Sustainable Factory – Let this project be a bright sign that step by step brings light to our world, which we want to share with future generations!

Climate change is no longer an abstract threat – it is shaping our everyday reality. Nature is becoming increasingly fragile, and we must take its preservation into our own hands. On August 30th, young people from different corners of Europe gathered in Clavier, a small village in Italy, with the primary goal of discussing the importance of sustainability. Sustainability is more than just a trendy word; it is a way of life. This is what the participants of our project understood as they shared experiences about sustainable food consumption, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. We realized that the conservation of nature is not an optional matter – it is an integral part of life. We must protect our planet’s biological diversity and safeguard the ecosystems in which we live.

During this project, participants had a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with the cultures and perspectives of other countries on sustainability. This international dialogue enriched our understanding of the issues and provided insights into how other countries are addressing them.

Throughout the project, we discussed many important topics. We talked about renewable energy sources and energy-saving methods, promoted sustainable food consumption, and discussed how education can be a tool for ensuring future sustainability. Additionally, we emphasized the influence of consumers and the possibilities for sustainability through simple actions like sorting and reducing waste. We spoke that future generations will inherit the world we are creating today, so it is our responsibility to ensure that they inherit a planet full of life and beauty rather than problems and disasters.

This project will have a long-lasting impact. Participants returned to their countries with new knowledge and the motivation to make a difference in their communities. 

It was not just education; it was an invitation to take action.

Have a nice day!

Weronika’s volunteering experience

Weronika started her journey as Eufemia’s ESC volunteer a few months ago. Since then she has joined a bunch of projects, shared lots of ideas, and run quite a few activities. We asked her to write a few words and reflect on her volunteering experience with our team.

Those months were quite intense for her – read an article to find out why.

Honestly, I wouldn’t say that I’m any good at this. ‘By any of this’, I mean thinking about what to write and how to write it.

Still, I’ve been asked to share a couple of my thoughts on the experience that I’ve had so far here in Italy. You see, I feel like time is passing so quickly.

I still remember arriving in Torino with almost nothing apart from my backpack. I did that mainly because coming to Italy was a chance for me to start from the beginning and find myself in this huge world.

I’ve been here for more or less 5 months now. Have I changed or found anything that I was looking for so far?

I would say yes and no.

I’ve grown a lot for sure.  I’ve challenged myself in many ways as well…

I went camping for the first time.

I learned how to cook pasta and how to not overcook it.

I started riding on a bike and praying to not be killed by Italian drivers.

I also made friends and lost some as well.

Still, that being said there are many other things that I did but I feel like writing them all out would be hard and not that much entertaining to read about. Maybe that is why all that I’d like to say is that I’m still looking.

I’m looking for what to do after the project ends.  I’m looking for another challenge to face while I’m here. I’m looking for who I am.

Obviously, it’s hard as heck.

It’s hard and I just want to emphasise it because it may look like it isn’t but it is HARD.

You see, I arrived here 5 months ago i.e. on the night of the 7th and 8th of September.

I’ve been having ups and downs here since then. I know though that I will figure things out because that is just who I am. I am a badass just like the people that I live with.

Everything will work out for sure for me, for them and for everybody.

It’ll work out because it’s been working out so far and there are still some months to go.

Nevertheless though, there’s an entire life to do it as well.

There’s no rush.

How short-term volunteering can be fun and useful

Hello everyone my name’s Wiam, and I was a short-term volunteer for Eufemia in June and July of 2022!

My experience started on the 24th of June and I was greeted by extremely welcoming and cheerful roommates who will eventually become people I hold very dear to my heart.

How it could be convenient 

Short-term volunteering doesn’t attract that many people, but I’ve found it extremely convenient. I was still enrolled in a university program, so volunteering for longer than two to three months was out of the question. Still, social work has always interested me and I knew I wanted to get some first-hand experience somehow. The ESC program was also beneficial for me, because volunteering in a different country for a while isn’t something financially doable for that many people, me included. So having the financial burden off me with transportation and accommodation being provided, as well as a daily financial allowance given to us, really helped me. I knew if I didn’t take the opportunity, I would have never done it! It is incredible also that this program is accessible to any resident of the EU, I do live in France, but I hold Moroccan (extra EU) citizenship, and this being made accessible to me is also a great incentive.

Things I’ve done

Eufemia is a partner of many local non-profits in Torino, so whenever help was needed somewhere, we would go. Along with Pauline, the other volunteer from France who was on the same program as me, we were mainly volunteering in Madiba, a non-profit that works with youth located in Beinasco, a suburb of Torino.

Our tasks involved a lot of reappropriation of public spaces in Beinasco and Piossasco along with teenagers aged from 12 to 18 years old. When we were not in Beinasco, we were in Torino, either helping on Market days with recuperation and distribution of unsold fruits and vegetables to people in need, a bonus of this activity is we could take whatever was left after the distribution back to the flat and share it with other volunteers 🙂

Other Torino activities involved participating in hosting associative events, taking part in cooking labs with people from over the world, organizing English sessions alongside other volunteers, and benefiting from Italian classes.

