OrientationHandbook(ReturnedVolunteers)

Ahandbookforyouthworkersonorientationuponreturnfromaninternationalvolunteeringexperience

Thistoolisdesignedfortheproject

EaSY_EvaluateSoftSkillsinInternationalYouthvolunteering2016-2-IT03-KA205-009012

EaSY is a 24-months project funded by the Italian National Youth Agency under theERASMUS Plus program, KA2 Strategic Partnership - Cooperation for Innovation andExchangeofGoodPractices.

ThroughEaSY,thepartnershipaimstocontributetotheprocessofrecognitionofskillsarising from non-formal learning experiences in Europe, and in particular the cross-skillsorsoftskillsresultingfromtheInternationalYouthVolunteering.

In this project Focsiv co-operates with FEC and La Guilde Européenne du Raid,organisations with long experience in youth volunteering, and Elidea - associatedpsychologists.

ProducedinDecember2017

"TheEuropeanCommissionsupportfortheproduction of this publication does notconstitute an endorsement of the contentswhichreVlectstheviewsonlyoftheauthors,and the Commission cannot be heldresponsibleforanyusewhichmaybemadeoftheinformationcontainedtherein."

INDEX

1. Introduction 1Whyhasthisresourcebeendeveloped?TheaddedvalueofavolunteerexperienceTheEasyProjectExplanationofEasymodel

2. Onlinetestofself-assessmenttool 6WhatitisExplanationofthetoolInstructionsfortheanalysisoftestresults

3.EaSYpracticaltipsforimplementation 15Step1:Preparethereturnofthevolunteer

3.1Socialreinsertion 16Step2:GroupdynamicStep3:Lookbackonexpectationsoftheprojectbeforedepartureandday-to-dayexperienceStep4:EmotionaldebrieVingStep5:Presentationoftheprojects’impactbyNGO’sStep6:Dealwiththe«reversecultureshock»intheircountriesoforiginafteravolunteerexperience

3.2Professionalguidance 24Step7:RecognisingprofessionalgoalsandVieldsofinterestStep9:InserttheEaSYPassportintotheCV

4. Conclusions 31

5.Bibliography 32

6.Annexes 33

1. Introduction Why has this resource been developed? “EaSY_EvaluateSoft skills in InternationalYouthvolunteering” is a24-monthsprojectlaunched by FOCSIV in collaboration with NGOs FEC, LA GUILDE and the scientiVicpartnerELIDEA–ASSOCIATEDPSYCHOLOGISTS.

Themainpurposeofthisprojectistofostertheassessmentoftransversalskillscomingfromnon-formallearning,inparticularfrominternationalyouthvolunteering.

Oneof themost important toolsof theproject is thishandbook foryouthworkers,onyouthvocationalguidanceafteraninternationalexperience.

Whoisthisresourcefor?

This handbook has been developed for youth workers who support volunteers aftertheirreturnfromabroad.Itisdesignedforvolunteerreturnsessionsanditaimstohelpvolunteerstovalorisetheirsoftskills.

Helping volunteers to analyse the situations they experienced and the activities theycarriedoutisacentralaxisofguidancethroughoutamission.SendingOrganisationsareresponsible for supporting volunteers and promoting the skills developed throughoutthevolunteers’missions.

Aimoftheresource

Thistoolisintendedasamanualforyouthworkerswhowanttofollowsomeeffectiveguidelinesforsupportingvolunteersupontheirreturnfromavolunteeringexperience.Based on the experience of the organisations involved in the project, this handbookproposes vocational guidance following the approach of the Easy Model and its self-assessmenttest.

Thisguideiscomposedoftwoparts:➢ AtheoreticalpartonvolunteerreturnandtheEaSYSoftSkills➢ ApracticalpartwithtipstoincorporatetheEaSYmodelwithinvolunteerreturn

sessions

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The added value of a volunteer experience

Alearningexperience

Theskillsacquiredabroadbyvolunteersarearealasset.Volunteerscomeback fullofnewideasandknowledge,whicharevaluableopportunitiesfordevelopment,andcanbea growth engine for the job market in their country of origin. In a changing world,volunteeringischangingandtheresponsibilityofSendingOrganisationsisincreasinglyimportant.

ReVlectingonthepotentialeffectsofinternationalvolunteeringinthesubsequentcareerpathsofyoungadultsthereforerequiresconsideringitasaneducationalexperience.

These qualities are part of a real professionalism that Sending Organisations mustdevelop throughpedagogicalworkandexpertise,prior to thedepartureofvolunteers.Indeed, these organisations play a role during the preparation for the mission, andthrough guidance during and after themission. This role persists after the end of themissionthroughthetrainingprocessesputinplaceduringthereturntotheircountriesoforigin,thenetworking,andtheirtestimonies.

Indeed,volunteers,alongwithotherexpatriates,maketheirexperienceknownthroughtheir professional, friends, and family networks. The impact of this internationalopenness is thus propagated in society itself, through an awareness of developmentissues, migration mechanisms, etc. Volunteers provide living testimonies. They alsogenerally continue their commitment after their return, in multiple forms, and helpreVlectiononourownwaysofliving,thinking,consuming,andorganisingsociety.

Interpersonalskillsaremoresubjective,relatedtothepsychologyofindividuals,suchasadaptation,opennesstonovelty,Vlexibility,orempathy.Expatriationisanexperienceofpersonal development, creating in the individual skills that are difVicult to acquire intraining.

Volunteerswhoundertakeamissionabroadarestrengtheningtheirsocialskills,suchasautonomy, communication, problem-solving skills, cultural openness and a sense ofsocial inclusion. Internationalmobility is a booming reality that does not always takeintoaccounteveryone’sindividualcharacteristics.

Inaworldmarkedbyglobalisation,expatriationhasoftenbecomeacompulsorystageina student's career,or inaprofessional career.Volunteersareactuallyat theheartof acomplexmovement.Theyevolve in internalprogressionandexternaldiscoveries. It isthisabilitytogrowinthesedifferentdirectionsthatwillhelpthemadapt.

