How to overcome the post-workcamps blues Written by Marta Palau,September 2015 We don’t know how it is in your part of the world, but here in Antwerp it is getting colder. Trees are changing their leaves, the days are shorter and sunny days seem far away… We can’t help but already miss that time of the…
Volunteer voice from Iceland Written by StephenAugust 2015 The SEEDS photographic project to Iceland in May 2015 has been successfully organised here on many previous occasions. I was privileged to be working with a group of international volunteers, who were keen to improve their creative techniques using digital cameras. There were a number of short informative…
Volunteer’s diary in Blue Rose school Written by Carla LinareAugust 2015 Dear whoever it’s you, Surrounded by monkeys, dogs, birds all kind of bugs & the most beautiful nature I’ve spent one of the most unforgettable weeks of my life. I can’t say (well write up) much because words could never help me experience the feelings…
Wikipedia for Peace Written by Thomas Schallhart Peace activist, Wikimedia volunteer in Austria/SwedenAugust 2015 Last year I had the privilege to coordinate a community project that I’ve in mind for a long time. I imagined a rather small and grassroots community project that would break down borders of languages and countries and unite people who want…
Story from Ittoqqortoormiit Written by SCI Switzerland volunteerJuly 2015 In summer 2015 I spent four weeks volunteering with Greenlandic children in Ittoqortoormit. That village is very isolated and is located next to the Scoresby Sund fjord. Getting there is difficult, but adventurous. The group of volunteers first traveled from Reykjavik to Akureyri, from there to Constable…
Shared Home for Displaced Ukrainians Written by Viktoria GrivinaMarch 2015 The project I come to coordinate, “Making Peace in Ukraine” (SCI branch SVIT-Ukraine), is designed to bring a group of 7 foreign volunteers to help refugees in Kharkov, a city two hundred kilometers from the Donbas warzone. Not a usual place for a youth exchange, and…
Volunteering experience in the asylum-seeker centre Written by Carmen ChongFebruary 2015 Definition An asylum-seeker, though similar with refugee, is technically a person that has asked to be legally recognized as a refugee and is not yet granted the same legal protection and material assistance as a refugee. Introduction My name is Carmen Chong from Service Civil International…
Volunteer Experience: Aki Takami, Keuruu Ecovillage Written by Aki TakamiFebruary 2015 WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY? My name is Aki Takami. I come from Japan – big city next to Tokyo named Yokohama. I’m 20 and I live there with my family. I am on my third year of…
Volunteer voice from Scotland Written by RozaliaFebruary 2015 “I was a long-term volunteer as a peer mentor with the Cyrenians at the residential city community in Edinburgh, supporting people who have experienced homelessness. “It was a very challenging project, sometimes a lot more than I expected and was prepared for. Yet, in many ways it was…
With love from Sri Lanka Written by MathildeFebruary 2015 Dear SCI, Wow! It has been two amazing months here and I have been surrounded by so sweet and open hearted people, who have made my daily life so fantastic. Right from the beginning you took so good care of us and SCI became really quickly like…