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CONTACT Reach Us Anytime For general enquiries, contact our headquarters today: Tel: 0151 330 0552 Fax: 0151 284 2674 ​ Email: info@expandinghorizons.co.uk ​ 46 Medway New Strand Shopping Centre Bootle, L20 4SR United Kingdom ​ Opening Hours Mon-Thu: 09:30 - 17:00 Fri: 09:30 - 16:00 Sat-Sun: Closed GET IN TOUCH SUBMIT Thanks for submitting!

< Back Peace Barbers Charlene, a qualified barber, and manager at Peace Barbers in Childwall, Liverpool, has recently set up a C.I.C (Community Interest Company) teaching parents of children with autism or other neurodivergent disabilities how to cut hair. Charlene has been a barber since 2015, working at several different venues throughout the City of Liverpool. It was during this time that she met a guy called Martin who explained that his young son Harry had a disability which made it difficult for him to have his hair cut and he would be turned away from barbers. With no prior experience of dealing with people with disabilities, Charlene offered to cut Harry’s hair. The following week, Martin’s wife, Debbie, brought Harry into the shop. On arrival, Charlene sensed that Harry was anxious. He was also non-verbal meaning that she couldn’t communicate as well as she would have with her other customers. She hadn’t experienced anything like this before so naturally, it also made her quite anxious, although she didn’t let Harry, or his Mum know this. By the end of the haircut, Charlene wasn’t quite happy with the final cut but when turned to Debbie to see tears in her eyes. Debbie shared that it was the best haircut Harry had ever had! As Charlene moved to other barber shops, Harry and his family followed even though some of the shops could be busy with long waiting times. Following Charlene’s experience with Harry, she decided to open her own barber shop with dedicated appointments for adults and children with disabilities or sensory issues. This gave her the time and attention needed for each customer putting them at ease and giving them her best service. She has met some of the most beautiful families, each with their own unique story of their experiences within barber shops and is proud to have been featured in the Liverpool Echo https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/liverpool-barber-shop-fiveways-caters-14393721 , she is also ecstatic that the majority of her customers have stayed with her over the years despite the trauma caused by the pandemic. Following the pandemic, Charlene felt that much of her hard work, time and dedication to her customers quickly unravelled. Her customers were desperate for haircuts and to get back into their routine that she was overwhelmed with appointments, however, customers were booking but not turning up. This had a detrimental affect on Charlene’s business and emotional state leaving her disappointed and frustrated. Many customers were feeling as though they didn’t want to leave their homes and were contacting to ask for a mobile service, but due to the overhead costs already associated with the shop, a mobile service was not viable, so customers had to be turned down. It was because of this that Charlene had an idea to rethink and restart by offering tutoring in Basic Barbering Skills for parents/guardians and, carers for children/adults with hidden disabilities. This would teach parents, guardians, and carers to cut hair in the comfort of their own homes, giving as much time as needed rather than the 30-minute slots she was able to offer in the shop. Charlene has already successfully trialled two courses which gained fantastic feedback and led her to set up a C.I.C (Community Interest Company) to provide these services FREE of charge to families who really need it. The course will also apply to teachers within special education schools and any children in hospitals for long periods of time. Do get in touch if this is something you’d be interested in. peacebarbers@gmail.com Project Gallery Previous Next