Expatriation is deVined as a separation of the individual fromhis or her geographical,social and family environment, for the duration of stay abroad. Expatriates Vindthemselveswithouttheirusualsocialandculturalreferences,havingtobuildnewones.Toexpatriateoneselfisalsotomeetadifferentculturethroughitsfunctioning,itsnormsanditsvalues.

It is about adapting quickly andwell to a new country. The difViculties related to thespeciVic country and the material conditions of life are the most obvious aspects to

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consider.Facedwith thesedifViculties, everyonedoesnot react in the sameway.Someadaptmoreeasilythanothers.

Expatriates look at their environmentwith curiosity,which becomes an inexhaustiblesource of learning and opportunities. This experience, even if it is only temporary,forever marks the individual and their openness to the world, to others and tothemselves. Thanks to these different adjustment tools, such as adaptability, empathy,communication and resilience, the individual feels increasingly at home in the foreigncountry.

Situationsparticulartobeingaforeignerinanewcountryfavouraquestioningofone’scategories of thought, and in this regard, theymake the experience of volunteering aperiod conducive to experiential learning. A volunteer experience can be consideredbothasaformofsocialexperienceandasaneducationalexperience.

DifferenttypeofproXiles

If the proViles of international volunteering are becoming more diversiVied (active,retired),youngadultsremainthemostnumeroustohavethisexperience.Dependingontheirsituation,thetimeforvolunteerisdifferentintheircareer,eitherduringorattheendoftheirschooling,orinaperiodofprofessionalintegration,andintheVirstyearsofprofessionalactivity.Thus,volunteeringcanmeetdifferentexpectations,andsometimesthemotivations aremuchdeeper thanwe think:Taking a stepback fromyour family,leaving a demotivating job, demonstrating that they can go far, confronting difVicultsituationswithouthelp,VleeingadifVicultsituation...

Volunteersareoftenseenasyoungpeoplewithnoexperience,eagertogiveandbecomebetterthroughprogramsofferedbyinternationalorganisations.Butoverthelastseveralyears, the proViles have changed a lot: they are becoming increasingly professional.Today,managersandyounggraduatesarelookingforvolunteeringopportunities.Ifthegoal of international volunteering is to give, it is also to learn thatwe embark on anadventure.

Theimportanceofthereturn

Associations/Sending Organisations provide resources for formal training(documentation,conferences,etc.)andinformaltraining(throughmutualhelp,learningby initiation and identiVication). The main characteristics of associative learning isselectedandpractice-relatedlearning.

Theexperienceofvolunteeringinternationallyisaformativeexperience.Thesourcesoflearning are numerous: the mission, the environment (context), the work, etc. Theexperienceofvolunteeringallowstolearnbyoneselfbutalsothroughandwithothers(peers,colleagues,theguidanceactors,trainingactors(reinforcementtechniques).

IfdepartureismarkedbydifVicultiesrelatedtothegeneraladaptationandadaptationtowork, the return does not lack challenges. Expatriates are often less prepared for thedifViculties they encounterwhen they return,which can cause great distress andhavesigniVicantrepercussionsonfamily,socialandprofessionalfunctioning.Afterafewdaysof euphoria, volunteers may feel disoriented, frustrated and misunderstood. This is

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called "reverse culture shock". It is important not to neglect the return and help thevolunteerovercomedifVicultiesandtore-acclimatisebettertotheirenvironment.

Inthelongrun,thesuccessofaninternationalmobilityisappreciatedbythequalityofthereturn.

The Easy Project In order to contribute to recognising the soft skills developed through internationalyouth volunteering experiences, FOCSIV, FEC and LA GUILDE, which have long termexperienceintheVield,andElidea,I-Opsychologists,cooperateinthepresentproject.Aspartoftheproject, thepartnershavedevelopedamodel forassessingandgradingthesoftskills thataredeveloped through internationalyouthvolunteering.ThemodelhasbeenusedtodevelopspeciVictrainingtoolsforyouthworkers:theVirstonetoenhancesoftskillsinpreparationforinternationalvolunteering,andthesecondtosupportandguideyoungvolunteersaftertheirexperience.Moreover,anonlineplatformhasbeencreatedforyouthtoself-assesstheirsoft-skills,whereatesthelpsparticipantsverifythelevelsoftskillstheyhavedevelopedbeforeandattheendoftheexperience.

Thankstotheself-assessmenttest,youngpeoplewillbeabletoattesttheirsoftsillsinamore objective and effective way, by using a shared European code for internationalyouthvolunteering.

YouthworkerswillbeneVitfromtheprojecttoolsandoutputstoo,professionalisingtheirrole and improving their capacity to guide young people during the internationalexperiences (particularly, through thepre-departure training, themonitoring, the Vinalevaluationandvocationalguidance).Similarly,theInternationalVolunteeringsectorwillacquiremorecompetencestoofferhighlyformativeexperiencestoyoungpeople,usefulfortheirfutureprofessionallife.

Explanation of Easy model The EaSY project has developed the EaSY model, which is composed of the mostsigniVicant soft skills developed by international volunteers during their experienceabroad.

The main European studies about international volunteers’ soft skills have beenresearchedinordertobetterunderstandthedifferentEuropeanmodelsformeasuringsoftskillsandhowtheyapproachtothevolunteerexperiences.

Fromthisresearch,themain7SoftSkillsdevelopedbyvolunteersduringtheirexperienceabroadwereidentiVied.Theycanbefoundbelow:

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Thefollowingtableliststhemicro-skillsthatdescribeeachSoftSkill:These 7 Soft Skills are transversal competencies that volunteers can improve duringtheir experiences. It is assumed that being aware of their soft skills gives volunteersmoreopportunities for identifying theirprofessionalgoalsand improves theirchancestoachievethem.

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SoftSkills MicroSkills

ClearCommunication-Synthesis-WrittenCommunication-ClearCommunication

ReadtheContextandAdaptation-ReadingtheContext-Adaptability-CommunicationAdaptation

Followership-Supporttotheboss-Supporttheleader-Criticalthinking-Autonomy

ManageFrustration-MentalFlexibility-FrustrationTolerance-EmotionalControl

CreateandMaintainGoodRelationships

-Empathy-Listening-CreateRelationships

CoordinatePeople-Mediation-Senseofinitiative-Smallgroupcoordination

OrganiseandManageResources-Informationprocessing-OrganisingAvailableData-AnalysingSkills

2. Online test of self-assessment tool What it is Theonlineself-assessmenttoolisdesignedforthevolunteerstomeasuretheirsoftskillsthoughtaquestionnaire.Iseasytouse,andcanbedonebythevolunteersthemselves.

