Volunteer‘s Week in Wroclaw - “2011, European Year Of Volunteering: Everyone can make difference"

In November 2011 Šiaulių Didždvario gimnazija, in cooperation with EKOLA school Wroclaw has implemented a project “2011, European Year Of Volunteering: Everyone can make difference". 

Everyone can make difference“ is an exchange project in which students from Lithuania and Poland participated in order to explore the importance of international volunteering. The project took place in Wroclaw from 13-19th of November, 2011. 

The aim of the project was to encourage young people to do voluntary work in different social institutions such as orphanages and houses for disabled people in order to learn through experience how volunteering can influence your own and other peoples lifes in a good way.

The 24 participants consisted of 11 polish students and their IB-Coordinator Monika Kloczko and 7 students from Didzdvarius Gymnasium with their teacher Beirute Kuiciene. This group of international students was lead through this workshop about volunteering by the 4 EVS-Volunteers who are currently working at Radijo Klubas.

Identifying Expectations, Fears and Wishes about the project.

 We, Manana and Rabea, spent most of our working time since we arrived in Siauliai 3 month ago preparing activities such as different workshops about volunteering, teambuilding tasks and moreover charity work in 2 orphanages and 1 house for mentally disabled people. The two Turkish volunteers, Beril and Hasan, assisted us during this week and led a workshop about Turkish Cuisine in which the participants cooked a traditional turkish dish called „Cuscus“.

Cooking "Cuscus"

In addition all participants were invited to the „UNESCO-Day“ at EKOLA school. At this day, we volunteers and the lithuanian students had the opportunity not only to present our home countries and gain some information about UNESCO. We volunteers were also asked to lead a workshop for non-polish native speakers. Because of that we conducted a simulation game about difficulties that might arise while being abroad due to cultural differences.

Presentation of home countries - Armandas Vaitkus is presenting Lithuania at UNESCO-day in EKOLA school

During the whole week the participants developed a video clip containing the message „Volunteering can be fun“ and a radio show called „Helping for Happiness“ in which they had the opportunity to share their experieces and feelings.

Developing idea about the Video Clip

Working on the Radio Show 

Mid-term evaluation of the project

Volunteering in 

orphanage

Playing and having fun with orphan children :))

Singing Lithuanian and Polish songs.. :))) 

For us it was very nice to see how young people from different countries work together as a team, work with people who are in need and furthermore simply spend a good time while living together in hostel.

Hopefully the students will always remember the positive experiences related to international youth volunteering which they gained during this week in Wroclaw.