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Fundacija Sursum is a non-profit and non-governmental organization, which was founded in 2007 in Ljubljana, in order to promote an integral, human and cultural formation of the person. Sursum tries to offer insights to the challenges people face today.
The mission of Fundacija Sursum is to carry out activities geered towards the training, education and sociocultural promotion of the people- especially women, immigrants, and the youth in the Republic of Slovenia, the European Union and other countries.
The aim of the association is to encourage the integration of European countries and to coordinate, manage and carry out activities and cultural exchanges between citizens of the European Union at all levels in order to share knowledge and experiences, to harness the potential of intercultural training and to improve relationships with people of other cultures, promoting solidarity, tolerance and respect for others.
Fundacija Sursum firmly believes that volunteering is an effective method of gaining skills and experience. Any kind of volunteering in another country can allow a person to gain an in-depth view of a new culture which can lead them to ask themselves deep personal questions, re-evaluating convictions and cultural stereotypes in the light of new learning. Volunteering is also an excellent opportunity for young people to grow in solidarity with eachother, realising the common, shared human values that cross cultures.
We insist that encouraging a sense of solidarity and responsible citizenship in young women be the key to Sursum’s work. Volunteering gives young people the chance to enact their citizenship in a tangible way while providing them with the skills to become independent, proactive community members when their volunteer placement ends.
As for the activities Fundacija Sursum offers:
• Weekly:
o 4-5 different meetings in which we analyse cultural themes, human values, politics, and economic and social trends, while also offering a safe and understanding atmosphere for those who wish to share their experiences and learn from others.
o An organized visit to the elderly, some of whom are disabled or chronically ill, and many of whom are far from home and largely isolated from society.
o different cycles of classes, from ethics to fashion
• Every two weeks:
o Professionally taught technical classes on media, such as filming, web design, and advertising.
• Monthly:
o An international dinner which focuses on a new culture and its traditions each month, as a type of show and tell to enrich cultural acceptance
o A cinema club, in which we watch a film and then analyze the underlying messages and concepts
o A recollection of the previous months’ events and a chance to digest any personal growth and new information
• Every two to three months, we offer courses to improve skills for domestic life and hospitality work. This includes home management courses as well as cooking sessions taught by both amateur and professional chefs.
• Every two to three months:
o Cooking classes taught by professional and amateur chefs
o Home management classes, aiming to teach one to properly organize a home or place of event
• Occasionally, a small but ambitious group looks forward to participating in various sporting events, such as city-organized marathons.
Besides these already established programs, F. Sursum is continually searching for new projects, and like-minded partners, to enhance the oppurtunites of those taking advantage of Fundacija.
More than 20 volunteers participate every year in our programs in Ljubljana, but currently there are more than 100 young people who have collaborated with Fundacija Sursum in various areas, whether it be volunteer work (both domestic and international), training, or recreational activities for informal learning.
The volunteers’ tasks consist of:
• helping design the activities Fundacija offers. They are responsible for some areas of organization, such as the talks and conferences which are held during the week.
• being up to date on the issues of the region, country, and EU and being inventive in finding ways to improve the situation.
• preparation for the events, advertisement and public relations (by blog, brochure, bulletins, etc.)
• if their studies and experience permits, suggestion on how to apply the law, the international statements and the European legislation, so as to facilitate new relationships with partners abroad.
• teaching the slovene language, culture, and traditions to those from abroad.