My name is Louna Martinez, as a volunteer at Impress in Daruvar, Croatia, my days are filled with numerous tasks that make each day unique. Often, I am tasked with creating posters for the week’s activities. Using software such as Canva, I design attractive and informative visuals to capture the attention of the community’s youth and motivate them to participate. Once the posters are ready, they are published on Impress’s social media, which we strive to keep active.
Imagining new activities is another exciting aspect of my volunteering. Whether it’s English or French classes, cooking workshops, or other creative activities, I regularly propose ideas and collaborate with the team to implement them. This allows me to be creative and contribute personally to Impress’s programs.
Interacting with the young people who come to Impress is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding aspects of my days. We play together, organize games and workshops, and share moments of joy. These interactions are precious and strengthen my skills in working with children.
Some days are dedicated to reorganizing the play and creativity space by categories. This helps optimize the use of spaces and makes activities more accessible for all young participants. I enjoy imagining new ways to organize and optimize the spaces.
We also visit schools for majorette classes. During these sessions, we organize small games to warm up the students, such as 1, 2, 3 Ninja. They often enjoy this game a lot, and so do we. We take photos of the training to share on social media. These outings are always dynamic and interactive moments with the children.
We also visit schools to conduct internet safety workshops. Educating young people about responsible technology use is essential to our educational mission.
Finally, ecology holds an important place in Croatia, and we often organize ecological days. Whether it’s cleaning green spaces or other activities, these are very important for teaching a sustainable and nature-respectful lifestyle from a young age.
In addition to all these activities, we often have free time to visit the city and explore Croatian culture. These moments of leisure and discovery enrich our experience by allowing us to explore Daruvar, meet its residents, and better understand the local culture.
The connections with the Impress team don’t stop at work. Tanja and Gazmir are always available for us, answering our questions and easing our concerns. Their support helps us feel integrated into our volunteer roles.
Each day at Impress is an opportunity to learn, share, and contribute positively to the community. This volunteering experience allows me not only to develop new skills but also to live a rewarding and unforgettable human experience.
