In 1999, Samuel volunteered for 12 months promoting the European Voluntary programme among Pisa residents and developing cooperation projects with Eastern European countries (Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary) on European programmes (Twinning, etc.).

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"This mission helped introduce the European Voluntary Service (EVS) to the inhabitants of the Pisa Province, particularly young people, through my testimony, during the launch phase of this first European Commission volunteer programme. In addition, during this volunteering experience, I contributed to the development of European projects (Twinning, culture, youth) between local authorities, such as Pisa in Italy, and several Eastern European cities (in Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic) prior to their accession to the European Union. 

This work led to close cooperation between the cities' organisations, as well as close ties and exchanges between their inhabitants. This experience also helped improve the understanding of the exchange opportunities offered by European programmes to European citizens, as well as increase the visibility of the direct impact the European Union has on local territories."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"It was my first real experience abroad at the age of 23, and the EVS was a key factor in both my personal development and my professional career. I made cultural and linguistic discoveries, met fellow Europeans, and built lifelong friendships that are still alive 25 years later. It was also a powerful professional experience, as I discovered how transnational cooperation and European programs work. Thanks to this opportunity, I later made it my profession. 

Since 2021, I have been working at the French Erasmus+ National Agency for Youth and Sport, and I am determined to help new young people benefit from this wonderful programme. This EVS gave me a true understanding of what it means to be a “European citizen” and made me realise that I could fully pursue my professional aspirations and personal development within the European space."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come?

"My wish for the 30th anniversary of EU-supported volunteering is that this programme will continue to exist and grow during the 2028-2034 programming period, increasing the number of young people who can benefit from it. Its transformative impact and ability to foster a sense of European citizenship among young people make it a powerful lever for the European Union. It is one of the responses to the societal and cohesion challenges facing the European Union in the coming decade."

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Sabrina volunteered in Italy in 2001 for nine months with Cooperativa Sociale Kara Bobowski caring for children, young people and people with disabilities.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget? 

"It’s not a single moment I’ll never forget — it’s a feeling. During my year as a volunteer, I developed a deep sense of  fundamental trust in life. Trust in people, in encounters, in new situations. That feeling has stayed with me ever since. It taught me to stay curious — curious about places, cultures, ideas, and especially about people. That year became the emotional and experiential foundation for everything that followed.

Another lasting impact was the friendships I built with my fellow volunteers from different countries. Back then, we became a kind of temporary family — sharing life, laughter, homesickness, and growth. And that connection didn’t end when the project did. We’re still in contact more than 20 years later and just met again in the summer of 2025. And we’ve already started planning our 25th anniversary gathering in 2026. To me, that’s what European volunteering is about: trust, connection, and shared journeys + relations that last."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active? 

"Looking back, I think the impact was in the small but steady ways of showing up. As a volunteer, I became part of a community that welcomed me not as a guest but as someone who belonged. At the Informa Giovani (youth info office), I helped young people access opportunities they didn’t know existed — language courses, exchanges, summer jobs. At the after-school club, I was someone the kids could count on — helping with homework, organising games, just listening. 

For some, I was the little witch Sabrina; they believed I am the one they knew from the cartoon, just cut my hair. I wasn’t “saving the world,” but I contributed to the daily rhythm of life in ways that gave others more space, support, or inspiration. Sometimes, just by being a young person from another country who took the time to care. That felt meaningful — and I think it was felt."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life? 

"That volunteering experience changed everything. I was 20, away from home for the first time, and suddenly immersed in a completely new context — culturally, linguistically, socially. I had to learn fast how to listen, how to adapt, how to work with others across differences. It was my first real experience of inclusion, not as a theory but as something you live and practice.

 Volunteering didn’t just shape who I am — it set the course for what I would later do. Today, I work as a trainer and facilitator in European youth work, often supporting the next generation of volunteers and professionals. But my compass was set back then, through hands-on solidarity, real people, and messy, meaningful moments. It also gave me lifelong friendships and a deep belief in the European idea, not just as a political project, but as a human one."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important? 

