Smokinya Foundation Newsletter
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Smokinya Club
Since July the Smokinya Club is progressing and we are happy to have weekly meetings during the evening to share and invite the young people of the community to have a good time around fun activities.
Here's a quick plan of what happened in May, and what's coming up in June!
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SUN, ROSES AND MANY ACTIVITIES: MAY 2022
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Trainings, exchanges and opportunities
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Internships
As you know, in Smokinya Foundation we work with international volunteers in order to help youth to find European opportunity and now, we are looking for young people who want to get new working experience as an intern in an interesting environment by making their first step to a career of their dream! If you join us, you will be introduced to the organisation and will be trained how we work. You will be supervised and mentored in a way to set your own goals and learn, practice, develop and master some important life skills and competencies; team work, cooperation, learning to learn, time management, communication and coaching skills, project initiation from A to Z and much more! It sounds great, right? Then click in the following link and become part of the team!
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Eurodesk opportunities
In Smokinya Foundation we know if you are here reading these words, it is because you are interested in the European Union and what is happening there. For these reasons, and taking advantage the European Year of Youth, we are more than convinced that you will find the following tips provided by the Eurodesk platform about how to find and apply to opportunities abroad particularly interesting. So do not wait any longer and take a look now! And if you have not heard about Eurodesk, do not worry, click on the button and discover a new horizon of possibilities!
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Youth Guide – Training Course
As a Youth NGO and official Eurodesk Multiplayer, in Smokinya Foundation we are pleased to announce you that we will host the “Youth Guide” Basic Synergy Training between the 30 August and 9 September; a very intense experience for those who want to get out of their comfort zone and find out themselves. So if you are willing to question your negative beliefs, set up long term goals, gain self-confidence take ownership of your actions, forget your previous prejudices and reflect about the actions you take, this is truly for you. Apply now and be welcome to your new life!
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Upskilled - Personal Development Training Course
As one of the most important trainings, we are glad to tell you that “Upskilled” project is here! Designed as a training course for youth workers, youth leaders and young entrepreneurs, thanks to this experience all the participants will have the opportunity to improve their monitoring skills and to find out how to create a true impact. Something firmly based on the intense learning and management method called Theory U, whose principles were written to help political leaders, civil servants and managers to overcome past unproductive behaviours. A super intense program that will satisfy the requirements of the most demanding applicants willing to learn and create. So if you are prepared for this, fill in your application form now!
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Skills for life via entrepreneurship – Youth Exchange
What about spending five days in Austria surrounded by people from more than eight different countries? Are you interested in improving and developing your entrepreneurship skills? Then this is for you! Apply now to this Youth Exchange and start to learn about self-awareness and resolution strategies for personal and professional challenges, intrinsic motivation, teamwork and decision-making techniques. Hurry up, vacancies are flying!
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We Grow – Training Course
In Smokinya Foundation we are proud of helping people to find their own way by providing them with the tools they need to achieve a personal and professional development. But now, we are also glad to announce that we will be the main organisers and hosts of a very intense and deep course about capacity building of youth NGO. So if you are a leader, a main representative of another organization this is your chance to find out how to increase the integration of good practices and new methods into daily activities, to create cooperation with organisations active in different social, educational and employment fields, to plan strategically the professional development of the staff in relation to individual needs and organisational objectives or to build networks of international contacts, actively participate in society and develop a sense of European citizenship and identity among many other aspects. Our doors are open, we wait for you. Apply now!
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Leadership and Personal Development - Training Course
Writing and project management, organisational skills, conflict resolution, team building... These are all highly valued skills in today's job market. However, there is another characteristic extremely demanded by employers in most sectors that is difficult to have, and even more complicated to acquire; Leadership. Now, thanks to the Erasmus+ Programme you have the opportunity to participate in a 9-day Training Course abroad specially focused on personal development through self-reflection, ingenuity, responsibility and self-knowledge, as key points that will show you the way to improve your leadership skills and become a true leader in your professional and personal life. In addition, it is also available in April, June and July in the Czech Republic, France and Hungary, respectively. It is time to make a change, apply now!
