Evaluation
Holmedal, 4th to 10th October 2004
1. Hopes and fears
2. What may meet you in Norway. Stereotypes and prejudices
4. Norway and norwegians
3.The good time Volunteer's rights and responsibilities, conflict handling
5. Norwegian lessons
6. Dugnad (outdoors kindergarden)
7. Mountain trip
8. National Agency presentation
9. Norwegian ex volunteer organisation (NEVO) presentation
10. Kayaking in Bulandet
11.Food and accomodation
12. What do you think about using ex volunteers as staff in this training
13. Do you think this training has been useful for you as a volunteer?
I learnt nothing: 1 I learnt a tiny bit: 8 I learnt quite a lot: 8 I learnt very much: 1
Comments:
· It is good to see that the others share the same fears that you
· It is good to talk to others that are in the same situation
· I will know about my hope at the end of the year, I do not have any fears about being in Norway
· No Clear, because just listing hopes and fears
· I know more on how to help myself
· For me there is a lot of fears: I am 25 and in a way I am fifteen, but wich way, I do not know. I will see, just “take step by step” (Roger)
· It was good to speak with the others about their hopes and fears. I could see that it is for many others similar as for me. But we also create some possibilities on how to handle.
· It is always good to exchange views with other volunteers
2. What may meet you in Norway stereotypes and prejudices
I learnt nothing: 1 I learnt a tiny bit: 9 I learnt quite a lot: 8 I learnt very much:
Comments:
· There is not so much things to talk about
· Norwegians are so different
· I have friends in Norway
· Some stereotypes and pictures are exaggerated, but there is some truth in them
· The activities to this theme were good. But I think that some things you must just get the experience. I can’t explain it because I found this question very difficult.
· Nise methods, maybe a bit to stereothypic, obvious
· It is good to see the point of view from other countries
3. The good time Volunteer's rights and responsibilities, conflict handling
I learnt nothing: 2 I learnt a tiny bit: 6 I learnt quite a lot: 9 I learnt very much: 1
Comments:
· I feel that I may be able to discuss things better with my host project now
· The most I knew before, but it was quite good
· No comments
· I work in the Camphill so 30 hors per week, 5 weeks holiday is not my reality, for now it is OK, but in 6 months ??
· The activity was OK, but we had the same theme in the pre departure training
· I learnt nothing, but I have read this in my home country, and it is good to have a reminder
I learnt nothing: 1 I learnt a tiny bit: 4 I learnt quite a lot: 12 I learnt very much: 2
Comments:
· You have to experience things yourself to learn what the people are talking about
· I really liked it when Roger told how to find solutions with Norwegians, you have to speak calm and be diplomatic otherwise they do not see you as a grownup. It is what my father always told me to do!
· Humourous way, maybe a good way for the other countries
· Mostly about the others
· I know much more about this country and people who live here from first hand
· A tiny bit, because in camphill we meet just a few true Norwegians
· I liked the way of speaking about it, it was really fun
· Lots of nice activities
I learnt nothing: 1 I learnt a tiny bit: 11 I learnt quite a lot: 6 I learnt very much:
Comments:
· I did not learn that much but my motivation to learn is higher
· I have been in Norway for four weeks now so the norwegain lessons were not so informative, but it was quite funny
· I like this style of learning
· Not a good methode, I learn nothing
· Very good teacher
· It was very good because I have learnt some things that I do not learn at school, and the teacher is very nice J
· He will not be a teacher, but is a nice guy J
· I learn some words, and my motivation is better
· A tiny bit, it was a real great presentation of Norwegian history
· I just learned a little bit, but it was really funny
6. Dugnad (outdoors kindergarten
I learnt nothing: I learnt a tiny bit: 7 I learnt quite a lot: 9
I learnt very much: 2
Comments:
· I learned how to handle a knife and I remembered my childhood. I’m really happy to see how children grow up here in Norway. Close to the nature with a lot of activities and they love to be responsible for their own doing
· It was really funny
· Very nice to meet local people, feel useful
· It helps with team building
· It is now second time I am in Dugnad. It was very great and funny
· If you give just a little bit you receive very much. It is Norway and the Norwegians of course!
