ESC_TEAMS in Morocco_Youth4Hope_VT_Project Proposal

YOUTH4HOPE

"Youth and Intergenerational Solidarity" takes up the motto of the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generation

Hosting Organization: MamAfrika Organization(Morocco),

Type of the Project: Volunteering of Team under (ESC),

Duration: Max 60 day (Starting from July through the end of August)

Number of participants: Max 40 participants

Location: Casablanca

Context and Objectives:

In Morocco, public schools and the MamAfrika Organization work closely hand in hand to deliver high-quality language classes to people with fewer opportunities. Moroccan public schools have crowded classrooms and a lack of trained teachers due to a low education level, especially regarding foreign languages. MamAfrika Organization works with disadvantaged people who have limited access to education and can’t afford after-school programs, where they gain numerous benefits from participating in extracurricular activities. Our organization offers opportunities that will be fruitful for both volunteers and youth with few opportunities to develop social skills, build self-confidence, and foster a sense of belonging in a non-formal learning environment. Engaging young people in cultural workshops, arts, and public speaking will enable disadvantaged students to discover their talents, improve their communication skills, and expand their support networks. Extracurriculars also provide exposure to new experiences, helping the youth overcome challenges and broaden their future opportunities.

Extracurricular activities are, of course, available but too expensive for most families. This is where you can play your part to offer possibilities for youth who are at risk of social exclusion. Indeed, volunteers coming from abroad remain the best option to enable young people to acquire essential competencies that contribute to their personal and socio-educational development and also foster their active participation in society by delivering these children a good quality education and free service. We believe that you and they will benefit from this international experience.

We chose the district of Casablanca to carry out this project to help the youth improve their employment prospects. Such learning experiences with international volunteers have a strong potential to improve attainment in formal education and training, as well as to address young people not in employment, education, or training, or young people with fewer opportunities to combat social exclusion, as volunteers' assistance is essential in this area.

MaAfrika Organization believes that every person has talents. S/he must be allowed to discover, develop, and participate in these extracurricular activities that offer underprivileged children the opportunity to strengthen their French and English skills, enabling them to apply for international universities and have the requirements to obtain scholarships after earning their high school diploma. Indeed, courses in Moroccan universities are taught only in French, therefore excluding automatically all children who went to public schools and did not receive a sufficient education in English and French languages.

This project aims to reinforce the language competencies of children and young adults with fewer opportunities. We bring volunteers from different parts of the world together to benefit from this intercultural exchange and have a positive change for the young people. The volunteers will teach English, French, or both according to their capacities. Some additional free time activities will be organized with the children.
MamAfrika Organization supports volunteers by providing proper training, resources, and guidance to effectively contribute to the schooling of children with fewer opportunities who don’t have much chance of learning foreign languages. Our staff offers workshops on leadership, communication, and mentoring that can help volunteers better engage with children. Providing access to materials, structured program guides, and continuous feedback will ensure the smooth coordination of activities. Additionally, fostering a supportive environment through regular check-ins and opportunities for volunteers to share experiences can boost morale and maintain motivation. Our organization uses the approach of experience-based learning to make an essential contribution to talent development and help young people grow up to be socially active adults. Our participants learn always and everywhere. In a formal way, for example, in lessons within the classroom, but also through non-formal learning, inside or outside of school.
The volunteers will teach the children who come from families with low economic resources therefore the volunteers will be able to observe and appreciate their everyday life habits and culture through practical and social involvement and feel like they are making a change for these kids as they will pass on to them important skills for their future on a personal and academic perspective. Moreover, by working with national volunteers, they will have the chance to get involved in the Moroccan community not only at schools but also outside of work.

Description of the Activity

These participants will volunteer in the program to organize extracurricular activities for disadvantaged children to bring together young people to build a more inclusive society, supporting vulnerable people and responding to societal challenges. The volunteers will offer inspiring and empowering experiences for underprivileged children in collaboration with the project coordinator of the MamAfrika Organization. In this program, volunteers will help, learn, and develop their skills. Giving them the tools and support they need to make a real impact. Volunteers will train young people in areas like education, social inclusion, integration, and especially linguistic competence. The volunteers will receive an induction day upon their arrival to welcome them to the team and help them feel comfortable and prepared. We will provide them with an overview of the team building activities explaining their roles and responsibilities and answering any questions or concerns that volunteers may have before embarking on the project. We will make sure volunteers have all the resources to immerse students during the activities with confidence to combat social exclusion. Volunteers will have access to materials, structured activity guides, and ongoing support to make running programs easier for themselves. While volunteering in this program, MamAfrika Organization makes regular check-ins and feedback sessions to help ensure that everything runs smoothly, while creating a space for volunteers to share ideas and learn from one another. The goal is to offer students new experiences in multicultural environments, build their confidence, and help them develop skills that will benefit them in school and beyond.

