Maailmanvaihto’s Equality Plan

The plan has been approved by the board of Maailmanvaihto 4th September 2024.

A pdf version of the plan is coming up soon!

Introduction

Maailmanvaihto organizes intercultural learning experiences for young adults and promotes their social growth and personal development. Maailmanvaihto advances intercultural understanding, equality, and peace in the world. Maailmanvaihto is a non-religious and politically independent NGO that conducts ethical international volunteer programs and global education work in Finland. The guiding values of Maailmanvaihto’s activities are intercultural learning, global responsibility, and equality, along with the principles of care and inclusivity, reliability, responsibility, and transparency. (Operating Principles.)

One of Maailmanvaihto’s guiding principles is to promote equality in all its activities. We aim to foster cooperation between people from different backgrounds and dismantle discriminatory thinking and structures. Our goal is to ensure that our activities are responsible, inclusive, and as widely accessible as possible to various groups, regardless of personal attributes. As a member of an international federation, Maailmanvaihto constantly seeks to increase its awareness of global power relations and its role within these structures, which are evident in the international, global North, and global South volunteer exchanges. Maailmanvaihto’s activities strive to challenge and dismantle colonial continuities and the stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination based on them in society, creating a more equitable world.

Through equality planning, Maailmanvaihto puts the principle of equality into practice. The aim of equality planning is to ensure that Maailmanvaihto’s activities are responsible, safe, accessible, inclusive, and appreciative of diversity. This plan outlines the current state of equality planning within Maailmanvaihto’s activities, identifies issues, sets goals, and defines concrete actions to promote them. Maailmanvaihto’s board and staff are actively working to create a safer and more equitable foundation for Maailmanvaihto’s operations. The Equality Plan serves as a guiding document for our equality planning and is updated regularly.

Foundations of Equality Planning and Plan Update

Equity and Equality in Finnish Legislation

The foundation of Maailmanvaihto’s equality planning is Finnish legislation, where the principle of equality is defined through the prohibition of discrimination: No one shall be discriminated against on the grounds of age, origin, nationality, language, religion, belief, opinion, political activity, trade union activity, family relations, health, disability, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics (Non-Discrimination Act 1325/2014 § 8). Equality planning is also guided by the Act on Equality between Women and Men, which prohibits different treatment and harassment based on gender, gender identity, or gender expression (Act on Equality between Women and Men 30.12.2014/1329 § 7).

Finnish equality legislation emphasizes the implementation of de facto equality, which means promoting equality through the active elimination of social inequality and discriminatory structures. Instead of formal equality, which means treating everyone the same, it is important to consider people’s status and opportunities and, if necessary, take special measures to promote de facto equality. Positive action through proportionate different treatment aims to improve the status and participation opportunities of people and groups facing discrimination. (Non-Discrimination Act 1325/2014 § 9; Yhdenvertaisuussuunnittelun+opas+suomi.pdf – yhdenvertaisuus.fi.) Promoting de facto equality is in the focus of Maailmanvaihto’s equality planning.

The 2018 Plan and the Current Situation

Maailmanvaihto’s first Equality Plan was approved at the autumn meeting on November 7, 2018, with the general aim of Maailmanvaihto being an equal and equitable actor and operating environment. The plan’s priorities are addressing and preventing cases of sexual harassment and discrimination within Maailmanvaihto’s activities; developing and establishing practices for special support and accessibility, as well as communicating about accessibility in connection with events; creating a safer space and considering diversity in all organizational activities. Other areas of focus in the plan include ethical and accessible communication, transparency and inclusiveness in operations and decision-making, equality in pay criteria, and financial accessibility for participants in the organization’s activities and volunteer programs. The plan also includes the establishment of an equality and non-discrimination officer and the annual update of the Equality Plan.

Since the 2018 equality planning, Maailmanvaihto has actively developed the equality of its activities and achieved goals set in the plan. The following describes the current state of equality planning at Maailmanvaihto by outlining the achievements according to the plan’s priorities and other areas of focus.

  • Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Cases. An electronic form for reporting harassment and discrimination (Maailmanvaihto’s harrashment report form, along with procedures for handling harassment and discrimination cases (Guideline on the procedure in cases of harassment), has been developed and translated into English. The prevention, response, and support measures for sexual harassment have been addressed in training sessions for incoming and outgoing volunteers. Additionally, Maailmanvaihto has participated in the ICYE federation’s working group against sexual harassment and appointed a harassment contact person to handle harassment and discrimination cases.
  • Special Support Needs and Accessibility. Accessibility information has been added to volunteer project descriptions and event announcements, and Maailmanvaihto’s advocacy efforts have led to including program suitability for different disability groups in the program descriptions of international ICYE partners. Maailmanvaihto has sent and received a disabled young person within the European Solidarity Corps framework and has explored good practices among organizations to increase inclusivity in international volunteering (Information guide on increasing inclusion in European Solidarity Corps volunteering – Google Docs). Alt text has been added to social media posts.
  • Safer Space and Consideration of Diversity. Safer space principles (Guidelines for safer spaces within the activities of Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland) have been developed, published, translated, and implemented across all Maailmanvaihto’s activities. Gender-neutral language has been incorporated, especially in training in English, and feedback forms for training have been revised to assess participants’ experiences of equality and safety. Efforts have been made to consider linguistic equality and different language proficiency levels in the planning and implementation of training. Several board members and staff have attended equality training. Maailmanvaihto has also participated in the European youth and volunteer organizations’ Standing Together Against Racism in Europe project (STAR E – Standing Together Against Racism in Europe – icja.de) (Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership), which developed methods for anti-racist education and published two handbooks to support anti-racist training and a diversity-valuing organizational culture. Currently, Maailmanvaihto is involved in the ongoing international volunteer organizations’ Decolonise! project, which aims to understand and dismantle colonial power structures in the field of international volunteering (Decolonise IVS – ccivs.org). The project deepens understanding through participatory action research and develops a self-assessment tool for organizations (Decolonise IVS: Organizational Self-Assessment Tool – ccivs.org) and an online course to support pre-departure training for volunteers. Additionally, the project engages in advocacy work around international volunteering visa and funding issues and narratives (Decolonising Visa Mechanisms Policy Paper – ccivs.orgDecolonising EU Funding Mechanisms Policy Paper – ccivs.orgEnglish-Decolonising-our-Narratives.pdf – ccivs.org).
  • Communication. The accessibility of Maailmanvaihto’s communications has been critically assessed from an equality perspective, a quality description has been developed, and ethical guidelines have been implemented. Bilingual communication (Finnish and English) has been increased on social media and in member newsletters, as well as partially on Maailmanvaihto’s website and member magazine. Equality issues have been highlighted in communication, for example, through the “Promoting Equality in International Volunteering” theme in the magazine. Maailmanvaihto has also shared materials from other organizations on gender and sexual diversity on social media. Former male volunteers have been encouraged to participate in the organization’s communication work.
  • Operational Transparency. Maailmanvaihto’s board decisions are communicated to those interested in the organization’s activities through the member magazine, newsletter, website, and social media, and members are encouraged to participate in the spring and autumn meetings.
  • Pay Equality. The salaries of permanent employees are in accordance with the minimum salary recommendations for office work by the Erto Union. Interns are paid the minimum wage required by their educational institution.
  • Financial Accessibility. Maailmanvaihto has emphasized coordinating and promoting the EU-funded ESC volunteer program. Remote activities have been developed and expanded from meetings to training, information sessions, and language cafés to ensure regional accessibility. School visits and mentoring activities have also been organized in smaller towns. Travel expenses for participants in Maailmanvaihto’s activities are reimbursed, and participation in training organized by external parties is financially supported.

Equality Survey 2023

In April and May 2023, Maailmanvaihto conducted an equality survey in Finnish and English to gather information about the experiences of those who have participated in or followed Maailmanvaihto’s activities regarding the organization’s equality, as well as to give them the opportunity to influence our equality planning. The survey was answered by a total of 27 people who have followed or participated in Maailmanvaihto’s activities, including volunteers, host families, or volunteer workplace representatives, members, and other activists. The survey sought feedback on Maailmanvaihto’s equality, particularly focusing on anti-racism, accessibility, and safety. Overall, Maailmanvaihto’s activities were perceived as strongly equal, anti-racist, appreciative of diversity, and safe. The activities were also largely seen as accessible, though less unanimously.

The respondents appreciated Maailmanvaihto’s equal, open, and caring atmosphere, where everyone can be themselves and each representative of the diverse participant group is treated equally and respectfully. The organization’s activities were perceived as promoting the understanding of different perspectives and being inclusive, which was seen as particularly important in the current global situation. The survey’s implementation and efforts to improve the organization’s accessibility were also viewed positively.

The survey results also highlighted areas for the development of Maailmanvaihto’s equality. Both the group of volunteers going abroad from Finland and those involved in the organization’s in-country activities were seen as relatively homogeneous, underscoring the importance of examining the organization’s accessibility. Attention was also drawn to the financial accessibility of volunteer programs and the possibilities for support for disabled and vulnerable participants. Similarly, improving the accessibility of Maailmanvaihto’s office and event venues was seen as an area for development. There was also a wish to involve international volunteers in Finland as actors in the organization’s work. The work to develop safer and more inclusive spaces must continue in all Maailmanvaihto’s activities, for example, through the use of inclusive language and consideration of gender diversity. Similarly, the work on decolonizing international volunteering and continuing the critical evaluation of Maailmanvaihto’s activities, as well as acquiring knowledge and skills to improve equality, must be advanced. Collaboration with experts and organizations representing marginalized groups was also seen as important for developing the organization’s expertise and accessibility. This valuable feedback from the survey has been considered in Maailmanvaihto’s equality planning and in shaping the priorities of the Equality Plan.

