In September, our team of international volunteers joined Youth for Equality in Trnava for a three-week European Solidarity Corps team volunteering project connected to European Mobility Week.
The project focused on sustainable urban mobility, active lifestyles, environmental awareness and community engagement.
The overall programme and cooperation with local partners were coordinated by Youth for Equality, while volunteers were actively involved throughout the three weeks.
With guidance and support from the Youth for Equality team, volunteers helped with preparation and implementation of different activities, contributed their own ideas and used their interests, creativity and skills to enrich the programme.
The experience brought together people from different backgrounds to learn from each other, discover Trnava, develop new skills and contribute to activities for the local community.
Our Activities During the European Mobility Week
Getting to Know Each Other, Trnava and the Project
The beginning of the project focused on creating a supportive international team and introducing volunteers to the project, the local environment and the topic of sustainable mobility.
Through team-building, nonformal learning activities and exploration of Trnava, volunteers gradually became familiar with one another and with the city where the project was taking place.
We learned more about sustainable mobility and discussed how transport choices influence the environment, health, accessibility and everyday life in cities.
An important part of the volunteering process was also exploring the local context rather than simply discussing mobility in theory.
With guidance from the Youth for Equality team, volunteers contributed to a small survey and research activity focused on mobility habits and experiences of residents and visitors in Trnava.
Speaking with people in the city gave us an opportunity to practise communication, listen to different perspectives and better understand how people move around Trnava.
We later reflected on the information collected and contributed to summarising the findings.
From Ideas to Activities
As the project continued, volunteers became increasingly involved in preparing for the public activities connected to European Mobility Week.
Youth for Equality provided the overall framework, coordination and support, while volunteers were encouraged to contribute their own ideas and think about how sustainable mobility could be presented to the public in an accessible and engaging way.
Working together, we discussed possible activities and helped prepare different interactive elements of the programme.
Depending on their interests and abilities, volunteers contributed in different ways – through creative ideas, communication, research, preparation of materials, practical support or direct interaction with participants.
The aim was not only to talk about sustainable mobility, but to create opportunities for local people to experience and discuss it.
European Mobility Week Activities
The volunteering experience culminated in a series of public activities organised by Youth for Equality in cooperation with local partners as part of European Mobility Week in Trnava.
Volunteers supported the preparation and implementation of these activities and actively engaged with members of the local community.
Fix & Ride Workshop
The Fix & Ride activity in collaboration with city of Trnava offered local residents an opportunity to learn more about bicycle maintenance, repair and safety.
Volunteers supported the Youth for Equality team and partners during the activity, helped with practical preparation and interacted with participants.
The activity encouraged cycling as an accessible and sustainable everyday mobility choice.
Mobility Workshops
Interactive mobility activities explored topics connected to sustainable transport, environmental impact, accessibility and everyday mobility.
Volunteers helped prepare and support different activities and contributed their own ideas to make the topics understandable and engaging.
Some activities included also experts measuring environmental impact, discussing sustainable transport choices and simulations encouraging participants to consider mobility from different perspectives.
Treasure Hunt
The Treasure Hunt offered an interactive way of exploring Trnava while learning about mobility, ecology and the local environment.
Volunteers supported the preparation and implementation of the activity and helped participants engage with the different tasks.
The activity combined movement, exploration and non-formal learning.
Public Run
A community run was organised in cooperation with Love Them Running Club.
Volunteers supported the Youth for Equality team and local partner with practical arrangements, welcoming and encouraging participants and contributing to the positive atmosphere.
The activity connected sustainable urban living with movement, health and community participation.
Public Bike Ride
The public bike ride encouraged people to experience cycling as both an enjoyable activity and a practical form of sustainable transport.
Volunteers joined and supported the activity together with Youth for Equality and local partners, engaging with participants and helping create an inclusive community atmosphere.
Volleyball and Active Community Activities
Sports and informal community activities also formed part of the programme.
Volunteers supported their implementation and participated alongside local residents. These activities provided an informal environment for interaction between international volunteers and members of the local community.
Public Forum on Mobility
The programme also created space for discussion with experts about mobility in Trnava.
Volunteers had an opportunity to listen to different perspectives and contribute their own experiences and ideas alongside local residents and stakeholders.
This helped connect the practical volunteering activities with broader reflection on how cities can become more accessible, sustainable and inclusive.
Research, Reflection and the Local Context
Alongside the public activities, volunteers contributed to exploring sustainable mobility from a local perspective.
With support from Youth for Equality, we collected information and discussed mobility habits, cycling infrastructure and different challenges connected to transportation.
The survey and research were primarily a learning activity, giving volunteers an opportunity to practise communication, teamwork, information gathering and critical thinking.
Based on the information collected, volunteers also contributed ideas and observations that were later summarised and discussed.
An especially valuable moment came during our visit to Trnava Town Hall, where we met representatives of the city, including the Vice Mayor.
Together with the Youth for Equality team, volunteers had an opportunity to present the project, share observations from the activities and research, ask questions and learn directly from people involved in urban planning and local mobility.
The discussion helped us understand that sustainable mobility is not only about individual transport choices. It is also connected to infrastructure, accessibility, urban planning, public participation and long-term decision-making.
Learning Through Volunteering
For many volunteers, the public activities were outside their comfort zones.
Some initially felt uncertain about approaching strangers, communicating in another language or taking an active role in public activities.
The first part of the project therefore provided space to get to know the team, understand the programme and receive guidance and support.
As volunteers became more comfortable, they could gradually contribute more actively.
