Aneta´s Grundtvig Assistantship at Spin

So the last day of my Grundtvig Assistantship is finally here... I knew it would happen, but why did it have to be so soon?!

Well objectively speaking I have been here for 10 months. Some of you might think that 10 months is actually a rather long time, but believe you me not here, not at Spin! Life at Spin (you would think I should probably say work, but it often seems as if I actually lived at Spin) is mostly crazy. You wouldn´t believe how much paperwork has to be processed everyday (and that is on top of actual activities!). I think that there is a piece of paper for every euro-cent that we get in grants! But let´s not talk about that right now, it is a whole different story!

These 10 months have gone by so quickly not because of all the paper, but because it has been a GREAT experience. I think I can honestly say that I have been trying to give my best and to get as much as possible out of my Assistantship. I feel that I have learned a lot, but also that I have contributed significantly to Spin´s activities and current situation. I don´t think I can do it, but let me try and recall what I have done:

1. Youth in Action (YinA) 4.3 Training Course "Communication and Conflict Management for Peace Education" - support staff activities (general assistance to the project manager, some paperwork)
2. Lifelong Learning Program (LLP) Grundtvig Workshop "How to Train Your Pen: Story-crafting and word-bending for novices" - project manager (very challenging! as I was responsible for the whole implementation except for the content, which was the trainer´s responsibility)
3. infospin.a-spin.pt - volunteer selection and instruction as well as actual publishing on the blog
4. Spin´s new website at www.a-spin.pt - also somehow challenging as it was my first time using wordpress.org and I had to create it from scratch!
5. YinA 1.1 Youth Exchange "Our time!" - one of my favorite activities, but also one of the most challenging ones; I wrote and implemented the project almost completely by myself (although with a lot of moral support from everyone at Spin!)
6. YinA 2 EVS sending - I was responsible for all the sending tasks and have been able to prepare and send 6 volunteers abroad to Latvia, France, Romania, Norway, Poland and Iceland
7. YinA 2 EVS hosting/coordinating - I have written one group EVS project for 7 volunteers that is about to start (the volunteers are going to arrive in Lisbon within the first week of September)
8. LLP Grundtvig Senior Volunteering Project - for the first time in my life I had attempted to write a SVP project and guess what? It got approved! AND? It actually was ranked nº 1 in Portugal! Whoa! :) 
9. Portuguese classes for incoming EVS volunteers - I actually am an English teacher (been teaching for about 8 years now) but I also studied Portuguese and Lusophone Studies both in Warsaw (University of Warsaw) and in Lisbon (New University of Lisbon), however this year was my first time teaching Portuguese! 
10. English classes for the local community - I must admit that I love teaching English, so this task was more of a hobby to me! Throughout the year I have had classes with the local seniors and young adults as well as mentally challenged adults.
11. Communication Department - apart from creating the website I was also responsible for all of our communication channels (Facebook, newsletter, blog, Twitter)
12. Information Sessions at Spin - once a month I would get together with people interested in participating in EU-sponsored educational programs and explain to them where and how to start!
13. 0,5% tax donation - Spin has been trying to get accredited for these donations for a few years now, this year my colleague and I have done our best to make it happen and it actually seems to have worked (personal note: diving into the Portuguese bureaucracy was a really interesting but also frustrating experience)
14. Zumba classes - support staff for Zumba classes implemented by Spin twice a week, I loved it!

I think that it may be enough for now. It´s definitely not all, but my memory is short. I still have to write my final report for the Polish National Agency so I will have to recall all the activities either way and will amend this list for sure (let alone the fact that I have left out all my activities at Academia Senior and I would go there once a week!).

This has been a truly enriching experience. I will take every bit of it with me and use it in my future professional life! If by any chance you yourself are thinking of becoming an adult education professional, do consider doing an Assistantship. If you choose your placement wisely, you will DEFINITELY NOT regret it!

Last but not least, thanks to all the people that I have come across this year. You made it a memorable one! 

Aneta

Participação da Spin num curso de formação internacional sobre gestão de projectos europeus

De forma a continuarmos o trabalho já desenvolvido pela Associação Spin e sempre na perspectiva de uma constante melhoria e melhor qualidade dos nossos projectos, participámos no curso de formação internacional "European Projects design, managment and funding: how to develop a good learning project and get the funds", realizado em Palermo, de 6 a 12 de Abril. 

Durante esta semana foram abordados os diferentes programas europeus, os seus objectivos, bem como as diferentes acções e actividades que permitem.

Sendo um curso de formação internacional subsidiado pelo programa Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida, sub-acção Grundtvig, teve a participação de 19 pessoas de 11 nacionalidades diferentes! 

Vários projectos e cooperações surgiram e muitas possibilidades! 

