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 practical advice as well as needed help during initiative implementation. We have been doing it for many years and can tell that it works in a wonderful way in case of some especially courageous volunteers.
Ingredients :
Personal initiative application form sample:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TwKZal47HoT2uCx-g5p5pr1FU5tLelEp/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117356268929565814241&rtpof=true&sd=true
Step by step guide
To make ESC service more diverse, dynamic, rich and deeper in experience EstYES propose volunteers to come up with idea of individual micro-project which can be realized in the frame of service at the hosting placement. This can be something as simple as a culture evening to present own country or to design and prepare some materials for kids in the kindergarten involving kids to this work. It can go to building new facilities on the project or repairing existing one. There can be many examples limited only by our fantasy. However there are some rules.
First of all, as ESC funding is very low, the amount given from the hosting grant cannot be too large, so in case of more ambitious project additional funding may be needed. But it might be possible to get it from the hosting project itself. It is worth to turn to companies of the countries of volunteer origin working in Estonia. In some cases Embassy of the country of origin may help in one way or another. And why not to look for private funding.
Secondly, the initiative has to go along with the content of service and support it.
Furthermore, it should not be aimed to solving regular needs of the hosting project but create added value for the concrete voluntary service of the volunteer giving him/ her a chance to go beyond daily tasks and try something new. This method actually has a deep educational impact on volunteer and this is the main idea behind doing it.
In order to get micro-grant volunteer has to fill in a simple application form 1-2 A4 pages explaining the idea behind the project, the need for it, expected outcome, publicity and visibility of ESC program and organisations involved and give the idea of materials and budget needed for the implementation. It is requested that at least 10% of the budget comes from other source than EstYES.
If the project is supported, volunteer gets the first instalment of the micro-grant. When the project is done volunteer has to submit a short report, more detailed financial one and demonstrate the visibility. Then the rest of money is paid.
Important to highlight!This is another great opportunity to make ESC service more diverse, dynamic and rich. It gives chance for young volunteer to try to make a real project application, often for the first time in the life, put together budget, realize the activity and do reporting. It is also a method to open up creative thinking and independent acting. But does it have to be always an individual project? Perhaps the way of up-scaling it is in bringing volunteers together to do common project of larger scale, however still following the principals mentioned above that it should not be too far from the content of ESC project volunteers serve in. |
Before you start cooking, keep in mind…
Volunteers often do not have time or courage to undertake such initiative. So finally, not more than 20% of hosted volunteers take a chance. We should definitely spend more efforts promoting this opportunity and try to create encouraging environment for it.
Often proposed projects are too simple. It still can be a big step for a volunteer. However it is our role to make it more ambitious with deeper impact whenever possible.
In case of more ambitious project lack of money becomes a serious obstacle.
