After having finished my studies I wanted to expand my view of the world and gain some
new experiences. The idea of volunteering abroad is something I immediately fell in love with
because participating in social work in a country whose language I don’t speak and I don’t
know much about seemed like a big challenge, but it also pledged numerous adventures and
the great chance to grow personally and professionally.
Different ways of life, cultures, social matters and issues of ethnicity and identity intrigue me
much. When I heard of the project ‘Youth for diverse Europe’ I therefore felt that I have to
take part in it. To me, working in an environment with people from any side of the planet,
from heterogeneous social backgrounds and with different abilities is a very enriching
experience because there is a continuous process of knowledge and experience sharing which
broadens your mind. Amongst others, that is a reason why I decided to do the EVS.

Besides, it offers lots of prospects for gaining new competences. For instance, improving my
language skills is a big aim because language is an important tool in order to create a link
between people and to understand why they act like they do. This applies particularly in view
of the fact that in today?s globalised world multilingualism is more vital than ever.

During my EVS I work for an association, which aims to strengthen Jewish identity and helps
raise awareness of diversity and anti-discrimination issues. One of the many projects realized
by my hosting organization is a venture called ?Anti-Semitism is not an opinion?. I think this
project provides a great chance to break down prejudices, to put the own ideas and
perceptions into question and to think about social constructs such as culture or identity. I
consider that in the moment we are living right now, differences are widely seen as barriers
and things that should be feared. That is why it is particularly important to pay attention to the
benefits of diversity which is not really hard when you meet so many lovely people from all
over the world who make every day special and filled with fun.

Author: Simone

The European Voluntary Service project ‘Youth for diverse Europe’ is organised within the framework of Erasmus+ KA1 and financed by European Commission.