Hadil, Theo, Jules and Adan

My volunteering experience in Youth Center of Epirus.

I came to Ioannina, a city in the region of Epirus in Greece, to do a 2-month volunteering service related to non-formal educational activities in a facility for unaccompanied asylum seeker minors.

When I came here, it was my first time travelling alone. But there were 3 French volunteers, so it was easier to discover the area and to feel like home.

I improved a lot my English skills. I also improved my creativity because we had to make new activities about non-formal education every week. In addition, I ameliorate my ability to organize because we, the volunteers, were in charge to search for activity ideas and to make the planning of the afternoon at the facility with the young teenager’s.

I discovered the Greek culture, by tasting traditional food and by meeting local people. At the same time, I discovered the Arabic culture since I was sharing most of my time with refugees from this background, by playing games, observing the habits that they have and their experiences.

I had the opportunity to do a little road trip so I was able to discover beautiful places. I learned also to increase my knowledge about how to learn something new. This experience was rewarding for myself and for everyone I met in Greece.

Good morning all ! Kalimera!

I am Hadil, I am 22 years old and this year, thanks to the Eurasia net team, I had the chance to do a two-month volunteering in Greece, in the city of Ioannina. The reasons that led me to volunteer to participate in this project are: many. I wanted to discover a foreign country as well as its culture, its traditions and at the same time improve my English and learn a new language. Beyond that, I mainly felt the need to feel useful, to bring my help and my contribution in any way. This volunteering was for me the perfect opportunity to combine all these elements.

My missions as a volunteer were to facilitate the integration/insertion of refugees and minor asylum seekers by participating in non-formal education workshops and creative activities of all kinds (cooking, creative workshops, team games, educational…). There was also a need to create online content related to various social issues and education non-formal for young people. All these missions were carried out within the Youth Center of Epirus association which takes care of the integration of refugees and asylum seekers, which accompanies them in their procedures and provides them with support, in particular through activities to which the volunteers like myself participate.

Greece is an incredible country full of breathtaking places others. Ioannina, the city in which I stayed for almost two months, is a small town not exceeding 70,000 inhabitants and is the capital of the region of Epirus (north west of Greece). It is a very welcoming small town which is located on the edge of a lake and which is surrounded by mountains. In its city center, there are traces of a historical past, in particular thanks to its castle, its ramparts and its architecture inspired by the Roman empires and byzantines. During my volunteering, I had the opportunity to meet many refugees who came all from different countries and different cultures. It was a real wealth at all levels confused because they allowed me to learn new things and vice versa. It was above all a common exchange from which I retained only the positive and which literally gave me a new vision of the world.

My name is Jules, I have 20 years old and I realized a 2-months European Soliodarity Corps volunteering in the association Youth Center of Epirus. 

The association is located in Greece, in the city of Ioannina. I decided to realize a volunteering in the asylum seeking field because I am really interested by that, and I wanted to learn more about the reality of this phenomenon. I chose Greece, because I love this country, I have friends there and I am learning the langage. 

Youth Center of Epirus take care of asylum seekers and bring them non-formal education activities. My missions were mostly to spend time with the kids, to organize non formal education activities. But each volunteer has also a content creation to make. It consists in a specific project linked with the thematic of immigration.  For me, it was the creation of a poem little book. Talking about important values, in Greek and in English. The morning, we worked on the content creation and thought about new activities to implement with the kids. The afternoon was spent with the kids. 

Greece is a beautiful country with amazing people. Ioannina is a beautiful little city with wonderful nature around it.  I learnt plenty of things and improved some skills like communication and work organisation. Also, to live and work in another country is really enriching, professionally and personally. I would finish by saying that meeting people is one of the best experiences, and it is wonderful and funny to do it in Greece.

This project was co-funded by the European Commission.