28/04/2024
Greece
participants
The Regional Platform serves as a pivotal training conference, focusing on enhancing the skills of volunteers within our region's sections (ESN AUTH, ESN DUTH, ESN IHU, ESN Western Macedonia, ESN UoM Thessaloniki) concerning our network's operations. However, this year, we've expanded our educational scope, aiming to cultivate abilities in advocating for the Erasmus+ programme within the local community, and leveraging mobility and volunteering for participants' professional advancement within ESN.
Our strategy involves immersive workshops where volunteers actively engage and collaborate. These sessions offer comprehensive insights into Erasmus+ mobility programs, emphasising not only technical intricacies but also broader personal and professional development opportunities. Volunteers will explore how programme participation fosters personal growth, cultural understanding, and networking skills. Moreover, they'll learn effective communication strategies to promote these opportunities across diverse settings, aiming to boost awareness and interest among potential participants. Ultimately, our goal is to empower volunteers to champion mobility programs, encouraging others to explore similar avenues and contribute to educational internationalisation and personal growth within their communities.
Furthermore, by collaborating with the IASIS NGO, our trusted partner of three years, we'll host a workshop focused on leveraging volunteering and mobility experiences within the Erasmus+ programme on resumes. This session aims to equip volunteers with practical guidance on showcasing their experiences effectively. Participants will learn to highlight volunteer work and international experiences, demonstrating transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and cultural competence. Additionally, the workshop will delve into strategies for articulating these experiences' value to employers, underscoring how involvement in ESN and Erasmus+ enhances global employability. By empowering volunteers with effective tools for presenting their experiences, we aim to enhance their professional development and employability, aligning with our broader objective of providing educational opportunities and nurturing their career growth.
Since it is a two-day training platform, it was necessary to create an organising committee with specific tasks for each position. We started by informing the Region about this initiative, and after everyone agreed, we proceeded with the organisation.
We wanted to find an accessible and well-equipped venue, which is why we approached the Pedagogical Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The rooms we requested are on the ground floor and provide us with internet connection, air conditioning, and multimedia system. We insisted on having rooms with interactive whiteboards to minimise the use of paper as much as possible. Additionally, to make the conference more engaging and attract volunteers' interest, we themed it around Barbie and named the Regional Platform, BaRPie edition.
All promotion will be done through social media and other platforms.
One of the most important elements of a conference is the agenda. That's why the Agenda Responsibles have created a Needs Assessment Form, which they will promote within the Region's sections. In this form, participants will indicate their experience so far in the network, their participation in Erasmus programs, topics they are not familiar with and would like to learn during the conference, as well as their motivations for participating.
Based on the results from this form, we will divide participants into two categories (advanced/beginners) and determine the agenda content to be interesting and constructive for everyone.
It's crucial that the majority of each session is a workshop. This way, participants will interactively engage with the topics, making it easier for them to absorb the information. Specifically for the Erasmus+ theme, there will be a presentation by the National Education Officer, followed by a quiz to assess the understanding of the volunteers. Then, there will be a workshop where participants, divided into groups, will be asked to prepare and present Erasmus+ using specific scenarios given to them, such as Erasmus Mundus to a friend or Erasmus+ studies in a speech at the municipality.
In the session held in collaboration with the IASIS NGO on leveraging volunteering experience in our professional future, there will be a presentation by volunteer consultants from the IASIS AT WORK branch. Then, participants will have the opportunity to create their own CVs based on the knowledge they gained.
