Traineeship in UK awarded to IRIS Network candidate Gonxhe Kandri
In the framework of the EU-funded project “Improving the provision of Social Service Delivery in South Eastern Europe through the empowerment of national and regional CSOs”, IRIS Network in cooperation with Solidar has selected the candidate for participation in four weeks long Professional Staff Traineeship Programme in United Kingdom. The candidate is provided with the opportunity to participate in activities of the Volunteering Matters – UK national charity organization, located in Ipswich.
The traineeship is awarded to Gonxhe Kandri who is working in NGO Partnere per Femijet, IRIS Network partner in Albania. As a social worker with a degree in social science, obtained at the University of Tirana, she based her work experience on the projects which aim to promote well-being of the children and other vulnerable groups, such as young adults with disabilities or migrant women in Albania. She has more than seven years of experience in managing and monitoring child focused projects and activities, as well as in cooperation with institutions, especially in education, health and child protection sector.
Kandri’s internship in the Volunteering Matters’ offices has started on 10th of August. After just two weeks of practice, it is visible that the Program has overcome her expectations.
“This placement gives me the opportunity to understand different cultures and traditions, in the context of gender based violence (GBV) or domestic abuse. I am becoming familiar with different ways of addressing the needs of women from different countries and services which are provided for them here, in UK”, Kandri says.
Since the first day of the Proffesional Training, Kandri is working with the WASSUP group. The WASSUP, which is abbreviations for “W.omen A.gainst S.exual exploitation and violence S.peak UP”, is the peer-led group of 17 women aged 17-25, which offers creative and innovative support and service provision for BME young women who have suffered from/ are exiting/ are at risk of child sexual exploitation or violence.
“As part of my role, I’m doing a piece of research with the young and adult women who have suffered from GBV and until now I have done three interviews with them. I have five more interviews to do after which I will write a report. Also I have done a desk review about legal framework on GBV and studies related to this issue”, Kandri explains. She can anticipate the contribution of the internship to her future work in Albania.
“In UK there are many different services which can be used to support victims of domestic violence and the existence of better understating of their needs is notable. All of the services are synchronized – something which is missing in Albania. We are still struggling in need of addressing domestic violence in a proper way” she said.
The Volunteering Matters is the leading charity organization in UK, active in policy and practice. It is also an experienced NGO at European level – since 1990s it is member and the host of the Secretariat for Volonteurope, the key European volunteer network, based on promotion of volunteering, active citizenship and social justice.
Gonxhe Kandri is holding a poster which is representing the victim of violence against woman, while other participants are commenting the picture.
