, youth NGOs, local volunteers and the EVS to raise the awareness about the international dimension of volunteering, and as a first contact with the local community. There was also an event to learn more about the traditional Catalan sport, which is very important in Tarragona and Catalonia: the Castellers, a very inclusive "sport" that supports solidarity, equality and integration.
SECOND WEEK
- Date. From June 15 to 19, 2018.
- Main activities. Preparation of the games: meeting the local team, visit the place, understand the division of tasks and roles, plan the logistics of the games and the project.
- Complementary activities. Workshop about the culture of peace, intercultural night with the local community and Erasmus + fair.
- Description. During this week, among other activities, the participants designed and organized an event aimed to promote Erasmus + , to publicize the program in the community.
THIRD WEEK
- Date. From June 22, 2018 to July 1, 2018.
- Main activities. Implementation of the Games: each volunteer was located in a department with a role and fulfilled a specific task within the logistic organization of the event.
- Description. This phase was the core of the experience, since the Games were held during this week. We also planned a night of TED-style talks, so that volunteers and the local community could see examples of volunteering.
FOURTH WEEK
- Date. From July 4 to July 7, 2018
- Main activities. Preparation of the project results, evaluation, Youthpass, monitoring the plan at the local level.
- Complementary activity. The Human Library of experiences.
- Description. Project based on ICL, exchange of values, integration, which was prioritizing a final exchange between participants, volunteers and athletes. For this, a Human Library tool was organized.
- Closing. The project ended with 21 final conferences that were carried out in each local community of the participating countries to disseminate the results in the local context.
Partner organisations
The international partners of the EVS MEGA project work with young people with fewer opportunities in a variety of levels, as they come from countries that go through difficult or unpredictable political situations and have suffered or continue to suffer conflicts and wars. The EVS MEGA project was launched thanks to the support of the Tarragona City Council and the Tarragona 2018 Foundation. It also involved 21 organizations from 16 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa:
ARGELIA🇱🇧🇦🇱
- L'Association Agir Pour Le Developpement Et L'Epanouissement de la Jeunesse.
- Association Educative et Culturelle Arc en Ciel.
EGYPT
- Sting for Consultancy and Design.
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TUNISIA
- Association Tunisienne pour l’Animation Culturelle Jeunesse et Loisirs. Hammam Sousse-Tunisie.
- Club Culturel Ali Belhouane - Tunis.
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LEBANON
ALBANIA
- Beyond Barriers Association.
FRANCE
ITALY
NORTH MACEDONIA
- Zdruzenie za volonterizam Volonterski Centar Skopje- VCS Skopje.
MOROCCO
- Amuddu Workcamps Without Borders.
TURKEY
BULGARIA
- Association Focus – European center for development.
UNITED KINGDOM
- Dacorum Council for Voluntary Service.
ESTONIA
CROATIA
- Association for promotion of IT, culture and coexistence (IKS).
MONTENEGRO
- Association for Democratic Prosperity - Zid.
AUSTRIA
- CUBIC - Cultur & Bildung im Contex.
GREECE
- K.A.N.E - Social Youth Development.
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