"Because it’s about giving and receiving at the same time. Volunteering allows people to step into roles that aren’t transactional — where presence, care, and contribution are what matter most. It creates space for learning, empathy, and connection — not just across generations or cultures, but across realities. Especially in today’s world, where division, disconnection, and uncertainty are growing, volunteering offers a concrete way to build bridges. 

It fosters a sense of agency — showing that you don’t have to be perfect or powerful to make a difference. And it helps people understand that change starts with relationships — with showing up, listening, and doing the small things that add up to something greater. For young people especially, it’s often the first place where they realise: “I matter. I can contribute. I’m not alone.” And that can change everything."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come? 

"My birthday wish is this: may European Volunteering (and beyond) continue to be a space for people to grow, connect, and contribute — across borders, backgrounds, and beliefs. I hope the next 30 years will expand access, especially for young people who face barriers — economic, social, or geographic. 

I wish for more opportunities that are truly inclusive, built on trust, and responsive to today’s challenges — whether ecological, digital, or democratic. And I wish for every young person in Europe to have a chance to experience what I did: to feel they belong, that they can make a difference, and that their voice matters. Because solidarity, when lived, is transformative — not just for individuals, but for communities and Europe as a whole."

Volunteers reading a local paper

Volunteers animating a group activity with body painting, 2001

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Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Emma volunteered in 2019 with Dům dětí a mládeže Horažďovice (DDM), mostly at Envicentrum PROUD, supporting the organisation’s programmes in non-formal environmental education for children and young people, as well as at the educational farm and the youth centre of DDM.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget? 

"As a European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteer, I helped in several summer camps, and I will never forget my 20th birthday because an entire camp (with 50 kids) threw me a surprise celebration. 

My birthday happened to fall on the last day of camp, and they surprised me during the final campfire. The children had crafted small gifts from materials they found in the forest surrounding us, and under the starry sky everyone sang Czech birthday songs for me. My colleague from the camp kitchen, even baked a birthday cake.

 I felt incredibly loved and touched by how much effort they put into making me feel special, even though  I could barely speak Czech, and communication with the children and camp team was limited. This experience especially showed me that you don’t need to speak the same language to connect, care, or make someone feel special and included. Just share  a campfire in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in the Czech mountains and celebrate someone’s birthday which they will still get goosebumps from thinking about even 5 years later (: "

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life? 

"Volunteering was simply life-changing. It gave me space to think about what I wanted to do with my life. From the summer camp I mentioned, I applied to the university that became my home for four years. ESC also gave me back a lot of confidence I’d lost because of bullying in high school. Because It showed me how brave I can be, figuring out life as the only ESC volunteer within a 100-kilometre radius, without speaking the local language. And because I was shown a lot of love by the local community in Horažďovice, colleagues for example who showed me life in Czechia, even invited me to family celebrations. They gave me a second home away from home. 

 I also discovered my passion for Europe which sparked now five years of volunteering in youth organisations such as EuroPeers or JEF. Before European Solidarity Corps when volunteering, I lacked the courage and discipline to realise my ideas into projects. ESC changed that because I was given the support to plan my own projects, including a whole summer camp. The skills I gained still shape me today, both as a volunteer and a professional, as my ESC experience opened many doors for me."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come? 

"First of all, happy birthday. For the next thirty years, I wish that every young person in Europe knows about EU-supported volunteering opportunities. Even today, for example, the ESC is still very unknown in Germany compared to other programs. Every young person deserves to have the same life-changing experiences that I had. I also wish that volunteering will no longer depend on one’s social background, because unfortunately many people still need to be able to “afford” volunteering – in terms of time, finances, and more. 

The ESC already does a much better job in supporting volunteers than many other programs, but there are still many barriers to becoming an ESC volunteer. I also wish that alumni programmes like EuroPeers will be better supported so everyone, no matter where from, can become a EuroPeer, so we can make the European Youth programs more known, and voices of volunteers and former volunteers heard. I wish that volunteers will have more opportunities to shape EU Youth Programmes and that there will be more possibilities for youth participation. And of course, I hope that the ESC or EVS, or whatever it may be called in the future, will still exist in thirty years."

