Sofia is a 32-year-old woman from Italy who decided almost a year ago to make a major life change — to break free from routine and leave for a year to a completely different country with a completely different culture, in order to experience both the joys and challenges of humanitarian work. And we are following and supporting her journey.

“I’ve always been driven by curiosity — about the world, different cultures, and the people who live in them. It’s no coincidence that I work as a social worker for a nonprofit organization focused on immigration. It’s demanding work, but for me it perfectly combines my passion for discovering the world with using my time in a way that doesn’t feel pointless, but instead contributes to something meaningful.”

I AM INTERESTED TOO

Sofia has now been working for nine months in Belgrade, Serbia, as a social worker helping refugees, victims of domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness, and the Roma community. We are very grateful to her for this and wish her all the best! ❤️‍🩹 

She spends most of her time in the office, as her main responsibility is project management and coordination. At the same time, she organizes activities for Roma children, youth, and adults. Her stay in Serbia has also given her the opportunity to take part in team trainings focused on social issues such as Roma culture, trauma-informed approaches, and LGBTQ+ inclusion, as well as to observe how Serbian society works with these topics. During periods when she has no specific tasks assigned, she uses the opportunity to study Serbian and attend language courses. 🌍 

“Participating in an international program felt like a natural step in my life. I had always been looking for opportunities to go abroad — sometimes I managed to take short-term ones, others I often had to postpone. This opportunity came at a time when I felt I could no longer put off this long-held desire. My journey began with a simple question: Are there still opportunities abroad for someone my age? That’s how I discovered the Humanitarian Aid program — and I knew I had to try.”  – Sophia

Volunteering within the Humanitarian Volunteering for Solidarity Activities project is fully funded by the European Solidarity Corps. Throughout their stay, volunteers have access to a mentor from the sending country as well as within the host organization. People aged 18 to 35 with permanent residence in one of the EU member states or in Turkey, North Macedonia, Liechtenstein, or Iceland can take part.

After completing the training, candidates can apply for individual positions published on the European Youth Portal. Each position involves a selection process. The length of volunteering ranges from 2 to 12 months; within our volunteering opportunities, it is 6 to 12 months. Participation in the project is funded by the European Solidarity Corps, including insurance, accommodation at the project location, transport, travel-related expenses, and a small allowance. Positions within humanitarian volunteering correspond approximately to full-time work, i.e. between 30 and 38 hours per week.

“Leaving my entire life behind for a year and moving to a place where I didn’t know anyone and didn’t speak the language — that wasn’t easy. But gradually, the initial uncertainty gave way to something new — a new routine, a new life, habits, places, friendships, and the challenge of learning everything from scratch.” – Sofia

DO YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

Are you inspired by Sofia´s story? Get more information about how to become a volunteer on a dedicated website.

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Projekt Humanitarian Volunteering for Solidarity Activities (č. p. 101140258) trvá od 1. 2. 2024 do 31. 1. 2027 a je kofinancován Evropskou unií. Názory a stanoviska v tomto textu jsou výhradně názory autora(ů a nemusí odrážet názory Evropské unie nebo poskytovatele grantu (Výkonná agentura pro vzdělávání, kulturu a audiovizuální oblast). Evropská unie ani poskytovatel grantu za ně nenesou odpovědnost.