Equality in Maailmanvaihto’s Strategy

In Maailmanvaihto’s strategy for 2022-2027 (Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland’s strategy 2022–2027), equality is reflected as a cross-cutting principle in all areas of operation. The strategy emphasizes inclusivity, anti-racism, consideration of participants’ individual needs, as well as openness and transparency. The strategy aims to strengthen inclusivity by facilitating the participation of individuals from different backgrounds, continuing anti-racism work, and developing anti-racism expertise. The strategy is regularly reviewed by Maailmanvaihto’s board.

Equality Planning Priorities, Principles, and Actions

This plan outlines three priorities: 1. anti-racism and appreciation of diversity, 2. accessibility and inclusion, and 3. safer spaces. In addition to these priorities, the plan defines three cross-cutting principles that guide Maailmanvaihto’s equality development and, more broadly, all our work: 1. sustainability and social responsibility, 2. intersectionality, and 3. inclusivity.

Priority 1: Anti-racism and Appreciation of Diversity

Anti-racism is active work that aims to oppose and dismantle racism in society, from discriminatory structures to attitudes and stereotypes (Antirasistinen sanasto – Monikulttuurinen.fiSanasto – Fem-R). Maailmanvaihto’s activities bring together people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds and life situations, where power dynamics and often prejudices are present in these encounters. As an organization, Maailmanvaihto navigates societal structures in both Finland and as part of an international federation, and in both these contexts racist structures exist. Maailmanvaihto actively engages in anti-racism work by being aware of the power positions of the organization and its different actors, continuously evaluating and developing all its activities to be more anti-racist, and dismantling racist prejudices, attitudes, and perceptions through its communication and educational work.

Maailmanvaihto sees the appreciation of diversity as central to opposing racism and discrimination. Maailmanvaihto’s activities respect and value the individuality and diversity of its participants and aim to support the participation of all interested individuals. Encounters and interaction among different people in our activities promote the dismantling of discrimination and prejudice, as well as the acceptance and appreciation of diversity. The appreciation of diversity is also reflected, for example, in our efforts to use inclusive language and be sensitive to the diversity of cultures, religions, bodies, gender, and sexual orientation. We hope that everyone can feel seen and heard in our activities, and we recognize the importance of the representations we convey in our communication.

Actions: We will continue to critically examine our activities by, for example, participating in the decolonization project of international volunteering and incorporating its outcomes and learnings into our work. We will explore ways to make our activities more accessible to a more diverse group of participants, with a particular focus on receiving vulnerable applicants within the ESC program in Finland.

We will develop our training and camps to be more anti-racist and appreciative of diversity by working on educational materials, a competence map, and a volunteer guide towards a more intersectional and decolonial direction. We will talk about anti-racism and explain our values in our camp workshops to develop our volunteers’ anti-racist thinking and actions. We will promote the agency of international volunteers in Finland by involving them in our training, for example, as camp leaders, and organizing joint activities with volunteers going abroad from Finland. Cultural perspectives are strongly linked to our training work, but we aim to address the theme in ways that dismantle stereotypes and prejudices and emphasize a transcultural and decolonial approach.

In our communication, we will highlight collaboration, community, learning together, understanding, and appreciation among diverse people in Maailmanvaihto’s activities. Attention will be given to the visibility of diversity and the agency of marginalized groups when creating content. We will highlight both nationwide and our own anti-racism and diversity appreciation projects and campaigns and participate in them. We will follow and share information and materials related to anti-racism from other actors. We strive to ensure that our communication reflects and amplifies the voices of the entire ICYE federation, especially our global South and non-European partners. We will critically examine the vocabulary and imagery we use and update our inclusive communication checklist.

Priority 2: Accessibility

Accessibility refers both to considering the diversity of people in designing and implementing the physical environment so that it does not differentiate people based on their ability to function; and considering diversity, for example, in planning communication, information, and activities, but also in the values, attitudes, and equality of the operational environment (Esteettömyys – invalidiliitto.fi; Saavutettavuus – invalidiliitto.fi). Maailmanvaihto strives to remove barriers to participation and make it possible and easier for all interested individuals to participate in our activities, if necessary, through special support and positive action. Our goal is for everyone to have as equal opportunities as possible to participate, regardless of ability, language skills, or socio-economic background.

