Mental health support for volunteers
What challenge inspired this recipe? When being in a completely new environment and culture, many ESC volunteers can need psychological support in adapting to these changes. However, seeking out help in a new country can seem difficult and unmotivated at times and the support system provided by the National Agency might not always work the […]
Facilitating the first meeting at the volunteers’ apartment.
What challenge inspired this recipe? Our volunteer apartments always bring together long-term ESC volunteers with very different backgrounds, life rhythms, habits, and abilities to set boundaries. All this has a great impact on how well the group of volunteers manages to take care of their home and also keep good relationship within the group of […]
Monitoring the progress and well-being of volunteers with the Monthly Diaries
What challenge inspired this recipe? Regular monitoring if well-being of volunteers is crucial. As we all know, in the course of service various problems may occur and, if not dealt with, it may lead to a conflict, which in its turn potentially may end up with volunteer interrupting the project. But generally, volunteers are happy […]
Supporting personal initiatives of volunteers within their projects
What challenge inspired this recipe? All ESC volunteers staying on long-term project have a chance to submit (a simple) application for a personal initiative to be implemented on their hosting project. EstYES allocates some money from a tiny hosting budget to cover the costs of it, encourages volunteers to take an initiative and supports with […]
Practicing sustainable lifestyle
What challenge inspired this recipe? Estonia is not a “cheap” country to live anymore. Costs of electricity, water consumption, Internet are far from being low. On the top of that there are costs of apartments heating in the cold season which last around 7 months, sometimes even longer. Taking into account low size of ESC […]
Engaging volunteers into practical actions for sustainability
What challenge inspired this recipe? ESC project lasting 6-12 months gives a good time to contribute to environmental sustainability of the country of service. It is not only to practice sustainable lifestyle at your daily living, but also to contribute with your voluntary efforts and time to some projects. EstYES gives such possibility to ESC […]
Problems prevention and solution, conflicts resolution methods
What challenge inspired this recipe? In the course of service various problems may occur. Sometimes there are good reasons behind them – for instance, volunteer may feel unsatisfied about his/ her project. In other cases there can be communication problems between volunteers and their local project coordinators like simple misunderstanding, intercultural difference or personal chemistry […]
Accommodation rules
What challenge inspired this recipe? While few volunteers ESTYES coordinates live individually, most of those who stay in the capital Tallinn stay in the apartments ESTYES owns or rents having a collective accommodation (4-7 people in one flat). Since we are in charge of these premises we have established rules of accommodation in our apartments, […]