Alice, 23 and Clémént, 25 years old – two beautiful people from Nevers and Lyon, once has met in St. Etienne and soon travelling to Denmark together. They will participate in volunteering project which they found through Work Away, a service proposing plenty of different opportunities all around the world. I met with them to ask few questions regarding their upcoming travel.
Check instagram of Alice – you can see how it is to be a volunteer in Denmark!
What are your job and volunteering experience?
Alice – I did a Service Civic in organization related to food aid. Also in St. Etienne I was volunteering at “community cafe”, it’s a place where beside drinking coffee you can participate in different workshops, lectures, concerts and theatres. I also worked as a babysitter.
Clément – I’ve never had a regular job, but during some time I was playing in a band, I am playing violin. We had few concerts but it was not possible to live from this. I was a volunteer in one place where people could repair their bikes for free. Also I did “au pair” for 1 month in Ireland in a small town. It was very interesting to discover new culture through living in an Irish family.
How did you found out about this project?
A. – I was just researching, there are different possibilities like Woofing, EVS, HelpX. We have sent 10 applications but got just one response. You have to be patient while looking for a right project.
C. – I knew about it before, my sister did an EVS 10 years ago, but me, I didn’t have enough of motivation to do that. But when we met with Alice we had same ideas regarding volunteering and travelling so eventually we decided to do it together.
Tell me more about your project in Denmark.
We will be working at private organization, it is a centre for young adults who has social phobias like depression or eating disorders. In total there are 30 people – 15 is stuff (educators, people who do administrative work, a cook and 3-4 international volunteers) and other 15 is visitors.
First we will do some practical things like cleaning, helping serving the dishes. After we spend some time there and everyone will get used to us, we can propose some animation and build relationship with them.
Actually we already saw the place while travelling in Denmark. It is remote place an the cost side near the forest, there is also a garden. It is 50 km to the north from Copenhagen; the transport system is well developed there so we are hoping to travel during our volunteering.
What is your fears regarding this project?
A. – there are not much. Maybe it could be a bit difficult to work with people with depression and stay around them all day.
C. – I’m not afraid of that cause there will be other people working with us, educators, they are professionals so can help and guide us in any case.
A. – also a bit afraid of my first winter in the North of the Europe! We already bought a lot of warm clothes – well prepared!
C. – Also, living in the group of people all the time, eating together, working – that’s could be challenging, but we will have separate room just for us, so that’s just fine.
And what are your expectations from this travel?
A.– I want to improve my English and experience life in new country with different culture.
C. – I have never worked in social sphere but I want to learn this new field, new way of working. They have regular meeting there, will be nice learn something new.
A. – and we also want to travel and discover Denmark and other countries around. There are trains, fairy, everything is well connected.
What are you planning to do after?
A. – I want to continue my studies, get the Master degree and work in the same time.
C. – it depends where we going to live and which people we are going to meet. I want to learn something by doing, will try to find some small jobs at first.
And tell me, why do you choose volunteering?
A. – I need a time to find my way. During volunteering I can do that, I think.
C. – To take time by doing something useful, helping NGOs. During volunteering you have more freedom to choose what you want to do, not like at regular job where you have to follow the rules.
A. – Our generation want to do things with a sense. We have possibility to take time and find what we want to do in life. We are not afraid of changes.
We are wishing to Alice and Clémént to have a great and fruitfull time in Denmark, enjoy!