Actions: We will increase our knowledge of implementing accessibility and inclusion in our work and explore collaboration opportunities with knowledgeable partners. We will support the participation of individuals requiring special support in international volunteering through the ESC program. We will strive for continuous, long-term collaboration with inclusive volunteer workplaces to facilitate and routinize the reception of volunteers requiring special support. We will continue to work with our partner organizations to send volunteers requiring special support abroad and will address the interviewing of applicants requiring special support in our selection training. We will encourage young people to contact us with their requests regarding accessibility and inclusion and inform them about the support provided by the volunteer programs in this regard.

We will improve the financial accessibility of our volunteer program by intensifying communication about the funded ESC program. We will explore possibilities for financial support for volunteers through employment offices and ethical business partnerships. To improve regional accessibility, we will participate in events across Finland and aim to increase activities outside the Helsinki metropolitan area to enhance the participation opportunities of international volunteers in Finland. We strive to make our activities more inclusive and accessible and diversify our administration, for example, by switching the language of our board meetings to English.

We will consider accessibility when selecting event venues and, if necessary, also in the facilities for training camps from the perspective of mobility and sensory impairments. We will communicate about accessibility in event and training camp invitations and ask camp participants to fill out a preliminary information form where they can share their wishes and needs related to their identity, health, or language skills. We will continue to explore ways to improve the accessibility of Maailmanvaihto’s office.

Accessibility in communication involves both technical and content aspects, such as the use of content with assistive technology and its clarity and comprehensibility. We strive to use clear language in our communication and provide information comprehensively in both Finnish and English. We will also explore the need for an English-language newsletter and ensure that the information on our Swedish-language website is up-to-date and sufficient. We will assess the need and possibilities for, among other things, sign language interpretation and audio description at communication events and improve the clarity of our communication by using infographics, for example. We will continue to develop our communication to be more accessible and inclusive by assessing our knowledge, continuously evaluating our work, and soliciting feedback from participants in our activities. We will continue our communication collaboration with Ohjaamo centers and explore best practices such as opportunities for visits and communication collaboration, cooperation with youth workshops, and outreach youth work.

Priority 3: Safer Space

Maailmanvaihto aims to create an atmosphere and environment in all its activities where everyone feels welcome as they are and can participate actively on their terms. We recognize that creating a completely safe and discrimination-free space is an ongoing process, supported by our safer space principles. These principles guide our work and are introduced to everyone participating in our activities to prevent discrimination and harassment at events, training, camps, and on our website. The goal is to get people to proactively consider their position and behavior and involve everyone in ensuring a safer space. Maailmanvaihto seeks to create an atmosphere where experiences of discrimination and harassment can be reported with low barriers and they are addressed with the consent of the person who experienced discrimination or harassment.

Actions: We will regularly review and update our safer space principles and continue to make them visible and implemented in our activities. We will ensure that the principles are systematically included in our guides and other materials. In addition to the principles, we will develop guidelines and information on handling conflict situations in our activities. We will also evaluate the functionality of the harassment reporting form implemented on our website.

We strive to use sensitive and inclusive language and methods in our training and be aware of our (power) positions as the training organizer. We will not make assumptions about participants’ identities or backgrounds and will consider diversity in both the planning and practical arrangements of the training (e.g., restrooms, washing facilities, and sauna shifts). We recognize that the topics we address, such as racism and discrimination, may be personal for some participants and evoke emotions, and we will provide them with the opportunity to withdraw or receive discussion support. Each training and event will have a designated harassment contact person who can be approached in harassment situations.

Principle 1: Sustainability and Social Responsibility

It is important to us that our activities are ethical, responsible, transparent, and long-term. As part of the ICYE federation, we invest in long-term, equitable collaboration with our partner organizations and continuous quality improvement, for example, in the federation’s various working groups and other collaboration projects. We are aware of our (power) positions in the field of international volunteering and strive to dismantle colonial continuities. Through our federation structure, we aim to prevent potential harmful impacts of volunteer programs both globally and in local communities and invest in sustainable activities by coordinating only long-term volunteer work, where volunteers are trained before, during, and after the program. Our sustainable thinking also considers our environment, and we are working to improve the ecological sustainability of our activities by updating our environmental plan.

Principle 2: Intersectionality

An intersectional perspective recognizes and considers how different aspects of an individual’s identity, such as gender, sexual orientation, and social class, affect their position in society and experiences of overlapping forms of discrimination (Sanasto – Fem-RAntirasistinen sanasto – monikulttuurinen.fi). In its work, Maailmanvaihto strives to be aware of and consider the diversity of identities and the intersections of different social positions and to dismantle the discriminatory structures encountered in them.

Principle 3: Inclusivity

Inclusivity refers to an inclusive approach that transforms discriminatory, unequal structures into ones that support equality. Simply offering the same to everyone equally is not enough; actions are needed for active inclusion. Inclusivity involves actions that support equality and a culture that values diversity, aiming to involve people on their own terms. (demos_helsinki_digitaalinen_inklusiivisuus_web.pdf – demoshelsinki.fi.) Maailmanvaihto strives for an inclusive organizational culture where everyone has equal opportunities to participate.

