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Intercultural activities at the Natoye Refugee Center

Camp code:

BE-SCI 2.2

Country:

Belgium

Start Date:

29 Jun 2024

End Date:

12 Jul 2024

Topic:

2: Refugees, immigrants and ethnic minorities

Work Types:

Work with children / Social

Number of volunteers:

9

International age:

20 - 99

National age:

20 - 99

Required Language:

English

Spoken Language:

French

Description: The Centre for asylum seekers in Rixensart is an open centre for people who have asked for international protection in Belgium. Its main tasks are to feed, accommodate and provide social and medical aid to asylum-seekers. The residents stay in the centre during the first stage of the procedure (4 months at least). Each resident is encouraged to take FLE (French as a foreign language) classes and all children are enrolled in school. The center hosts 185 people (young mothers with their child(ren), isolated people and families). The center is located at the residencial area of Rixensart. The aim of the workcamp is to encourage intercultural meetings between the volunteers and the residents of the center, and to offer leisure activities to the residents.

Type of Work: The volunteers will propose activities for the children of the centre: creative workshops, pastry workshops, choir, environmental awareness and healthy eating, vegetable garden, swimming pool, outdoor games, sports, visits... Volunteers can propose activities related to their preferences, skills or in which they feel comfortable. Activities with teenagers and adults will also be possible, but on a more sporadic way. The budgets allocated to the Asylum Seekers Centers for the animation of residents have been reduced significantly. Volunteers will therefore be encouraged to provide animation at a lower cost and those who wish to do so can bring materials from home.

Study Theme: Migration issues and asylum procedure in Belgium.

Accommodation: Volunteers will sleep in a large room of the centre. The center’s budget is limited for food, the residents have to do their own shopping and prepare their meals in a kitchen that is provided to them. The group of volunteers will have the same conditions. The campleader and the group will think about the organization of the meals together at the beginning of the stay. Please take some food with you if you think it can be a problem.

Language: Having a good knowledge of French recommended because some of the asylum seekers don’t speak English. International volunteers must speak at least English.

Requirements: A motivation letter is required to participate in this project. Enjoy teamwork and animation. Volunteers with previous experience in entertainment and creative volunteers are particularly welcome.

Approximate Location: “The Relais du Monde” center is located in a large forest next to the Bocq river and just a few minutes' walk from the Natoye railway station. Natoye is a village located 25 minutes by train from the city of Namur, 10 minutes from the city of Ciney and 35 minutes from the city of Dinant.

Notes: Additional fee: Many SCI workcamps will have an additional fee of €50.00. This will cover - local hosting costs; International insurance costs of the volunteer; a small travel fund to enable disadvantaged volunteers to join projects; administration costs of SCI International. If you apply through an SCI branch, the fee will be included in the fee you pay to your sending branch. If you apply through a partner organisation you will pay the fee on arrival at the project; direct to the hosting branch or through a PayPal transfer system. When accepted on the project the host branch will give you more details of the various payment options.