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Youth for EU Green Deal – Youth Exchange
Do you like everything related to the European Union? Would you like to learn more about the policies developed there? Are you concerned about the global environmental situation? If so, now you have the chance to make a change. How? Thanks to the Erasmus+ Programme and the project hosted by Environment Engineering Group in Jazak, Serbia, those people interested in these topics can participate in an intense Youth Exchange experience focused on the EU Green Deal goals, objectives and policies areas, how to implement that information in everyday life and become active citizens able to tackle the climate change. An amazing and rewarding opportunity to learn about the importance of biodiversity and the protection of ecosystems. Do not stay quiet, join the project!
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Dance your colours – Youth Exchange
What about some days abroad training yourself in personal development? It sounds good, right? Then you are lucky, because Olde Vechte Foundation is offering the chance to take part in an unforgettable Youth Exchange experience in Ommen, Netherlands, on the beginning of September. A great opportunity open for normal participants and also for those ones prepared to become team leaders, where everyone will take part in activities related to dance, expressing emotions through movement styles, connecting with the others and gaining life energy and creativity. If you want to learn more, do not hesitate and as we use to say, apply now!
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News, events and activities
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Smokinya Podcast
Do you like to travel? Maybe you think your future lies abroad? Or do you just like to have fun in good company? Then you are in luck, because our international team has recently created "Smokinya Poadcast", a digital and online radio show that will touch on many different youth-related topics such as employment, entrepreneurship, studying and working abroad, life experiences and much more. During this first season, we will talk about volunteering and the European Solidarity Corps with Valentina, David, Vicky, Svitlana and Loïs as representatives of this programme in Plovdiv. Are you going to miss the opportunity? Click on the button below and enjoy, learn and laugh.
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Day of Europe 2022
Every 9th May we celebrate the Day of Europe, being an important event across the entire continent, and specially here in Smokinya Foundation, as a Youth NGO and official Eurodesk Multiplayer. However, do people really know what they are commemorating? With the aim of solving this little issue, we decide to explain in depth but with the good mood that define us the real explanation behind this celebration, and according to people’s reaction we can say that it was quite unknown. For instance, does it sound familiar to you the Schuman Declaration? Or the hidden intention of avoiding a new war in the heart of Europe? If not do not worry, just run and check the article on our website. There is a little surprise at the end!
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Smokinya in the streets
“Don’t stop me now” says the Queen’s song sung by Freddy Mercury, and in Smokinya Foundation we are definitely compromised with that idea. Consequently, it doesn’t matter whether it is 35 degrees or 0; our motivated team will accomplish its task of giving flyers and sharing posters to spread what they do as a Youth organization! So, if you see our bran logo everywhere, from schools and universities to institutional buildings, do not be surprised. We want to make a real change in the world starting by Plovdiv, and much more help is needed! So, if you are interested in being part of our crew just follow the song and a we do despite the obstacles, do not let that nothing stops you now.
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Zumba Masterclass
A Sunny day, a blue sky, some good friends, the sound of the river and healthy activities… What else can someone ask for a perfect day? We know the answer; a Zumba class. Regarding this Masha, our volunteer from Saint Petersburg, made the choice to organize an open event in the Maritza Riverside focus on a Zumba session, and we only can say the following: Bravo! The activity was a complete succeed, many people at different ages joined us and the most important thing, we all exercised our bodies following the rhythm of the music and the instructions of a true a professional trainer. Are you curious about it? Then check our social media and shake your body with us the next time!
