Krzys’s Testimonial: an ESC Project at the QR52 Youth Center in Milan

Over the past year, I volunteered at QR52 Youth Center in Milan, spending my days alongside young people in the middle of their everyday lives.

My role was simple and steady. I showed up. I listened. I helped where help was needed. Some days that meant being present during activities. Other days it meant sitting next to someone, going through homework, explaining English words and sentences again and again, or helping with small daily tasks that can feel heavy when you’re young and overwhelmed. It was never just about getting things done. It was about doing them together.

Alongside this daily support, I also created and led regular volleyball sessions. The groups were mixed. Different ages, different skills, different moods. The structure stayed familiar. Warm-up, basic technique, drills, then play. Inside that structure, there was always room to adjust, slow down, laugh, or reset when the group needed it.

Volleyball became a shared rhythm. A place where repetition built confidence and movement turned into communication. Over time, I saw changes that had little to do with sport itself. Kids who once stayed on the side stepped forward.

The real lesson was quiet but clear.

You can belong without proving anything.
You can learn without being judged.
You can make mistakes and still be welcome.
You can be part of a group and stay yourself.

This experience shaped the way I lead. It taught me how much young people need consistency and how powerful routine can be when the world outside feels unstable. It also reminded me that guidance does not have to be loud to matter. Sometimes it looks like patience. Sometimes it looks like explaining the same English sentence for the fifth time. Sometimes it looks like being there, again and again.

On a personal level, this year grounded me. It slowed me down. It showed me that impact is often subtle. It lives in trust built over weeks, in shared jokes, in the moment someone finally raises their hand or joins the game without being asked.

Now, a month after the project ended, I catch myself thinking about the kids. I wonder how their English is going. If volleyball is still part of their week. If they’re doing okay. I miss the noise, the chaos, the small routines that made the days feel full.

I’m deeply grateful for QR52, for the team, and for the young people who let me into their daily world. This experience gave me far more than I expected. I hope I left something behind that lasts. A sense of safety. A rhythm they can return to. And the simple proof that showing up, consistently and honestly, can change more than it seems.