Special Kindergarten no 213 in Warsaw is an educational establishment for mentally handicapped children and youth. Although it is called a kindergarten, there are various age groups in this institution: groups for children with disabilities (3-10 years old), groups for children with autism (3-10 years old) , group for teenagers with disability (15-25 years old). The staff consists of many specialists: special pedagogues, psychologist, therapist, physiotherapist, speech therapist and also volunteers and students. The Special Kindergarten no 213 often has visitors from the Pedagogical and Psychological University in Warsaw. Our Kindergarten is one of few kindergartens in Warsaw, which offer daycare for children and youth from 3 to 25 years of age. Mental retardation of the pupils in this institution is accompanied by other developmental disorders, e.g. autism, ADHD, behavioral disorders and physical disability. They are not able to live independently. Each of them needs care and help in everyday activities to some extent. They are open to new contacts but it is worth mentioning that often verbal communication is difficult as most of pupils do not speak.
The great diversity of the pupils, their characters as well as different kind of their disorders, which determine their behavior do not allow to describe our target group in just a few words. It seems that readiness to new challengers and creativity of the volunteers will allow them to create relations satisfactory for them and for their pupils. The volunteer will work with children aged between 3 and 7. Undoubtedly, the volunteers will meet a wide variety of new challenges and aims, mainly due to depicted above diversity of pupils. Most of them require individual care and specific attitude, which makes every day in the kindergarten different.
Volunteers work in a specific group and, should the need arise, also directly with individual children that might need more assistance. Volunteers are also welcome to propose their own activities and can count on teachers to support them.
Considering the described activities in which the volunteers would be executing or participating in we believe that they would have the possibility to develop their pedagogical skills in the area of working with children with special needs, as well as participating in various workshops and trainings organized by and/or in the kindergarten. We are also aware of the fact that our work can be very demanding and that volunteers would need specific guidelines and training to prepare them and help them with their work.
The volunteer will share an apartment with four other volunteers. All volunteers sharing the apartment will organize at least one event in their local community (additional to their volunteering working schedule in receiving organizations).
According to Erasmus + rules, we provide all volunteers with:
– Accommodation (5 volunteers in one apartment with 3 bedrooms, a shared bathroom, kitchen and living room)
– food allowance (ca 100 EUR),
– pocket money (85 EUR),
– local transportation (travel card for Warsaw city transport) ,
– insurance (apart from European Health Insurance Card volunteers are entitled to EVS Group insurance),
– language support (60 h course of Polish),
– EVS trainings (on-arrival & mid-term training),
– monthly meetings in the Schuman Foundation (meetings with coordinators and 11 other EVS volunteers working in different receiving organization).
Here are some testimonials of previous volunteers =)
IMPORTANT:
- We are looking for a volunteers from PARTNER COUNTRIES (preferably Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania)
- We ask each candidate to send us filled out OUR APPLICATION FORM. Candidates can add other documents/personal presentations/ videos/photos/motivation letters to the application form, if they want but please know that applications without our form will not be taken into consideration.
Please send applications to: In title please write: APPLICATION 213. - We will contact only candidates we find suitable, asking for further skype or telephone interview. We will analyze the applications as we receive them, so the time of sending the application is important.
Polska Fundacja im. Roberta Schumana
Polish Robert Schuman Foundation
Al. Ujazdowskie 37/5, 00-540 Warszawa, PL
Tel.: +48 (0) 22 6212161, 22 6217555
Faks: +48 (0) 22 6297214
E-mail: j.obrien@schuman.pl
WWW: www.schuman.pl