Zaza Gujabidze is a Georgian volunteer who joined organization Jugendsozialwerk in Germany in 2024 and for 11 months, carried out his long-term European Solidarity Corps project funded by the European Solidarity Corps programme of the European Union. Read more about his experience below:

“The beginning of 2025 felt like a fresh start. Living alone for the first time in another country was an experience that helped me grow and mature—it truly helped me to grow as a person.

After the usual Georgian celebrations, I set off on my journey to Germany to begin my voluntary year. I volunteered with an organization called Jugendsozialwerk in the city of Nordhausen. I volunteered for seven months, and during my voluntary year, I encountered many new and unexpected experiences.

Although I spent the majority of my time in the office, mostly helping with digital tasks like creating post designs, I also had the chance to participate in many activities outside the office. I visited schools, attended events like Thüringen Tag (Day of Thuringia), assisted with workshops, worked at a rock climbing site, and more. I even designed a workshop as my personal project.

One of the most memorable parts of my voluntary year was attending the volunteer trainings—the On-Arrival Training near Bremen and the Mid-Term Training in Würzburg. These were incredibly fun and unique experiences where I met many volunteers from different countries. We shared not only our volunteering stories but also our life experiences and cultures.

During my voluntary year, I also discovered a company where I began my vocational training in early August. Ironically, I found this opportunity at an event where my hosting organization was participating. Now, I’m still living in the same country where I volunteered, but this time as a vocational student. My voluntary year played a key role in helping me achieve this goal”.