The7softskillsaremeasuredthrough73multiplechoicequestions.

TheEaSY test isbasedon theEaSYModel,whichdescribes the following7soft-skills:clear communication, create and maintain good relationship, read context andadaptation, manage frustration, followership - support the boss, coordinate people,organiseandmanageresources.

When?Theassessmentcanbedonebeforethedepartureofthevolunteersand/orupontheirreturn.

AimofthetoolThistestmakesitpossibletomeasurethestrengthsandimprovementareasintermofthesoft-skillsconsidered.

Explanation of the tool

Howtouseit

Thevolunteersmaycompletetheonlinetestwhendesiredbynavigatingto:

www.easy-softskills.eu/en

Thetestwilltakeapproximately60to80minutestocomplete.

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DepartureEaSYSelf-assessment Return

EaSYSelf-assessment

After the completion, they receive 2 different results: 1. The EaSY Report (complete of the description of 7 soft skills)

2. The EaSY Passport (with the level for each soft skill).

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Howtoorganisethereturnself-assessmenttest

Theyouthworkerwillbeinchargeofinforming,supporting,andfollowingthisprocess.

Anemailshouldbesenttothevolunteeronemonthbeforetheirreturntofollowthisprocess.

Instructions for the analysis of test results HereyouwillVindinstructionsabouthowtoreadtheresultsoftheonlinetest,whichareshownbytheEaSYReportandtheEaSYPassport.

TheEaSYReport

AftercompletingtheEaSYtest,eachvolunteerreceivesadetailedreportoftheirresults.Thereportiscomposedof3pages.AscanbeseenontheVigurebelow,theVirstpageofthereportcontainsagraphicdisplayingthelevelreachedforeachsoft-skillanditsdescription.

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Thevolunteerscanreach5differentlevelsofproXiciency.Fromthelowestlevel(A)tothehighestlevel(C2).

Thedifferentlevelsarethengroupedintotwodifferentareas,whichdescribepossiblestrengthsandimprovementareas:

TheEaSYPassport

In order to recognise the strengths of volunteers, we have also created the EaSYPassport,whichdescribesthelevelreachedforeachsoftskill(A,B1,B2,C1,C2).Thismakesiteasiertoidentifythesoftskillsthataremostdeveloped.

BelowisanexampleoftheEaSYPassport:

TheReportandthePassportmakeiteasytoprovidefeedbacktovolunteersabouttheirstrengthsandareas for improvement.Thevolunteerscanbetterunderstandtheirbestsoftskills,whichcharacterisetheirwaytoworkandtheirtalent.Thevolunteerwillalsohaveinformationaboutthesoft-skillsthatneedtobefurtherimproved.

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SoftskillsinwhichtheyachievelevelsA1orB1.

Theyareskillswhicharenotsufficientlydevelopedbythe

volunteersduringtheexperience.Theyareskillsthatthevolunteerscanimproveaftervolunteeringabroad.

SoftskillsinwhichthevolunteerreachedaB2,C1orC2level.Theyaretheskillsusedproperlybyvolunteersincriticalsituations,Theyaretheskillsthatthe

volunteershaveimprovedduringtheexperienceabroad

Notethatthevolunteershavethepossibilitynottoprintallthecompetencescheckedinitsreport,theycanselectforexampleonlycompetenceswithHighlevels(B2-C1-C2)toapplyforaspeciVicvacancy.

TheanalysisofEaSYReport

Below,youwillVindaninterpretativeguidetotheEaSYreport.Thisguidegivesyouthworkerssomeimportantcriteriatoconsider.Thesecriteriahelptointerpretthereport.

CriterionI-EaSYsoft-skillscanbegroupedin3speciXicareas:

α)RELATIONALSKILLS

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β)EMOTIONALSKILLS

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RelationshipSkills

1. "Clearcommunication"

2. "Createandmaintaingoodrelationships”

α

βEmotionalSkills

1. "Managefrustration”

2. "Readcontextandadaptation"

Ɣ)ADMINISTRATIVEANDMANAGERIALSKILLS

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CriterionII-Eachvolunteercanreceivethehighestlevels(B2,C1,C2)ofsoftskillsinthesameorindifferentareas

BelowyouwillVindthethreecasesandpossiblecombinations:

CASE1-Ifthecombinationisbetweensoft-skillsofthesamearea:

Refertothepreviousguidelinesabouteacharea(seeCriteriaI)

CASE2-Ifthecombinationisbetweensoft-skillsoftwodifferentareas:

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Administrativeandmanagerialskills1. "Followership-

supporttheleader”

2. "Coordinatepeople"

3. “Organiseandmanageresources”

γ

Combinationoftwoorthreesoft-skillswithhighlevelsinareas(α)and(β)characterisesvolunteerswhowanttocreategoodrelationshipswith

colleaguesandclients.Theseprofilesare

completedbyastrongabilitytoadapttheir

behaviourtotherequestsofothers(clients,colleagues,

etc).

Combinationoftwoorthreesoft-skillswithhigh-levelsinareas(β)and(Ɣ)characterisesvolunteerswithastrongabilityto

adapttheirbehaviourtotherequestofothers(clients,colleagues,etc).Theyalsohaveaagoodlevelof

autonomyandcapacitytoplanandcoordinate

activitieswithotherpeople.

Combinationoftwoorthreesoft-skillswithhighlevelsinareas(α)and(Ɣ)characterisesvolunteerswhowanttocreategoodrelationshipswith

colleaguesandclients.Atthesametimethese

volunteershaveagoodlevelofautonomyandcapacityto

planandcoordinateactivitieswithotherpeople.

