As it’s nearing the end of my volunteering project in Slovakia, I was looking over the memories of it in my head, and one of my favorite memories are definitely from On-arrival and Mid-term trainings. So, I decided to tell you more about these trainings and what to expect from them. 

On-arrival training takes place soon after your arrival in the host country. The purpose of On-arrival training is to welcome the volunteers and introduce them to the host country and the ESC program. Volunteers are provided with a detailed explanation of the ESC's goals, values, and expectations. Also they’re provided with essential information about the country, culture, and practical aspects of living and volunteering abroad. There are activities and discussions to help volunteers understand and adapt to the cultural differences and dynamics of their host country.

From my personal experience, the trainers were trying to facilitate team-building activities among volunteers and create a network of support. We were also given Information about our rights as volunteers, our responsibilities, and support mechanisms, including insurance and safety guidelines. As well as, Guidance on daily living in the host country, such as transportation, health care, and local customs.

In my case On-arrival training lasted 5 days, I had it with a group of other volunteers, all foreigners, who were volunteering at the same time as me, but in different parts of Slovakia. For me this was the biggest perk, as I was able to meet my peers who were in the same exact situation as me, far from home, in a new country, with new people and different cultures, trying to figure out our daily lives and function with unknown language. 

The second training, which is mid-term training, takes place a little later, around the 5th or 6th month of your volunteering, with the same group of people as before, and usually lasts for 3-4 days. The purpose of this one is to reflect on the experience so far and evaluate the progress of the volunteering project. Now the trainers want to hear about your personal experience and feedback with the project, to address any challenges or issues that may have arisen. Activities and discussions were encouraging us to reflect on our experiences, achievements, and challenges. We had a special problem solving session to address any difficulties faced by volunteers and provide solutions or strategies to overcome them. For me this training was also helpful To prepare for the remaining period of the project. I received guidance on how to make the most of the remaining time in the project and tips for life after the ESC experience, including career advice and further opportunities within the ESC or other programs.

These trainings also gave me an opportunity to travel around Slovakia and discover more of its beauty. Usually you won’t have these trainings in the same town, where you volunteer at, rather, you get to travel to a different city or a village, for example for my first training we went to Stará Lesná in High Tatras, it was during Fall, and the mountains were already covered in snow, which was absolutely beautiful. And during Mid-term training we went to Smolenicé, where we stayed in Smolenicé castle, and that was definitely an unforgettable experience. 

So, I will not spoil any more details, and just hope you will also find these trainings interesting, and make tons of memories from them. 

Text a fotka: Ani Datashvili

Ani je dobrovoľníčkou programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Mládež ulice pod koordináciou Bratislavského dobrovoľníckeho centra. Projekt bol podporený z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.