Changes... by Raluca Oancea

Context of Author

I am a volunteer coordinator, trainer and youth worker.

Country

Romania

Summary

This is not so much a story, it is more a testimony to the changes in me that have come about because of the work I have been involved in and the experiences I have received – youth work and non-formal education making changes in my perception, my way of thinking and my way of seeing things.

Story in Full

Youth work brought into my life primarily a lot of very diverse friends. It made me broaden my views, it made me think outside the box. I learned a lot of interesting things about places, other people and myself. I became more tolerant, it challenged my creativity and it made me reconsider the way I see things.

This experience brought independence for me and people around me, playfulness in learning by doing, it made me improve my ways of being. The Earth started to reveal itself like a huge garden with billions of colours that I needed to discover and, with each discovery, my heart and smile started to become more and more colourful. I offered and I received positive energy, knowledge and information, enthusiasm and different ways of seeing things.

Youth Work made me richer in something more than money can buy. And once the positive change started growing inside me, I noticed that I passed it also to others – my friends and family, my association, my community. There are many things that changed in me when I met youth work but maybe the biggest thing that I appreciated was being able to help others enjoy the learning process. I believe that in this experience you can find who you truly are, because by offering yourself and putting yourself in service to others, you learn a lot from them and you help them to learn about themselves.

The only conditions are to BE there, employ constructive communication and be willing to share information, to get 100% involved and enjoy the ride! Having a disability didn't make a difference for me and my journey in youth work but maybe it affected the impact on other people. So, once again, I learned that a change can be inside as well as leaving a mark on the world.

Links

www.adapto.ro

www.harta-accesibila.ro

Contact
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