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DEPAUL ERASMUS + KA1
VOLUNTEERING PLACEMENTS (EUROPEAN VOLUNARY SERVICE)
NORTHERN IRELAND
www.ie.depaulcharity.org
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 28 95 215 115 / +44 7872841093
WHO ARE WE?
DEPAUL IS A CHARITY SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
DEPAUL BELIEVES THAT HOMELESSNESS HAS NO PLACE.
We offer homeless and disadvantaged people the opportunity to fulfill their potential and move towards an independent and positive future.
OUR MISSION
We aim to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it.
OUR VISION
Our Vision is of a society in which everyone has a place to call home and stake in their community
INTRODUCTION TO DEPAUL Depaul was established in Dublin in 2002 and Northern Ireland in 2005. Depaul works with some of the most marginalised individuals and families in local communities. These are groups in our society that have sometimes been multiply excluded from other services due to complex and challenging needs.
Depaul is a values led organisation
We celebrate the potential of people:
We believe in the potential of the people we work with
We will treat all of the people who use our services with respect
We believe in development
We have a strong culture of volunteering.
We put our words into action:
What matters is what we do
We do what we say we will do
We are committed to innovation
We take risks
We aim to take a wider role in civil society:
We believe in partnership
We aim to be open and accountable
We are custodians of valuable resources
We strive to be a best practice organisation.
We have a global perspective and potential.
We believe in rights and responsibilities:
We believe that people have fundamental rights
We believe that with rights go responsibilities
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
DEPAUL SERVICES Depaul’s work can be categorised into four main service areas:
Depaul is part of a wider International Group structure Depaul International, with other subsidiaries in the UK, Ukraine, Slovakia, USA and France.
Although we are a separate charity to the St Vincent Depaul Society, Depaul shares close links with other members of the Vincentian Family and in the establishment of Depaul in Dublin in 2002, the Society of St Vincent de Paul, the Daughters of Charity and the Vincentian Fathers were our founding partners. However, its staff and its service users are from all walks of life – other faiths or no faith at all. It is non-judgmental in the same way that Vincent de Paul was non-judgmental. The focus is on innovation and action.
WHERE ARE WE? Depaul is located in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Our Central offices are located in Dublin and Belfast. Belfast is the main city of Northern Ireland. Belfast is a small city with a vibrant social and cultural life. Belfast is served by two airports and there is also a coach service that connects the city centre to Dublin airport for flights to other destinations. Belfast is also ideal to use
as a base for touring other parts of Northern Ireland. It enjoys good road and rail links to many scenic destinations, such as the Giants Causeway, the City of Derry, Mourne Mountains, Fermanagh lakes and many more. Belfast and Derry host a number of significant arts festivals over the year and also has a diverse array of bars, nightclubs, theatres, venues, restaurants and cinemas. Recent years have witnessed an increase in both tourist numbers and in the development of new ethnic communities. Political and sectarian violence was a part of life in Belfast from the late 1960s. Although the city continues to experience tensions between its two communities, it has been engaged in a peace process since the mid-1990s and political strife does not generally affect outsiders to the area. The city and its inhabitants are friendly to newcomers and Depaul NI undertakes to advise volunteers with regards to keeping away from potential sectarian problem areas. The projects are based near main roads, with a regular bus routes into the town centre and the volunteer's accommodation will be in close proximity to the project.
WHY DO WE NEED VOLUNTEERS?
In our projects we see volunteers as an important aspect of our work. This includes both part time volunteers who commit a few hours per week and full time volunteers from other European countries. Adding an EVS component to the various projects can be described as being at the roots of the Vincentian ethos, under which our projects operates. Volunteers are an essential part of our work and none of the projects of Depaul Ireland would be the same without them. Our services are provided by a fully paid and qualified staff team so volunteers can fulfill additional beneficial activities.
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
WHAT IS IT WE DO? Depaul manages projects for homeless and disadvantaged people in both Belfast and Dublin.
HOW DO VOLUNTEERS HELP? Volunteers greatly enhance the service
that we can provide for our service users.
They bring a huge intercultural dimension to the lives of our service users.
Volunteer work is centered round worthwhile activities.
Volunteers participate in activities with the service users that staff sometimes do not have the time to do.
Volunteer activities are part of our holistic approach to supporting service users.
WHAT DO VOLUNTEERS DO?
