The Mid West Simon Community is proud to be part of the European Voluntary Service. Currently we have two German volunteers working with us, Freda Zeigler & Nina Falkenberg. Both Freda & Nina are based at our housing project in Thurles, Co. Tipperary and we look forward to posting their views later during their stay.

Please see the posts below for comments from our previous EVS Volunteers.

Name: Franziska Maentele

Nationality: German

Age: 20

After finishing school I decided to spend some time abroad to get to know another culture, improve my English and just to gain work experience.

When I first heard of the Simon Communities of Ireland I was impressed by the idea of ending homelessness and how to help people in difficult situations. I knew that it would be a great challenge to do such work.

In my work as a Full Time Volunteer in the Supported Housing Project in Thurles I saw how important it is for there to be somebody who listens to and who cares about the residents.
I have learned that not everybody’s lives turn out as they originally planned them to be. I now appreciate that simple things like talking with residents can be important and that even a game of Scrabble can make their day a bit brighter.

I really enjoyed my work in the Simon Community and will take a lot of life experience from it.
When I look back at the past 6 months I can really see that my goals got fulfilled and my time as a Full Time Volunteer in Thurles was a very positive experience.

Name: Britta Kressin

Nationality: German

Age: 19

In my school time we made a trip to Dublin and I really enjoyed the time in the Irish capital.
So when I decided that I would like to go abroad after finishing school to improve my English and to experience something different, Ireland was the first country I thought of.

The work of Simon Community with homeless people was something new for me.
I really enjoyed my time in the project especially to have a nice chat with a resident over a cup of tea. In these six months I lived a part of their lives alongside them. We celebrated together things like birthdays and Christmas, I tried to give hope when things went bad and I saw when somebody moved on. I recognised the little steps some residents made to improve their lives.
I think I got a new point of view towards life in general. On the one side I was there for them, but on the other side I learned from their experiences.

Another part was the contact with the other volunteers. Over the time you get to know many people from all over the world with their different languages and cultures. It was good to see how other people got along with the new environment and the Irish culture. As for the rain, it wasn’t that bad at all! Also Ireland was really nice to me and I got the opportunity to experience some of the most beautiful parts with sunshine!

I know that I will look back on my time here and think it was a wonderful experience.

EVS Volunteers with Mid West Simon Community

Name: Alessio

Nationality: Italian

Age: 25

Why you chose the EVS programme:

I have chosen to do the EVS programme because I saw it as a way to work in another country which I have always wanted to live in; I wanted to improve myself in life and gain experiences far from home, where everything is different and unusual for me. I’m trying to find out what I want from life and where I am meant to be.

Your Experience in Ireland:

Working with the Simon Community is a very great experience as I’m learning lots of things about homelessness and about myself as well. I never saw such a good job done from all the staff, where everything is done with honesty and understanding. Living in a small town like Thurles can be hard, and does not have many of the exciting things that you can do in a big city; but if your world inside is rich and your job is a place where you want to learn with very nice people from the clients to the staff, then everything will turn out ok.

Advice to people thinking of EVS:

My advice for anyone who is thinking about working the EVS programme is to try to take this experience not just like a holiday, but as a really valuable experience and an important journey of your life. So spend this time as best as you can, and never allow anything or someone to ruin this great adventure.
You’ll change as the world has changed around you, while and after doing the EVS program.

Name: Oumar

Nationality: German

Age: 21

Why you chose the EVS programme:

I always knew that I wanted to spend time abroad. When I finished school I knew that this was the perfect time for me to make this dream a reality. The fact that I enjoyed working in the social field and the chance to explore a new country made me choose the EVS program as the appropriate program for me. Besides this I was attracted by the humanitarian quality of the EVS program. Being abroad and to be able to do social work perfectly suits my purposes. The EVS program helped me to combine these two principal goals.

Your Experience in Ireland:

My new life abroad is totally different to my life back home in Germany. Ireland is not Germany. This is something I thought I already knew. However when I arrived here in Thurles I recognised that the theory is different from practise. No matter how much you prepare yourself for such an adventure, you will only know when you arrive in your new home. My new home here in Ireland is quiet but nice. I live in Thurles, a small town in the mid west of Ireland where the Mid West Simon project I work in is located. I have settled in very well with my new life in Ireland and I can recommend to everybody to come here to see how Ireland is.

Advice to people thinking of EVS:

I have discovered Ireland to be a country full of surprising beauty. Even simple things like a walk to your local supermarket can be a sightseeing tour in Ireland. There is always something new, exciting and unknown to discover. The Irish way of living has opened my eyes for a traditional and idyllic way of living. It has shown me how versatile Europe is.
Through my experience in Ireland I had the chance to discover this versatility in me. I am sure that exploring Europe with the EVS programme will offer you the same possibilities.