PRESS - Periphery and Rural areas: European Solidarity and Social Inclusion

Irene

Ciao! My name is Irene, I'm 27 and I come from Spain. I'm physiotherapist but I wanted to come to Italy to do and ESC project because I love also the non-formal education and I'd like to approach the different European mobility programmes to other young people like me. Moreover, being in Italy is an unique and enriching experience that I can share with people from other countries. I've felt very welcome in Italy since I arrived and I'm excited to see what else is coming during this year of voluntary service!

Annabelle

Hi! My name is Annabelle and I from France (Montpellier). I am 19 years old, I am the youngest volunteer here. Before my coming in Bologna, I studied during one year the law but I have decided to stop, because I didn't like it. Now I'm here, in Bologna for one year, to learn more about myself and the others. This possibility to be a volunteer is for me an amazing opportunity and I'm very impatient to discover what is going to happen during this year. I love travelling and meeting people, I like the different culture and I like helping people, for me Bologna is the perfect project.

Laila

Ciao! My name is Laila, I’m 23 years old and I’m from Denmark. I finished my bachelor in linguistics last year, where I minored in globalization and cultural identity. I’ve always had an interest in different cultures, especially cultural encounters and multicultural communities, and I love to explore both the big and the small wonders of the world. I’ve done a lot of modern rhythmic gymnastics and I love to spend time in the nature, just relaxing. Back in Denmark I volunteered through both Red Cross and Danish Refugee Help, but this is my first time volunteering abroad. It’s even my first time staying abroad for a longer period of time. I decided to come here as a volunteer, because I wanted to learn about the real culture of Italy, while exploring the history and the language. The ESC programme gives me a good opportunity to widen my knowledge on cultural encounters, while giving me experiences that makes me grow both personally and professionally.

Charlotte

My name is Charlotte, I come from France, and I am 24 years old. I graduated of a Double master in law with a focus on Euro-Mediterranean exchanges and the MENA region. I lived and studied in Morocco and in Spain. International exchanges and the discovery of other languages have always guided my choices and nourished my determination. Why Italy? Italy is a wonderful place to live, the folks are warm-hearted and the food is nice when we are lucky enough to be in private homes (only here you can eat the best spaghetti carbonara ever!). Since I started this volunteering, I learned a lot about how the European Institutions and Programmes are working with specific reference to the youth policies and opportunities. This ESC or experiences abroad in general is a great opportunity to develop soft skills, experience something new, and interact with different cultures. You can learn a lot about your European neighbours and feel more as a part of the European community. You can transfer your passion and your knowledge to other people, you can contribute to improve it, and always do your best. I don't know what I'll be doing in 5 years, but it will be related with the international or European exchanges, because I firmly believe that the exchanges between cultures and the cooperation is the best way to grow-up and build a better world.

Julia

Ciao, mi chiamo Julia, ho ventisette anni e sono Polacca. ​For now that’s most of what I can say in Italian but I’m here also to learn. I studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź in Poland, but haven’t finished with a degree. I can say I’m constantly searching and discovering things about the world and myself, that’s why I love travelling, discovering and then capturing the moments with my camera. It’s not my first visit in Italy but my first long-term adventure abroad, so it creates a whole new view of the country. It’s very exciting and teaches me a lot of new things and makes me learn again the old ones. Italy is beautiful as everyone knows that, also people are really friendly and the food is amazing, of course. Also it is the place that is full of art and you can see the history of our civilisation almost on every corner. For me, as I also studied the history of art, it’s really amazing, like finding myself in one of these course books for students, somewhere where Botticelli and Michelangelo are not only printed paper pages. I’m a bit afraid of gaining a lot of kilos with pasta and panini everyday , but I feel this joy of eating is totally worth each subsequent one pound of weight! What is difficult for now (this is the beginning of my 3rd week here) is the fact that I cannot easily communicate with Italian language yet, but I’m planning to change it as fast as possible. For me it’s really important to speak the language of nation that you start to live with. Also it’s good for self-improving and that is the one of most important thing I want to achieve here. Here and in my life. To be a better, wiser, more self-conscious person, to be inspired and to be an inspiration for the others. I’m aware that everyday we learn something and to push yourself forward and beyond your own borders (not only the borders of your country) is maybe the risky but beautiful and worthy way to learn faster and more intense. As one of my favourite once wrote on the wall of cantine fragment of poem by William Blake: „Go love without the help of any Thing on Earth”. I want to believe in this and enjoy life. And learn as much as I can. Projects like this, like ESC or volunteering in general, are mainly about this for me and I find in it a great opportunity and challenge.

Marta

Ciao a tutti! My name is Marta, I am 22 years old and I am from Cáceres, Spain. I studied Psycology in a spanish city called Salamanca. I moved to Salamanca when I was 18 to start the university. Because I love discover diferent places, the last year of university I did my erasmus in Braga (Portugal). During my studies in Spain, I did some little volunteer programs with children and immigrants, but this is the first time I've been so involved in a project. This time, I´m working in the field of mental disabilities, a real challenge for me. Italy is a country I especially love, and when I found this experience I couldn´t say no. I knew it could be a great opportunity to work in a sector that would help me to grow personally and professionally, as well as greatly improve my curriculum vitae. I hope I will learn everyday more and more about this wonderful country and meet new people from all over the world!

