ESC Team at Cooperativa One in Italy | Inès, Angelo, Martyna and Pedro Share Their Experience!
The ESC Team project “Team for Healthy Life 2 – T4HL”, financed by the European Solidarity Corps programme and run by Associazione Joint in cooperation with Cooperativa One in Italy, has come to an end!
The overall objective of the project, in accordance with the priorities set for 2021, was to promote well-being and a healthy lifestyle for the volunteers and local communities. It was an opportunity for participants to reclaim a space to socialise in a healthy and safe manner, while engaging in volunteer activities that promote the inclusion of vulnerable groups, health and wellbeing in communities.
Project activities touched on specific themes, in accordance with the host organisation and the needs of the local community:
- nature and outdoor life
- mental health
- health prevention/health promotion
- conscious nutrition
Let’s see what participants have to say about it!
Inès’ Testimonial
The two months of volunteering in Italy that transformed my vision of the world and humanitarianism. For two months, I had the opportunity to take part in a European volunteering project in Italy, surrounded by 18 other volunteers from all over Europe. This adventure was much more than a simple international mission: it was an experience rich in emotions, learning and memorable encounters. Our project was both diverse and high-impact. We carried out a variety of activities that touched on essential causes:
● Accompanying mentally and neurologically handicapped children, as well as migrants, creating moments of exchange and sharing.
● Distributing meals to the homeless and bringing them a little comfort through our human interactions.
● Work on solidarity farms, notably for anti-mafia cooperatives, planting vegetables, renovating land or harvesting olives.
● Clean up beaches to help preserve the environment and support local ecological initiatives.
Each action, however modest it may seem, was a step towards a positive impact, not only on the people helped, but also on us, the volunteers.
This project was a real opportunity for personal development. By taking part in activities such as theater, dance and even volleyball, I was able to explore facets of my personality that I didn’t know existed. These moments, far from being just for fun, strengthened the cohesion between the volunteers and encouraged our individual expression. For example, theater helped me to communicate better, overcome my shyness and create more authentic bonds. We also learned a lot from the people we helped. Interacting with migrant or disabled children, often marked by complex life paths, was a lesson in empathy and resilience. These exchanges also enabled us to discover new cultures and traditions, enriching our vision of the world. If I could do a volunteer project like this again, I wouldn't hesitate, and I urge everyone to do the same.
Martyna’s Testimonial
I’ve spent 2 incredible months as a volunteer in Crotone and I can confidently say it was one of the best experiences of my life. During my time there I had the opportunity to participate in various activities where I learned how important is to helping others. By organising and taking part in activities with migrants or helping to prepare and distribute food for people in need, I realised how small gestures make a big difference. Every single day brought me new challenges, opportunities and beautiful moments! I am especially grateful for the chance to step out of my comfort zone and try so many new things. It was also very exciting to meet volunteers who were interested in the same things and built friendships with them! This experience has inspired me to continue volunteering and I can’t wait to participate in another projects in the future!
Angelo’s Testimonial
Sometimes, things happen not because you truly want them to, but because they simply must happen. That’s exactly what’s frightening. In life, human beings fear the unknown. In my case, though, I’ve never felt that fear in the strict sense; my only real fear is not being remembered a hundred years from now. That’s why someday I’ll demand my children name their children—and their children’s children—after me, under threat of being cut out of my will. Rather than fear, it was more of a worry: the anxiety of finding myself in a worse situation than I’m in now, of wasting time, of shouldering one more burden. We all have our worries, and even if they’re often unfounded, we cling to them, almost as if we didn’t want to let them go—as if they’ve become part of who we are. When I accepted the European volunteer project, I told myself I’d send a cancellation email shortly, probably within a week. I was in Sicily, busy with my work as a tour operator—a job that keeps me constantly on the move, juggling groups of students and tourists, even in summer, when the heat drains every ounce of energy. Managing groups of children isn’t easy, especially when some have particular needs. This past summer, I had to expel a girl who caused havoc in our facility, setting part of it on fire and shouting that there were thieves around, sending everyone into a panic. Then we removed a nine-year-old boy who hadn’t yet learned the boundaries of acceptable behavior. It was a tough summer, but someone had to do it. And so, I noticed the week had passed, and the cancellation email… I hadn’t sent it. I realized it on September 15, with the project beginning October 1. And now? Was I supposed to leave? “Whatever,” I thought, “I’ll send it tomorrow… Maybe I’ll first take a work trip to Germany, and then I’ll deal with all this.” It’s November 11, 2024, and here I am in Crotone, taking part in a European volunteer project for the first time, attempting to write an article on the experience. But ironically, I’m writing about everything except the project. Because, in the end, this isn’t a real article; it’s just a bit of venting. My work as a tour operator has me traveling constantly, and this is what I love about my job. I’m always on the go; I’ve become practically a nomad—or rather, a homing pigeon, since this year only Taylor Swift has probably taken more flights than I have. Paris, Dublin, Malta, Austria, Vietnam, all across Portugal (which has left a lasting impression on me), and within Italy, the Dolomites in winter and Sicily in summer, which has a beauty all its own. Every time I share these experiences, my colleagues respond with comments like, “From Paris to Crotone, that’s a leap, huh?” My reply is always the same: “In life, you win some, you lose some.” (And, for the record, I didn’t even like Paris that much.) On October 1, 2024, after a six-hour drive, I arrived in Crotone. The first image that struck me was the bright display of Rino Gaetano’s words: “But the sky is always bluer.” Soon after, I saw the castle, and well-kept