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ILE - Mission.
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During many years of our life, we learn within the world of formal education: in primary school, high school or university. The education system decides what you have to learn, how you have to learn it, and evaluates whether you have learned it or not. In the end, you receive a certificate that validates your learning.
Within your experience as eco-volunteer, you will go through a non-formal learning process, you will live a learning experience while volunteering and collaborating within an organization. There won't be any teacher, just some accompanying person or a person that will give you support during the process.
As through our entire life, informal learning is also present during the eco-volunteer mission. This learning is not structured or planned, it takes place unintentionally within your environment and while relating with other persons: during a conversation, while having a cup of coffee, while doing your grocery in the supermarket, or just walking through the streets of a different country, while watching a movie, through media...
We propose a space for reflection on the learning process you are going to start taking part to an eco-mission. A lot of people will cross your path, lot of places you will see, lot of things you will learn. Here you can find tips for planning and gathering up whatever you learn.
However, the way you do it is very personal and you are the one to decide which is the most suitable for you. We will give you some suggestions, but are not compulsory and nobody is going to review it. Any strategy for reflection you intend to use, don’t forget to share it with us! This Forum can help you to take a track of your thoughts and sharing with other volunteers can help you to better set your learning receiving feedback from other volunteers.
Before the departure
Even before arriving to your host country, you will have already learned some things, probably without even noticing it: for instance, prepare your CV and motivation letter, stay motivated while waiting for the confirmation, applying for visa, organizing your departure...
It might be a good idea to dedicate some minutes in order to think of what you have learned before departure.
Take some time for you and try to list new things you have learned.
During the project
During your mission, you have the control over how you live this experience; it's not about things "happening", it is about things "that you make happen"...
The same applies for the learning outcomes within your project: a step further that you can take if you feel like doing it. It consists in learning to analyze and to set your own learning goals, reflecting over your learning process and evaluate if you are meeting your goals and to which extent.
You can write down the things you have done day by day since you started your mission, maybe you can take note of some things related to sharing accommodation in your new home, or the culture of the country, or about the arrival at the organization.
Take your time for thinking about your learning process. Anytime you need to reflect on how your project (we suggest to take some time every week), you can use this model to put order in your thoughts:
• How do you feel at this moment?
• What is making you feel confortable/unconfortable at present?
• Were your expectations met by the reality of the project?
• In which moment are you now in your project stage? Is it the point where you want to be?
• What are the obstacles in fulfilling your learning plan? What can you do overcome them?
• Never forget to celebrate! What are your achievements in the project so far?
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How to improve your competences during the eco-volunteering mission |
