Angel's summer doing volunteering in Ventspils
Angel, a student from India enrolled at a university in Riga, chose to make productive use of her summer by volunteering for a month in Ventspils. While here, she organized guitar lessons for locals at Ventspils Youth house, contributed to events at the Sea Festival, and supported children in improving their English at a summer camp.
1. What inspired you to become a volunteer, and why did you choose our organization?
Volunteering seemed like a great way to meet new people and develop new skills, especially in areas like organization and management. I chose this organization because I wanted to learn more about Latvia, and volunteering felt like a good way to experience the country and its culture more closely.
2. What have you learned during your volunteering time?
I’ve learned how to interact and work with many different kinds of people, both children and adults. I’ve also learned to push myself to try things that initially seemed new or daunting. Another thing I’ve gained is a better understanding of the Latvian language, mainly through simply interacting with the people around me.
3. What has been the biggest challenge you faced as a volunteer, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was putting myself out there and interacting with so many new people. At university, I’m mostly used to communicating with people in my university, so working with different age groups was something new for me. With time and experience, it became much more natural and comfortable.
4. What would you recommend to someone who is thinking about starting volunteer work with youth?
I would recommend not overthinking it and being willing to take initiative. I think you get the most out of volunteering when you’re open to trying new things and getting involved instead of always waiting for someone to tell you what to do.
5. Would you like to continue volunteering in the future? Why or why not?
Yes, I would. I think volunteering is a good way to spend some of my free time, meet new people, experience new places, and do something different from my usual routine.
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.