CASE3-IftheCombinationisbetweensoft-skillsofthreedifferentareas:

Criterion III - Each soft-skill has a speciXic meaning which better deXines theproXile

Afterphasetwo,youmustconsiderthespeciViclevelanddescriptionofeachsoft-skillinwhichthevolunteershavereceivedhighlevels(B2,C1,C2).

Anexamplecanhelpyoutounderstandhowtofollowthisprocess:

ThisproVileisthereforecharacterisedbyhighlevelsofthreesoftskillswhicharepresentinall3areas(Case3). AfterreadingthedescriptionofCase3, informationshouldbeaddedconsideringthespeciVicsoft-skillsinwhichthevolunteerhasreceivedhighlevels.

Thedescriptionofbelowshowsthedescriptionsofthesoft-skillswithhigh-levels:

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Combinationofthreesoft-skillswithhighlevelsinareas(α),(β)and(Ɣ):

Thischaracterisesavolunteerwhowantstocreategoodrelationshipswithcolleaguesandclients.Combinedwiththisattitude,thevolunteerhasagoodcapacitytoadapt

theirbehaviourtotherequestofothers(clients,colleagues,developer).Thisprofileiscompletedbyagoodlevelofautonomyandcapacitytoplanand

coordinateactivitieswithotherpeople.

Thesedescriptionswill clarify eachproVile andhelp you to support volunteersduringtheprofessionalguidance.

GradeIV-ReadingeachproXileintermofpossiblesectors,jobsorroles

ThefollowingtableisdesignedtogivesuggestionsandhelpvolunteerstobetterknowtherelationbetweenproVilesandpossibleVieldsorjobs.

IthastobeclearforvolunteersthattheindicationsofVieldsareNOTprescriptiveinanyway,butjustexamples.

Thepurposeof thissection isprovidingvolunteerswithspace to thinkaboutpossiblesectors,areasandexamplesofjobsinlinewiththeirsoft-skills.

Belowaresomeexamplesabouttherelationbetweensoft-skillsandVields/jobs:

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Youth workers can use their speciVic experience in their country to translate thecombination of soft-skillswith high levels to possible sectors, areas ofwork, tasks orexamplesofjobs.

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3. EaSY practical tips for implementation Whatthissectionwillcover

The identiVication and valorisation of soft-skills remains weak. Yet, working abroadoffers the opportunity for volunteers to develop new skills and enrich their initialcapital.

EvenwhenvolunteersmayexpecttoexperiencedifVicultsituationsabroad,theymaybeless prepared for the difViculties they face upon their return. The stresses associatedwith returning can cause signiVicant distress and have signiVicant repercussions onfamily,socialandprofessional functioning.Accompanyingvolunteerswhentheyreturnwillallowforabettersocialandprofessionalintegration.

It is possible to adapt the support to volunteers upon their return according to theorganisations’possibilitiesandvolunteers’needs

Groupsessionsarethemostrecommendedforsharingandexchanging

When it is not possible to have group sessions you can offer a half-day face-to-faceindividualsessionorasessionviaSkypeorbyphone.

Theobjectiveofthisfollow-upis

1. Toachievesocialreinsertionafteravolunteerexperience2. Toachieveanassessmentofthesoft-skillsdeveloped3. Toachieveprofessionalreinsertionafteravolunteerexperience

Step 1: Prepare the return of the volunteer

Aimoftheactivity:

Preparethevolunteerforreturn,allowthevolunteertocompleteanexperience,starttodistancethemselves,structuretheirexperience.Allowthevolunteerstoproject

themselves.Identifythesoftskillsacquiredduringmission.

Materialneeded:

�

email

Time:

� 4weeksbeforedeparture

Groupsize:

�

Individual

Typeofactivity:

�

Orientation

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Instructionsforyouthworker:

1. Contactthevolunteerbyemailororganiseaphonecall,amonthbeforethereturn.2. Explainthereasonoftheemail.Ex: InamonthyourmissionVinishedandyoucomehome,itisanewstep.Thisexperiencehasbeenveryintenseanditistimetomakeapreliminaryassessmentandthinkaboutyourexperience… It’stimetoprepareyourdeparture”.

3. Helpthevolunteertohighlighttheirpersonaldevelopment.4. Guide the volunteer to evaluate his /her soft skills: complete the EaSY self-assessmenttest(refertochapter2forguidelinesonhowtouseit).

Donotforgettoremindthemthattheywillhavetobringbackthereportforthereturnsession.1. Informthevolunteeraboutthereturnsession(when,howlong,contents…)2. Helpthevolunteerpreparetoprovideatestimony.

Suggestedquestions:

1. Whatelsedoyouhavetodo?Howcanyouorganiseyourdeparture?2. AnassessmentofpersonalandprofessionalachievementsclariViesthebeneVitsoftheinternationalexperience:whatdidyoulearnfromthisexperience?

3. Whatknowledgedidyoudevelop?Howdidyouevolve?4. Anticipatingthereturn:whatdoyouneed?Howcanyouprepareyourreinstallation?Whocanhelpyou?

5. DeVinepersonal andprofessionalprojects:Whatdoyouwant toachievenow?Howcanyoulinkyourexperiencetoyourprojects?

3.1 Social reinsertion Whyisimportant?

Thestressorsvolunteershavetodealwithareveryimportant.Itisimportanttobeableto talk about them. To put words on difVicult experiences is a necessary step toreintegration to their environment. Many volunteers have experienced stressfulsituations,suchascriticalincidents,burn-outs,deathsintheirfamilies,etc.

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Toenablethevolunteertomakeasuccessfulreturn,itisimportantforhimorhertobeabletotakeastepbackfromhismission.

Oftenthevolunteers,ontheirreturn,expressafeelingof“misalignment”withthosetheyleftforseveralmonthsoryears:thisiswhatwecallthe“reverseculturalshock”.

Outcomes?

✓ Toallowvolunteerstoexpressandsharecertainaspectsoftheirexperiencesandencouragefreespeech

✓ Toallowvolunteerstoassesstheirvolunteeringexperience✓ To demonstrate that international mobility is a good way to develop

interpersonalcompetences✓ Toallowparticipantstogainconsciousnessofhowtheyhaveanimpact.

