New Head of Mission

Helping youth and children through activities: The social value of being a volunteer

Lipjan / Lipljan may not be the most beautiful city you have ever seen, but it has youth groups among the most active in the country. Home to 57,605 people, this city does not offer many opportunities for them. Nevertheless, the quiet life of the city is disrupted by the activities of a group of young people who are involved in advocacy and awareness campaigns. For these young people who represent the views of the volunteer movement, making sure they advocate these rights and support innovative volunteerism, the Lipjan / Lipljan Youth Assembly has become a home that enables these youngsters to make a difference in their city. One may ask, what is the force that drives these young people to do volunteer work? The answers are easily found among the young people of this city. "I like volunteering. I have always loved it. When I heard that there are organizations in my community that do volunteer work I expressed the desire to be part of them," says Laurita Tërpeza, Vice President of the Youth Assembly of Lipjan / Lipljan, who tells her story sitting in front of us in a café in Lipjan / Lipljan. A slight smile appears on her face as she explains that "It has been three years since I became part of this organization." 

When Laurita joined this organization, she did not know what to expect from them, but she knew what she expected from herself: to serve the community where she lives. "I didn't have expectations from the organization because I haven't had such experiences before, but overall, it is good." As for any young person who intends to complete college, exams, and living in another city to pursue studies makes it difficult to participate in their volunteer work. "It is not that I had such difficult moments, but the time with exams stopped a bit of my work as a volunteer." Laurita looks like a person who can make the best out of every experience.  She is quick to mention what she considers useful in her career. "The changes in the community that we have always brought. Those were good changes.  I consider them as the most useful thing during my career as a volunteer."

 

When our organization offered the Youth Assembly the opportunity to work with us, they saw that this was one of the rare times when they get support and a chance to be part of a bigger idea, and an opportunity to activate the children and youth of the city.  Laurita talks about the reasons why they decided to cooperate with us. She explains how PLAY is a thread of hope for smaller organizations, which try to carry out their activities for the benefit of citizens. "Knowing that our organization does not have funds with which to carry out large activities, cooperation with the organization PLAY is a great opportunity for us but also for you, I believe because we are such good volunteers that rarely can you find." She goes on to explain how she finds the new games offered by our organization. "The games that children play are more than games. In addition to the closeness they create between children, through these games, they have the opportunity to learn what it means to be discriminated against and understand that gender equality has the beauty that only this game can most easily explain it." 

 

Laurita can be seen in the middle of the circle of the children while explaining the game.

Metallic noise of glasses and bottles on the other side of the bar breaks the chain of thought. While we wait for the noise to calm down, I see her peaceful expression wander around the café. While we wait for the noise to subside, she gives me the feeling as if in front of me sits a woman with many experiences from whom she has gained the wisdom of an old person. Following the chain of my thoughts and feelings, I ask her how much the NGO where she volunteers has influenced her? She takes a bit to answer. After a few seconds, Laurita explains. "It has influenced me a lot. It has educated me more, and it has taught me things that I wouldn't learn anywhere else; it has influenced me in critical thinking, in my oratory, to be more open-minded."  I remain hopeful to meet as often as possible young people like Laurita, whose work as volunteers makes life in their cities more active and better for every person who is involved in their activities. If they do not have the opportunity to help the whole citizens of their community through their organization, they take care to do so one at a time.