Me on a trip during ESC, with a friend I met at my on-arrival seminar

Working at the educational farm of my host organisation

My hut at Summer camp

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Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Vera volunteered for 5 months in 2023 with You in Europe, a youth center, where she engaged young people in the local community and informed them about European opportunities, while also helping at a kids’ center, supporting children through educational and creative activities and spending time with them.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

What I will never forget from this experience are the people I met during this journey, who made me feel at home and with whom I created so many beautiful memories. I will especially never forget my 24th birthday that I spent there, which was very special and made me feel happy, safe, and free of worries. Granada, the place where I volunteered, will always feel like home to me, and I will always be deeply grateful for this opportunity.

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

What I loved most was that through the youth center we encouraged young people to become more involved in their community. I truly felt that I was contributing to something meaningful by offering them ideas and opportunities that I didn’t know about at their age. This experience gave me hope, because I realized that young people want to be involved but often don’t know how or where to start, and that is what I appreciated most about my engagement there.

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

My volunteering experience in Spain changed my life both personally and professionally. I discovered a path I had never imagined for myself and grew in many ways throughout the experience. Today, I work in a similar field to my volunteering, and I feel more open and confident. None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t made the decision to spend that year in Spain.

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Efthymia volunteered from January to December 2011 in Slovenia at the Youth Centre of Celje, Slovenia with the support of United Societies of Balkans (Sending Organisation). Her main activities were taking photos and videos during events, informing schools about youth in action programme, help with Europe Direct Desk when needed.

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"The most important impact for me was to help build an international network that inspired people from different backgrounds to get involved actively into local projects."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"Volunteering is an effective way of providing essential help that keep community groups running, while building connections among people who care for the same things. Furthermore, being a volunteer can boost confidence by making you feel more useful and develop skills which can even help your career."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come? 

"My wish is to never stop keep on giving the unique opportunity to every young European citizen to volunteer abroad under the safety umbrella of European Union."

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

In 2023, Evelyn, from Hungary, volunteered in Spain with Fundación Amigo – Xeracion Valencia. She carried social work with unaccompanied teenagers from third countries. 

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"The most memorable moment during my volunteer period was when the center's staff entrusted me with the cooking course for the teens, through which I felt I was given responsibility in the project. This was a challenge in several ways: on the one hand, I didn't feel at home in the kitchen, and on the other hand, it seemed difficult to pique the teenage boys' interest in gastronomy. 

To my greatest surprise, the boys were actively interested in the secrets of Hungarian cuisine; they were skillful and diligent, and they taught me many kitchen tricks. The cooking course formed a kind of bridge between us, and through it, I got to know them and their culture better; they often revealed their family difficulties and shared their thoughts and plans for the future. We made pogácsa, carrot cake, and our record was making 120 coconut balls, which – at the boys' request – had to be repeated during my last session."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"During my volunteering, I worked with unaccompanied teenagers from third countries as an educational assistant. I learned how important active listening is when we turn toward our fellow human beings and truly try to understand their thoughts and emotions with our whole being. This technique helped me a lot in getting to know the boys, understanding where they came from, what they were struggling with, and how best to help them. I took this great practice with me to my daily life. 

Volunteering was part of my life even before the ESC period, but after the project, it took on an even greater significance. I visit a girl with multiple severe disabilities, and I also help at a local care home for the elderly. When I spend time with these people—stepping out of the daily grind—I feel that I am a useful member of society and that I can learn about life, gratitude, love, kindness, and understanding from the greatest teachers of life. Following my volunteer project, I was given the opportunity to work at the Permanent Representation of Hungary to the EU in Brussels as a diplomat, actively contributing to my country and the EU."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"In today's fast-paced and material world, we often find ourselves expressing dissatisfaction with our lives while constantly chasing the next financial goal or professional advancement. We fail to give thanks for our own lives, and we don't stop for a moment to look around and see how many people in need there are in our environment, in Europe, or in the wider world, or how many social causes there are that we could stand up for. 