· A great idea
· I just learned a little bit, but I do not think that we should learn so much. It was just nice and really fun. So I liked it a lot.
· I enjoyed it, a good way to learn Norwegian values
I learnt nothing: 2 I learnt a tiny bit: 5 I learnt quite a lot: 5
I learnt very much: 6
Comments:
· When you are in such situations with a group (on the top of a mountain) it is an impressive feeling. You just live for the moment and everything else disappears
· What shall I learn from a mountain trip, but it was a nice view
· I enjoy the natural mountains
· It was my second mountaintrip
· We did it
· Beautiful landscape
· Super !! more more more
· I like to walk in the mountain so every trip is for me something irrevercible
· It was for me not learning, it was just a great group experience, and it was soo beautiful
· I learned nothing, but it was great
· I loved it
8. National Agency presentation
I learnt nothing: 3 I learnt a tiny bit: 6 I learnt quite a lot: 8
I learnt very much: 1
Comments:
· I knew most from before, so I learnt nothing new
· She spoke very clear
· Useful, but already prepared to that
· Very useful information when we will have problems
· Repetition from my pre departure training
· I learn nothing but Sigrid is very nice!
· It was good to learn to know Sigrid
· Useful things
9. Norwegian ex volunteer organisation (NEVO) presentation
I learnt nothing: 6 I learnt a tiny bit: 8 I learnt quite a lot: 2 I learnt very much: 1
Comments:
· She was talking very fast, I do not know if I can “use” their organisation
· I did not know something like this existed and it was nice to talk to Tove
· I don’t understand nothing about organisation NEVO
· Boring and useless to us
· No comments, I learnt nothing
· It was nice to get to know Tove and that there is such an organisation
I learnt nothing: 1 I learnt a tiny bit: 1 I learnt quite a lot: 3
I learnt very much: 13
Comments:
· Moments I cannot describe. A satisfaction for body and mind
· It was really cool
· Very good fun
· It was my first time kayaking. I’m exited J
· I like because the trip was very nice and I learnt to enjoy of natural islands
· I am a kayaking instructor – very nice thank you
· Super !!! the best !!!
· Takk for turen
· Beautiful
· I want to continue, it was really fun
· Kayaking was real fun, nice place
· Liked it
Please mark your opinion, a is lowest and d is highest rating
Food a 1 b c 4 d 13
Accommodation a 2 b 1 c 9 d 5
Comments:
· Accomodation was very comfortable and the surroundings really impressed me. The last two nights could have been better
· It is very nice to live this close to other volunteers
· The food was really nice, so thanks to margrete and LIse, but I do not like to sleep with other persons in the room and be woken by snoring
· Takk for the work for us
· Thank you Lise – Nice cabins and nice houses
· Too early breakfast
· Everything is very very very very very great
· Food was great, but houses too small for so many people
· The food was incredibly good. Thanks a lot to Lise and Margrete. And it was funny to live so close together. The surroundings were so beautiful
· Accommodation on 3 just to criticise a little bit. But it was very comfortable, thank you
· Enjoyed every moment of it
12. What do you think about using ex volunteers as staff in this training:
· Absolutely nessecarry
· I think that it is very important to speak with ex-volunteers and know their experience
· It’s very good, they perfectly understand the situation of new volunteers
· It is a great idea, because these are really the only people who can tell me about it, to live abroad
· Very good
· I like this because the ex-volunteer have lived the situations before us
· It is very good to hear the experience of people like me
· These people work a lot with this training. Young, active, willing to speak about their experience. Very useful idea
· It was a very good idea
· Perfect mix, we need nobody more
· Great idea, because they understand the situation in which we are nowIt was good because they talk about their experiences and if you have problems or questions you can go and ask them. They have been in the same situation as you
· Very very very good
· It is great, because during informal time we can talk and learn from their experience
· They did a great job, but I do not know if they being ex volunteers made any difference
· Useful source of information, makes it less formal
· Good idea, They shared their experience with us
13. Do you think this training will be useful for you in your time as a volunteer here
· The on arrival training was reason enough for me to come to Norway. I hope I will meet some of the people again and that they will become future friends, maybe also close friends
· Sharing experiences with others in the same situation
· Yes I think so, I needed a experience like this
· It’s been very useful to know a different part of Norway
· Yes I think so, because I have other people to contact in difficult situations. It was a great and funny time with a good mixture of theory and funstuff and to hear others experiences was the best
· Yes
· For me it is good when I now have new friends, I get information about practical things, my rights and most important I spend so good time here together. I will have good memories
· I was expecting a lot from this training, mostly about meeting other volunteers. The seminar has answered to my expectations and added even more about our way of life (hot pool, kayaking, party, Norwegian life). Thank you to the staff that have done a very good job
· Yes, for many reasons. NA info, meeting other volunteers and make contacts, learn more about Norway
· (a lot in Polish)
· Yes, now I can visit people and see other volunteers in the other projects, step by step
· Yes, I have seen another part of Norway, met many young people nearly in my age and situation. And I am going to order my sheets about EVS
· I think it will be a really good help for the year and it is good to know the other volunteers
· This training is not useful for me in my everyday life being a volunteer in a camphill, but it will serve for my social life besides my volunteer work
· At least I got to meet the other volunteers. That can be useful. It was nice to hear what the others are doing
· Yes, It was a very good way to meet other volunteers and this can help me to get new friends
B: What will be the most useful part for you ?