Grundtvig In-Service Training "Us and the Others. Photography and Multiculturalism"

"Us and the Others..." is officially recognized by the Lifelong Learning Program of the European Commission (PT-2013-117-003). The EU LLP Grundtvig grant will cover all expenses: accommodation, board, training and travel costs. Apply now! (grants not available for the Portuguese)

Find out more info in the course presentation.

Send us the pre-registration form to intercambios@a-spin.pt.

Deadline for registration: 24th April 2013

Grundtvig Training course: LINK UP !

The training analyzes the two-way relationship between environment and human beings seen as mutually reinforcing components of a global sustainable development.

The key-concept of the course is to “link up” ecology to urban development, social justice to economic growth,  environmental protection to fundamental freedom, nature to global society.

Let’s link up Ecology to Human rights to find out a new sustainable development!

LINK UP! is officially recognized by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission. 

The EU LLP Grundtvig grant will cover all the expenses: lodging, board, training and travel costs. Apply now! (grants not available for Portuguese)

Find out more info in the course presentation. 
Send us the pre-registration form to intercambios.spin@gmail.com 

Deadline for registration: 26th April 2013

Assistente Grundtvig - dois meses em Lisboa

Cheguei a Lisboa no dia 1 de Outubro... Sim, já se passaram dois meses desde que estou cá. Dois meses que, por estarem tão CHEIOS de atividades, a mim realmente me parecem duas semanas! Mas antes de falar das atividades acho que devo explicar quem sou e o que estou a fazer aqui:).

Chamo-me Aneta e sou de Varsóvia (Polónia). Há dois anos atrás fiz o meu SVE na Spin (Outubro 2010 – Junho 2011), adorei o trabalho que a Associação faz e decidi voltar para aprender e experimentar ainda mais. Este ano estou cá graças a um ótimo programa comunitário chamado Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida, sub-programa Grundtvig, ação Períodos de Assistência Grundtvig.

O (sub-)programa Grundtvig visa melhorar a qualidade e reforçar a dimensão europeia da educação de adultos, através da promoção de diversos tipos de atividades de cooperação a nível europeu. Dirige-se às necessidades de ensino e de aprendizagem dos intervenientes em todas as formas de educação de adultos, quer esta seja formal, não formal ou informal, bem como às dos estabelecimentos e organizações que oferecem ou promovem essa educação.

Zumba no BHN

A ação Períodos de Assistência Grundtvig permite a pessoal educativo atual ou futuro envolvido em educação de adultos – quer formal, não formal ou informal – frequentar durante um período de 13 a 45 semanas, como Assistente Grundtvig, numa instituição de educação de adultos noutro país europeu que não aquele onde normalmente vivem ou trabalham.

O meu Período de Assistência (Outubro 2012 – Julho 2013) decorre na Associação Spin e na Junta de Freguesia de Carnide em Lisboa. As minhas tarefas incluem:

Teatro na Academia Sénior

• ajudar os professores da Academia Sénior (aulas de inglês, teatro e alfabetização e outras);
• apoiar os técnicos do Gabinete do Idoso da Junta;
• desenvolver e implementar projetos no âmbito dos programas europeus Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida e Juventude em Acção na Spin;
• coordenar o trabalho do Departamento de Informação e Comunicação da Spin (inclusive atualizar o blog infoSPINpt, um sítio de divulgação de oportunidades de desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional para jovens adultos);
• dar aulas de português aos Voluntários Europeus acolhidos pela Spin;
• dar aulas de inglês de conversação para a comunidade local;
• realizar sessões de informação sobre os programas europeus de mobilidade;
• apoiar a comunidade local na procura de emprego;
• apoiar os voluntários SVE e estagiários LdV portugueses antes da sua partida para o estrangeiro;
• prestar apoio à instrutora das aulas de Zumba no Bairro da Horta Nova.

Academia Sénior

Como podem ver, ando com bastante trabalho:). Mas até agora gostei de tudo o que fiz e não me posso queixar! Participei em várias aulas da Academia Sénior e fui muito bem recebida pelos alunos, professores e técnicos. A minha aula preferida é - com certeza - a chamada “Actividades Lúdicas e Enriquecimento Cultural” com a professora Isabel. O objectivo principal é aprender e reflectir sobre as várias tradições portuguesas (os participantes partilham as tradições das suas terras e eu partilho as tradições polacas, que normalmente lhes parecem bastante estranhas e/ou engraçadas!). Pensei que, depois de ter estudado Estudos Portugueses e Lusófonos na Universidade e ter vivido cá dois anos, já sabia quase tudo de Portugal, mas aprendi imenso (por exemplo: já sei o que é um Magusto e que as castanhas se comem não só assadas mas também cozidas ou que se fazem sopas e bolos de castanha; sei também o que quer dizer "para inglês ver", "fazer tijolo" ou "caiu o Carmo e a Trindade")! :)

Obrigatória Francesinha no Porto

Participei nos dois passeios organizados pelo Gabinete do Idoso (todos os meses o Gabinete organiza um passeio para os idosos de Carnide poderem conhecer Portugal e fazer novas amizades). O primeiro foi em Outubro ao Porto e o segundo em Novembro a Évora. No próximo dia 21 de Dezembro vou participar no passeio de Natal, mas não posso revelar o destino, pois é uma surpresa para os séniors:).