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Looking for new horizons: Marisya
In Smokinya Foundation we have an amazing team, you already know it, always motivated to go ahead with all he activities and projects that we develop as a Youth NGO. However, there is so many challenges and work to do that we need even more hands! According to this, we are more than glad to present you Marisya, our new courageous team member, who has recently come from Moscow to join us with our aim of creating a world which works for everyone. Graduated in Psychology and French Literature, and with a notorious knowledge of poetry, photography and foreign languages, she has come from so far to contribute with her two hands to make a real change starting here, in Plovdiv. Welcome home Marisya!
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An impossible mission? A new life for an old house
Most of you already know us. You have been in our office, shared your time with our volunteers and participated in our projects and activities. Regarding this, we are quite sure that you will have noticed that we are trying our best to rehabilitate the ancient building where we have based our office; a process which is going step by step and little by little, since it there still is a lot of work to do and we do not have as many hands as we wish. Thus, after some time considering, the Smokinya crew made the choice to get dirty and start to fix the basement floor of our building with the aim of making it a cool and vintage place where we can host more cool events with all of you during this hot summer. It is not going to be easy, but those things that are worthwhile never are. We have already started, so if you want to give us a hand do not hesitate it and come here, your support will be more than welcome!
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Smokinya Birthday Party
As you already know, in Smokinya Foundation we are happy to help young people to grow, personally and professionally, thanks to our support. For these reasons, some days ago we decided to celebrate the 6th anniversary of Smokinya by preparing a Birthday Party with all the people involved in our organization; guests, friends, project participants, translators, teachers, accountants…. And it was amazing! Healthy homemade food, fresh drinks, traditional Bulgarian live music and above all, the best possible company. So, we only can say thank you all form our heart; thank you for your loyal compromise, for the joy that you bring to every activity we prepare and for choosing Smokinya as a second home, and our team as a second family. It would not be possible without you!
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EU Parliament Simulation
We know you are a kind of EU nerd, so what could be better and funnier than taking part in a simulation of a discussion in the European Parliament? It was not easy to prepare, and the whole volunteer crew had to work hard, but we are so satisfied with the result! In this way, our brave participants had to perform the role of different fake political parties who had to discuss a draft law proposed by the EU Commission, to promote cultural attractions in through the Member States. And they not only did it well, with passion and conviction, but we also discover true leaders inside them who learnt and understood the complicated process developed every day in the European Institutions. Pay attention and do not miss the next activity related to this topic, we promise you will love it.
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Painting your emotions
How do you feel when you watch a movie? And what about when you listen to a specific song? They are interesting questions that few people really know, and in the best case they ignore that their feelings can be absolutely different from other ones. In this way, some days ago our determined intern Elena prepared a very intense event in which our guests had to pay attention to different music genres, old and modern, listening original and remake songs first, besides famous, and quite unknown movies later. The main goal of this activity was to share and compare with the others what kind of feelings they experimented inside, reflecting about why they were not so similar as it could have been expected. The result was surprisingly rewarding, and the time there together unrepeatably transparent and honest, so we can say that at least for a while, we all forgot our worries to become just human beings with big hearts. There are no words to describe it, so come to Smokinya Club and try it by yourself!
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Outdoor Games
Good time is here, so why should we stay bored at home? In Smokinya Foundation we encourage you to move your body and do something meaningful everyday, and for these reasons we decided to take the initiative and organise our first outdoor activity of this year 2022. According to it, we celebrated a combination of different interesting team games like “Bang”, which tested the ability of our participants to work together, improve their memory, put in practice their reflexes and of course, be creative while they were having fun. Considering the smiles that we saw and the laughs that we heard, we are pretty sure that they enjoyed as much playing as we did during the planification. Be prepared for the next one!
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June 2022
Do you think that May was a crazy month? Then wait for seeing our calendar for June, you are going to be astonished! Acting and movie making activities, traditional folk-dance lessons, self-love experiences, recycling and cleaning events, all kind of outdoor games and activities and many, many new projects to go abroad during the Summer! So do not waste your energies yet, you are going to need them!
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What are the experiences and successes of previous participants in our Erasmus + courses?
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Thank you for reading our Newsletter!
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