VIEWS' coordinated EVS

Besides being a host EVS organisation, Views is also an EVS coordinating organisation in Belgium, with a network of European partners from at least 8 different countries and a network of partners in Belgium for hosting the young people and providing services.

Views indeed

is an international organisation
works with a network of partners from other countries
works with a network of partners in Belgium.

Why do that ? Mainly because this increases the number of young visually impaired Europeans going through an EVS scheme, giving them the opportunity of a first professional experience together with adapted training.

The European Commission has confirmed that there is no EVS coordinating organisation specialised for young visually impaired. And I need not tell you that most of the visually impaired youngsters are still in need of specific accompaniment that only a specialised organisation can provide for. In terms of autonomy, it is definitely more rewarding that they come together for a longer period than an exchange camp. Finally, it allows them to work in Belgium and under Views' coordination but in other organisations than Views.

This is why we called on all our partners and set up a feasibility visit at the beginning of May 2006 in order to thoroughly discuss this issue.

Click on the picture to get a full size picture !

At the end of the partners' meeting it was decided that Views set up a first "short term" coordinated EVS from 1st March to 30th June 2007 specifically for young visually impaired and around the Ste Marguerite's projects.

Why an EVS coordinated by Views ?

so as to allow the young visually impaired volunteers to meet each other and exchange; even more, to give them the opportunity to experience community life between young visually impaired;
because Views, as a specialised organisation, can take the visual impairment in account in a much more professional and in-depth going manner than a host organisation that has been sensibilised to visual impairment but is not specialised. Taking the impairment in account will always aim at the greatest possible autonomy for the young volunteers.

Why a "short term" EVS ?

Contrary to the long term EVS (6 months on one year), the short term EVS (3 weeks to 6 months) is designed for specific targets, and among others impaired young people. Supervision can be much more thorough. A short term EVS also allows young people who would like to go again through the experience to later do a long term EVS, while the opposite is not possible.

Why the Ste Marguerite's projects ?

The Ste Marguerite's district may be socially disadvantaged, it is also very open-minded.
It presents an accessible typography. There are quite a lot of small shops that will be more accessible for the young volunteers. And car traffic is slowed down.
The young volunteers will be in direct contact with the local population, children to elderly people, from all social, economical and geographical backgrounds.
As Views aims at autonomy learning, the proposed projects will not be adapted to the young volunteers: they'll have to adapt... with Views's support, of course !!

Views is already an EVS host organisation : we have been hosting in Belgium in 2005 Loredana and Anca, two young Romanians, we will be EVS hosting in May 2006 Verity, a young English partially sighted girl.

[ EVS : modalities ] [ projects' description ] [ Our first volunteers ]