streets—the first impression wasn’t bad at all; in fact, it left me with a good feeling. Then I met my colleagues for the European project: they all spoke English, while I… let’s say I knew just a few words here and there. Once I got past this initial phase of fears, I decided to throw myself into the experience. We had a week of training with exercises that seemed almost pointless, intended to build group camaraderie. And that’s exactly what happened: like the proverbial boiled frog that doesn’t notice the water heating up, we’d bonded as a group without even realizing it. With time, I developed a decent level of comfort with English. Not that I’d pass for a Londoner, but as nature dictates, when you’re forced to learn something to survive, you do. In those early days, I sought contact with locals, going to the gym, restaurants, or bars for coffee or gelato. In Crotone, even in November, you can enjoy gelato without freezing your teeth! I won’t say everyone I met was perfect—no one is (myself included)—but I connected instantly with many of them. Even with those who held different opinions, we still found common ground. One of the most significant aspects of this project has been working on properties seized from the mafia and managed by the association “Libera.” I come from a city where the mafia has deep roots, but hearing these topics discussed by a representative of Libera was deeply moving. Many people have only a vague idea of the mafia, almost as if it were a game. Even in Italy, few truly understand it. A European volunteer thought the mafia was an ‘80s phenomenon, so I explained that in my hometown of Foggia, to this day, there are bombings and murders in broad daylight over unpaid protection money. Yet, no one in the north talks about it, as if it doesn’t matter to anyone. Sharing this reality with people from other countries made me feel that perhaps, outside our borders, someone might understand. Talking to Pedro, a guy from Lisbon, I realized how meaningful it was to explain to another European what the mafia is like in Italy today. Another powerful experience was working with the association Sabir, which welcomes newly arrived migrants. Although at first I felt a certain apprehension, perhaps due to my own biases, I learned to engage with them, to talk and play games. I hope that what we did has taught them to love this country, and, above all, to love themselves, so we can all share and live together. Through this project, I listened to stories from young people who traveled across East Asia, enduring unspeakable hardships to find a better future and support their families back home, often mired i extreme poverty. I believe that anyone who goes through such an ordeal deserves at least one chance, even if it’s just one. I didn’t do anything extraordinary: I did simple tasks like maintaining the hostel “Casa di Chiara,” where we stayed, and harvesting olives. Yet, doing these things alongside people from different cultures made everything more special, adding richness to each moment. In life, it’s easy to get bored, and we probably spend 70-80% of our time trying to escape boredom. The only thing that can truly reawaken interest is nurturing curiosity, a desire to know more. That’s why I love my job: I travel, and I learn. Now, looking back, I realize that in this time I spent in Crotone, I’ve learned far more than I could have imagined. I got to know a beautiful city, both aesthetically and internally, and I discovered values I could only brush upon before. I came here expecting to “lose” something, but instead, I found that I’ve won—I’d even say I’ve hit the jackpot. In conclusion, it’s been an experience like a Wes Anderson movie: a comedy with the seriousness that life demands, where there are no real villains, only people with internal conflicts, maybe stemming from a lost innocence. Sure, there were no perfectly vertical, symmetrical shots, but only because Crotone is all uphill.
Pedro’s Testimonial
I had just finished a turbulent period in my life, and I was struggling to make sense of what to do with it. When you are young you feel like you still have your whole life ahead of you, but the sea of possibilities can be overwhelming at some point. I wanted to do something productive with my time, something in which I contributed to society, where I could use my skills and competences to help those in need. When I discovered this project, I had no doubts that this was the right path for me as I would be directly contributing towards the social improvement of a local community in need. After being accepted to the project, I was feeling nervous yet excited about this new adventure. The expectations started building up, but I did not expect them to be exceeded like they were. The work we did with the migrant community, and the social activities with the local population, such as distributing food to people in need, made me feel like I was making a difference and creating a real impact on peoples’ lives. The activities in this project were so diverse that I was able to learn multiple new skills. Our lovely mentor (Alessandra) divided the volunteers according to their strengths, which allowed us to learn more about different topics. During these two months we had the opportunity to take part in workshops on topics like dance, theatre, comics, judo, journalism, cocktails and pizza making. Moreover, the fact that we were such a diverse group of people allowed us to learn more about different cultures, not only their languages but also their national recipes. On a personal level, I am glad I was able to have weekly Italian classes and got the chance to learn so much about Italian culture. During this project I lived what probably were two of the best months of my life- I got to meet incredible people, I got the chance to leave my comfort zone and try different activities, I got to experience local culture and food, visit beautiful places, and, most importantly, feel like I took an active role in the local community. I believe that young people have a duty to become the main promoters of social change. This project is undoubtedly the place to start, as it puts the volunteer in the heart of a local community that is in need of help, while providing all the tools to make them feel at home.
ESC Teams with the European Solidarity Corps
The special feature of the ESC Teams is its short duration, ranging from 2 weeks to a maximum of 2 months. This aspect makes it accessible also to young people who work or study and cannot dedicate a whole year to travel! Despite the brevity of the projects, Group ESCs offer meaningful and intense life experiences, during which numerous professional skills can be acquired. Moreover, by sharing life and work with a group of people, similar to a community, lɜ participants have the opportunity to create strong bonds even in a short period of time.