Who the f*** is actual RATO?

If you are looking for EVS projects in the EURODESK Database you normally get very angry. Five Million projects and only a few answers for your first contact, where you aks if its in general possible to do EVS.
But in RATO it’s different. Untill before two weeks I also don’t know: Who the f**** is RATO. Now I want to start what it is and what you can expect if you are going to do an EVS here.

First you have to know that in Lisbon are exist an subway station called RATO – but that station has nothing to do with “our” RATO. Not just yet. Maybe later 😉 RATO is locaded in the Oficina Juventude da Miratejo. It is something like a Youth Center from the townhall of Miratejo. There the youngsters can go to the Internet, watch TV or read a Newspaper – all for free. Also there is a conference-room and one more room for conferences with more people.

In one room in the end of the hall right it’s the Office of Rato. It’s more or less an office like everywhere. Beside the seconde part of the room. There are more than 10 Computer – it will use for computer-training RATO gives to elderly people. And thats a good bridge to the Mission that RATO has – or more the work that RATO does most the time.

“The modernisation of the methods and techniques of recollection, processing and dissemination of Information and Culture are a mean of democratisation of Knowledge. And it´s this democratisation which will sustain the integral development of the societies of information towards the societies of knowledge.” That’s written in the Mission on the homepage of RATO. The translation for everybody means that RATO gives Computertraining to most elderly people to get knowledge in computer, internet and new technologie. So one of the volunteers of RATO gives most 3 hours per day computertraining to that people. Not always in the office of RATO – sometimes here in RATO, sometimes in Seixal, sometimes in Lisbon. Here we say: “It depends!” – It depends to the willing of elderly people to get knowledge in computerthings.

Nuno and Justyna would hit me if I forget all the activities RATO does for youngsters. All in all I try a summary: RATO makes films, organises Festivals, starts discussions, goes to school, informs nearly everybody. So RATO is a kind of adult education center for elderly people and an Information- and Actioncenter for youngsters.

So you don’t have to be affraid when you read the name RATO-ADCC…I know you will get confused if you read all the time RATO-ADCC but it is normal and I can becalm you: RATO is nothing dangours – RATO ADCC is something like a saver in the dark zone of computer education for old people and youth information for youngsters.