As most of the long-term ESC volunteers from the project Set the Tempo are gone, we are glad that they have left behind some fantastic local volunteers who are happy to share their experience of working with them in the youth centre Aradului.
Read the testimonials here:
I really enjoyed being a volunteer at the youth centre. I am so glad I chose to join because I got the chance to meet new amazing people like Katsia, Arus and Emilia, and all the participants in our activities. I am so happy because I could do the things I am interested in and implement some of my ideas, such as the Eco Club. The youth centre brought me a little bit of hope and some happy days during these hard times.
Alice Oprea
It was my best choice. I think choosing to be a volunteer here changed me as a person. How I see things, how I deal with problems and challenges, how I talk to people I just met. Katsia and Arus are the people I want to thank for this experience the most. Without them, nothing would’ve been the same because they were there for all the activities, and they were behind them as well.
Emilia Mihuț
Here at Aradului Youth Center, I had a wonderful opportunity to engage in our community. Especially at the art club, where I got to learn and evolve my drawing skills with the help of the amazing volunteers. Even though we started meeting online, it still feels like we are together and sharing each other’s drawings.
Diana Ghilezan
The art club really helped me draw more often, meet new artists and explore my creativity through drawing themes. Overall, it is a nice experience, and I think more young artists should attend it.
Anisia Falniță
It was an awesome experience!! I met a lot of cool and friendly people. The vibe was so cosy and inspired me to create!! The space was beautifully decorated, and we had music in the background, which fit perfectly with the atmosphere. I really enjoyed the time spent there!! ✨💞
Thea Marconi
I had discovered the Youth Center Aradului in the summer of 2020 when I got involved in the project named “CiviCultura” (theatrical workshop), which was an amazing experience, and I think that was the moment when I had met Katsia and Arus, the most friendly and serene people you can ever meet. At first, I didn’t have any idea about the place of the CiviCultura event, it was a cosy place, and I didn’t pay much attention. After few weeks, I understood the concept of having a place for youth in order to develop different skills for =free= or just spend some quality time learning in a social context. Amazing. I started to follow them on Facebook, and from there, I discovered the future events that got my attention: Public Speaking workshop (this was my favourite so far, the girls coordinated the activity so well, I didn’t even feel the distance made by online events, it was so real, it was the activity that I would love to repeat, also big up for Daniel Bocsan, the man who taught us the ‘power of words’ ), Yoga Sessions online (nice activity to maintain the health) and the Art Club (where creativity is blooming). From each activity, I learned something, and I am very thankful for the experiences they have offered me, for the friendship, for the skills.
Eliza Cheşa
My experience with Aradului Youth Center is a very positive and nourishing one. To begin with, Katsia and Arus were very open and curious about my proposed ideas and very dedicated to making them happen once we agreed to start yoga classes. Their commitment and cooperation were admirable. The facilities we used are well looked after and well managed. Not only we managed to create a community where we moved and shared experiences; I feel like I gained life-long friends. Thank you for the opportunity to collaborate with you!
Oana Rotariu
Centrul de Tineret Calea Aradului helped me make new amazing friends, learn many things, and offered me a community where I can exchange my ideas and learn from others. Having the chance to be in a creative and friendly environment really helped me step out of my comfort zone and say yes more often to new experiences. Meeting the volunteers and getting to know them made me more aware of how lucky we are to be living in Romania, as many of us don’t realize this (me being one of them). I found tremendous value in getting to know more about different cultures and seeing that even though we might have different traditions and ideas, we are more alike than we think. I really hope that the youth will take this chance provided in their neighbourhoods and step out of their comfort zone; it will really expand their horizons.
Ionuț Vișoi