The citizens’ association “Jules Verne Centre for Multicultural Cooperation” was founded in 2001 and is aimed at Serbian children aged 2 to 18 as well as adults. It is a citizen association designed for young people.
“Jules Verne” (Zil Vern) is a non-governmental citizens’ association that functions as a multicultural centre focusing on non-formal education, promotion of language learning, intercultural activities, youth exchange projects and artistic projects for children and young people. The association aims to promote language learning through games, artistic activities and direct contact with other young people around the world. It also allows the organisation of youth exchanges to enable them to put into practice their skills in foreign languages, with a particular emphasis on French and Serbian cultures and languages.
The main target groups of the association are children and young people, as well as youth workers and future teachers. The association holds the European Quality Languages Label for 2021 and 2022.
The main activities of the Jules Verne Association are as follows:
– Sending and hosting local and international volunteers – European Voluntary Service and International Civic Service
– Collaboration with various associations in order to promote the various European Erasmus + programmes (training, internships),
– The organisation of intercultural youth exchange activities to promote intercultural non-formal learning,
– The organization of a bilingual Jules Verne kindergarten,
– The organization of French classes, teaching through activities such as theater, storytelling, music, art, storytelling, etc.,
– Non-formal education through theatre, music, art, storytelling, nature, etc.,
– The organization of intercultural activities – intercultural dinners, dance evenings, evenings around traditional clothing, etc.,
– The organization of activities aimed at presenting different countries through video culture, literature, art and musical traditions,
– The organization of internship programs for students in pedagogy, psychology and future French teachers,
– The organization of local volunteering with other local associations
– Since January 2007, Cooperation with kindergartens, primary and secondary schools and other educational institutions,
– Work on the qualification of teachers in all areas of the association’s activities,
– The annual organisation of the European Promotion of Languages and the European Day of Languages held in September: an event that raises awareness of the wide variety of languages in Europe, promotes cultural and linguistic diversity and encourages people of all ages to learn languages.
The association has 7 regular employees and 3 external people (professional physiologist, accountant, computer scientist), as well as about twenty young students who participate in volunteer activities with the children and are facilitators for exchange projects.
The Jules Verne Centre is the founder of the PU “Žil Vern” and the two structures are closely linked.
The Jules Verne Centre holds an accreditation for: for youth and for the reception of local and international volunteers by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour of Serbia,
For the Youth Association – the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Serbia.
As far as the CiDEC project is concerned, the association brings its expertise:
– In the work with young people and Erasmus+ projects, in particular during youth exchanges and its values in intercultural learning in language learning,
– The involvement of parents and local partners, intergenerational cooperation (neighbours, grandparents, young children)
– On the right choice of artistic, intercultural or recreational activities in language learning,
On quality artistic activities (helping children to create story illustrations, objects for stories from boxes, plays, creating an intercultural project with other children in different countries), on computer skills – making the project web page, taking care of the promotional part of the project, preparing materials, promotion on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube…
The Jules Verne Centre team involved in the CiDEC project:
– Jovana Ružić – French teacher, youth worker, language teaching specialist, tutor/supervisor of ESC volunteers for work with children and young people. She has participated in 5 youth exchanges as a facilitator or youth worker, in a training on information technology and in a training for mentors of ESC volunteers. She is also the coordinator of a large group of volunteers for various large-scale projects of the ESN (Erasmus Student Network).
– Jelena Glamočanin is a professional French language teacher, specializing in theatrical activities. She has 27 years of experience working with all age groups, including young children, children, teens, students, and adults. Jelena also has experience in coordinating international projects and accompanying youth leaders and youth leaders during projects. She has 12 years of experience in organizing youth exchange projects and partnership building activities. In addition, she has experience in coordinating the K229 action at the Jules Verne Kindergarten. Jelena is fluent in English and French. She coordinates the project and is responsible for coordinating the work of volunteers during multiplayer and broadcast events. It is also responsible for helping to create good quality training and facilitating teacher training.
– Nikola Stevanovic Perčević is a youth worker and French teacher in the organization experienced in youth work and work with children, specialized in theater and youth animation, tutor/supervisor for European volunteers for work with children and young people. He has participated in more than 10 youth exchanges as a participant and more than 10 as a facilitator and facilitator.
– Nikola Glamocanin is experienced in different IT sectors in the use of new technologies and different applications in youth work. He is in charge of creating the project’s web page, publishing on social networks for promotion on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and also taking care of the financial part (taking care of the invoices, the accountant in terms of communication, organizing the conditions of the trip, etc.).