Advice to anyone looking to do short-term volunteering

Go for it, with the financial burden being much less heavy, as well as the period being much less constraining than it would have been if it was for a year, I encourage you to do it.

Language barrier

It was definitely present, but in the north of Italy, they articulate very well, and after about 3 weeks to a month as well as an ongoing Duolingo strike (that’s up to 123 days now), I was able to understand a lot more than in the beginning.

How it encouraged me to pursue what I’m doing now

Having this first experience in a non-profit reinforced my willingness to make it my full-time occupation.

As soon as I came back home, I started looking for opportunities to stay in social work. I’m still enrolled in my university program, but I’m in a work-study contract with an association that fights against the social exclusion of people living in precarious conditions so that each one of us can thrive in a more inclusive society.

Main take away from my volunteering experience

We can all individually and collectively contribute to making our world a better and more inclusive place to live in, and many people are willing to do that.

Antonio and Thibaut’s end of volunteering

Hi! My name is Antonio, I am a Spanish guy who has been volunteering for Eufemia since January 2022. I would say that I am passionate about languages and deep talks (that’s the reason why I like to learn so many languages, to find as many people as possible to annoy talk with). And I am Thibaut, I am coming from France! I love to find new ways of connecting to people and minds (especially mine, even if sometimes it is messy!). I found out that I really like  doing…music! 

We decided to volunteer for many reasons, obviously to meet new incredible people, and to have a safe place and environment to learn and develop our skills and ideas. Also, we both wanted to discover new perspectives about ourselves that we were not aware of previously. 

I (Antonio) think I learned how to listen more and better to other people’s perspectives of the world. We don’t have always a good (or bad) point of view, I understood that there simply are different backgrounds and motivations in each person, and we should try to understand them better without judging, even if we think that the other part is completely wrong since we can never be 100% sure of it. As for me (Thibaut), volunteering is about finding a safe space to open up, try everything and gain both knowledge AND self-confidence, we all need to achieve our objectives.

In our opinion, long-term volunteering is totally recommended. For almost any kind of person. However, we highly recommend that you first do short-term volunteering (2 months) and then if you like it, go for a long term. Long-term is considered to be any project that lasts more than 2 months, but we recommend finding some project for at least 8 months, we found it is the sweet spot for having a good time without having the feeling of missing something. Of course, a 12-month project is also a perfect opportunity to make a commitment to yourself and still enjoy your time in your new city. Some pros of volunteering are quite evident, like getting to know new people (you will make huge connections for sure!) or visiting an incredible country around Europe, which normally also allows you to visit close countries around your city. However, some other things are not that clear and for sure you will enjoy them. Like getting to know yourself better than you could ever imagine. Also, after your journey, you will find out that there are things that you have done, but before you would never imagine being able of doing so. 

But, like everything in life, nothing is perfect. You will have bad moments, where you will feel lost, powerless, or desperate. There will be some activities that you will not like that much, and probably you will have issues with your roommates or flatmates (cleaning is not the best part of volunteers’ flats!).

Nevertheless, all of this will also help you to be more resilient, you will learn how to deal with bad moments, with people that are in the same situation as you (or people that already have been there, like mentors, colleagues, and volunteers).

Antonio: I would love to share some good words for some people who for sure made my journey better in many different ways. To Rita, who from the very beginning has been so supportive! I wish every volunteer could have such a person while volunteering. To Martina T., for teaching me so many things about hard work and dedication. The new girls, Marta, Weronika, Tamar, and Joana, even though we didn’t have too much time together it was enough to build an incredible connection among us! Obviously, Thibaut, my roommate, who I consider to be a brother, and I am sure that our story together will not end here. Ivanka and Anna, the two sisters that I never had at home (I just didn’t know I had to look for them in Italy!). Even though none of them are Italian, thank you for your love and support, thank you for making me a better person, a better man, I feel like I grew so much around you! And to the rest of the Eufemia and Escape4Change teams, I really appreciate the time, dedication, and effort you put into each of us for making this experience as good as possible! 

Thibaut: If I had to describe the ESC now, I would describe it as a very colorful journey. There have been so many encounters with such inspiring people. Many opportunities to confront ideas and grow as a person. Sharing this journey with other volunteers is also what makes it exceptional, there are all the people from the projects, a bunch of random people: some are kids, some taller kids (also known as adults), there are the people without a roof, people with a special need, the crazy ones and also the boring normal ones. And last but not least, nothing in this journey would be possible without the whole team of Eufemia, an obvious thank you for the work they are doing!

A Glossary for ESC volunteers!

The European Solidarity Corps is a whole different world. It is a world of volunteering, learning, and travelling. This world is located in people’s heart, and it can be traced in their vocabularies.

Many words can be confusing to a newcomer, thus we took the initiative in our hands to guide you though some of the most important definitions of the ESC volunteering experience.

We aim to explain to you the main concepts, however besides that we would like to show you how much joy and fun volunteering can bring into your life.

This booklet was prepared by Anna Ungradyova during her ESC with Associazione Eufemia.