The most important thing our volunteers do is build positive, supportive relationships with our service users. EVS volunteers have been involved in many different activities, the aim of which is to boost the skills and self-esteem of our service users. For example:
Art, crafts or music workshops
Life Skills classes like basic cookery literacy & numeracy, IT, job skills etc
Games and Quizzes
Film Night, Keep Fit, Cultural Awareness, Family Activities
Organising seasonal events (Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Christmas etc)
Helping the overall organization with special events
Project staff encourage volunteers to take initiative in arranging such activities if they feel comfortable to do so. Volunteers are encouraged to consult with the staff and service users to plan, budget and identify what activities would be suitable. Staff can support their work and carry out necessary risk assessments.
Meeting young people from other European countries can generate an interest in other aspects of life formerly unknown to our service users and work against perceptions prejudice and xenophobia they may hold.
Volunteer Opportunities, Belfast, UK EVS Code: 2016-1-UK01-KA110-035335
Stella Maris Project: Receiving Homeless Families Project: Receiving
(Mater Dei & Cloverhill Family Services)
Castlehill Project Not hosting Foyle Haven Not Hosting Community Services Not Hosting
Depaul NI PIC Code: 948481618
.
Volunteer Opportunities, Dublin , ROI EVS Codes
Sundial House 2015-1-IE-01-KA110-008737
Orchid House 2015-1-IE-01-KA110-008735 Tús Nua 2015-1-IE-01-KA110-008738
Back Lane 2015-1-IE01-KA110-008734 Peter’s Place 2015-1-IE-01-KA110-008736
Ballymun Outreach Project Not hosting Rendhu Appartments Not hosting Emergency Services Not hosting
Suaimhneas Not hosting
Please note that Dublin Host Services are recruiting for
Round 2 26th April grant deadline.
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
Including an EVS element to the projects is exciting as the volunteers will be working with individuals who may have had no contact with life outside of Northern Ireland. We hope EVS will bring a cultural dimension to the project, which offers these individuals, a small taste of what life is like outside their home-town, including different languages, food, cultures and ideas.
Building Relationships with Service Users
Some of our service users are quite self-sufficient whilst others can be living quite chaotic lives and appear apathetic towards engaging in activities. Volunteers must be aware that it this is normal in our Services and it takes time to build rapport with our service users and patience to discover what approach will be suitable.
The volunteer role does NOT include the following:
Covering or substituting a paid staff role Over night shifts Key-working (personal support) Counselling / therapy roles
BENEFITS TO THE VOLUNTEER
It can be a very enriching experience for the volunteers themselves as well as for the disadvantaged service users staying in the various projects. The volunteer may come in contact with a side of modern day life they may not have encountered previously. In the past volunteers have been involved in other aspects of Depaul’s work, that they were interested in. Volunteers have also been involved in research, marketing, fundraising and helping with events. We very much value the unique skills and talents that volunteers bring to the organisation and try, where possible, to utilize these skills and talents to the benefit of the organisation.
Volunteers will gain a broad range of experience extremely beneficial to their future life and personal development. These include:
Good communication skills Ability to respond appropriately to
challenging situations
An understanding of providing professional support for vulnerable people
An understanding of issues surrounding homelessness
Harm Reduction & Low Threshold working practices
Experience of a holistic style of working
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? Volunteering with people who are homeless can be difficult at times and volunteers should consider their motivation to apply carefully. Some frequent issues:
The strong Northern Irish accent and local way of speaking
Service user apathy / low motivation
Service user physical and/or mental health issues
The chaotic lifestyles of the service user and the impact on the Service
Our frequently cold and wet climate!
Service users can be difficult to engage:
Stella Maris: service users have alcohol dependency and can often be drunk
Family Projects have self contained flats and their own daily personal commitments
Family Projects do not have a babysitting service so it can be hard for parents to get involved in activities
Sometimes the only children in Family Projects are babies
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
PRACTICAL INFO
Housing Volunteers will be offered a single room in a house in their chosen Project’s city (Belfast). The main facilities such as kitchen, bathroom and living space will be shared with other volunteers. Volunteers will be given specific information about their particular living arrangements, before deciding whether to accept the offer of a place with Depaul. The house will be fully furnished and equipped with bedding, kitchen items, TV/DVD player etc. Allowance Volunteers will be provided with a weekly pocket money allowance in Pounds Sterling. If the project has catering facilities they may eat their meals there. Volunteers will prepare their own meals in their house, in a kitchen shared with other volunteers. The allowance will be paid weekly and Volunteers will be given support to obtain a Northern Irish bank account so that direct deposits can be arranged. Holidays Volunteers will also be given time off to investigate Northern Ireland and visit volunteers based in other projects. Annual leave entitlements accrue at the same rate as other project team members (i.e. EVS volunteers get approximately 2 days of annual leave for every month volunteered, and also are allowed to take Bank Holidays). EVS Training Every volunteer receives on-arrival training and mid-term training, which aims to prepare them for their placements and their stay in Belfast, this training also contains a strong cultural perspective in order to provide volunteers with some background of cultural differences and similarities between Ireland and their home country.