Communicating and Maintaining the Plan

The contents of the Equality Plan will be presented to all board members and office team members during orientation. Its contents and requirements will also be incorporated into the introductory materials for volunteers, volunteer workplaces, host families, and other active participants. The plan will be published on Maailmanvaihto’s website and communicated in the organization’s member magazine and social media channels.

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Doing a little nothing – EVS in Finland

Hei everybody, this is Eva from Austria and I am currently working in a workshop for mentally disabled people in a little village called Vihti. In this blog I’d like to share my experiences as a volunteer and give you an insight about the Finnish culture and life in northern Europe.

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Discovering new things in Finland

It was 9th of May 2018. I was traveling to Finland for my EVS volunteering period with some excitement and nervousness. I had never visited Europe before, so I was unaware of the weather and cultural differences. I understood that I would be alone in a different kind of a country with different kinds of people and I felt little bit scared.

When I arrived, I got as a host family a woman who was living alone. In the beginning, I did not dare to go alone outside from house, but my host mother supported me: she went with me, which made me feel safer. Eventually I dared to go also alone and gained courage to walk with confidence without worrying about anything and to use different means of transportation. After two weeks in Finland, I already felt like I had gained self-confidence.

In the beginning, I did not dare to go alone outside from house, but my host mother supported me: she went with me, which made me feel safer.

I volunteer in an arts&crafts workshop for adults with learning disabilities. I support the participants of the workshop in making textiles and art crafts. I like my voluntary work place. The people there have helped me to discover new things. As my profession is nurse, I had experience in working with people with disabilities, but I was surprised how creative they can be. The participants of the workshop make many different kinds of and beautiful art works, and every time I am learning to do this with them I feel comfortable. Working with them makes me feel joy.

It is my first experience volunteering in a different country and for its weather, and me, Finland and its languages, people and food have felt very different to me. For instance, in India, food is spicy and here in Finland it is not. However, every day I have tried to eat some Finnish food and I have learned to like it – even though my favorite food here is falafels. I have always been ready to try new things even they would sometimes turn out to be very wrong for me. This has been inspiring for me. For example, when I first went out with my host mother and tried to eat Finnish food, it was looking tasty but when I tried it, the taste was not good for me. But now the food has become very tasty for me. I mostly like different types of vegetarian Finnish food because I am a vegetarian.

The Finnish language has been a big challenge for me. In the beginning, it was so difficult to understand it or to say something in Finnish, but my host family, friend, and people from my voluntary work place have taught me daily words. That is how I have learned to speak a little bit Finnish. It is always very good to learn a new language, and for me Finnish sounds very beautiful. Gradually I have discovered that I can speak in Finnish with the people. It made me happy to gain more courage to communicate at my workplace and host family.

It is always very good to learn a new language, and for me Finnish sounds very beautiful. Gradually I have discovered that I can speak in Finnish with the people. It made me happy to gain more courage to communicate at my workplace and host family.

I think volunteering in Finland has been a great experience. I am so happy to have had a chance to live here. I will never forget these sweet memories and nice people. The people I have met have always been very kind and have always helped me whenever I have needed help. That is why I respect and love Finland and the people who live here.

Thanks.

Kirandeep Kauer

Kirandeep did a European Voluntary Service volunteering period in Luovilla workshop of the association Lyhty in Helsinki as a part of an Erasmus+ Key Action 2 project  “Skills and Competences for a Global World”. The project aims to strengthen the non-formal and intercultural learning impacts on the volunteers and to investigate these impacts in terms of the skills and competences they gain.

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Learning in a village community

My name is Vilma Martínez. I am from the department of Intibucá, Honduras. My stay in Finland as a volunteer is wonderful. I volunteer in Myllylähde, a village community of adults with special needs. My work consists mostly of supporting the villagers, but also performing tasks in several other areas, such as biodynamic agriculture, in which together with the villagers I harvest berries, fruits and vegetables that we have sowed. We clean, sort and pack them for storage. Berries, fruits and vegetables such as cranberries, strawberries, plums, apples, potatoes, onions, beetroots, carrots and green beans.

In the weavers’ workshop of the community, I learnt to make table runners, tablecloths with felt balls and to create flowers out of leaves. I also participated here in activities such as the choir, eurhythmy, painting and Finnish courses.

Myllylähde gives people with special needs an opportunity to participate effectively in the life of the community by letting them develop their abilities and skills by producing, sharing and living together in a fraternal community. Myllylähde has given me a chance to develop my abilities to support people with special needs. I think that volunteering here requires and has offed me a chance to develop further, teamwork skills as well as skills to learn, help, teach and lead group work. I have also developed further my organisational skills as well as different ways of working that help to improve the quality of the work.

