Profile and Field of expertise
►international voluntary service ►non-formal education ►fundraising and project management
►(CSO) civil society organisations management and international team work
►CSO networking, strategy & policy development
►author of manuals and online courses related to volunteering
►non-partisan activist and educator for peace and active citizenship
Work experience and skills set
► 2008-current. Voluntary Service of Serbia (VSS), within Young Researchers of Serbia,
General coordinator of the sector
VSS is of the oldest, biggest and most prominent voluntary service in Serbia. I am in charge of a team of 5 staff in VSS, managing the annual budget of 220.000 euros, every year dealing with: 1000 exchanged volunteers with partner organizations all over the world; organization of 40+ international volunteer projects in Serbia; training of 70+ youth leaders; capacity building and coordination of 14 regional contact points; organizing complex events, projects and campaigns; designing internal manuals and procedures; representing the organisation in national and international networks, with institutions and donors (foundations, ministries, embassies, companies, private donors) on volunteering policy and infrastructure development, recognition and networking;
The position demands an organized, mission driven, diplomatic, result-directed and adaptable person with high interpersonal and presentation skills; a skilled trainer in non formal education, with a synthetic way of thinking and efficient/effective way of creating synergies; a person that initiates discussions, encourages personal development, follows up the trends in volunteering and helps the promotion of its values; with a sense for teamwork and high project management.
► 2017-current. MAGNET–Movement for Accessibility, Global networking, Education and training, Founder and President
MAGNET is an international cooperative of trainers in non formal education gathered around the an independent financially sustainable and non profit educational center Magnet House in Serbia.
► 2010-2016. Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations, Vicepresident
Within the Alliance, a network of 50 organisations from 30 countries, I was in charge of management of the networks’ capacity building projects and 6 working groups of 80+ people lead by their coordinators. More specifically, I have been overlooking its Strategic Approach and Plans of action and, with others, preparing and running annual general assemblies, represented the network in international committees and panel discussions.
Skilled in large-scale project and volunteer management, coordination of large and diverse international teams.
► 2014- current. senior trainer in the Pool of Trainers of the Alliance and Tempus Foundation Serbia, accreditor for European Voluntary Service/European Solidarity Corps
I have developed and managed numerous trainings, seminars, study visits, exchanges (as a manager or as a trainer) in the frame of non-formal education on a wide range of topics: active citizenship, youth work and leadership, policies on volunteerism, peer education, mobility, cultural identity and intercultural dialogue, networking (EU-Latin American cooperation, EU-African cooperation.
I am experienced in developing and delivering long term trainings with the support of online learning platforms. Also as a designer of mentorship and peer support programmes and as a mentor and educational advisor to young activists, with several success stories.
Formal education
► the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philology, General Linguistics, 2006
(master equivalent, 7th grade)
Complementary education
► training for trainers on preventing and managing gender based conflicts & sexism in international voluntary service, IJGD Germany, 2015
► training for youth workers on facilitation of assessment process of competencies gained through non-formal education and national/international volunteering, NAPOR Serbia, 2015
► long-term training for trainers in Euro-African context, North-South Centre of Council of Europe, 2010-2011
► training for trainers on multiple identities, ICYE Germany, 2011
► training on strategic planning of civil society organisations and participation in the process, REC – Regional Environmental Sector, Serbia 2008
► consecutive interpretation of language pairs English-Serbian, Italian-Serbian, 2007, Multilingua Interpretation School , Serbia
Recent publications
► Online learning course: Teamwork and cooperation in international teams of trainers, Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations, 2018
► EU YOUTH WIKI – SERBIA CHAPTER II: VOLUNTARY ACTIVITIES, Youth Partnership between the European Commission and Council of Europe, 2017
► Manual for youth leaders of international voluntary programmes “Volunteering and social skills”, Young Researchers of Serbia, 2017, in Serbian
► Study Session “SAGE: Self-Assessment of Gender Equality’, European Youth Centre, 2017
► Field research with analysis on effect of volunteering in personal biographies after 10 years from international volunteering experience, Young Researchers of Serbia, 2014, in Serbian
Linguistic skills
► Serbian – mother tongue
► English – advanced C1 in reading, writing, understanding, and conversation
► Italian – advanced C1 in reading, understanding; high intermediate B2 in writing, conversation
Personal interests and experience
► Artistic and creative skills for applied art
► Lived abroad for 3 years: Palermo, Italy 2004-2007
► Passion for alternative traveling and intercultural exploration; 23 countries on 4 continents
► volunteering: in national/international working groups for volunteerism advancement; local programs with young people with mental disabilities; international voluntary workcamps
References
► Chrysafo Arvaniti, ex President of the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations,
chrysafo@gmail.com
► Tanja Petrovic, Executive Director of Young Researchers of Serbia, tanja@mis.org.rs
► Dusan Milojevic, Trainer in NFE in the Pool of Trainers of European Youth Forum,
duschan.milojevich@gmail.com
► Marcello Mariuzzo, President, Lunaria (Italy), mariuzzo@lunaria.org