It’s been six months since I joined Youth for Equality as a volunteer, and honestly, it’s flown by. I’ve picked up new skills, met people from all over Europe, and watched one of my own ideas, a board game night – turn into something people genuinely look forward to. Here’s a quick look back at how it all went
Finding My Footing
I started in February, and my first weeks were all about getting to know how the organisation works. I dove into our social media, figuring out what kind of content connects with our audience, and started building my skills in Canva – designing posts, stories, posters, open calls, and banners. I’d used Canva before, but by the end of the month I felt like I’d levelled up completely
I also got my first taste of managing our website, learning WordPress for the very first time. It wasn’t something I expected to pick up as a volunteer, but it’s turned into a skill I know I’ll use again
A big part of settling in this smoothly is thanks to Lea, my coordinator, who’s always there to help, listen, and point me in the right direction
That same month, I pitched my own idea: a monthly board game night to bring young people together. I planned the format, picked the games, designed the poster and in March, I ran it for the first time. People actually showed up, ready to spend an evening with us, and it felt like a real first win
Building Momentum
March and April were full of new experiences. Alongside the board game nights, I joined our weekly English Speaking Club, held every Tuesday – a great excuse to brush up on a language I don’t get to use much day to day
One of the highlights of this period was our volunteer arrival event in Terchová, four unforgettable days meeting volunteers from across Europe, exploring the Janošíkove Diery, and diving into topics that stuck with me long after we got home
Back in Trnava, planning kicked off for our biggest summer project: City Health Week. I helped shape activities for our volunteers, designed banners, posters and story templates, and reached out to potential sponsors – writing letters, following up, and hoping for the best. We also started our first community club sessions in Modranka, spending time with local children through games and everyday moments together, and began preparing for Earth Day, learning a lot about waste and recycling along the way
Balancing volunteering with the final year of university (and a thesis!) has kept me busy, but small wins along the way made it all worth it – like the day a sponsor package finally arrived after months of letters. Seeing your work actually bear fruit is one of the best feelings
The Festival: City Health Week
By June, all that preparation paid off. Volunteers from several countries joined us, and within days it felt like we’d known each other forever. I managed our social media throughout the project and led ice-breakers to help the group bond early on
We packed the weeks with events: a Human Library at the local library, where we gave presentations about our home countries and shared food and stories. The Ucasa Trnava festival, where I helped translate game rules into Slovak so local children could join in and, of course, the two-day City Health Week festival itself – sports, quizzes, a chill-out zone with breathing exercises, Zumba (one of my favourite parts), and a lot of moments of just being present together
I also kept up my own board game evening, which has become something I genuinely look forward to hosting each month
What I’ve Learned
Six months in, the biggest changes aren’t just the design skills or the WordPress know-how they’re in how I communicate. Talking with people from different countries and cultures, and pushing through the nerves of speaking in front of a group, has stretched me in ways I didn’t expect. Every project has taught me something, and every event has reminded me why I started
With two more projects still ahead of us, there’s plenty left to prepare ,but if the last six months are anything to go by, I know we’ll pull it off, and I’m genuinely excited to see how it unfolds
