'Challenging the Crisis through EVS' project involves IDEA (Irish Development Education Association) hosting one EVS volunteer from Greece for a period of 9 months from September 2016. The context of the Project is the relationship established between the Partner organisations (IDEA in Ireland and Fair Trade Hellas in Greece) within a 3 year Development Education programme called ‘Challenging the Crisis’. This programme enables young adults affected by the financial crisis in Europe to become active advocates for social justice at home and abroad. It runs from April 2013 - April 2016 coordianted by IDEA with Partners in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. The objectives of the project aim to address the following needs and will: • Provide an opportunity for professional development of a young person with limited access to the labour market through a positive work experience in IDEA • Facilitate personal development through non-formal learning for the volunteer and to develop their ability and confidence to document and articulate this learning (through Youthpass) in seeking out future opportunities • Promote social inclusion and solidarity among young people in austerity-affected countries of Europe by placing a volunteer from Greece to support the ‘Challenging the Crisis’ project with approximately 20 young adults living in Ireland • Enhance the youth-related and non-formal educational aspects of our international work in IDEA with a view to building on our ‘Challenging the Crisis’ project and planning future initiatives through the Erasmus+ programme in 2016 The 'Challenging the Crisis' campaign - which the volunteer will conribute to - works towards policy reform at local, national and European level. It aims to raise awareness about alternative economic models known as ‘social and solidarity economy’. The young people will be raising public awareness and engaging with policy-makers on this issue during 2015/2016. The volunteer will contribute directly by supporting and facilitating this campaign, due to their engagement with a solidarity economy organisation (Fair Trade Hellas) but also adding their voice as a young person representing other countries in Europe affected by the austerity agenda. The campaign targets policy-makers developing educational curriculum, youth policy, economics and international development. The volunteer will work approximately 4 days per week in IDEA with a team of 6 staff under direct supervision of ‘Challenging the Crisis’ Project Manager and sharing an office with the ‘Challenging the Crisis’ team. The volunteer’s role will involve: ■ Supporting our youth group (Young Global Advocates (YGAs)) in Ireland through monthly meetings, online contact, carrying out campaign activities (workshops, meetings, publicity events); ■ Developing communication and contacts with target audiences for our campaign (other young people and youth organisations, IDEA members, other NGOS and civil society actors, media, policy-makers) ■ Assisting IDEA in coordination and administrative tasks such as event planning, liaising with members, updating website, identifying funding opportunities etc. ■ Monitoring and evaluating their learning and the learning of the young people in the Project: regular meetings with supervisor and mentor, produce short report on their learning to be disseminated after the EVS project ends. It is expected that the volunteer will develop her skills professionally through working on a project and contributing to project management, youth engagement and campaigning. Personally the volunteer will also critically reflect on her engagement with the values of IDEA and ‘Challenging the Crisis’, developing their own perspectives and contributing to development education and education for social justice. In addition, there will be a significant impact on the Young Global Advocates in Ireland who will work jointly and face-to-face with a person in the same role as them, in a different country. They will learn mutually from each other and this peer-education is extremely important in youth work and non-formal learning. They will also be more aware of opportunities available through Erasmus+ and hopefully some may apply to EVS in the future. In IDEA, and Fair Trade Hellas, the youth-related and non-formal educational aspects of our international work will be enhanced. During the volunteer’s placement we will planning for the future of our programme with a view to building on our ‘Challenging the Crisis’ project and planning future initiatives.