Are you interested in volunteering in the education field? Would you like to support the students’ community and individual growth? Welcome to Otavia!
Otavia (formerly known as Otavan Opisto) is a municipal institution maintained by the city of Mikkeli, where one can pursue adult upper secondary education and basic education, as well as studies in liberal adult education. Liberal education is open for all, voluntary, and doesn’t aim at a degree.
Otavia specializes in distance learning and online pedagogy, teaching multicultural groups, and providing liberal adult education programs. We offer education and related services for regional, national, and global educational development. Over the years, Otavia has participated in numerous international projects. Most of our students on campus are of immigrant background.
We are looking for a volunteer to work on the campus of Otavia, mostly with the students of basic and upper secondary education for adults.
Location
Otavia is situated in the southeast part of Finland in the village of Otava, 14 km from the city of Mikkeli. Mikkeli is a city with about 52,000 inhabitants.
Volunteer’s role and tasks
As a volunteer at Otavia, you will assist the community coordinator in organizing and guiding the students’ dormitory’s leisure activities. Leisure activities could encompass a variety of options, including outings, sports events, and multicultural food nights. While planning the leisure activities, you will get an opportunity to present your innovative ideas.
You will also assist the teachers and staff in providing the students with education and take part in household tasks in the dormitory. Your skills and experience will be taken into account when planning the tasks.
In your role, you will promote students’ sense of community and individual growth. You will assist students in identifying their strengths, strengthening their own identity, and developing life management skills and civic competencies.
Volunteer’s profile
Volunteering at Otavia could be for you if you are motivated to work with students from a multitude of cultural and other backgrounds. Good social skills are of great value. Due to the nature of the role and tasks of the volunteer, we are looking for a volunteer who is aged at least 20 years.
Accommodation, food, transportation, and days off & holidays
In the Otavia campus area, there are dormitory and cafeteria buildings. You will be accommodated in the dormitory, in a single room that has a private bathroom and shower.
In the dormitory, there are kitchens where you can store food and make meals. Otavia cafeteria will provide you with 3 meals per day during weekdays: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During the weekends, the cafeteria isn’t available. For the weekends, you will receive an allowance for groceries. Otavia is located near Otava’s town center where you can go shopping for groceries. Near the campus there is a bus stop, with buses running every day (from 6 am to 7 pm during weekdays, from 9 am to 5 pm during weekends).
We have various free time activities. In the dormitory, there are two gym rooms and a social room where students can spend free time and play board and console games. In the dormitory, you can do laundry and use the sauna.
The volunteers will have 2 days off per week and will be entitled to 2 holiday days a month.
Training during the activity
The volunteers will have an on-arrival training camp and mid-ferm evaluation camp organised by the Finnish National Agency of the European Solidarity Corps. In addition, they will be invited to the on-arrival training camp and mid-term evaluation camp of the coordinating organisation Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland.
The volunteers will get access to the Online Language Support (OLS) tool of the European Solidarity Corps to help them learn Finnish.
Accessibility
Otavia’s main building is a protected three-story structure that is over 100 years old. Unfortunately, full accessibility is not achievable throughout the entire building. Otavia has experience of accommodating students with various needs, including students with visual impairments and some mobility limitations. A person who uses a wheelchair can access parts of the main building but unfortunately, a wheelchair user can’t access the dormitory building.
If you need additional support due to a long-term illness or other reason and would like to discuss if volunteering at Otavia could suit you, please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information via Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland at esc@maailmanvaihto.fi. We’ll be happy to tell you more!
Website
Socal media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otavanopisto/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/otavanopisto/
X: https://twitter.com/otaviafi/