I have travelled to and discovered another country with a totally different language. I have participated in two trainings in which I have lived together with volunteers from different countries and shared experiences with them. International volunteering with learning a new language and meeting people from different cultural backgrounds has given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge, which in the future might help me in finding an enjoyable job.

“As a volunteer, I have realized that helping others is actually helping oneself. It has allowed me to see my life in a new way.”

Volunteering here makes me grow day by day as a human and professionally as well. It is my ambition to keep expanding my knowledge by travelling and discovering other cultures, and to find an inspiring job where I can use my abilities. It is my aspiration to help my family and continue volunteering to make societies better.

As a volunteer, I have realized that helping others is actually helping oneself. It has allowed me to see my life in a new way. What is evident in many ways is a distinct before and after period in voluntary service because voluntary work is full of new learning experiences, which starts the moment you decide to place yourself at the service of others.

Vilma Martínez

Vilma did a European Voluntary Service volunteering period in Myllylähde Community in Hämeenkoski is a part of an Erasmus+ Key Action 2 project  “Skills and Competences for a Global World”. The project aims to strengthen the non-formal and intercultural learning impacts on the volunteers and to investigate these impacts in terms of the skills and competences they gain.

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Volunteers’ Voices 2/2018: 60 of making a difference

Belongingness bringing us together

On the 25th of August a group of 115 eager and awaiting people gathered on the idyllic island of Mustasaari, in front of Helsinki. Both former and current Maailmanvaihto people from volunteers to the office personnel came together to celebrate the 60-year-old journey of their association. The day was filled with laughter, meeting of old friends and making new ones.

I had the honour to be part of the group organising the event. The preparation process symbolized everything that inspires me in Maailmanvaihto so much. I have been involved in Maailmanvaihto since 2014. During these years, I have had the opportunity to grow as a human being many times more than initially expected. The Maailmanvaihto community is a perfect combination of teamwork and trust in my own, independent decisions. In the celebration preparations, I had the freedom to carry out my own ideas from choosing balloons to sparkling wine brands. On the other hand, gluing the program cards, finding people for the speeches and overcoming the last-minute panic would have been impossible without my wonderful team.

Even with the high expectations I had, the celebration surprised me positively. The warmth, joy and feeling of togetherness experienced in the party, reminded me of the time when I sat in a training camp with two dozens of other volunteers, all soon to leave for the world. Now, a few years later, I have learned to better recognize that feeling. It is the feeling of belonging. At the anniversary party, the same feeling was the force that united people with decades of time difference in their active years, as one big Maailmanvaihto community. This feeling of belonging organised the party. And the same feeling created the magazine that you are reading just now.

No matter if you are an active Maailmanvaihto person, an alumni or an occasional actor, I believe that you can recognise this feeling too. And if you are not a Maailmanvaihto actor yet, you are most warmly welcome to join us. From the pages of this magazine, you may get a little glimpse of what the belonging is all about, now on our 60th anniversary year.

Anna Lemström
Member of the Board, Anniversary Celebration matters

MaailmanVaihtoa 2/2018

2 Pääkirjoitus / editorial
6 Kutsu syyskokoukseen
7 Ajankohtaiset uutiset
10 Tule mukaan toimintaan
11 Terveisiä Costa Ricasta: Ensifiiliksiä ja salsaa
12 Intercultural learning in after-school activities
14 Volunteering souvenirs
16 Terveisiä maailmalta! Greetings from abroad!
18 Kohdemaahan ja sen kulttuuriin kannattaa tutustua ennalta – viisaasti
20 Uusia taitoja taidekäsityön äärellä
35 Tapahtumakalenteri
TEEMA
22 Vaihtokokemus kantaa vuosien päähän
28 Vapaaehtoinen voi rikkoa stereotypioita omalla olemisellaan
32 Valmennuksista viisautta, vastuullisuutta ja verkostoja

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Intercultural Learning in Afterschool Activities

In this new series we get familiar with volunteering possibilities of different ICYE voluntary workplaces all around the world.

This time the staff from Centro Social Marista (CESMAR) tell about their activities and tasks for volunteers. CESMAR is a Brasilian organisation based in Porto Alegre that coordinates projects with ICYE Brasil.

Could you tell us something about the projects you have in CESMAR?

We mainly work in the field of social assistance. We have two different projects, which assist children and adolescents from 6 to 14 years of age, who study in the partner schools. In the inverse shift opposite to the school hours, the children participate in artistic, cultural, sports and learning workshops. Activities vary a lot and can include for example theatre, environmental education, computer lessons or dance. The projects are partly supported by the municipality of Porto Alegre.

How many volunteers do you receive per year and from where? What tasks do they have?

CESMAR currently receives about four foreign volunteers and 15 Brazilian volunteers per year. Volunteers from many different countries have already participated at CESMAR; they have come from Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, United States, Mexico, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Romania and Italy. Volunteers accompany the children and adolescents in cultural and sports workshops. They learn the Portuguese language and exchange knowledge and their culture with the pupils and the educators.