WecancharacterisesoftskillsasthoserelatingtoEmotionalIntelligence:theabilitytorecogniseandmanageyourownandothers’emotions.

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EaSYTips• Firstconfrontingtheirexperiencesinagroupsettinghelpsvolunteersgainconsciousnessoftheirnewlyacquiredskills

• Socialreinsertionislinkedwiththefollowingsskills:✓Managingfrustration✓ Adaptation-supportingtheboss

Step 2: Group dynamic

Instructionsforyouthworker:

1. Organisetheroomtopromoteexchangeandawarmenvironment2. Presentyourself3. Presenttheobjectivesofthereturnsession4. Explainthelogisticsandscheduleofthesession5. Asktheparticipanttopresenttheirneighbour,choosing,forexample,oneofthe

followingenergisers: • Chineseportrait:Isametaphoricaldescriptionofoneselfbycomparisonwithvariousthingsorelements,atree,aVlower,aVilm...basedintheformula"IfIwereananimal,I'dbea....

• DeVineyourmoodofthedaythroughadrawingcard(Imagesfromnewspaper,drawingcards)

• Useoneimagetopresentthecountryofexperience.

Aimoftheactivity:

Tocreatea goodgroupdynamic for a successful session.Energisers canbeused tohelpthegroupgettoknoweachotherbetter.Theycontributetogroupdynamic,andareeffectiveinreenergisingvolunteerswhenfatiguesetsin.

Materialneeded:

� Post-it,images,paper,pencils

Time:

� 30minutes

Groupsize:

� 8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

� Energiser

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Step 3: Look back on expectations of the project before departure and day-to-day experience

Instructionsforyouthworkers:

1. Thefacilitatorinvitesparticipantstosharetheexpectationsregardingtheirmissiontheyhadbeforethedepartureonaninternationalvolunteeringexperience.

2. The facilitator hands out post-its, in two different colours. One colour is forexpressing personal expectations, and the other expectations for professionalexpectations.

3. Participants are given 5 minutes to work individually and write down theirexpectations,usingthecolouredpost-its:oneitemperpost-it.

4. At the end of the Viveminutes, the facilitator collects the post-its, reads them andplacesthemonthewallintwogroups(personalandprofessional),keepingcommonthemesandsimilarideastogether.Offeraspecialspaceforexpectationsrelatedtosoftskills.

5. Sharecommonexpectationsandreinforcetheengagementandmotivation.

Aimoftheactivity:

Lookingbacktotheexpectationsatthetimeofdepartureallowsthevolunteerstorethinktheircommitmentandmotivationtoleave.Oftenduetounhappinessand

frustration,theprimarymotivationsareforgotten

BeneXitsforgroups:MakingcomparisonswithothervolunteersBesupportedbythegroupLearningfromothers

BeneXitsfortheindividual:FocusingonindividualneedsAnswertopersonaldifVicultiesListenandunderstand

Materialneeded:

�

Post-it,pencils,Vlipchart

Time:

�

45minutes

Groupsize:

�

8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

�

Group

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Step 4: Emotional debriefing

Instructionsforyouthworkers

Dependingonhowmuchtimeyouhaveforthisactivityyoucanuseoneofthefollowingsuggestions:

1. ShorterdebrieXing:(∼10minutespervolunteer):• Askthevolunteertochooseoneimageoranobjectorawordthatcandescribetheir experience:You canbringback cardswithpictures, or cutpictures frommagazinesforthemtochoosefrom.

• Askthevolunteertochoosetwocards,eachcardshoulddepictanemotionthattheyexperiencedduringtheirmission.

• Theycanalsodrawanobjectandshareitwiththegrouporyouthworker.Attheend of this section, the volunteers can create a patchwork of the wholeexperiencesharedwithothervolunteers.

Aimoftheactivity:

Offerstothevolunteerapersonalspaceonhislifeoutsidethepurelyprofessionalcontext.AllowsthevolunteertoputwordsondifVicultiesandlearnfromthem.

RealisethatdifVicultsituationsleadustodevelopsoftskillstoadapt.Byexpressing,asagroup,theseexperiences,thevolunteerrealisesthattheyhaveemotionsthatare

feltbyothersandthiscanbehelpful.

Individual:proceedinthesamewaybyencouragingexpression,andfocusonsoftskillsdeveloped.

BeneXitsforgroups:MakingcomparisonswithothervolunteersBesupportedbythegroupLearningfromothers

BeneXitsfortheindividual:FocusingonindividualneedsAnswertopersonaldifVicultiesListenandunderstand

Materialneeded:

� Post-it,pencils,Vlipchart

Time:

� 1h30minutes

Groupsize:

� 8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

� Group/individual

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2. LongerdebrieXing:(∼15minutespervolunteer):• AskvolunteerstoworkindividuallyVirst.• They must write in a paper A Joy / A difXiculty / A surprise / A skilldeveloped during their mission (You can list the EaSY micro skills to helpthem).

Step 5: Presentation of the projects’ impact by NGO’s

Aimoftheactivity:

Givevolunteerstheopportunitytobetterunderstandtheimpactoftheirprojectsattheendoftheexperience.

KnowingtheimpactoftheprojectandtheactivitiesofvolunteershelpsthemtovalorisetheexperienceabroadandtheefVicacyoftheirvolunteering.Furthermore,it

makesvolunteersfeelmoreengagedandimprovesasenseofself-efVicacy.

Materialneeded:

�

Slides,Flipchart

Time:

� 2hours(italsodependsonnumberofprojects)

Groupsize:

�

8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

�

Group

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Don’tforget

PreparethevolunteerstotelltheirstoryEncourageinteractionsamongvolunteers

Askquestiontogodeeper:“Whatresourcesdidyouhave?”“Whathasbeeneffective?”

“Whatdidyouputinplacetochangethesituation?”“Whatwillbedifferentnexttime?”

“Whatdidyoulearn?”

