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I was volunteering in France, in Rennes, from 1 October to 30 June. This was an experience I can only recommend to everyone open to discovery, adventure, challenges and learning as well as new friendships.
I worked five days a week in Coëtlogon Vocational High School. Of course, at the beginning it was a bit stressful to find my place and comfort in a completely new environment. As an 18 year-old girl without any qualifications in the field of education, I was a bit worried about how my ideas would be received in a professional setting and how students would react to me.
However, I can honestly say that my concerns quickly faded away. Everyone was extremely welcoming and supportive especially my two mentors who were always very attentive to my needs and genuinely cared about my well-being.
My role was contributing to non-formal education in the school and strengthening the sense of European belonging. The biggest advantage but also the biggest challenge in this work was the complete liberty they provided for me. No one gave me precise instructions about what I should do, I was supposed to develop my own ideas and take initiatives. Nevertheless, I felt reassured by the teachers’ openness, enthusiasm and adaptability. They were always happy to help me to carry out my projects. With their assistance I could connect more easily to students.
For me, it was truly fascinating to experience how they got involved in my workshops, presentations etc., and I recognized it as a personal success when they shared their thoughts. I felt that during the classes, we could spend a meaningful time together which was thought-provoking both for me and for them, I hope.
But it was not only my work that made this time in France so special for me. I had one Italian and two German flatmates, also volunteers, who became my first friends, and stayed my safe persons throughout these nine months. Sometimes, being a volunteer in a foreign country felt a bit like an outsider position because people around us didn’t know much about these opportunities. They expected us to be either students or employees. Therefore, I was especially grateful for the presence of my flatmates, who were in the same situation as me, so we could understand and support each other. Later we got to know some other volunteers with whom we went out a lot, traveled around the region and in general had so much fun. Besides, we had to work on a collective project which was an important learning process and also brought the community closer together.
All in all, I am incredibly thankful for this experience. My French has improved a lot, I learned about a different school system and new educational methods, I could unleash my creativity in a supportive and reflective environment and I met amazing people and lived unforgettable adventures with them. In my opinion, there are no difficulties you can encounter during your volunteering that aren’t worth it in the end. All of them will only make you more confident.
Hosting organisation:
Hosting organisation:
The Coëtlogon Vocational High School in Rennes welcomes in total more than 1000 students. The sectors represented are: administration management with a particular European-English section since 2012; trade and sale; services to help the person in structure and at home; digital systems; the electrical trades and connected environments; the graphic design industries. International openness is very important for the establishment and transnational mobility opportunities reinforce the attractiveness of the high school and the interest in vocational training. The high school welcomes young people with fewer opportunities and from immigrant families. International orientation has been a priority for the institution for more than 10 years.
Bring life to Europe project coordinated by Association Jeunes à Travers le Monde (JTM)
Date: October 2025 - June 2026
Volunteer: Nóra Garamszegi
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