Workshop Grundtvig

Quanto ao meu trabalho na Spin, nunca pára! O maior desafio foi com certeza a implementação do Workshop Grundtvig “How to Train Your Pen: Story-crafting and Word-bending for Novices”, um workshop de escrita criativa que decorreu de 9 a 17 de Novembro em Lisboa. Fui (e continuo a ser) responsável pela gestão do projeto: alojamento e alimentação dos participantes; aluguer de espaços e equipamento; organização das visitas à Casa Fernando Pessoa, ao Cabo da Roca e a Sintra; apoio e acompanhamento dos participantes, questões financeiras, relatórios, etc. Felizmente pude – e posso sempre – contar com o apoio da Raquel (Presidente da Associação), da Marietta (voluntária SVE da Hungria) e dos outros membros da Spin! Pelos testemunhos de uns dos participantes podem ver que o workshop correu bem, uff! :)

Podia ainda falar muito mais, mas vou acabar por aqui. Não posso revelar tudo de uma vez! Se estiverem interessados, podem sempre visitar o meu blog www.grundtvigassistantinlisbon.blogspot.com onde tento publicar informações actualizadas sobre o meu projecto.

Até breve!

Aneta

Casa Fernando Pessoa

Workshop Grundtvig "How to Train Your Pen"

O workshop Grundtvig How to Train Your Pen: story crafting and word bending for novices decorreu de 9 a 17 de Novembro de 2012 em Lisboa. Aqui ficam uns pequenos testemunhos de alguns dos participantes.

Oana-Elena Andone, Roménia
I attended a Grundtvig workshop on training the pen at storytelling in Lisbon. We had young, but demanding trainers who made it their personal mission to guide the participants and challenge them to give their best. The group was varied and made up of the most fascinating people, from different backgrounds, united by their love of reading and their (hidden or not) desire to write. We had wonderful accommodation in Lisbon, in a friendly environment, close to the river Tagus. We explored nature in Cabo da Roca and Sintra, we looked into the city as muse in Lisbon, we even considered video games and cartoons as texts and we searched into the self. Whether I will ever write anything or not, I will always cherish the Lisbon experience as a place of self-discovery and development, but also a junction of friends coming together.

Mila Strashimirova, Bulgária
We arrived at the sunny Lisbon to attend the How to train your pen Workshop - we were 15 participants from all over Europe. We spent a magical week learning and writing texts and enjoying ourselves highly. Our trainers were very knowledgeable and gave us unique experience about literature and the process of creation. We made great new friends and had a wonderful time - listening to fado, walking around the picturesque Lisbon. We also went in the house of the famous author Fernando Pessoa. Also, we visited the westernmost point of Europe. It was an amazing experience which I will always remember!

Marta Nowoszewska-Pawlak, Polónia
Workshops ‘How to train your pen’ turned out to be my best experience ever. You did a great job putting together all of us, coming from different countries, with different backgrounds and experiences but sharing the same passion and interests - literature. The workshop agenda was very diverse and interesting, the trainers - professional and inspiring. The hostel at the train station- really perfect. All other stuff - the whole organization, Aneta and all people involved in preparing the workshops very helpful, open-hearted and professional. Lisbon - I’ve completely fallen in love with that magic city. Thanks a lot for everything! Thanks to you I got the chance to meet great people and experience the great adventure!

Sara Radojkovic, Hungria

"Oh my God, we saw the pictures! Wow, what did you do in Lisbon? How did you get there?", these were all the most common questions I was asked when I returned home to my everyday life. I answered briefly while heaving flashes of pictures of palace where we studied, amazing lectures, passionate words in the air that made me pinch my self to make sure it is happening to me, and of course Lisbon and Cabo da Roca. Having all that in my mind I was just unable to tell anything else but – "It was like: a dream, like magic, unreal." Or I stopped and said "It was just..." And I kept silent letting the waves of images overcomes me not sharing them selfishly. I didn't care that I was actually really annoying, I couldn't. The pictures in me were stronger than my own will and more vivid then my will would ever be. After the unsuccessful attempt to make me talk, they asked me – "So what did you do there?" "Well, we wrote.", "And how, why somebody did all that, I mean what was the goal." "Why? Well, because it was worth it and people who made it happened where worthy people", I said. That was usually when people really gave up on trying talking to me. And I can not blame them, but I am sure, if they had been lucky as I was they would be the same.

