Volunteering in residential communities for vulnerable youngsters

Hi everyone! My name is Ágota, and I was an ESC volunteer in Italy from the 26th of March to the 25th of August. I would like to write about my experiences and recommend the projects for everybody. My sending organisation was “Youth Bridges Budapest”, and honestly; I’m grateful that I got this team when I was abroad.

So, as I’ve mentioned before I attended my first project on the 26 th of March. I started to work in Genoa, in North-Italy in a community where live teenagers (only girls) from the age 13 to 18, who have physically, mentally or sexually abusive parents. The name of the community is “Buon Pastore” (Good Shepherd). I left this project after 6 weeks, ‘cause I felt that our role – as volunteers – was not defined, obvious. By the way, also for the teenager girls was not that clear who we are, what is our task there. In a nutshell: working in Buon Pastore was a good and educative experience. I developed a lot there, because in North the people speak clearly and slowly, and I also had the opportunity to learn Italian in a language course.

After 6 weeks I changed my project and travelled to Sicily. My accommodation was in Menfi, where I lived with two Portuguese girls and with an Italian social assistant. In this composition I would like to grab the opportunity and say thank you for all of those girls; they’ve always treated me with patience and love. Without them, that period wouldn’t have happened this wonderfully. Thank you Andreia, Fátima and Delia.

In Sicily, first I worked in a community where also teenagers live, but in that case, only boys between the age 16-20. This company’s name is Istituto Walden, and there’s a community in Menfi and also in Sciacca (more details about Sciacca down below). Working with the boys was pretty difficult, because between our age was not a big difference, and due to this problem I couldn’t be enough strict and professional. After 3 weeks I had to leave the project, but being there made me realise that in the future I want to work in criminal psychology.

Coordinating organisation:

The association was founded in July 2013 in Genoa by a group of young people who share experiences, common interests and the same sense of belonging to the world. 

The motivation that drives P.E.CO. to start this adventure is the will to give young people from Liguria the opportunity to live international and educational experiences, distinguishing itself as one of the few organisations active on the territory in the field of Youth Exchanges and the only one active for the European Solidarity Corps.

The association works in synergy with non-profit organisations and public institutions at local level. P.E.CO. deals with the planning and coordination of international mobility and volunteering projects promoted by the European Community such as cultural exchanges, training courses and European voluntary service.