Passport & VISA All volunteers are responsible for ensuring that they apply for the correct visa required to travel and live Belfast / United Kingdom. Please refer to: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration to check your own needs. Please note that the UK VISA does NOT permit you to travel in the Republic of Ireland!
It is also essential that a volunteer passport is valid for the duration of the placement. The volunteer may seek assistance from the sending organization or coordinating organization in order to prepare these documents. Other Services We recognise the need for variation in the working life of the volunteer while away from home. For this reason we aim to give volunteers an ability to visit other Depaul Ireland services when possible. The variety of placements available to the volunteer will give them a diverse insight into the myriad of social problems facing homeless people as well as making their time with us more interesting and varied. This will help the volunteer to discover and develop different skills and interests they possess. Time will be spent during support meetings to develop this further.
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
VOLUNTEER SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT Volunteer Mentor & Supervisor The volunteer will have a placement supervisor and Mentor. Responsibilities Induct them to the activity or task Provide support for the volunteer while
working alongside them Keep in contact with Volunteer Monitor progress and discuss any issues
arising Ensure that the practical arrangements in
the placement are adequate Ensure that the volunteer is receiving
appropriate training Ensure that the volunteer is never working
independently without support Ensure that the volunteer has a good
balance between intercultural learning opportunity and voluntary placement work.
Arrival Volunteers who are placed with us also enjoy an intercultural experience. Volunteers are generally on induction for the first two weeks of the project. During this time they participate in a tour of the host city they are placed in with the volunteer mentor of the project. They are also given the opportunity to visit sites of historical and cultural significance with the service users of the project they are working in. During volunteers’ time with us, our experience has been that volunteers learn a lot about the culture and country that they are living in. We celebrate Irish festivals with volunteers and encourage them to try local specialties of the area. We provide a structured induction programme for each volunteer. This induction helps develop volunteers’ skills for working with homeless people and also imparts knowledge like Health and Safety, handling challenging situations, Professional Boundaries,
Confidentiality etc. Depaul also has an ongoing training programme which covers areas such as drugs and alcohol awareness, managing and preventing crisis etc. All volunteers will have access to this training programme. Volunteers will also be assessed for English language support via the Online Linguistic Support. If a volunteer requires additional support this must be declared at time of application so Depaul can apply for exceptional costs.
Volunteers learn about issues relating to homelessness in general, they also learn about equal opportunities and about the culture and society of Northern Ireland. After induction the volunteers will be involved in getting to know service users and organising activities. Volunteers will also play a role in briefing and debriefing sessions at the beginning and end of every shift in which health and safety issues are handed over from one team to another. Health and Safety Depaul take the Health and Safety of each volunteer particularly seriously. The building has been specifically designed with the health and safety of both staff and service users in mind. There are cameras throughout as well as clearly marked and accessible fire exits. Volunteers will not be required to work on their own. The building is always staffed by other staff members. Volunteers add value by providing activities but are not expected to
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
work in isolation however Depaul does have a Lone Working policy. Their safety is paramount and emphasis is always placed on keeping staff and volunteers safe. For the first few weeks of the project, volunteers will be undertake an induction into that project. This will be a supportive mechanism to ensure that volunteers become familiar with the building policies and procedures as well as ensuring that they are supported and safe in the early phase. Language & Culture In many areas the volunteer will be involved in intercultural learning at the same time as they are volunteering on their activity. Intercultural learning is inseparable from most activities in the project as all concerned parties (i.e. the volunteers, the service users as well as staff) will be confronted with aspects from different cultures and different cultural values than their own. It will also equip the volunteers with life and communication skills that will enrich their personal life as well as professional career. Some activities will offer more opportunity for intercultural learning experience than others that will be more demanding and less educational. This is one of the reasons we have opted for a variety of activities. The Volunteer Co-coordinator has an overall view of the entire volunteering experience, and will ensure that these activities are appropriately balanced. The volunteers working hours could be mornings, afternoons or evenings on weekdays or weekends, but they will also be given time off to socialize and travel. Language Support Depaul will follow Erasmus+ guidelines for specific Online Language Support. Currently, Depaul is unable to pay for additional English language classes for volunteers. However, we will review this as depending on the needs of the volunteer.