Ángela

My name is Ángela, I am 24th years old, and I come from Oviedo, a small town in the north of Spain, in the region of Asturias. I have completed my studies in Psychology, and I did my Masters Degree in Forensic psychology. In the future I would like to work in the sociaI field, so it is very related to volunteering. I had always been looking for volunteering abroad, and when I met ESC I thought it was an opportunity that I could not miss. Also I love Italy, I already had the experience of living 1 year of Erasmus in Torino, and I was sure that I would return someday. In the project that I am carrying out, I am working as a social educator in a daily center for people with mental disabilties. With this experience I hope to grow personally and professionally, improve my italian and enjoy life with italian people and the rest of the wonderful volunteers!

Alba

My name is Alba Rodríguez. I'm from Spain, Barcelona and I am 27 years old. I am an outgoing person, cooperative and friendly. I am always motivated and capable of learning and helping. I graduated in Social Education. Moreover, I am a pre school teacher and a facilitator of recreational activities for children and adolescents. I have also experience with people with special educational needs, with children, elderly and youth, perople with reduced mobility and providing other community services. During the last few years, I decided to expand my training in social and cultural contexts by travelling to different places. A great experience was to be an ''Au Pair'' in Italy (Tuscany) for three months. Then I went to Peru where I got to know a different social reality and its landscapes. I gave support in projects as "Spread the word", where we worked as a team to expand opportunities for reintegration of children at risk of social exclusion. I also travelled through different countries of South America exploring their culture and helping in small community projects. I like to look at life from a positive perspective: everything that happens, good or bad, helps earn and keep growing. Every day is a new day full of new experiences. I look forward to seeing what life holds for me!

Xiana

My name is Xiana, I am 28 years old. I am Mexican and Spanish, I was born in Spain but almost all my life I have lived in Mexico in Ciudad del Carmen which is an island in the gulf of Mexico. I studied Tourism in Merida, Mexico and then I studied a Masters in Education for Development in Seville, Spain. It was in Seville that I discovered this program and decided to live the experience of volunteering for a year. For me this opportunity means to learn more about the social field, how NGOs work and to have more experience in this area because it is what I really want to do. This experience has been like a roller coaster, I have had incredible but also difficult moments due to the situation with Covid at the moment, but I can say that I am enjoying this experience, working in YouNet and being able to live with people from different countries. I hope this experience can help me develop those skills that will serve me in the future to achieve my goal: working in an NGO that is dedicated to improving education in young people through non-formal education.

Medina

I am Medina Jakupi, a 23 years old Psychologist with an enthusiastic spirit, a very creative mind, and a positive personality. I love reading books, walking in the nature and most importantly I am always available to give my help to people in need. I volunteered for about 3 years at the “Down Syndrome Kosova Organisation” and I can surely say that it was an amazing experience, with a lot of unique moments, which I am very grateful of. In the meantime I have worked as an anti bullying trainer with teenagers. Also I participated in different kind of researches such as: drug addiction among teenagers, bullying among children, and parenting stress and resilience in parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I decided to come here in Bologna, Italy so I could explore new cultures and new places, meet new people, but most importantly so I could grow both personally and professionally. It has been only two months since I came here, but it already feels like I have been here forever. This city has its own magic, with its beautiful and unique buildings, streets full of friendly people and the smell of delicious pasta and pizza it just makes it even more special. YouNet offered me the opportunity to volunteer, by investing my knowledge and my experience in their projects. I am beyond grateful for what it has been offered to me and I look forward to different kind of activities and adventures.

Aleksandra

My name is Aleksandra Baszuro, I am 25 years old and I am Polish. I studied Middle Eastern studies . My passion is to dance, travel, meet new cultures and learn about them, also meet new people and listen to their stories. I decided to come to Italy because it is a beautiful country with a rich history. I love visiting different regions of Italy – trying regional cuisine and observing what are the differences between the residents. I don’t know what exactly I will be doing in 5 or 10 years, but it will definitely be related to travelling and working with people.

Johanna

Ciao a tutti! To start the presentation, first some facts about me! My name is Johanna, I am from Berlin (Germany) and I am currently 19 years old. After I finished high school last year I worked for a couple of months and then decided to go on a little adventure. I lived abroad before and since I am always eager to learn a new language, make new friends and experience something new, I decided to become a volunteer with YouNet in Italy! Being and working here means for me growing as a person and getting to know myself better, as well as getting to see a new part of the world we live in. I am volunteering at the associazione "La strada" in Medicina, near Bologna. Here we help children with all different kind of backgrounds with their homework and learning after school. Furthermore, we organize other activities for them to create a safe and fun environment in the afternoon. I enjoy the work a lot. Since I started volunteering, I learned a lot, the children teach me not only the language but also interpersonal qualities that I benefit from. In my perception, volunteering is a win-win situation for everyone involved! When thinking about the future, I see myself never stopping to show interest in new places, people and cultures. I hope I will get the chance to prove myself that I can adapt and learn new things many more times.

Radoslav

Hello! My name is Rado, I'm 30 years old guy from Bulgaria. I work in digital marketing, and doing a voluntary service is a great occasion for me to refuel my creative energy. Also, I think this experience offers me the opportunity to grow personally, meet new people from other countries, learn new skills and achieve balance in my life.

Max

My name is Max, I’m 28 years old and I come from Brussels, Belgium. I have a master in Sociology and I’m really passionate about Art and Travel. In my free time, I like writing poems, composing music and also painting.

Karina

Veronika

Katarina

Malgorzata

Silvia

Julia

Ksenija

Valeria

Hong

Eszter

Estelle

Alice

David

Victoria

Mario