MakethelinkwiththeEaSYsoft-skills

Instructionforyouthworkers1. Sharewithvolunteersthesenseandthegeneralimpactoftheprojectsforthe

community/country2. Informvolunteersaboutthegoalsachievedandnewobjectivesforeachproject3. Encouragevolunteerstoexpresswhichactivitiestheycarriedoutduringeach

experienceabroad4. GivespeciVicdataaboutthevolunteers,targetsachieved,thebeneViciariesand

stakeholdersinvolved5. Showtherelationbetweenactivitiesperformedandtheresultsachieved6. Showconnectionbetweendifferentprojects

Step 6: Deal with the « reverse culture shock » in their countries of origin after a volunteer experience

Aimoftheactivity:

Helpthevolunteertoreadjusttotheirowncultureanddealwiththeemotionalstressfeltwhenheorshereturns.

Return syndrome, also referred to as a "reverse cultural shock", is a commonpsychological response for many people who come back home after living andworkingforsometimeinanotherculture.Thereturnalsorepresentsthemourningofthevolunteerexperience.

BeneXitsofgroups:MakingcomparisonswithothervolunteersLearningfromothers

BeneXitsofindividualsessions:FocusintheirspeciVicfearsanddifVicultiesDebriefabouttheirReverseCulturalShock

Materialneeded:

�

Post-it,pencils,papers,Vlipchart

Time:

�

1hour

Groupsize:

�

8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

�

Group/individual

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Instructionforyouthworkers1. Explain to volunteers what reverse cultural shock is and its consequences:

differencesphases,emotions,andreactions.2. Encourage volunteers to express feeling about their return: thought drawing,

roleplayingofspeciVicsituations,linkswithfriendsorfamily…3. Askaformervolunteertoprovideatestimonyabouttheirreturn4. Giveadvicetoreducethenegativeimpactofreturn:

a. Maintainahealthydietandexercise;beregularwithyourschedule.b. Join one ormore networks (groups, associations, etc.) that allow you tosocialiseandopenupnewperspectives(professional,intercultural,other)

c. Lookforwardtousingthenewskillsandknowledgegainedwhileabroadd. Acceptthatyouhavechanged,acceptthefeelingsofotherse. Writeaboutyourexperience,andshareitwithothersf. Keepintouchwiththefriendsandcontactsyoumetwhileyouwereawayg. Findoutwhathappenedinyourcountryduringyourabsence

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3.2 Professional guidance Whatthissectionwillcover

Thissectionisintendedtohelpyouthworkerstosupportvolunteersincareerguidance.

Itprovidessomeadviceonhowtoconductvocationalguidancethroughtheuseof theEaSYReportandtheEaSYPassport.

TheEaSYself-assessment testgenerates twooutputs: these twooutputsgive resultsabout the strengths of volunteers and a general proVile, which also includes“improvementareas”.

Whyit’simportant

The main purpose of this process is making volunteers aware about their soft-skills,theiraptitudes,andthecoherencebetweenthoseskillsandtheirprofessionalgoals.Being aware about this helps volunteers to better understand how to reach theirprofessional goals or reformulate themaccording to their real soft-skills. Thisprocessallows volunteers to increase their awareness of their abilities and skills, and of theirareasforimprovement.Thisself-awarenessgivespeople who are looking for a job, thepossibility to better understand t h e i rown soft skills and to choosetheir career paths according totheseaptitudes.

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EaSYTest

EaSYReport

EaSYPassport

EasyReport

EasyPassport

Matchvolunteer'sstrengthsandjob

Learningoutcomes

• BeabletoreadtheEaSYReportandtheEaSYPassport.• Understandhowtointegratethosetoolstothereturntrainingofvolunteersandhowtopreparevolunteersforajobinterview.

Step 7: Recognising professional goals and fields of interest

Belowaretwodifferenttools.Thesetoolsareseparate,buttheycouldbereducedtoauniquetoolthatintegratesboth.

Aimoftheactivity:

DiscussingtheresultsoftheEaSYSelf-AssessmentTestwiththevolunteersHelpingvolunteerstoreadtheproVile

OrientatingvolunteerstoidentifyanddevelopprofessionalgoalsUnderstandingwhichsectorsaremoresuitableaccordingtothecompetencies

acquired.

BeneXitsofgroups:MakingcomparisonswithothervolunteersExchangingideasaboutprofessionalgoalsLearningfromothersKnowingmoreprofessionalVields

BeneXitsofindividualsessions:FocusingonindividualobjectivesWorkerscanbetterunderstandneedsofthevolunteerCustomisedfeedbackMoreengagementforthevolunteer

Materialneeded:

�

Paper,pencils,Vlipchart

Time:

�

2hoursand½1Hoursand1/2

Groupsize:

�

8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

�

Group/individual

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Instructionforyouthworker:1. VolunteershavealreadyreceivedtheEaSYReportandEasyPassport2. IntroducethepurposeoftheEaSYSelf-AssessmentTest3. ExplainhowtoreadtheproVileaccordingtothecriteriaexplainedabove4. Askthevolunteerstoanswer,inwriting,thefollowingquestionsusingtheresults

oftheEaSYSelf-assessmenttest5. Ask1or2volunteersforaroleplay,wheretheworkerinterviewsthevolunteer

withthosequestionsandcomparestheinterpretationofresultwiththeanswers(thisactivitycanbemadebysmallgroupsof2+1observer)

6. Givefeedbackon:o Clearcommunicationofexplanationo Coherencebetweensoft-skillsandthechoiceoftheirjoborVieldofworko Coherencebetweenverbalandnon-verbalcommunicationo Clearmotivationofvolunteers

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Questionsforfollow-upduringsession

WhatVieldareyouinterestedin? WhatinterestsyouaboutthisVield/job? WhatareyourprofessionalgoalsinthisVield? AreyourexperiencesandculturalbackgroundcoherentwiththisVield/Job? Areyoursoft-skillsinlinewiththisVield/job?

Tipsforindividualsession

It is the same structure of the group session, except for the discussion in groups.Furthermore, the individual session putsmore emphasis on coherence between theEaSYproXileandthechoiceofajoborVieldtowork.TheyouthworkersupportsthevolunteertobeawareabouthisorherproVileandpossibleVieldsorjobstoreach.