Volunteering groups traveling to Morocco and doing voluntary work with a team will experience an incredibly enriching culture, allowing them to learn a wide range of valuable traditions and customs. Here's what our volunteers expect to learn during their participation: Cultural understanding: By living and volunteering in another country, they will gain a deeper understanding of the local customs, values, and beliefs. This will help them develop empathy and cultural awareness that will be valuable in their personal and professional lives. Interpersonal skills: They will be Working with a team of volunteers from diverse backgrounds who can help them develop their interpersonal skills, including communication, collaboration, conflict resolution, and cultural diversity.
Our staff help volunteers to experience new lifestyles, try new food, explore new places, and meet new people. Meanwhile, we introduce them to social and cultural projects related to community service. Throughout their participation in Morocco, our volunteers certainly engage in cultural and social events. Some volunteers teach the youth with fewer opportunities, while others reach out to hard-reach communities, sharing smiles and knowledge with them. We welcome volunteers to participate in our school project support for disadvantaged children in Casablanca. Our programs do not require any specific skills. We welcome everyone because each individual is willing to experience diversity at various levels. Therefore, we hope our volunteers are open to other cultures and languages.

MamAfrika Organization prepares extracurricular activities in advance for volunteers to offer underprivileged children meaningful opportunities to grow both academically and personally. By providing a wide range of activities, such as team building, group discussion, and public speaking. Volunteers will help children discover new talents, build self-confidence, and develop essential life skills. The volunteers should encourage teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking, all while fostering a supportive environment where children feel appreciated and motivated. Ultimately, this initiative aims to empower children to reach their full potential, giving them the tools and experiences they need to succeed beyond the classroom.

Aims and objectives:

This project aims to provide free scholarly support for children with fewer opportunities and linguistic reinforcement to children and young people now attending school or university. This project offers the most underprivileged students the chance to achieve a higher performance result. The goal of the participants is to create opportunities for disadvantaged students to participate in extracurricular activities that foster personal development, creativity, and social skills. By offering a variety of engaging programs such as sports, arts, and public speaking skills, the project seeks to help students discover their strengths, build confidence, and develop skills that will benefit them in both school and life. The project also aims to provide a positive, inclusive environment where marginalized children can engage in cultural activities with international volunteers, receive mentorship, improve their communication skills, encourage their integration, and gain the support they need to overcome challenges and pursue future opportunities.

● Non-formal teaching of French, English, elementary for the youngsters, etc.
● Organize leisure activities for children with fewer opportunities and young people.
● Motivate the children to participate in diversified activities.
● Take part in music and arts activities
● Take part in creative leisure activities like sports, sometimes outside the classroom.

All volunteer-led activities mentioned above will focus on providing children with engaging, hands-on learning experiences outside of the regular curriculum. Volunteers will organize and lead activities such as English conversations, arts and crafts, music, and theater, or based on children's interests. Each session is set to foster teamwork, creativity, and communication skills while encouraging self-expression and confidence. Volunteers will guide the youngsters through structured activities, offering support, encouragement, and positive feedback. They will also facilitate group discussions, team-building activities, and fun challenges to help children with fewer opportunities explore new interests, build social connections, and develop valuable life skills in a safe, supportive environment.

The tasks of the volunteer

● Group Discussions and Reflection.
● Volunteers can, of course, participate in all the project activities described above.
● Promoting a Safe and Inclusive Environment
● Planning and Organizing Activities
● Organizing animation artistic and sports activities
● Teamwork and Collaboration
● Helping underprivileged students build confidence, develop new skills, and feel valued.
● Other activities as proposed by the local administration or by the MamAfrika
Organization. For example, teaching languages and preparing local, national, and international activities.

NOTE: Due to school and national holidays the project will be close

Volunteering Schedule:

The volunteer will work full-time and have two days off per week. The two days off will be decided in advance between the volunteer and the coordinator.

Accommodation:

The volunteers will live in the youth house Center on shared premises with other volunteers. The organization will provide food for volunteers in the center during the whole period. And we highly encourage participants to get ready to be sociable and open-minded for effective and good communication.
The organization will provide extra Arabic courses for volunteers collaborating on this project.

About the Location:

Casablanca, in Arabic Dar El Baida, is the biggest city in Morocco and actually in the Maghreb region. It is the economic and business center of Morocco. Casablanca is one of the most important cities in Africa, demographically and economically, being one of the largest financial centers in the continent. Its port is one of the largest artificial ports in the world and the primary naval base of the Moroccan Navy.

Completed in 1993 after many years in construction, the Hassan II Mosque is among Africa's largest, with one of the world's tallest minarets to boot. Thanks to its location on the waterfront, and the laser atop the minaret that beams toward Mecca, it’s one of Morocco's most striking buildings. It’s also one of the few mosques that permit non-Muslim visitors into its halls Casablanca’s central market is small and manageable. White-walled stalls with green clay tile roofs dotted with foliage make for all the Instagrammable backgrounds you’ll ever need. Vendors sell produce, nuts and dates, and argan oil - the traditional Moroccan elixir for most everything. Linger long enough and eventually you will see the vendors line up for the call to prayer, and then join them in a quick tagine lunch, served at outdoor tables.
The Aïn-Diab coast, the seaside annex of the city, is the traditional spot for inhabitants of Casablanca going out for the evening, especially at weekends. Trendy restaurants and popular pubs abound along the seafront. Some of these establishments, with or without seawater swimming pools, have been there since the thirties, like an unusual restaurant built on piles.