What has the cooperation given to your working community?

The work carried out by the volunteers is extremely important in the lives of our children and adolescents, as they encounter new cultures, new languages and learn to live with different people. The pupils are more willing and interested in learning new languages and to understand and talk to volunteers. We hope that many people feel motivated to volunteer and can make their experience at CESMAR. We would also like, that the cooperation and actions developed can continue and thus expand the understanding of volunteering as a space for the construction of a culture of solidarity.

Vapaaehtoistyöpaikka CESMAR, Brasilia:

  • Perustettu vuonna 1998
  • Järjestää iltapäivätoimintaa koululaisille
  • Vapaaehtoiset pääsevät järjestämään ja toteuttamaan aktiviteetteja lasten kanssa
  • Toimii Porto Alegressa

Text: Kaisa Rahko, photos: CESMAR

The article has been published in the magazine MaailmanVaihtoa 2/2018 -lehdessä.

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Tim Dieltiens: EVS as a lifeline

The speech of EVS volunteer Tim Dielties at the 60th anniversary year celebration of Maailmanvaihto.

I came here in 2000. Back then, I was a child of the 1970’s from Belgium. As an 18-year-old from high school, you were supposed to choose the university or degree and stick with it for the rest of your life. That was the mentality in 2000 in Belgium, sort of. I think it was a bit different already here in Finland but maybe Belgium was a bit more old-fashioned: you choose a degree and you go from high school to the university without a välivuosi [gap year], without taking a bit of time off.

So, here I was an 18-year-old, a bit stuck I suppose, because there are a lot of questions for a teenager, choosing something that you are going to do for the next fifty years. I did what I was supposed to do: I went to study car mechanics for three years and with that degree, I worked for half a year and realized it was not for me. Then I heard about ICYE and in more particular about EVS, European Voluntary Service.

“I made them clear that for me it is Finland. I did not give them other choices – or I think I gave them Sweden, because if I would go to Sweden, I could take a boat to Finland.”

I think we were supposed to give three options for countries you wanted to go to, but I was bit of a stickler: I had visited Finland two times before and I wanted to come back, but not as a tourist. So, I made them clear that for me it is Finland. I did not give them other choices – or I think I gave them Sweden, because if I would go to Sweden, I could take a boat to Finland. But anyway, it was Finland or nothing for me. I got what I wanted because nobody wanted to go North, everybody wanted to go South.

I ended up doing a totally different thing from car mechanics: I ended up in the social field working in the kindergarten as an assistant. I had wanted to live in a small village far away from the city – I ended up in Sipoo. It is not too far away from the city in the standards of Finland – 30 kilometers away, which is in Belgium standards a lot.

I ended up in a very nice host family. I think I was a bit of a naïve youngster, maybe I should have appreciated them more. I really enjoyed the nursery I was at.

One anecdote that I have is related to the Christmas: For decades, in my family we started on 24 December at six with a dinner and kept on eating and eating until it was midnight and party time. So, here I am in Finland with my first host family and we start the dinner on the 24th of December. At nine or ten o’clock I feel there is time for a little siesta because there will be another two or three hours to go, so I go upstairs for a little nap. After fifteen minutes I come back downstairs and all the lights are off, everybody has gone to sleep.

“You know how it goes. That this EVS and ICYE in general are a bit like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket.”

Eventually I went to another host family and finally to Jussi [who was present at Maailmanvaihto’s 60th anniversary year celebration] who sort of made me to have this speech – so I think we are even now. You were my favorite host family.

Then I decided to stay. I had been here on holiday before and now I wanted to make a bit more contribution. I went to study in the social field and I, very easily actually, found a job in the same field as I was qualified to work a kindergarten teacher. After more than ten years in English, I have now enjoyed for two or three years Helsinki city in Finnish. And I am still here.

I feel a bit like I am preaching for the converted. You know how it goes. That this EVS and ICYE in general are a bit like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. For me who was stuck in this car mechanic business, it was an easy way out. When I was looking for new directions for the future, I found this great opportunity.

So, I want to thank everybody involved in EVS and ICYE, it has been a lifeline. Thank you.

In Maailmanvaihto’s 60th year anniversary celebration Tim (on the right) met with Jussi, his host family member in 2000.

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Open your mind by volunteering

Volunteering in Finland started for me just after I finished school in Germany. When I was still in school, I started to think about what I wanted to do next. I always liked traveling and I wanted to try something else before continuing to study or starting to work. Furthermore, I lived with my parents and a year abroad would gain me some independence.