Step8:Preparationofa job interview:recognisingstrengthsandenhancingimprovementareas

Instructionsforyouthworkers:1. VolunteershavealreadyreceivedtheEaSYReportandEaSYPassport2. WorkersintroducethepurposeoftheEaSYSelf-AssessmentTest3. They answer in writing the above questions using the results of the EaSY self-

assessmenttest4. Then each question area is discussed (1 Identifying strengths, 2 Identifying

improvementareas,3Supportingpeople…)usingaroleplaywithonevolunteer.Therole-playcouldbeforexamplea“mock-interview”whichrepliedthequestionsaskedinwriting

5. Aftereachrole-play,theyouthworkergivesfeedbacktothevolunteerfollowingthebelowcriteria:

1. clearcommunicationabouthis/herexplanation2. completenessoftheanswers3. coherencebetweenstrengthsandexamplesgiven4. coherencebetweendifferentanswers

Aimoftheactivity:

Todiscusstheresultsofthetestwiththevolunteersintermofstrengthsandimprovementareas

HavingamoreobjectivedescriptionoftheskillsEnablevolunteerstoprepareajobinterview

HelpvolunteerstounderstandtheirprofessionalobjectivesSupportthemtofacetothecoherence(ornot)betweensoft-skillsandprofessional

goals

BeneXitsofgroups:

SharingexperiencebetweenvolunteersMakingcomparisonsExchangingideasaboutprofessionalgoalsLearningfromothers

BeneXitsofindividualsessions:

FocusingonindividualgoalsYouthworkerscanbetterunderstandtheneedsofthevolunteerCustomisedfeedbackMoreengagementforthevolunteer

Materialneeded:

� Paper,pencils,Flipchart

Time:

� Group:2hoursand½Individual:1Hourand½

Groupsize:

� 8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

�

Group/individual

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5. settingrealisticgoals6. Finally,theyouthworkersanswer,inthegroupsetting,anydoubtsorquestionsfrom

volunteers.7. Youthworkers invite volunteers to think about the coherence between soft-skills

andprofessionalgoals8. Attheendofthesession,theyouthworkersgivefeedbacktoparticipantsaboutthe7

EaSYSoftskills(havetheyusedthe7softskillsduringthesession?Inwhichcase?)

Youcanaskthefollowingquestions,whicharestronglyrelatedtotheEaSYModelandtothetypicalHRinterviewquestions:

Identifyingstrengthsofvolunteers

-Whatareyourstrengthsintermsofsoft-skills?-Canyougivesomeexamplesaboutsituationsinwhichyouusedthosesoft-skills?-Whyshouldwehireyou?

Identifyingimprovementareas

-Whatareyourweaknessesorimprovementareasintermofsoft-skills?-Howcanyouimprovethesesoft-skills?-Howareyoustillimprovingyoursoft-skills?

Supportingpeopletounderstandtheirprofessionalgoals

-Wheredoyouseeyourselfin5years?-Whatareyourprofessionalgoals?-InwhichprofessionalVieldsyoucanuseyourproVile?-WhydidyouchoosethisVield?

Tipsforindividualsession

It is the same structure of the group session, except for the discussion in groups.Furthermore,theindividualsessionputsagreateremphasisoncoherencebetweensoftskills(strengthsandimprovementareas)andprofessionalgoals.Theyouthworkercanreorientvolunteertomorerealisticgoals.

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Asyoucansee,thepoints1and2canbedeductedbytheEaSYReportandEaSYPassport,using also theprevious suggestions about how to readaproXile andhow touse theEaSYModelforCareerGuidance.

Thepurposeofthosequestionsistodeepentheresultsoftheself-assessmenttest.

Step 9: Insert the EaSY Passport into the CV

Instructionsforyouthworkers

1. CreateaspeciVicsectiontoinserttheSoftSkills.Belowisanexampleusingthe“EuropeanCurriculumVitaeformat”

2. ForeachsoftskillwritethedescriptionfromtheEaSYReport3. Indicateforeachsoftskillthelevelachieved(i.e.goodabilitytomanagefrustration,strongabilitytoorganiseandmanageresources)

Aimoftheactivity:

Describethesoft-skillsdevelopedduringtheexperienceabroadandcertiViedbyEaSYGiveadded-valuetotheexperienceabroadUsetheEasyPassportonjobresearch

BeneXitsofgroups:

SharingexperiencebetweenvolunteersMakingcomparisonsExchangingideasaboutprofessionalgoalsLearningfromothers

BeneXitsofindividualsessions:

FocusingonindividualgoalsYouthworkerscanbetterunderstandneedsofthevolunteerMoreengagementforthevolunteer

Materialneeded:

�

Paper,Vlipchart,pencils

Time:

�

20minutes

Groupsize:

�

8-12participants

Typeofactivity:

�

Group/individual

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Theroleofyouthworkersinthisdelicatemomentistohelpvolunteersunderstandthecoherence(ornot)betweentheirattitudesandsoft-skillswiththeirprofessionalgoals.BeingawareaboutthiscoherencehelpsvolunteerstobuildastrongprofessionalcareeraccordingtotheirexperiencesandproViles,identifyingVieldswheretheycanVindjob.Otherwiseitisalsoveryusefultobeawareofanydifferencesbetweentheminordertoimprovetheskillsrequiredortoreformulatethegoalsaccordingtotheiraptitudes.

4. InserttheEaSYPassport,whichshowsthelevelofeachsoft-skillevaluatedbytheEaSYself-assessmenttesto Theycanchooseasummarytableof theEaSYPassport thatshowsonly

thesoft-skillswithhigh-levels(B2,C1,C2).Thiscanhelpthemprepareincasetheinterviewerhasquestionsaboutthesoftskillsinwhichtheyshowlowscores.

5. AttachtheEaSYReporttotheirCV

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4. Conclusions Thisguidebookaimstodemonstratethatinternationalmobilityisagoodwaytodevelopsoft-skills.

The EaSY model aims to help understand the soft-skills that are developed throughvolunteeringinternationally.

Thought the onlineEaSY self-assessment test, volunteers canmeasure their soft-skillsbefore departure to identify gaps and needs. Upon their return, the tool offers anopportunity to know which skills have been developed and the impact that theexperiencehashadontheirpersonalandprofessionaldevelopment.