8 months of a Torinese ESC experience

8 MONTHS OF A TORINESE ESC EXPERIENCE

A few days have passed since my last day in Turin. My volunteering journey started in January this year and now I am writing this final personal reflection on my eight months of volunteering with the European Solidarity Corps.

Before arriving in Turin, I was very excited and motivated to sign up for a long-term project, to spend quality time abroad, especially in Italy. Yes, Italy was my request. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to try living in Italy. My dream has come true.
After a few months of searching for a suitable project, I received an answer from Eufemia. I remember that I really liked the variety of activities and the vivid environment the organization provided. Actually, I found there much more.

All I can say is that all 8 months were full of adventure. Truly. Indeed.

As far as activities go, I tried and experienced different activities and was given a lot of different tasks or responsibilities for small projects. The one I liked the most was when I was leading an English class. My Turin friends know this story well. A year ago I did’t know how to speak English sovereignly. It was mainly shyness and lack of confidence to speak in front of others. Leading English lessons was undoubtedly a huge experience, opportunity and confidence boost for me.

Speaking of adventure, definitely look for the people behind every adventure. The people were a key point of my time in Turin. Sharing an apartment with other international volunteers, coping with a different way of life, taking care of each other, but also finding ways to tackle difficult topics. These situations require openness and willingness. This is what I found during my project. An open, positive and supportive atmosphere.

In addition, Piedmont is a beautiful region. Avigliana has become my second mental home and Piazza San Giovanni has turned into my safe space and the best place to draw strangers. My thanks go to Trenitalia for any delays that allowed us to spend more time looking at the amazing Italian countryside. I am eternally grateful for every road trip, hike, and aperitivo I took. I can’t count how many plates of pesto and pasta I ate and how many aperitifs I drank. Every sunset, every coffee, and every sweet conversation will stay with me.

Last but not least, my thanks go to my host organization for listening to me when I needed it and for being willing to follow my volunteer journey. Thanks for me the opportunity to be your volunteer.

May this article be an encouragement to future volunteers. Volunteering through ESC is a great opportunity to explore yourself more deeply, learn and in various ways improve your personality. I am sure you have heard this famous phrase: “Volunteering is not just about giving, it is also about receiving”. Through volunteering, you can challenge yourself to try new things, improve your skills and give yourself time to explore and make mistakes.
If you are considering ESC, I encourage you and wish you well! 🙂

Anna Ungradyová, Slovakia

Parte #1 “Democracy Printing in Progress” – Barcellona 2022

Il progetto “Democracy Printing in Progress” ci ha portato a Barcellona a fine giugno per il primo dei due training sui tema dell’arte e attivismo.

 

8 partecipanti italiani della provincia di Torino si sono uniti al gruppo spagnolo per parlare di cittadinanza attiva e diritti umani. Tra street art, visite ai musei, laboratori artistici e attività di gruppo per scoprire l’arte come strumento per l’espressione personale e l’attivismo.

 

Stay tuned per il training #2 a Torino a Dicembre!

 

Progetto coordinato dall’associazione Colectivo MosaiQ.

Le attività sono finanziate dal programma Erasmus+ KA2 finanziato dalla Commissione Europea.

The story of Pauline – 2 months in Torino

The story of Pauline – 2 months in Torino

I am a short-term volunteer, and it is as intense in terms of emotions and changes as being a long-term one.

I am French, and I came to do my internship at the end of the year as a volunteer in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps. It appeared to be the best choice. In a month, my life and my vision of the world changed. I met so many new people and participated in lots of events.

Before coming here, I had a fear: the language barrier. The first days of my stay here were challenging. As I discovered, the main problem was not the language level, but simply a lack of confidence. Then one day my flatmates told me to open up and feel free to speak. So, I listened to their advice, and I became more confident. Practicing is the most important element if you want to improve your spoken English. So I was practicing, making mistakes and each time I was ready to start over, again and again. Indeed, I still can make mistakes, but I am improving, and I am gaining confidence. In addition, my ability to overcome this problem with a smile is a part of my personality.
Here in Turin, I can make myself understood by strangers, make people laugh, and gather people around the table. The opportunity to volunteer allows you to become who you want to be and to become a better person. Each event meets the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals and what I’m passionate about. I feel useful. There is nothing better than concrete examples to illustrate what I am talking about. I was often involved in the Cooking Lab, where we were using fruits and vegetables picked up from the market to cook truly decision dishes. Otherwise, it all would be thrown away. This cooking lab allowed people to reintegrate socially, eat and spend some quality time together. Every participant in the Cooking Lab has a very complicated story, but everyone was so adorable and so human. They didn’t speak French, but all tried to learn words to communicate with me or to make jokes. It was a great lesson for me, no matter where I am, I will not forget my origins and my values. They are an example to me. What I’m going to miss are the smiles of those families and the outpouring of generosity that takes place during the market every week.
My experience started months ago and it will end in three weeks. I’ve never been happier than here. Every day I help people, and every day I feel useful. I make wonderful encounters and they have probably become a second family for me, a family of the heart. I learned a new language, I learned how to build a better future, and I finally learned to become a better version of myself.

Thank you, Eufemia. Thank you, Rita. Thank you, my beautiful roommates. Thank you,
Italians.