European Voluntary Service in Cloughjordan Community Farm: Arrival Training

Arrival Training 29th September - 2nd October Emmaus Centre, Swords, Co Dublin

In the arrival training we had the opportunity to meet others EVS in Ireland. We are a group of 21 young people from 17 to 30 years residing in a country in Europe: Russia, Slovakia, Scotland, Germany, France, Portugal, Italy and Spain.

Sophie (instructor), Fabio, Elena, Florine, Sarah, Connor, Goizeder, Andrea, Irina, Tobias, Tom, Eléonore, Aleix, Miriam, Henriette, Christine, Anne, Samuele, Romy, Raquel, Elisabeth and Martin. Laurence (instructor) was taking the photo

EVS projects in Ireland:

Cloughjordan Community Farm
Kingsriver Community Holdings Ltd
Aisling Project Ltd
Camphill Communities of Ireland – KCAT
Bantry & Dunmanway School Completion Programme
Peter mc very

How volunteering can change your worldview? Perform an EVS helps you develop as a person and as a professional through a non-formal approach. It helps you improve your personal skills, learn a language, know the culture of the country and, above all, gives you the opportunity to get involved in the development of local communities as our Cloughjordan Community farm.

The first day of training we present our projects to the other volunteers

Cloughjordan Community Farm

Anne, Irina, Andrea, me and the Irish luck doll!

On Friday after a meditation, we talk about the rights and responsibilities of an EVS. In the afternoon we visited Dublin in groups and made an exchange of culture with the game "Dublin Challenge".

On Saturday we reflect on different cultures. Being part of a new culture enriches your personal values, you learn to be flexible, to adapt and deal with the changes. When you understand the cultural expressions, you develop the ability to empathize and understand the values, norms, heroes and symbols of the people living in the new place. Iceberg theory is a good representation to understand what we are aware (music, food, games, clothes ...) and we have less control (values, religion, the way we behave ...)

The last day, we talked about the skills of EVS and its three main elements: knowledge, attitude and skills. We also talked about the Youthpass, our own goals and how to make better EVS to grow as professionals and, above all, as great people.

The 8 Competences – YOUTHPASS

Learning to learn
Competence in mathematics and basic competence in science and technology
Communication in foreign languages
Communication in the mother tongue
Digital competence
Social and civic competences
Cultural awareness and expression
Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship

To end the training, we had dinner together at The Brazen Head, Ireland's oldest pub!

20 Years European Voluntary Service. Effects (pdf)

This factsheet provides a selection of the positive effects of the European Voluntary Service.

The content is based on the self-perception of participants and taken from the ongoing research based analysis and monitoring of the EU youth programme by means of RAY.

Behind the official arrival training ... (Thanks all for the photos)