🌿 City Health Week in Trnava: How 10 volunteers and a small city made a big impact
In June 2023, a group of 10 energetic ESC volunteers from all over Europe — Italy, Finland, Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, and Slovakia — arrived in Trnava, a cozy city full of charm, history, and bikes. None of us knew each other before. But from the moment we met at the Youth for Equality office, something clicked. What started as a group of strangers quickly turned into a tight-knit team, ready to support a big mission: bringing healthy lifestyle awareness to the local community.
With the help of our amazing coordinators (also international!), we joined forces with the local team to co-create and support a wide range of public activities and workshops during City Health Week.
💧 Our first week: Water bongs, smoothies, and sun
Our first big action? A colourful, interactive stand at the City Health Week! We invited locals to take part in fun activities like water bong games (yes, hydration can be competitive), mini wellness quizzes, and lifestyle surveys. People stopped by for health tips, nutrition info, or just a refreshing chat on a hot summer day.
We also co-organised outdoor yoga and Zumba sessions, tried our best at Slovak tongue twisters, and explored the city through a historical city game. Trnava, with its medieval charm and modern energy, started feeling like home.
🌍 From office to forest: Our second week unfolds
By the second week, we felt unstoppable. We kicked things off with an international forest walk for locals and chill chats at a playground in the woods. That same evening, we invited hip-hop dancers hit the streets, and so did we — dancing alongside locals and passersby who couldn’t resist the beat.
We organised a beach volleyball match under the blazing sun, laughed a lot, and showed that teamwork works both on and off the sand.
Midweek brought another round of yoga — this time more needed than ever — to recharge our bodies and minds.
Then came Friday, the ultimate test of our energy and coordination. We supported four different events in one day — from educational activities for school kids during the “Učiaca sa Trnava” festival, to an elegant evening gala for young local changemakers. Our tasks? Language games, puzzles, crowd engagement, setup, support — you name it. It was exhausting, but unforgettable.
🧠 Schools, workshops & impact
In our final week, we rolled up our sleeves for workshops at schools and at the office. We helped to organise four workshops in total, covering topics like mental health, first aid, sustainability, and healthy living. We worked in English, Slovak, and Ukrainian — and the young people’ curiosity made it all worthwhile.
On Eco-Day we ran short, fast-paced interactive sessions — adapting quickly, engaging young people, and learning how to keep things fun and informative.
🍲 The taste of culture: Our international night
One of the most heartwarming moments? Our Cultural Night. Every volunteer — and our coordinators too — brought traditional food, drinks, and stories from their countries. We laughed, learned, and even cried (from spice, not emotions — or maybe both). The night ended with singing Italian songs and dancing to Turkish music under the stars.
💛 Reflections from our ESC adventure
At first, we didn’t know what to expect — a new country, new people, new challenges. But what we found in Trnava was something special: friendship, purpose, and inspiration.
The Youth for Equality team welcomed us with open arms. The city embraced our energy. And together, we created something that went far beyond just one week of events. We learned how to work across cultures, how to lead, how to listen, and how to support each other. We didn’t just volunteer — we grew.
Two weeks flew by, but the memories — and the impact — will last much longer.