Volunteer (12 months, in Belgium)

About Us

• The European Solidarity Corps is a funding programme of the European Union that creates opportunities for young people to volunteer and run their own solidarity projects that benefit communities around Europe.
• Application deadline: 11/04/2022.

Activity description

• «L’Enfance de l’Art» is a non profit organisation whose aim is to help parents to become more involved in their children’s education.
• To that purpose, the organisation set up hosting facilities for children or people with reduced autonomy, leisure workshops, nurseries, schools.
• The organisation uses alternative pedagogies (Steiner & Loczy).
• Loczy pedagogy respects the whole child and develops its autonomy, which requires observation capacity to meet their real needs at the right time.
• Steiner pedagogy brings in more contact with nature and creativity, which requires to also work outside every day.
• The volunteer will be working in a kindergarten (3-6 years).
• With the support of the educators, volunteers will carry out different kind of activities with the children: painting, drawing, fairy tales and nursery rhymes (volunteers can share some in their own language), making cakes and breads, outdoor games, crafts, walks in woods.

Accomodation, food and transport arrangements

• Volunteer will live in a shared flat in Tournai together together with 3 other volunteers.
• Each volunteer will have his/her own bedroom and will share the kitchen, bathroom,... with the other volunteers.
• The nursery, located in Tournai, is easily reachable by foot.
• The kindergartens are in Templeuve, a village located 15min away from Tournai by bus or car.
• Carpooling will be organised everyday for volunteers between Tournai and Templeuve.
• The money for food and pocket expenses will be covered by the European Solidarity Corpse, on average in the amount of 300-400 euros/month.

Training during the activity

• An informal training day will be organised in the end of August for all the volunteers in order to introduce the alternative pedagogies used on the project (especially Steiner pedagogy).
• Volunteers will then have the opportunity during their placement to go into this subject in depth through the weekly meeting and exchanges with the members of the hosting organisation.
• As the other ESC volunteers, she/he will participate in an on-arrival and mid-term seminars organised by the National Agency.

Participant profile

• Children in Steiner approach begin their learning through imitation, rather than instruction.
• Great care is put into the adults’ gestures, speech & movement.
• It is important to be willing to work with children under 7 years, and have related qualities (gentle, patient, helpful, attentive, responsible, creative, empathic, flexible,...).
• You should not be afraid of living a repetitive daily routine & to spend time outside in all weathers. Basics of French is a plus.