Job shadowing – Betkino iskustvo iz Osijeka

Alzbeta Mrackova, projektna voditeljica iz slovačke organizacije civilnoga društva C.A.R.D.O. iz Bratislave boravila je tri tjedna u rujnu 2009. god. u Volonterskom centru Osijek, u sklopu projekta “Razmjena iskustava u području volontiranja mladih”. Ovaj projekt financijski je podržan od strane Izvršne agencije za obrazovanje, kulturu i audio-vizualne medije kroz europski program “Mladi na djelu” (Action 3.1 – Job shadowing).

Cilj ovoga projekta bio je prikupljanje novih iskustava, informacija, vještina i znanja o volontiranju mladih u Hrvatskoj, različitim projektima koji uključuju mlade volontere te alatima kojima se služe pri provedbi volonterskih projekata.

Tijekom svog trotjednog boravka Betka je imala prilike upoznati se s volonterskim programima organizacija civilnoga društva na području Osijeka i šire okolice te zakonodavnim okvirom za volontiranje u Republici Hrvatskoj. Kroz primjere dobre prakse uključivanja volontera i posjete Volonterskom centru Tenja, Klubu roditelja i djece s teškim invaliditetom “Novi dan”, Centru za mir, nenasilje i ljudska prava Osijek, Ekološkom društvu “Zeleni Osijek”, Udruzi za rad s mladima “Breza”, Domu za psihički bolesne odrasle osobe, Volonterskom centru Rijeka te Volonterskom centru Zagreb Betki su prezentirani interesantni volonterski programi/projekti u koje su uključene različite skupine mladih ljudi kao volonteri.

Evo što Betka misli o svom iskustvu iz Osijeka:

MY JOB SHADOWING EXPERIENCE IN OSIJEK

As a participant of job shadowing project of in Osijek, Croatia I had a great and incomparable opportunity to live and experience everyday life in Volunteer Centre Osijek and its partner local volunteer organisations for three weeks in September 2009. I have been working as a Project Manager in National Volunteer Centre in Bratislava, Slovakia for 4 years. While writing my project proposal I felt I needed new inspirations, ideas and more of professional development in volunteering for our efforts on local and national level in Slovakia. I chose to apply for job shadowing project and to go to Croatia to see how this country, however non EU member state, but culturally and traditionally closed to Slovakia works on volunteering of young people and volunteer infrastructure. I went to Croatia also because is one of the last countries which adopted a law on volunteering.

One of my most important conclusions (which I was surprised I found out in Croatia) was the power of networking initiatives and advocating on state level. In Croatia I had the possibility to study and discuss several important materials such as a National strategy of creating an enabling environment for civil society development, prepared national curriculum on volunteer management training, law on volunteering, volunteer code of ethics and quality standards of volunteer centres in Croatia. These documents were incredible sources for development volunteering infrastructure in Slovakia which is (comparing to Croatia) only at the beginning of development. I experienced the incredible force and lots of energy behind common network of four volunteer centres in Croatia which common advocating and lobbying activities I think were the main reason and main source of enabling strong volunteer infrastructure and support from government (legal and financial). I was touched by work of all volunteers and volunteer organisations I have visited. I was mostly inspired by work of all volunteer centres (Osijek, Zagreb and Rijeka) and volunteer organisations working in peace and children and youth issues. On the other hand I could experience in Croatia the same gaps or challenges as in Slovakia – both countries need to involve volunteer in the work of public institutions as well as to increase a number of senior volunteers in volunteer organisations.

For three weeks I live in one of the mostly affected region after a civil war in nineties. I could still experience some stains and harms in the town and its surroundings as well as all the wonderful effort of people and NGOs fighting for tolerant coexistence of people living here and coming from different countries as Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia, or even Hungary. This experience as well as new personal contacts and new friendships with people from Croatia and Bosnia made my visit even warm. I felt like a valuable host.

I would like to thank all my colleagues in Volunteer Centre Osijek, especially thanks to Jelena Kamenko, Executive Director, who has taken care of me, here in Osijek, has introduced me to local community, to her friends and volunteers and then to Lejla Sehic Relic who was the first person from Osijek by who I was inspired to come for a job shadowing. I would like to thank to all volunteers and friends and all NGOs experts for a warm welcome and valuable meetings. I hope I see you in Slovakia either on job shadowing or some other event. You are very welcome!

Alzbeta Mrackova, C.A.R.D.O.