< Back My full experience in Croatia. Learn about Ellie's inspirational volunteering experience in Croatia. I first thought of doing an EVS in December 2018 when I had decided to stop my studies. I felt as though I needed a big change in my life because I did not know what I was doing. I did not know what I exactly was working towards. Essentially, I didn’t know who I was as a person or what I was like being completely and thoroughly independent. Understandably, I could have felt like this because I am only 19 years old and with people my age (or similar ages) there is this vast amount of pressure to have your life put together and your future to be planned out. However, it is unrealistic; therefore I chose to leave my home and picked Croatia as my EVS destination to discover what I had to offer to myself. In February I started to search for a placement and I had applied for many but initially chose Croatia. Within 3 weeks I heard back from Mreža Udruga Zagor that they had accepted my application and wanted me to join their team as a volunteer. At this point I had just under a month to prepare myself to leave my home for what was originally going to be 12 months. I didn’t think it would be difficult leaving even though I had never been that far away from home before. All of a sudden, it was March 20th; my leaving date. Of course I was nervous because I was going to be meeting a lot of new people and being in a country that is very different to the UK would be nerve racking for anybody. The first three months in Croatia was really exciting. Everything was new, I was living out of my comfort zone, and I had my independence from home which is something I had never had prior. Month one was me basically getting to know who I was working with, getting to know my surroundings in the town, Zabok, and understanding how to say very basic words to people whenever I would be out. For my actual volunteering service I started out by taking photographs of the workshops our organisation would put on in the green room in our building. These workshops would be things like editing videos/photographs, radio jingles, and events about EVS. Other times I would take photos during elections that were happening across different towns in the Zagorje area. They lasted about 2 months as the elections had a deadline. I enjoyed going to the different towns because I was able to see the real suburb areas of Croatia and witness how true Croatians lived. It was a lot different to how a lot of European countries are perceived to be. It was real. Coming up to my fourth month away I could feel a change within myself. I knew I was not the same person who had left the UK. I had already become more confident because I was speaking to different people every day (sometimes not in English) and constantly having to engage in new conversations. One thing I noticed when conversing with new people was that they always asked me the same few questions: “What is it like living in the UK?”, “Where is your accent from?”, “What is your opinion on Brexit?” and “Can you speak Croatian yet?”. All this was like a breath of fresh air for me because I was not used to being asked so many questions and for people to take more interest in what I had to say. Regardless, in my fourth month I had more time to think about what I wanted to do for my personal project. This was something I could do that could give back to the community I was living in and try and leave my mark there once I left per se. So, I decided to tutor English to a few young people who wanted to practice and become more fluent in the language. In preparation to this I had to create materials in which I could teach to individuals. This included such things as: worksheets, PowerPoint’s, grammar exercises, and homework. At this point I realised this was something I had an actual interest in and something I thoroughly enjoyed. One of my favourite parts of my personal project was being able to see my “students” improve and become more optimistic on their English skills. Within the few months after beginning my personal project I had other projects to do in my organisation. I and our other volunteer had to make a video on what EVS means, how it has changed us and why more young people should get involved. For this I was the artist in our video as I drew pictures representing different stages we had hit during our EVS whereas the other volunteer would edit each shot to make it into a short film. Nonetheless, my time abroad was not all work. I had the opportunity to do some travelling around neighbouring countries (Hungary and Slovenia) and a few cities/towns in Croatia (Pregrada, Klanjec, Zaprešić, Donja Stubica, Orahovica, Zagreb etc). It was such a privilege to be able to visit all these places and just delve into the culture that was handed to me. Personally, the travelling aspect is what made my entire experience living in a different country more enjoyable. To top off everything, I had made a realisation in September I wanted to go back home to the UK. I had become homesick and felt as though I had figured out my purpose and what I wanted to do with my life. During the time spent in Croatia I became more self assured in so many different ways. Before I left I lacked self confidence and was lost in a sense; now just over 3 months of being back home I am the happiest and healthiest I have ever been and have been gifted with a lot more opportunities that I will always be grateful for. Sometimes you do have to push yourself until you become comfortable and at peace within yourself which is what I did by moving away for 8 months. A question I ask myself is, “Would I do it again?” and I can one hundred percent say I would. Previous Next

