Olivier's reflections on volunteering
Olivier from France spent five months doing volunteer work in Ventspils, Latvia, where he visited schools with team-bulding activities and french lessons. Here he shares his toughts on what he gained and learned during his voulteer work:
1. What inspired you to become a volunteer, and why did you choose our organization?
I chose to become a volunteer because I wanted an international experience and to step outside of my comfort zone. In France, for many studies and degrees, you also need to spend at least 3 months abroad to validate your diploma. Coming to Latvia allowed me to discover a completely different culture and challenge myself personally.
2. How has volunteering changed your perspective on the world or yourself?
This experience changed my perspective a lot. I come from France and from the Caribbean, more specifically Haiti, so adapting to life in Latvia, with different social habits and mentalities, was a big change. It taught me to be more open minded and adaptable.
3. What have you learned from your volunteering experience?
I learned how to communicate with different kinds of people and stop being so afraid of rejection or judgment. This experience helped me become more confident and more comfortable meeting new people.
4. What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced while working with young people, and how did you overcome them?
One challenge was communicating with young people who only spoke Russian or Latvian. Sometimes I had to use translation tools like ChatGPT to communicate. It taught me patience, creativity, and flexibility.
5. Would you like to continue volunteering in the future? Why or why not?
Yes, I would like to volunteer again in the future. Honestly, I am leaving Latvia with a heavy heart because I almost forgot what life in Paris feels like now. Even if it can be challenging, this experience gave me a lot personally and emotionally, and I know it will stay with me for a long time.
6. What would you recommend to someone who is thinking about starting volunteer work with youth?
My advice would be: just start. Don’t overthink it or have too many expectations. Be open, accept cultural differences, and try to step outside of your bubble to meet people and grow.
Projektu "Youth of Tomorrow" līdzfinansē Eiropas Savieniba. Šī publikācija atspoguļo vienīgi autora uzskatus un viedokli, un ne obligāti Eiropas Savienības, Eiropas Komisijas vai Valsts agentūras (Jaunatnes starptautisko programmu agentūras) viedokli, kuras nav atbildigas par tajā ietvertās informācijas jebkādu izmantošanu.