Volunteering, for which the European Solidarity Corps is an excellent alternative, helps to shape our personality, our view of the world, and our role in society. Volunteering shows that by doing even a small amount of good – through a kind word, a selfless act, or a little attention – we improve the lives of our fellow human beings who are struggling with difficulties. Just think: if the many small, kind words and selfless acts of many people add up, how much better it can make the whole world! In the words of Mother Teresa, volunteering helps to deepen the following message: "Let us try to accumulate as much capital as possible from love, kindness, understanding, and peace!""

Evelyn during her project

Evelyn during her volunteering project

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Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Márton, from Hungary, volunteered in Paraguay in 2012. His volunteering work involved the supporting the local rural community with educational and health programmes.

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"Volunteering allowed me to apply my professional skills in cultural and nature conservation communication. During the programme, I had the opportunity to explore Latin America, specifically the rural culture and social reality of Paraguay, and the tireless work of local rural (peasant) movements. 

Volunteering radically transformed my worldview; as a result, I ended up living and working in South America for over a decade. Ultimately, I owe this program not only my family—my wife and son—but also more than ten years of professional experience and a profound understanding of diverse cultures."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"Volunteering provides individuals with the opportunity to develop skills they would have little to no chance to acquire as beginners in a market environment. However, the experience and network of contacts gained are extremely valuable in shaping their worldview and laying the foundations for a competitive professional career. 

Volunteering shapes European citizens who possess first-hand knowledge of the social and economic realities of other continents and are therefore receptive to diverse cultures. Ultimately, these citizens can play a key role in fostering relations between Europe and the rest of the world based on mutual understanding."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come?

"I hope that as many young Europeans as possible will have the opportunity to participate in volunteer programmes, including those outside the continent. This will allow them to unlock their hidden potential and become worthy civilian ambassadors of European democratic, inclusive, and tolerant values worldwide."

Márton and one of the local farmers

Márton and a local forest guard

Márton and local children

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Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Karen Ýr volunteered in Hungary in 2022 for 2 months. She joined Talentum Alapítvány where she helped to decorate the walls of kindergardens, schools, homes and public institutions.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"Making lifelong friendships and feeling like i have friends all over Europe now. International friendships are so beautiful, you spend almost everyday for two months together. When it’s over I haven’t seen my friends for many years now, but the times I traveled to them it was like nothing had changed! I’m still very close to the friends I made, they have hosted me and I have hosted them."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"Since we were painting mural for the local community it transformed the environment of these establishments for the better. It made it come to life, not to mention when the community helped us paint, they created something lasting with us."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"I gained so much confidence in myself, going from complete safety in my home country into a situation where I had no idea what I was jumping into and knew no one. It made me realize how social, creative and passionate I really was, I gained a lot of self confidence from making new friends, taking part in a different culture and learning a new language. As well as just bursting my Icelandic bubble was so important, I feel more open to the world after doing European Solidarity Corps".

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"Because you have so little control, you go into these environments that you often know no one from, you gain new friends, new culture experience, it definitely makes one be more connected to the world instead of your small home bubble."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come?

"keep on rocking!"

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Hólmfríður Kría volunteered in Iceland at the Hitt Húsið‘s Edible Community Garden. This solidarity project was about helping young people with disabilities to create and care for their own community garden.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience – something you will never forget?

