Join our grassroots NGO and empower young people to discover and grow in their identity in Calais and Dunkirk, France

Details

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  Description

  We are a grassroots NGO providing psychosocial activities to displaced young people aged 12 to 18 living in Dunkirk and Calais. Following the principles of youth work, we run sessions across community centres, safehouses and informal living sites. We want to empower young people to discover and grow in their identity, self-expression and learning of practical, technical skills. We work in a strong and engaged community of NGOs based on the values of solidarity and human rights.
  
  Activities are varied and range from sports, technology and music, to art, textiles, woodwork - we are always open to new ideas and suggestions! We aim for variety in order to provide agency and new opportunities to young people as well as meeting different interests. We also work alongside other organisations to make sure that young people have access to relevant and appropriate support.
  
  We are very interested to hear about skills and interests that volunteers can bring to the team and to the young people we work with. This could be a skill to share in workshops with young people, or administrative, advocacy, social media or fundraising support.
  
  Our work can be emotionally draining and the environment we work in challenging, especially for people who have never worked in this field before. It's beneficial to be aware of the context of the UK/French border and the challenges this can present. That being said, our work can be great fun, seeing young people learn new things, be creative, show their competitive side and laughing together!
  
  Our shifts are normally more than 5 hours long, however, we have agreed with Workaway to offer split shifts in order to accommodate 5-hour working sessions.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Teaching

  DIY and building projects
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Volunteers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the context in which we work, and the realities surrounding the politics of migration in northern France and across the French/British border. This is also a great opportunity to develop your skills working with young people, facilitating activities and working with vulnerable communities, as well as the logistical and adminstrative work that goes into the day-to-day running of a grassroots NGO.
  
  We work in close collaboration with several other grassroots NGOs, and you will benefit from joining a strong, multilingual community of like-minded volunteers from all over the world.
  
  We are a solidarity-based organisation working in a very challenging environment. We are an actively anti-racist organisation and ask all volunteers to consider the issue of white saviourism before applying to volunteer with us. We do not believe in "voluntourism" or "holidarity."

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  Help

  You will be supporting the day-to-day running of our grassroots NGO, which includes facilitating daily activities for teenagers on the move. Our sessions are based on the principles of youth work, and activities can range from arts, music, and graffiti workshops to sports and team challenges. Volunteers are an integral part of facilitating these workshops, which take place in a range of locations across Calais and Dunkirk, including safehouses, community centres, and informal living sites. Other day-to-day tasks include planning and preparing for sessions, writing reports and grant applications, and updating our social media, fundraising, and advocacy appeals.
  
  Volunteering for a Minimum of Six Weeks
  We ask volunteers to join us for a minimum of six weeks, which includes orientation and training in your first week. This is to ensure we provide consistency for the young people we work with. Day-to-day tasks and involvement can be personalised according to your interests and experience. We are always looking for people who are willing to plan and deliver workshops for young people, with the support of the rest of the team. Previous workshops have included collaborative art projects, graffiti, and woodwork, but we are always open to new ideas!
  
  One-Week Workshops
  In addition to our long-term volunteering opportunities, we also welcome people who can offer a one-week project in the form of a workshop. These workshops can focus on any skill, sport, or passion that you believe would benefit displaced teenagers—particularly those who have been traveling for a long time and may have faced difficult experiences. Whether it’s creative arts, mindfulness, outdoor activities, or hands-on skills, we encourage volunteers to bring their unique expertise to create engaging and enriching opportunities for the young people we support.
  
  Experience working with young people is required, whether in a work or volunteering capacity. You would also be required to obtain a DBS/criminal record check or equivalent before coming to volunteer with us.
  
  We work Monday to Friday, and weekends and evenings are free for you to enjoy!
  
  We operate in English, but we are especially keen to hear from you if you speak French, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Sorani Kurdish, or Tigrinya, as this would be a great benefit to our work. We also encourage applications from those with lived experience of migration or displacement, or experience working in similar contexts.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  French: Intermediate

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  Accommodation

  You will be living with us in our shared apartment in the city centre of Calais - it is likely that you will be sharing a room with another volunteer. Lunch is provided on working days but volunteers are expected to cover the cost of breakfast and dinner.

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  What else ...

  During your time off you are free to socialise with other volunteers and explore the towns of Calais and Dunkirk, as well as some beautiful countryside and coastal walks. Rail connections to Lille are excellent, and though a lovely city in its own right, from there it is very easy to reach Paris, Brussels and further afield through TGV trains and coaches.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We are happy to accommodate people working online alongside volunteering with us. However it's important to be aware that our work can be tiring and emotionally draining and our hours may not be appropriate for full time work.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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