· The discussions and the silent moments between
· Every single day have been important to me
· Having friends and visitpoints now
· Met other volunteers
· For me future use will be information and practical abilities, like make good food J
· (a lot in Polish)
· The meeting people and the relaxation
· Meet new people
· Cooking with Lise, speaking with the others and the two outdoors activities
· Talking with others
· Getting to know each other
C: If you have ideas on how to improve on the training please elaborate
· I would like team building games where you have to rely on each other because this feels very good.
· Maybe two Norwegian groups, one advanced and one beginners. But that is really the only thing
· (in Spanish, need translation)
· Do this seminar every month
· More outdoors activities on the first days
· (a lot in Polish)
· A long trip in the forest, with just my knife, Tusen takk
· Perhaps have some games at the beginning to make us know each other better
· Perhaps more sport because it was difficult to sit still the whole time for the first days. I even would like to make more gamesbecause they are really funny and good for teambuilding
· More contact with Norwegian culture (museum, shopping)
· Shorter time
· More exercises less theory
My name is Roger Kløvtveit and I will be your host for the week here. I am the project leader for a project called Vesle Daniel, the project is active in international youth work in the Sogn and Fjordane county on the west coast of Norway (for more about the project see www.vesledaniel.no ). Together with me to arrange the training will be Margrete Reisæter from the Volunteer central in Dale. Both Margrete and I have been working with EVS since 1999. We will also have Svein Erik Helle and Lise Alsted Henrichsen, both ex EVS volunteers, and Simon Descamps that is doing his EVS at the volunteer central in Sogndal, the three will all be together with us the entire week.In short the training will focus on five main subjects:
-Learning some everyday Norwegian
-Exploring issues about Norway and Norwegians
-Intercultural learning
-Exploring the EVS project, rights, duties, responsibilities and obligations
-Outdoors activities
We aim to ensure that you learn some words in Norwegian in literally all of the activities. The training will take place at a small cabin resort, we will have three cabins, two for sleeping and one for the training itself (look for the village Holmedal at www.jensbua.no , it is situated in the municipality Askvoll,
Here we will stay until Friday, then we will go to a group of Islands called Bulandet and take part in a kayaking event on the Saturday, this will be our great outdoors experience. The event is called a Storm Gathering and it is becoming a tradition that new and old EVS volunteers take part in this (see more on www.njord.as).
As we are staying in cabins we will have to take care of our own food, this is an exellent opportunity to present your own countrys cousine, so please bring some recipe that you would like all the others to try. Whilst cooking we will obviously learn the Norwegian names on the ingredients.
What to bring:
- Well this is the west coast of Norway in the autumn, so bring VERY warm clothes, varm for Norway, not the Mediterranean, waterproof clothes (can you stay dry in a shower?) and waterproof footwear, plus a few extra changes of your other clothes since you are bound to get wet! We have some equipment that you may borrow, however it is always best to have your own.- Bring also your swimming gear and a sleeping bag + slepingmat if you have (for the last two nights).
- if you could bring a dictionary with your own language to Norwegian this would be great.