< Back Leonardo, 26, Italy Merseyside Expanding Horizons offers opportunities to people from different background to get valuable working experiences abroad, by sending and hosting volunteers and interns. We want to share the stories of some of these brave people, who have moved to Liverpool from other countries. Which is your qualification degree and what encouraged you to candidate to MEH? Why did you choose MEH? I have a Masters Degree in Local Development, which was focused on project management and sustainable territorial development. I started in MEH first as an intern from January to May 2018. ​ I chose MEH because the work of the organisation is in line with my background and when I had the interview with Anna (transnational programme manager) I became immediately interested in MEH's projects and Anna's enthusiasm was contagious. I remember that when I finished the interview, I couldn't wait to start! I also wanted to improve my English. Why have you decided to get an internship abroad? The internship with MEH was not my first internship abroad. At the time of the interview I was in Brazil carrying out an internship in a prefecture. But I had always wanted to spend some time in an English speaking country, to really experience the language. MEH works in an international context with different employees around the world: how do you find yourself in this context? Which are the differences that you noticed most between English culture and your home country? ​ Ever since I was a child, my parents were always encouraging me to go abroad. I used to go in Germany for one week every summer and today I do feel very comfortable in an international environment. Besides, since I worked with international projects and my master was in international cooperation it's normal that I found myself in this environment and I really enjoy it. The difference that I noticed is that British people tend to be more "direct" than Italians. Work and personal lives are generally more separated than in Italy. What is the thing that are you missing most about your home country? ​ I am missing my family, including my cat, and the food: in particular the "parmigiana" (a bake with tomato, aubergine and mozzarella). I also miss the contact with the nature that I can't find here, because Liverpool is pretty industrial. What is the thing that you like most and the thing that you would like to change about Liverpool? ​ The thing that I like most is the fact that it is a very cultural, there are a lot of opportunities and things to do. It is also very international. I would like to change the weather, although the last summer has been warm..ish. Describe MEH in 3 words Motherly, inclusive and a bit crazy ​ MEH works in an international context with different employees around the world: how do you find yourself in this context? Which are the differences that you noticed most between English culture and your home country? ​ Both from a personal and a professional point of view, this has been one of the best international experiences I have made in my life, because I learnt a lot, I had the opportunity to take responsibilities and develop my own projects. From a personal point of view, I have learned to be more open minded and to do things differently, for example to understand the different point of views of different people. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? (personal point of view) 100%! I have learnt a lot, and most importantly, I experienced different ways of working, and has helped me to develop my own. Moreover, I developed important professional and personal relationships, that I am sure will last a lifetime. Previous Next

Join Our Team “If there was ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, IT IS NOW!” Cheryl J Barclay Apply As part of our ongoing development and growth, we have a new exciting role to join our dynamic and diverse team. You will have the opportunity to work both across Liverpool, within our sister organisation in Ireland and across other EU countries. If you have excellent coordination/project management skills, experience of supporting people to take part in research, training and develop their skills, and are passionate about empowering people to reach their potential then we would love to hear from you. ​ ​ Full time role available: 1 x EU Project Coordinator/Trainer ​ To apply for either role please send your CV and a covering letter (1500 words max) detailing how your skills and experiences demonstrate the person specification and job description. Please note that the successful applicant must have permission to work in the UK. If you would like an informal chat about the vacancy, please call Joe Hemington on 07539786999. ​ ​ Job Description

< Back Anja Marojević Project Manager Assistant Anja Marojević from Montenegro, and is currently a Master's student at the University of Parma. Anja enjoys travelling to different countries, seeing how other people live, think, and eat. She usually says that when you travel to a new country, the food will tell you a lot about its culture. So, you can imagine, her favourite thing to do is trying new food and experiencing new cultures! Her ambition has always been to work with a group of people that are eager to assist those in need and to support local communities, she says: “Volunteering at MEH has provided me the opportunity to do so, as well as work in a multicultural setting that inspires me to do my best. I'm excited to see what the future holds"! anjamarojevic@expandinghorizons.co.uk

< Back Bryan Walsh Employability Manager Bryan is our Employability Manager, he has 30 + years experience working within the public, private and third sector with expertise in Careers Advice and Guidance, Employability, Mentoring and stakeholder and Employer Engagement. Bryan is a talented trainer with a special interest in capacity building for employers, professionals and organisations, additionally he is incredibly passionate about creating and implementing projects on a Local, Regional, National, European and International level. Further to this Bryan is a gifted musician and was nominated for an awarded for composing and performing a song to promote the Blood Donor Service, an excellent example of combining his passion and core values together. bryanwalsh@expandinghorizons.co.uk