"What I enjoyed most about this experience was the feeling of building something together and finding different ways of doing things so that everyone could be included. Even though we all had different skill levels, each of us contributed in our own way. Then when the garden beds were finally ready we saw the plants beginning to bloom, and realized that all the hard work had paid off. That was great."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"I think this project enriched the summer for many of the participants, and it was truly a joy to be part of it and help bring it to life. Supporting the execution of a project like this, where we started with nothing and ended up with boxes full of homegrown food and even held a harvest celebration, has, I believe, a powerful impact on empowerment and the sense of togetherness within the community."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"I believe volunteering strengthens communities and creates opportunities for people to support one another. It helps individuals grow, builds social connections, and makes space for initiatives that might never happen otherwise. Volunteering shows that small contributions from many people can make a difference."

volunteers in the community garden

Young man with down syndrome working in the community garden

Young person painting a wooden plant pot

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Conor volunteered from September 2024 until September 2025 with the Normal - Mental Wellbeing organisation. The project focused on strengthening mental health awareness, education and empowerment for young people aged 15-25 across Ireland, particularly within underserved rural communities.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"During the project, there was a period in which I delivered in-person workshops on consecutive Mondays over several weeks. Each Tuesday, as I returned to my role as a software engineer, I did so with a growing sense of heaviness, aware that the most meaningful and fulfilling work I was doing lay elsewhere. Feedback from school and college staff, as well as audience members, consistently encouraged me to pursue this work on a full-time basis. 

Following my return from a European Solidarity Corps meet-up in Helsinki, I made the decision to prioritise my passion and commit fully to working in mental health. As a result of this personal turning point, I am now a full-time mental health public speaker and will commence a PhD in September 2026. While this decision was frightening at first, it is one I will cherish for the rest of my life."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"Our work had a meaningful and lasting impact on the local communities involved, particularly among young people and the educators who support them. One anonymous piece of feedback captured the depth of this impact, stating: “If you have a list of people whom you have helped from the brink of suicide, you can add me to that list. Keep doing what you're doing.” 

Teachers and school staff consistently reported observing positive changes in students following the talks, including increased openness and greater willingness to seek support. Feedback surveys from participants highlighted clear behavioural changes, such as improving sleep routines, adopting practical stress management strategies, and developing healthier daily habits. 

Both in-person and online feedback repeatedly emphasised appreciation for our personal and authentic approach used throughout the project, particularly the use of anecdotal story-telling to communicate mental health concepts in a relatable and accessible way."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"My volunteering journey has had a profound impact on all of the above! Through this work, I have developed a deeper sense of purpose and clarity around what meaningful work looks like for me. Engaging directly with young people and communities has strengthened my empathy, communication skills, and ability to speak with honesty and vulnerability, qualities that now underpin both my professional practice and personal values. 

Volunteering challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, reflect critically on my own experiences, and use them responsibly to support others. It also reshaped my career trajectory, giving me the confidence to prioritise impact over security and to pursue work aligned with my values. Most importantly, this journey has reframed how I view success, shifting my focus from traditional professional milestones to long-term social contribution, human connection, and lived impact. Volunteering has not only influenced what I do, but who I am and how I approach life, work, and responsibility."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"Volunteering creates meaningful human connection and addresses real needs that often go unmet within formal systems. Through my own experience, I have seen how volunteering can translate empathy into action, turning lived experience into support, reassurance, and hope for others. Volunteering allows individuals to contribute in ways that are deeply personal and contextually relevant, often reaching people who may feel overlooked or disconnected. It also fosters mutual growth, offering those who volunteer the opportunity to develop self-awareness, purpose, and a stronger sense of social responsibility. 

Beyond individual impact, volunteering strengthens communities by building trust, reducing isolation, and encouraging open dialogue around difficult issues such as mental health. It plays a vital role in prevention as well as support, helping people access knowledge, coping strategies, and pathways to help before they reach crisis point. Ultimately, volunteering is important because it reminds us that positive change does not always require large institutions or resources, but rather committed individuals willing to give their time, skills, and compassion to improve the lives of others."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering, and for the next 30 years to come?

"My birthday wish is that EU supported volunteering continues to be recognised as a vital force for social change, particularly in areas such as mental health, where human connection is essential. For the next 30 years, I hope volunteering remains accessible, inclusive, and well supported, empowering individuals to turn lived experience into meaningful action. Most importantly, I wish for a future where volunteering not only fills gaps in society, but helps reshape systems through empathy, openness, and long-term community impact."

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026