Fraternité 2020

Fraternité 2020 is a European Citizens Initiative for more EU exchange programmes like the European Voluntary Service or Erasmus. It aims to gather 1.000.000 signatures and thus force the European Commission to propose a legislation in favour of European Union Exchange Programmes (Like Erasmus and EVS). 

Please, DO, take action: Sign and share this Initiative until Thursday, November 22. On that day the European Council will meet in Brussels to decide how much money will be spent on EU exchange programmes for the period 2014-2020, whereas it is still uncertain what the future of those programmes will be from 2014 on.

You may visit the webpage and read the Initiative in any of the official languages of the European Union.

All of you who have participated even in one of those exchange projects you can understand quite well the importance of these in the promotion of intercultural dialogue, in the quest of knowledge, in the effort of understanding ourselves and in a wide range of sectors of people’s lives across Europe and beyond.

Association Spin aligns with this effort and considers it of crucial importance for the future of the Youth in Action and other European mobility opportunities. We would like to emphasize once more that we invite every single person who has attended any of those programmes, either through Association Spin or through any other medium, to join the cause by signing and sharing the news as much as possible.

If you choose English as your desired language you may sign here!

PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE UNTIL 22 NOVEMBER!

Sessões informativas nas escolas e universidades

Querias que a Spin fosse à tua escola ou à tua universidade e conduzisse uma sessão informativa sobre as oportunidades de mobilidade para jovens? Nada mais fácil! Basta falares com um dos teus professores e/ou com a Associação de Estudantes da tua escola/universidade. Se também gostarem da ideia, devem contactar-nos para acertarmos todos os pormenores da nossa visita. É tão simples, então não percas tempo!

Para mais informações ou questões, contacta-nos para: spin.pt@gmail.com, 914 519 264, 217 145 520

Assistente Grundtvig / Grundtvig Assistant

Já chegou a primeira assistente Grundtvig da Spin! A Aneta, nossa ex-voluntária SVE, regressou a Lisboa e também à nossa equipa. Visitem o seu blog grundtvigassistantinlisbon.blogspot.pt para saber mais do seu projecto.

Bem-vinda!

Our first Grundtvig Assistant has arrived! Aneta, our former EVS volunteer, came back to Lisbon and joined our team. Visit her blog grundtvigassistantinlisbon.blogspot.pt to get to know the project.

Welcome!

Workshop international "How to train your pen - story crafting and word bending for novices"

How to train your pen - story crafting and word bending for novices
a
Creative Writing Grundtvig Workshop
imagined to take place in Lisbon between the 9th and 17th of November this year.

To narrate is to create, for living is just being lived

(Narrar é criar, pois viver é apenas ser vivido)

Fernando Pessoa

We believe this is true. We also think that imagination (the creative one) is the most important tool to do so. Than again, to invoke the power of imagination is just a phrase substituting a whole world that needs to be explained. Hope you agree that nobody simply sits down at a desk, "invokes the power of imagination" and writes. Our curiosity is what goes on before and behind all that jazz, and what makes all the magic happen. We despise tricks and techniques that "improve your writing skills" so that you can produce seducing stories that serve for the mere amusement of mases.

We don't promise secrets that will give birth to a future bestselling author (except you can guarantee us a percentage). Our sincere interest is elsewhere. We crave to understand the "creative" processes behind the act of writing so that we learn how to use them in a proper way in order to create, not entertain or make a living out of it.

There are many questions that intrigue us. Why do we write, why read, where does inspiration come from, how is someone creative and others not? Then, what to read so that we can write in this or that way, what to write about and when and for whom? How to write?

If you think in a similar manner, and you are puzzled with many (or more) questions like we are, then, we invite you to come to Lisbon for some days and together we explore all that stuff. Note that we don't have all answers. We hope that you can help, so we will encourage that everyone investigates in his or hers own depths. How good you write is up to you - where to search for all that goodness - we can assist.

Remember that "the train slows down", as Pessoa will notice, "it's the Cais do Sodré. I arrived to Lisbon, but not to a conclusion". So don't expect miracles. Expect to leave with nothing but Lisbon in your heart. And a load of questions that (hopefully) will bring about to inspire creative outcomes that will prove you are a person, not a typing machine.

Still not completely discouraged? If you are really interested and fancy a more formal description, check the link below if you. There you can find the application as well.

You have time to read all this and to submit the application until 20th of September. We will make the selection based mostly on person's motivations behind their will to participate.

Call for Participants
Learner Application Form