< Back Garden Legal Garden Legal was started up by a group of young lawyers who identified a deficit in the knowledge of basic Human Rights in the wider Zambian population but more particularly among children. As a group of people passionate about our profession and patriotic for our Country we are aggrieved by the wide gap of ignorance blocking the free flow of the Rule of Law in our Country. Having been law students ourselves, we identified another gap; the lack of practical experience for Law students to use their acquired knowledge in CV enhancing activities. We decided to do something about it and came up with a program that fills both gaps. Garden Legal tackles passive injustice stunting the full actualisation of the Rule of Law in Zambia caused by ignorance of basic Human Rights among children and the general population at large, which may also be simultaneously contributed by their; • Fear that no one will hear and their lack of confidence in the Judicial system; and • The need for Students to engage in CV enhancing activities. Visit us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ive-m-gardner/ #legal #lawyers #law #linkedin #people #humanrights #cv #students Project Gallery Previous Next

< Back Nicola Daley Chief Executive Nicola is our Chief Executive of MEH and has worked at MEH for over 20 years, previous roles included project management and development in the voluntary and public sector with a specific focus on European and Transnational co-operation. Nicola has significant experience in business planning, strategic development, fundraising and financial planning as well as programme delivery and development of multi-agency learning, employment and enterprise programmes particularly working in the fields of Social Inclusion, Equality and Diversity, learning and employment, Social Enterprise and Health at a Local, National andEuropean Level. Nicola has served as a trustee board member for several local organisations and is currently a Director of the Josep Lappin Centre, the community Hub where MEH are based. Nicola has also been accepted as a mentor for the girls network. Nicola is passionate about active living, health and well being and is a dedicated runner and yoga practitioner. nicoladaley@expandinghorizons.co.uk

< Back Basma, 26, Egypt Basma, 26, came to Liverpool all the way from Egypt and has enjoyed her stay so far. European Voluntary Service (EVS) is a great way to get valuable working experience abroad. Merseyside Expanding Horizons offers opportunities for people to participate in EVS, by sending and hosting volunteers. ​ What made you apply to a European Voluntary Service (EVS) project? I applied for EVS project in Europe for many reasons. First is the cultural exchange and volunteering concept. Second, I want to develop my communication skills and technical skills through working with an international organisation like MEH. Why have you decided to get an internship abroad? I want to get an experience from a European work environment, especially because I come from Egypt so I want to gain new experiences and skills and to develop my career path working in the youth field and volunteering. MEH works in an international context with different employees around the world: how do you find yourself in this context? Which are the differences that you noticed most between England culture and your home country? I am motivated to work in multicultural environment so volunteering with MEH is very suitable for me. I come from a Mediterranean African country so the culture here is totally different from my own. I am gaining new habits and I enjoy the English traditions for example their habit of drinking a lot tea and infrastructure of UK, especially Liverpool. What is the thing you are missing most about your home country? Family and friends, but I chat with them online daily. What is the thing you like most and the thing you would like to change about Liverpool? ​ The thing I would like to change is absolutely the weather, because Egypt is very sunny the whole year. I love very much the museums and all the sightseeing’s. Describe MEH in 3 words. Multicultural, helpful, professional. Do you think that your experience in MEH has changed something in your being? (Professional and unprofessional point of view) Yes of course, I’d say I’ve gained a lot of technical and communicational skills which will help me to improve my career and life. Also the experience with MEH has met my expectations and I have developed the skills of proposal writing and many technical skills. Also the work spirit is amazing and I get support from everybody on the team. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? (Personal point of view) Yes, MEH gave me a lot of support to join the team and to get this EVS opportunity, especially in UK. Also working in the multicultural environment has given me self-confidence and experience. When I return to my country I will have a lot of experiences and memories for sure. Previous Next

< Back Wilson Weaver Partner Employer Coordinator Wilson is MEH's Enterprise Connector and specialises in adult education at a local and European level. Wilson has a decade of experience teaching learners of all ages and has a keen interest in making learning practical for the benefit of enterprises. Wilson is also a youth worker and is eager to support volunteers. The Big Onion in Bootle Stand is the base for most delivery of Open Awards Courses, and this is a key ESF project for the organisation in helping to rethink the high street. wilsonweaver@expandinghorizons.co.uk