My volunteer experience

1. My volunteer experience Živiė Aleksiūnaitė Lithuania

2. My volunteering experience started in “Social action”. • It is a non governmental organization working for youth affairs, mainly on voluntary projects. This organization has been founded in 2005 with the aim to develop and reinforce the concept of volunteering in Vilnius area. • I chose to participate in program “Youth Social Year“. • It is a long term volunteering program run in Vilnius by this organization . It is designed for people 18 – 26 years old studying in Vilnius. The program starts each year in September and finishes in May. In the beginning of the program volunteer group is formed. Volunteers work individually in allocated projects or organizations – day care centers for children or disabled people, elderly people’s home, orphanage, etc. All volunteers meet together for reflection evening once a week and throughout the year there are couple weekend seminars too.

3. So for individual volunteering work I have chosen Educational center “Hope”. • “Hope” is a new type of educational institution that provides the main special education for children and young people (3-21 years old) with disabilities living in Vilnius area. • 85% of these children do not have verbal communication and use of various communication systems supporting communication, 63% have significant motor problems and use wheelchairs. • In educational centre children have lessons by individual programs. Also they have curricular activities like sensing, ceramic, art. With children are working spec. teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapy, massage specialists, educators, motion correction specialists.

4. I was working with disabled children about 9 months in Educational centre “Hope” . The first of all what I had to learn was their specific language, because only when I could understand what they are saying to me. The second thing was a lot of information about each children individual abilities and health. Only when I had enough information about each individual and when I had a contact with them I started to work together. I helped for disabled children to do their lessons, to participate in the daily activities, go to the store together and help to shop, prepare food together, assist for disable person to eat and dress up. Also I was involved in children curricular programs, helped them to draw pictures, make sculptures and etc. Other activities in which I was involved were event organization. In events organization were involved not only personnel of educational center but also volunteers, center’s children and their family members.

5. This voluntary experience gave me so much good emotions. These people are so friendly and helpful very fast we started to becoming friends. • I changed my opinion about disabled people I understood that they also want to do the same things like other people and live complete life. • I have learn very much things about complex disabilities, autism, down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy and how to work with people with these problems. • Also I have learn how to communicate with disabled persons and help them in daily activities. • As well as I improved my organization and team work skills.

6. My opinion about volunteering is that most people who decides to become volunteers want to see new places, meet new people, experience new things and that is great! Volunteering doesn’t have to be solely about contributing to a good cause. It can also be about you having a new experience and growing as a person!

7. Also I want to say that it is so wonderful to see the smile on a people faces when you help them. In my opinion it is another very important reason to be volunteer, because you feel so happy and self-confident when you know that your help and work make other people feel better.

8. My hobbies Cycling To cook