Project Activities Volunteers are advised not to expect too much from service users in relation to their activities at first. Getting to know our service users and building a good relationship with them is essential. Our service users can be suffering from addiction, trauma, poor physical and mental health and low self-esteem. Volunteers need to be motivated and be inspiring to service users who may be apathetic or simply do not know what interests them. We hope that by bringing some interests and skills of their own, volunteers will wish to share and develop an idea or project. Initially the volunteer’s time will be spent getting orientated to their new home as well as training and induction. Afterwards the volunteer will be offered the opportunity to develop a project which is of particular interest to them. We will support the volunteer in developing this, but will allow them to take the lead in it, thereby improving their organisational and development skills. Volunteers are given the opportunity to diversify their project. Primarily the volunteer will spend their working week at activities related to their host Project. However, we may support Volunteers to organize joint projects that can be delivered in other Depaul projects. Volunteers are also expected to help with wider Depaul events, fundraising / awareness raising activities, Volunteer and EVS promotions etc.
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
A typical week could look something like this:
NORTHERN IRELAND HOST PROJECTS
STELLA MARIS PROJECT
ENVIRONMENT
Stella Maris is a Low Threshold, Harm Reduction homeless accommodation Service providing 24/7 support to long term street drinkers in the North Belfast. The project works within a principle of 'harm reduction' which means that we work with service users at their level and individual needs to provide the best possible interventions for them. Because of the needs of the service users the project has allocated communal areas where service users can consume their own alcohol on site under alcohol management procedures. The project provides its service users with a safe and comfortable home. It provides all the services one would normally expect in a hostel from single room accommodation to full catering and laundry facilities. During service users stay, they are also engaged in a key working system which allows them to gain access to welfare rights advice, health care, personal development and any other specialist services that they may need. Most importantly, the project provides a homely environment where people can feel safe and comfortable and begin to address the issues which may have led to them becoming homeless in the first place. Service Users are supported to move on to their own independent tenancy via the Housing First Service. Stella Maris is close to the dock area of Belfast over-looking the famous Titanic quarter and Harland and Wolff ship building cranes are located. The Service is close to bus and rail routes and is a 20 minute walk into the city.
Morning Afternoon Evening
Monday Socialising with the service users in the host project. Playing pool or chatting.
Preparation of the art and crafts materials followed by workshop (7 hour day)
Free
Tuesday Accompanying a service user to the local shops.
Attendance at Team meeting & working with service users on health promotion project. (7 hour day)
Free
Wednesday
Working at another Depaul project with another EVS volunteer on a cultural project.
Free Quiz Night (6 hour day)
Thursday Free
Meeting with staff & volunteers to prepare for a trip to a local park with service users.
Music Night (6 hour day)
Friday Morning Breakfast Club
Cooking Session – life skills support for adults /children. (7 hour day)
Saturday Day Off Free
Sunday Day Off Free
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
Service users may be living chaotic lives and it can be a challenge for volunteers to engage them in activities. Depaul celebrates even the smallest of achievement and volunteers should be patient when working with this client group who can be challenging and apathetic due to low self esteem and alcohol related health problems.
Stella Maris Tasks Our aim is to open new possibilities for the project and its service users through the inclusion of volunteers. While the project staff often have to focus on the basic service provision the volunteers can concentrate solely on additional activities which will be of great benefit to the service users. Music: We have a number of musical
instruments including percussion. Life skills: literacy, health awareness,
hygiene, relaxation Arts & Crafts: Painting, mosaics, crafts,
Cookery: We have a canteen facility photography, creative projects Games: board games, pool/snooker,
computer games etc Gardening: We have 2 small yards with
plants, trees, herbs and vegetables Accompany service users on trips outside
the project / Befriending Spending time to talk and get to know the
service users Volunteers own project – build on your
own personal skills & interests
Stella Maris Volunteer Essential Skills
Very patient and have the ability to inspire
and motivate a challenging client group Empathic and non-judgmental Ability to use initiative and be flexible and
open to new situations Open to understanding the issues
surrounding homelessness & addiction Willing to work with people who are on
the margins of society A good level of written and spoken English
HOMELESS FAMILIES PROJECT ENVIRONMENT The Homeless Families Project (Mater Dei and Cloverhill) are supported accommodation services for vulnerable families experiencing homelessness (ie. ranging from expectant mother through to mother, father and children). The Services have 14 / 18 self contained family units. There are large communal areas for the service users. The displacement of families is due to any number of factors such as inappropriate living arrangements, overcrowding, domestic violence, bereavement, family relationship break down. Some of our resident parents are very young themselves and have had very little life experience. It is important that families are kept together and provided with high levels of support during any period of transition. Families are appointed a key worker to ensure they receive the appropriate support. A support plan (life skills, budgeting, parenting skills and health support) is developed between the service user and worker. The project provides the time and space during which families can address the issues which led to their housing crisis.
