Igbal Aliova from Shtip, Macedonia, volunteered in Amaro Drom e.V. Berlin, 2013
Many people ask me why I chose EVS. Having higher education and knowledge of different field areas, having some work experience already – why work voluntarily?! When you have a lot of knowledge and experience – why not share it with other people who have the desire to learn?! A lot of people are not aware of the EVS program and the opportunities you get through it: to meet people from other countries, because we are here and all get in touch with new cultures, meet new people, learn new languages , have fun, travel and engage for something useful. EVS is an experience you can have only once in life.
I chose to volunteer for one year because it is a good opportunity for all young people who do not know what they really want to do in life. This is a really good opportunity to decide what field you want to work in. If you want to learn and if you want to make your own plans in life this is the best program you can choose.
My job as a volunteer was to work with preschool children. It was a big surprise for me, because I have finished pedagogical university majoring in preschool education, for me it was like preparing for my profession as a preschool educator. I learned many new methods of working with children and I will use them in the future.
I also worked with young people in different activities, and it was a pleasure to work and spend time with them. In fall I got involved in writing a new project for the organization, as well as assisting in the realization of projects and completing administrative work in the organization.
Amaro Drom volunteers
[quote style=”boxed” float=”left”]I volunteer because I feel good when I do something without a profit, something that society and young people benefit from, and with this you can change the future.[/quote] The EVS program includes two training organized by the National Agency. One seminar was in Witzenhausen, the second seminar was in Bremen. We got to know a lot of other EVS volunteers from different countries who were in Germany and it is a great experience that you will remember your whole life.
I personally think that volunteering is very important for young people, because by doing so we build ourselves, gain self-confidence, ambition, socialize, learn new things and it is often the case that in new and different situations you begin to know what you really want to do in life. The experience to meet people from different cultures is wonderful and also educational and you get in touch with other ways of life, other types of thinking, other customs.
The EVS was also important to me because I have gained some knowledge that might be helpful to me in future employmentsuch as experience working with children as mentioned before, to speak the German language, I gained new experiences with organizing different types of events like conferences, workshops etc. So for young people who want to engage for something useful and get international experiences I recommend to apply for an EVS project in the area in which you wish to gain experience. You will have fun, meet a lot of people and at the same time gain experience which you can then use for future employment. As evidence of this experience you will get “Youth Pass” after your EVS, a certificate for non-formal education which describes all the “stuff ” that you have learned .
I volunteer because I feel good when I do something without a profit, something that society and young people benefit from, and with this you can change the future.
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