KURO HRADEC KRALOVE ZS

description of organisation

Organisation KURO Hradec Kralove z.s. (KURO is an abbreviation from two Czech words: KUltura and ROzvoj, which means culture and development) is non-profit, non-governmental organization founded on 20.08.2012. Our main focus is on volunteering, education and culture, especially their development of in the city of Hradec Kralove and its region. We believe that education and knowledge are building stones of modern society.

OUR MAIN GOALS:
- To create environment for non-formal education and learning in the fields of active citizenship
- To improve the chances of employment of people with voluntary experience by connecting non-profit and commercial spheres in fields of recognition of non-formal education
- To spread the word about recognition of non-formal education, cultural awareness and international volunteering including Erasmus+ programme.

We think that voluntary experience is not accepted by most of employers as real-life experience as it should be and that is mostly because of general lack of knowledge about how voluntary service contributes to gain work experience and personal development of the volunteer. We consider that promotion of volunteering by cultural actions is the best way to show public the variety of work done. We believe volunteering leads to the improvement of life and society.

We support cultural events of smaller scale, also with the assistance and contribution of our international volunteers. Our main cultural event of the year is the annual Street Music Festival. Other cultural events we organize are for example non-formal meetings Language TO GO (where participants have opportunity to prepare, lead or just see presentations on various topics and afterwards have a discussion about the topic - and by that extend their vocabulary and rhetorical abilities), English Conversation Group (where participants have opportunity to practice their English by various non-formal education methods and tools). Often we also participate during cultural events organized by our wide network of local partners or the city governance and we are always ready to prepare suitable complementary programme for the event.

We also organize non-formal educational events (Youth Exchanges, Seminars, Training courses) on the international level, mostly within Erasmus+. KURO HK staff have long experience in former Youth in Action projects (which resulted in founding the organization), as well as former European Voluntary Service projects. KURO HK was until recently the only active hosting/ sending/ coordinating organization in Hradec Kralove. KURO HK is active promoter in variety of other than Erasmus+ programmes and European funds. We have experience within European Youth Foundation, Visegrad Fund and City Council grants for cultural events. Annually KURO hosts and organises Erasmus+ training courses, seminars and PBA events in Hradec Králove, as well as in other European and non-European countries in order to promote non-formal education, volunteering and active citizenship within variety of target groups (young people, students, teachers, NGOs etc). KURO has successful history of last PBA event in framework of project "Strategic Mentoring", which was aimed to support the quality of mentorship and partnership in former EVS projects. There were and still are many good projects implemented and planning with new partners. We believe that PBA are important for creation a trustful and open space for good partnerships and projects to be. KURO also organises long-term training courses with current partners, as well welcomes new directions and partners in strategical point of view for the better development of NGO and contribution to local community.

Volunteering project