I started to search on the Internet for different possibilities of “work and travel“ until I found information about volunteering. That sounded really interesting and I spoke with someone who already volunteered for one year with the German IJFD program (Internationalen Jugendfreiwilligendienst / International Youth Voluntary Service) in Iceland. The program matched with what I wanted to do and Finland was one of the countries I chose because I am a big fan of outdoor activities and nature.

“My application was accepted and I got a project in Finland: I would be working in a primary school in a small Finnish town called Alavus and living with two different host families over the next 12 months.”

My application was accepted and I got a project in Finland: I would be working in a primary school in a small Finnish town called Alavus and living with two different host families over the next 12 months. At the primary school, my main task was to help in the English lessons – e.g. to support the children in their exercises and make photocopies etc. for the teachers.

Besides this, I had the possibility to do school clubs. I started at two sport clubs and a Minecraft club, which were first established by former volunteers. Another possibility was to have small English lessons on my own. In these lessons, with usually 3–5 children, we normally repeated the grammar from the lesson, played some English games or learned the vocabulary.

“I realized that the stereotype of Finnish people being very quiet and not open to foreigners was not true.”

During my voluntary work year I had two host families which both included me in their family activities and life. They took me on vacation in Lapland three times and I celebrated birthdays, Christmas etc. with them. At the same time, I had my own room and lots of personal space if I wanted to. I realized that the stereotype of Finnish people being very quiet and not open to foreigners was not true. Many people were were really interested and wanted to talk to me a lot.

I had many challenging situations during my time in Finland. When I arrived in Alavus, I knew nobody and I did not have any friends at first. Luckily, I had a good connection with my host family and I could do things with them in my free time. In general, it was hard for me at first to be the “new one” everywhere, but after the first two months I met new people and found some hobbies. I obviously had rewarding situations as well: I was really happy, for example, to see that the children with whom I had some extra lessons actually improved in English and had better grades at the end of the year.

Living in a different country for a year, I learned many things and gained a new perspective on some topics. Before I went to Finland, I had never been away from my home for more than a few weeks, so I gained more independence and self-esteem. Moreover, I learned so much about Finland and experienced the Finnish way of living. At my project, I saw what it is like to be a teacher and even if I had a really great time at my project with so much fun and different activities, I realized that I would not want to work as teacher at a primary school in the future.

“I became more open-minded because of my volunteering, which according to me is one of the main reasons to go abroad for a year as a volunteer.”

In Finland, I met many people, learned a lot about Finnish culture and met volunteers and other foreigners. All this helped me to lose stereotypes and improve my understanding of other cultures. I also became more open-minded because of my volunteering, which according to me is one of the main reasons to go abroad for a year as a volunteer. You will change your own beliefs and values and you can do the same for others. At least I hope that while I learned about Finland, the kids in my school, my host family and other people could learn something from me about Germany.

The camps organized by hosting organisation Maailmanvaihto and my German sending organization ICJA prepared us volunteers for this intercultural interaction. In the end, I know my volunteering did not make a big change, but I think some people are inspired now to meet new people from other countries and cultures.

Max Schodry

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Creative work at Kisälli

This special opportunity came to me during my last year in high school, when I was supposed to decide what to do in the future. Still unsure of my steps, I went to ask about possibility to go abroad and volunteer. I did not have any special expectations or dream country, but somehow I knew that project in Finland will be the best option.

I immediately fell in love with Finland and its wonderful forests, countless lakes and people whose personality is so close to mine, even my family and friends sometimes joke about how I was probably Finnish in a previous life.

As volunteers, we have to do a lot of crafts by ourselves, for example finishing “pannunalunen”.

I have worked in a small workshop called Kisälli-Harjulanmäki where my task was to help and support people with special needs. During my project, I also had the opportunity to learn about looms and other types of art and crafts. Although working with people with disabilities can be hard, I have found working with them very easy and somehow freeing. Every day we found something creative to do and broke the routine with games, walks, excursions, and trips.

“I would suggest for everyone to try to do some kind of volunteer work and explore the world while doing something good for community and yourself.”

But of course volunteer period was not just about working in my project; it is mainly about people you meet and friendships you make. Sharing stories, customs, traditions, and ideas that make you realize that no matter from which part of the world you are coming from, we face the same problems and as long as we have good friends with us, even the Finnish weather can be bearable.

After all, this year has been beneficial for my personal growth. I have learned a lot of things concerning art and creative work. Tried to speak Finnish and failed completely. Traveled a lot both within Finland and other countries. Met extraordinary people and made friends for life.

I would suggest for everyone to try to do some kind of volunteer work and explore the world while doing something good for community and yourself.

Miroslava Sloviakova
EVS volunteer in Finland in the season 2017–18

Mirka participated in Finland in the European Voluntary Service (EVS). Maailmanvaihto receives EVS (nowaways Erasmus+ Volunteering Activities) volunteers for volunteer periods of 6–12 months. Would you be interested in participating? Read more and apply!

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