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
The project supports families to gain practical skills which enable them to adapt to life after they have left the project. Floating Support workers support service users who move into their own tenancies.
Mater Dei is situated in a residential area of North Belfast. It is close to a main road into the city centre. Buses are frequent and it is approximately a 30-45 minute walk to the main shopping area at the centre of the city.
Cloverhill is situated in a large residential area of West Belfast. It is located on a main road with buses into the city centre which take approximately 50 minutes.
Volunteers will be allocated to a Family Service after the first month of arrival.
Homeless Families Project Tasks Our aim is to open new possibilities for the project and its service users through the inclusion of volunteers. While the project staff often have to focus on the basic service provision the volunteers can concentrate solely on additional activities which will be of great benefit to the service users. Because service users’ have their own flats in the building it can be difficult to get them to socialize and participate in activities within the Project. On arrival, each volunteer will be inducted into the policies and procedures of the project. This will include training around safety procedures, professional boundaries, child protection, crisis prevention and intervention, importance of using team communication and other issues relating to working in a residential setting. Arts & Crafts: Painting, crafts, jewelry
making, educational play Social activities – film, games, quizzes Keep Fit, Dance classes, sport Gardening: Mater Dei has a small garden
area that needs developed Life skills: literacy, health awareness,
relaxation, parenting issues, money management, job search, cookery
Health / Fitness promotion Accompanying resident families on trips
outside the project /Befriending Spending time to talk and get to know the
resident families For the first few weeks the volunteers will visit both Family Services to get an understanding of them both. This will be a supportive mechanism to ensure that volunteers become familiar with the relevant policies and procedures during the Induction phase.
DEPAUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
Volunteer Programme
Unit 4, Nelson Street Trade Centre,
Nelson Street, Belfast, BT15 1BH
+44 2895 215 115 / +44 7872841093
After induction the volunteers will get involved in workshops and activities. Volunteers will also play a role in team meetings and debriefing sessions in which any issues are handed over from one team to another.
Homeless Families Volunteer Essential Skills
Empathic and non-judgmental Patient and self motivated Ability to use initiative and be flexible and
open to new situations Interested in, and a basic understanding
of the issues around homelessness Willing to work with children (of all ages)
and parents who are on the margins of society
A good level of written and spoken English
HOW TO APPLY FOR A DEPAUL EVS PROJECT
We select volunteers according to Erasmus+ guidelines. This means that we look for volunteer candidates aged between 18 and 30 years and who are legally residing in a Programme Country (EU) or a Non EU Partner Country & Neighbouring Country
We seek a balance of varied ages, genders and nationalities amongst our EVS volunteers.
Vacant EVS placements in the host projects are advertised on the European Youth Portal and you MUST register in the PASS system.
In order to fairly assess each candidate’s suitability for each project, we ask each candidate to complete Depaul Northern Ireland EVS Application which asks for the following information:
1. A volunteer’s motivation for applying to do EVS (and also why with Depaul)
2. A volunteers motivation for applying to the chosen host project
3. The volunteer’s general understanding of the factors that lead people to become homeless with reference to the particular client group of the project
4. The challenges that the volunteer anticipates when working in our projects
5. The skills and abilities a volunteer feels they will bring to the project
6. Their expectations of the role of an EVS volunteer within the host project.
Volunteers are also required to produce 2 work/study related references, a relevant police clearance certificate from the country that they are travelling from and information relating to their medical history (if relevant). A good level of spoken English is required as much of our work requires the ability to communicate and build relationships with our service users.
Availability & Deadline
Volunteer Application deadline:
Friday 19th January 2018
Selection & Interviews:
From 22nd January 2018
Grant Application Deadline:
Round 1: Thursday 15th February 2018
Volunteer Activity dates:
1st July 2018 – 1st June 2019 (11 Months in total)
Contact
Jenny Groves, Volunteer Co-ordinator at [email protected]
Visit: www.ie.depaulcharity.org/evs-volunteers