IncorporatingtheEaSYmodelinthereturnsessionsgivesauniqueopportunitytohelpyoungpeople toverbalise theirexperience,and to identifyandvalue thecompetencesdeveloped thanks to projects carried out abroad. The practical tips for youthworkersallow an easy integration of themodelwithin return sessions and explain how thesecompetencescanbeusefulsociallyandprofessionally.

Theobjective of the guidebook is to support youthworkers to use effective tools thathelp volunteers valorise the skills developed abroad, and, in turn, to help volunteersunderstand the breath of skills they possess and facilitate their insertion to the jobmarket.

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5. Bibliography "European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning" of CEDEFOPhttp://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/3073

"ESCO–EuropeanclassiVicationof skills/competences,qualiVicationsandoccupations"https://ec.europa.eu/esco/portal/document/en/f834e202-0ebf-461a-9249-a00e91d86e94

"The key competences of European Commission" http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/repository/education/policy/school/doc/keyreview_en.pdf

EducationandTraining2020WorkprogrammeThematicWorkingGroup'AssessmentofKeyCompetences'Literaturereview,Glossaryandexamples,November,2012Europeancommission

COMMISSIONDESCOMMUNAUTESEUROPENNES(2010).Jeunesseenmouvement.Uneinitiative pour libérer le potentiel des jeunes aux Vins d’une croissance intelligente,durable et inclusive dans l’Union européenne. COM 477 Vinal. Bruxelles : Commissioneuropéenne.http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=950&langId=fr

Guidot,F. « De la prise en compte à la prise en charge de la dimension psycho-émotionnelle de l’accompagnement des volontaires à l’international ». FranceVolontaires.

Leroux,Céline :«Levolontariat solidaireà l’international.Uneexpérience formativeàl’épreuve des parcours professionnels » Thèse de doctorat de Sciences de l’éducation.UniversitéParis-Descartes

Fréant, Anne Laure «Guide du retour en France ». https://retourenfrance.fr/le-guide-du-retour-en-france/

Vignal,Jérémy.«Lescompétencesdéveloppéesencontexted’expatriation:quellepriseenconsidérationauseindesentreprisesmultinationales».25`emeCongresde l’AGRH,Nov2014,Chester,Royaume-Uni.25`emeCongrèsdel’AGRH.

ZilvetiChaland,M.«Réussirsavied’Expat».Eyrolles,2015

ClongVolontariat «Guide retour : Conseils et informationspratiquespour faciliter lesdémarches autour d’une expatriation solidaire ». http://www.clong-volontariat.org/dossiers/

CHSAlliance.«DebrieVingAidvolunteersandmissionaries:acomprehensiveManual».https://www.chsalliance.org/Viles/Viles/Resources/Tools-and-guidance/DebrieVing-Manual-2016.pdf

FranceVolontaires.«Guideàdestinationduvolontairedanslepaysd’accueil»

Gardner,Howard.«MultipleIntelligences».NewOrizons,2010

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6. Annexes

Easyvolunteerreturntraining–2Days

TrainingSchedule

The times indicated below are for reference only. They can be adjustedaccordingtothesizeandcompositionofagivengroup.

DAY1

09.30h-09.45h:Welcomingparticipants09.45H-10.30h:Energiser(tocreategroupdynamic)10.30h-11.00h:Lookbackonexpectations11.00H-13.00h:EmotionaldebrieVing13.00h-14.00h:Lunch14.00h-15.30h:Dealingwithreverseculturalshock15.30h-15.45h:Break15.45h-17.30h:Presentationsoftheprojects’impactbytheNGO

DAY2

09.30h-10.00h:Welcomingparticipants&energisers10.00H-12.30h:Careerguidance12.30h-13.30h:Lunch13.300h-16.00h:Preparationforajobinterview16.00h-16.15h:Break16.15h-17.30h:InserttheEasyPassporttotheCV

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Easyvolunteerreturntraining–1Day

TrainingSchedule

The times indicated below are for reference only. They can be adjustedaccordingtothesizeandcompositionofagivengroup.

MORNING

09.30h-09.45h:Welcomingparticipants

09.45H-10.30h:Energiser(tocreategroupdynamic)

10.30h-12.00h:EmotionaldebrieVing

12.00H-13.00h:Dealingwithreverseculturalshock

13.00h-14.00h:lunch

AFTERNOON

14.00H-15.30h:Careerguidance

15.30h-15.45h:Break

15.45h-17.00h:preparationforajobinterview

17.00h-17.30h:InsertingtheEasyPassporttotheCV

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Thereverseculturalshock

ThereverseculturalshockisatermthatistypicallyusedtodescribetheunanticipatedadjustmentsdifVicultiesthatmanyexpatriatesexperiencewhenreturningtotheirnormallives.

ThedifVicultiestheymayfaceuponre-enteringtheirownculture.

Typically,themoresuccessfultheywereinimmersingthemselvesinthecountryandculturewheretheyhavejustbeen,themoredifVicultatimetheywillhavere-adjustingtotheirownculture,andgettingbackintotheroutineontheiroldlife.

ThereverseculturalshockW-curve

�

�35

Symptoms:

➢ Vaguedisorientedandisolatedfeelings➢ Confusion➢ Needforexcessivesleep➢ Feelingresistanttofamilyandfriends➢ Boredom➢ Uncertainty➢ Feelinghomesickforworkandfriendsmadeabroad➢ Wantingtobealone➢ Depression

Howtocopewithreversecultureshock?

Adjustingtotherhythmsoflifeathomerequiresmuchofthesamecopingskillsthatvolunteershadreliedontheirworkintheirhostcountry.

➢ Gettogetherwithothers

➢ Maintainasenseofhumourandpatience,similartothatoverseas

➢ Keepintouchwithcontactsandfriendswithyoumetwhileyouwereaway

➢ Seekoutinternationalnewssoyoudonotfeelsoabruptlycutofffromyourexperience

➢ Lookforwaystousethenewsskillsandknowledgeyougainedwhileabroad

➢ Writeaboutyourexperienceandsharewithothers

➢ Maintainahealthywayoflife(sleeping,eatingandexercise)

➢ Talkaboutyourexperience

➢ Getinvolved

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