Experience on site

Integration facilitated by friendliness

The integration into my host country went very well overall. As we were a large group of volunteers working on different projects, I was able to make many enriching contacts. Genoa is a city with many young people from different countries who work or study there. This gave me numerous opportunities to get to know new people, even if many of them, like me, were not from Italy. The openness and warmth of the people in Genoa made it easy for me to strike up conversations - whether in cafés or in small shops such as fruit and vegetable shops. The close-knit community of volunteers, from which close friendships developed, was particularly valuable. I spent the majority of my time with these new friends. The challenge was to make further contacts outside of this group - especially in workplaces where there were only a few employees.

Childcare workflow

A typical working day for me didn't start until lunchtime. I picked the children up from school and accompanied them to the canteen, where around 30 of them ate together. After lunch, we volunteers helped to tidy up and clean the canteen before we went to one of the five locations in the city to do homework with the children. Over the course of the afternoon, more children joined us, so that by the end of the day we were looking after around 50 children. These afternoons were often the busiest hours of the day. Many children needed help with their homework and the noise was not always easy to manage. After homework, the children had time to play while we volunteers tidied up, prepared snacks and supervised the children at play. At 5.30 pm, we took the children to the main meeting point, where they were picked up by their parents or friends. Afterwards, we volunteers talked about the day and clarified any organisational issues. My working day usually ended at around 18:00 or 18:30.

Linguistic challenge

The language was a big challenge at the beginning as I hardly spoke any Italian. It was difficult to work with the children without being able to communicate with them properly. However, working with the children also offered an opportunity, as I was able to start with them at a basic language level, especially with the first-graders' homework. DeepL was my constant companion in the first few months, but the children approached me of their own accord to ask for help, which meant I made rapid progress.

Working with so many children was often demanding and challenging. It was almost always noisy, and especially on days with lots of homework, it was difficult to keep an overview. Each child challenged us individually. To overcome such situations, it was crucial that we worked well together as a team and supported each other. We established fixed breaks in the afternoon so that each of us could switch off briefly. This close teamwork was the most important strategy for overcoming the daily challenges.

Added value through volunteering

What this experience has left in my life are not only professional skills, but also a sense of self-efficacy. Working with the children, living in a foreign city and mastering linguistic and cultural challenges made me grow beyond myself. This time not only confirmed my desire to work in the social sector, but also deepened it. It was a formative phase of my life that showed me that I can hold my own in unfamiliar and challenging situations.

Equipped for the professional future

During my volunteering, I developed valuable skills in many ways that have helped me both professionally and personally. Professionally, I was able to expand my skills in caring for and supporting children and young people. I learnt how important it is to remain calm in chaotic situations, to prioritise and to deal flexibly with different needs. This ability to adapt to individual challenges while keeping the well-being of the group in mind will also be of great benefit to me in my future career in the social sector.

New experiences in communication

In terms of language, the volunteering was an intensive learning journey. At the beginning, my Italian was almost non-existent, but through the constant contact with the children and the daily exchanges with the local community, I quickly made progress. I not only learnt the language, but also how important non-verbal communication can be, especially when there are language barriers. This experience showed me that communication goes far beyond words. 

Soft skills expanded

Volunteering has also had a strong social impact on me. By working in a team, I learnt how important it is to be able to rely on others and at the same time be a support myself. In such a multicultural environment, I not only got to know other cultures better, but also honed my intercultural skills. The ability to find my way in different social contexts and to build bridges between different backgrounds has enriched me enormously.

Experiences for life

The most formative memories come primarily from working with the children. Their openness, their curiosity and the fun they had while learning and playing always inspired me. I particularly remember moments when language barriers suddenly no longer mattered - for example, when we laughed together or got creative. These experiences have shown me that it is often the small, seemingly everyday encounters that leave the biggest impression.

If I had to summarise my volunteer placement in one sentence, I would say: "An exciting adventure that I started alone and ended enriched by valuable experiences, new friendships, enhanced skills and personal growth."

Advice for future volunteers

My most important piece of advice for young adults who are hesitant about taking part in the European Volunteering Programme is: take the leap! Volunteering is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can only benefit from. Yes, there will be both positive and challenging experiences, but that's what makes this journey so valuable. You will learn a lot about yourself and have the opportunity to grow beyond your previous limits. The experiences you have will enrich your life - both professionally and personally. So all I can say is: take the leap, embark on this incredible adventure and be surprised at how much it will give you back.

Honesty is the key to a successful application for the European Volunteering Programme. It is not about artificially enhancing your CV or shining through your professional experience and language skills. These skills are helpful, but not crucial. Even if you have not yet gained any specific experience and your language level is only A1, your chances are very good. It is best to introduce yourself in an authentic way, describe your previous experience and clearly formulate your motivation for volunteering and your plans for the future. These tips will help you to submit a successful application.

What I wish I had known before I left is that you can't plan everything perfectly - and that's okay. There will be moments when not everything goes to plan, but it's these challenges that make you grow. It's important to stay flexible and give yourself the space to make mistakes and learn from them. I would advise future volunteers to be open to the unexpected and trust that you can learn valuable lessons even from difficult situations. Ultimately, you will find that the most difficult moments are often the ones that shape you the most and stay with you the longest.