Some discovered that they enjoyed interacting with the public. Others contributed through research, creative preparation, practical support or communication.
Where volunteers had particular interests or abilities, they were encouraged to bring them into the project. For example, one volunteer took a more active role in developing and supporting a flashmob activity, while others contributed ideas to workshops, communication or research.
This flexibility allowed volunteers not only to support activities organised by Youth for Equality, but also to experience learning by doing and gradually develop confidence and initiative.
Our Volunteers’ Mobility Week Experience
The Impact and the Outcomes of Volunteering
As international volunteers, we had an opportunity to contribute to European Mobility Week together with Youth for Equality and its local partners.
The public programme allowed us to meet people of different ages and engage them in conversations and activities connected to sustainable mobility.
Rather than organising the programme independently, volunteers became part of a supported volunteering process.
We contributed ideas and helped prepare workshops and interactive activities designed to engage children, young people and adults in a playful way and raise awareness about sustainable mobility.
During the public activities, we supported the Youth for Equality team with different parts of the programme, including the community run, group bike ride, mobility workshops, bike-related activities, games and discussions.
Depending on our interests and confidence, we helped with practical preparation, communicated with participants, contributed ideas and took active roles in different parts of the programme.
Through the small survey and research activities, we also gained a better understanding of mobility habits and challenges in Trnava.
The final visit to the Town Hall gave us an opportunity to connect what we had learned with the experience of people working directly with urban planning and local infrastructure.
Overall, the experience showed us that sustainable mobility is not simply a policy issue – it is also a community effort.
For many of us, these three weeks were among our first volunteering experiences.
We arrived with different expectations, abilities and levels of confidence. Through guidance from the Youth for Equality team, cooperation with other volunteers and direct experience in the community, we gradually became more comfortable contributing our own ideas and taking an active role.
We developed teamwork, communication, intercultural, organisational and other soft skills.
Most importantly, we learned that volunteering does not mean replacing professional staff or being expected to already know how to do everything.
It means having a supportive environment in which you can learn, contribute, try new things and gradually take initiative.
We are leaving the project with new skills, experiences, personal connections and friendships that we will cherish long after the project.
– Lea (volunteer from Slovakia)
Volunteering as a Part of Personal Growth
During my volunteering journey, I had the opportunity to challenge myself, meet new people and face situations that were different from my everyday life.
This experience allowed me not only to contribute to activities organised by Youth for Equality, but also to grow personally and develop new skills.
Throughout the project, I participated in different activities encouraging people to think about sustainable mobility, use bicycles and walking more often and reflect on how everyday transport choices influence our health and environment.
Together with the other volunteers, I supported the Youth for Equality team during public activities and contributed my own ideas and energy to the programme.
I also had opportunities to communicate with members of the local community and share information about the project, volunteering and Youth for Equality.
Through these experiences, I learned the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Many activities required flexibility, communication and the ability to listen to others.
I realised that everyone can contribute something valuable according to their own qualities and skills, and that the best results often come when people support and learn from each other.
I also learned more about being reliable within a volunteering team and how my contribution could support the group.
At the same time, I never felt that I had to know everything from the beginning. We had guidance from Youth for Equality and could ask questions, learn from others and gradually become more confident.
Finally, this experience taught me a lot about myself.
I discovered strengths I didn’t know I had, gained more self-confidence and understood how rewarding it can be to contribute your time and energy to activities that bring people together.
In conclusion, volunteering was not only a way to contribute to the local community, but also an opportunity for learning and personal growth.
I am very grateful to Youth for Equality for their support and for giving me the chance to be part of this meaningful experience.
– Sofia (volunteer from Italy)
My experience: learning for myself and others
Before arriving, the most interesting aspect of the project to me was everything involving public transport infrastructure, policy making and research, as these are topics I am also involved with in my home city.
In contrast, public festival activities and engaging directly with people were things I felt much less prepared for.
The first part of the project helped me get to know the team, understand the activities and receive guidance and support from Youth for Equality in areas where I did not yet feel confident.
Meeting volunteers with different experiences and abilities also showed me that I didn’t have to be perfect at everything.
We could learn from one another, ask for help and contribute according to our own strengths.
At the same time, we were encouraged to share our own abilities and ideas where they could contribute to the group. In my case, this meant taking a more active role in helping develop and support the flashmob activity.
The week of the public activities was quite intense, but it was encouraging to see local people getting involved.
Together with the Youth for Equality team, we supported different parts of the programme, including the run club, group bike ride, workshops and bike-fixing activities.
At first, it was challenging for me to overcome the fear of speaking in public and interacting with strangers.
With support from the team and through practice, however, I gradually became more comfortable. I learned that people were often friendly and willing to share their experiences and listen to ours.
This helped me better understand both the local community and the purpose of the activities we were supporting.
During the final week, visiting the Town Hall and speaking with the Vice Mayor of Trnava and other representatives involved in public infrastructure was an especially interesting way to conclude our research and activities.
Together with the Youth for Equality team, we had an opportunity to share what we had explored during the project and discuss our observations with people who have practical experience with city planning.
Learning about the challenges and strategies involved in developing better transport and effective mobility plans gave me deeper insight into the topic.
For me, this connected strongly with what had initially attracted me to the project and showed that even a short volunteering experience can create meaningful opportunities for learning and engagement.
Overall, I learned a lot about the city, other people and myself.
Volunteering projects like this show me that people can achieve much more when they work together, contribute different abilities and support one another.
– Ugne (volunteer from Lithuania)
