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< Back Anna Bellan Transnational Programme Manager Anna is the Transnational Programme Manager responsible for Youth and Migration at MEH. She designs, manages, delivers and evaluates programmes and projects at local and international level. As a sociologist, she masters techniques and tools of Social Research and has insight into multicultural contexts through her international work experiences. As a trainer of youth and adults she strongly believes in maieutic approaches and involves learners through creative and interactive learning experiences. Anna has strong interest in topics such as human rights, gender equality, youth development, sustainability, intercultural dialogue and social inclusion, and liaise with other stakeholders on coordinated advocacy campaigns. annabellan@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 Cinzia, 25, Italy 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. This article is part of the series, where we share the stories of these brave volunteers and interns, who have moved to Liverpool from other countries. Cinzia, one of our Italian team members started working with MEH in November 2018. What made you apply to a European Voluntary Service (EVS) project? After my studies I wanted to do something that I have never done before. I was not ready to enter the world of work, so I decided to do something alternative, something that would give me the opportunity to improve my work skills but also to grow from a personal point of view. Why have you decided to get an internship abroad? ​ I wanted to challenge myself. After my studies in Germany I was not ready to go back home and I was looking for some opportunities abroad in order to acquire some experience and to improve my English. 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 have always wanted to live abroad and experience new cultures, environments and meet new people. Before coming to the UK, I did a Master in European Politics where I met classmates from all over the world. I really loved exchanging ideas, opinions and habits, because they help you to think more about yourself and to gain a different perspective of the world. It was literally a personal growth and I feel that working at MEH is giving me the same opportunities. What is the thing you are missing most about your home country? Food and nice weather of course! My family also, which has always been a great support for my trips and adventures abroad even if they would love me to go back home. What is the thing you like most and the thing you would like to change about Liverpool? I love Liverpool because there are many things to do and because the environment is really multicultural. People here are very friendly and easy to talk with (even if sometimes they are impossible to understand because of their scouse accent!) If I could change something about Liverpool it would definitely be the cleanliness of the city, because sometimes it is really dirty. Describe MEH in 3 words. Flexible, multicultural, broad. Do you think that your experience in MEH has changed something in your being? (Professional and unprofessional point of view) MEH has definitely changed me. During these months I have learnt new skills and qualities that I did not even know to have and it has been teaching me a lot about my future dreams and dream job. I have also learnt about my strengths and weaknesses, and how to overcome them. ​ Working at MEH is sometimes a challenge; many deadlines, many projects, but it is also rewarding when working with the community and with young people. Indeed, feeling like you can make a difference on something and someone other than yourself is rewarding. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? (Personal point of view) For sure. MEH is helping me to enhance my confidence and self-esteem, encouraging me to do more and to overcome my fears. All the skills that I am learning here are helping me to clarify my ideas about my future job career. 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

< 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 Carmen, 26, Italy Carmen came to Liverpool in February and describes internship abroad being a good way to get out of the comfort zone to grow as a person. What is your qualification degree and what encouraged you to candidate to MEH? Why did you choose MEH? ​ My academic history is pretty wide. I have a bachelor’s degree in Communication for Culture and the Arts while, for the Master’s, I decided to move to the International relation and Human Rights field. My first contact with MEH was suggested by a Sicilian NGO, Per Esempio Onlus, with whom I had several collaborations in the past. They are also a long-time partner of MEH. ​ Why have you decided to do an internship abroad? I’ve always believed that there is nothing more formative than spending some time abroad. First and most obvious, it is the greatest way possible to learn and improve a foreign language. In fact, different environments and situations as well as the necessity to interact with others create a continuous learning effort, while being surrounded by locals allows a full immersion in the foreign culture and lifestyle. But the most important aspect is getting out of the comfort zone. Leaving alone and dealing with different, unexpected things make us face our weaknesses and helps to recognise unknown aspects of our personality. ​ I love to travel, explore, and challenge myself. My head is always filled with questions and I found that shifting is the best way to give these questions an answer. MEH works in an international context with different employees around the world, how do you find yourself in this context? I felt comfortable since the beginning. The work environment is really cosy and friendly. Having the possibility to talk and share with lots of people from different backgrounds has been an incomparable opportunity. I would define MEH’s environment familiar and stimulating at the same time. Which are the differences that you noticed most between English culture and your home country? ​ First of all, I think Liverpool’s citizens put a different focus on the local production. I really miss the Italian local markets that are a good way to support the community as well as eat healthier and more sustainable food. Secondly, I think that here the people are more stress-free and cares way less about what the others think about themselves and their behaviour. I‘ve found it very inspiring. What do you miss most about your home country? What I miss most is the sun, both in a physical and metaphorical prospective. The more I travel the more I fall in love with my island, its inhabitants and its joie de vivre, in contempt of its own several faults. I miss the way in which we put human relationships at the heart of our day-to-day experience. What is the thing you like most and the thing you would like to change about Liverpool? The inhabitants are extremely friendly and lovely, the food is delicious and there is always something to do, but I think Liverpool has lots of work to do with waste management. Describe MEH in 3 words I would describe MEH as flexible, eager, and homey. Do you think that your experience in MEH has changed something in your being? I think so. The full experience has been very significant for me, both in a personal and professional way. I am honest when I say that I don’t feel like I’m the same person who arrived here some months ago. I grew up and I built relations that I think will be relevant for my future. I have more clear image than before about what I like to do and what I don’t, which are my objectives and my must-to inside and outside the office. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? Yes, I do. As I just said I built very good professional and informal relations and I discovered a lot about my attitude and my personality also thanks to MEH that continually putted me in stimulating situations. Previous Next

< Back Marta Läzaro Echavarren 23 years old, Marta, from Pamplona, Navarre in Spain talks about her personal experience and involvement with MEH and how she has grown and developed her skills. I can define me as a person interested in communication and human and social relations and have always been attracted to affairs related to Europe and the links between people, countries and communities. When I finished my law degree at the University, I was awarded a scholarship to do an internship abroad. I wanted to challenge myself, do something that would give me the opportunity to improve my work skills and my English, acquire some experience but also to grow from a personal point of view. I have always wanted to live abroad and experience new cultures, environments and meet new people. I really love exchanging ideas, opinions and habits, because they help you to think more about yourself and to gain a different perspective of the world. My final decision took me to the United Kingdom, specifically to Liverpool, a city full of things to do, multicultural and with people very friendly and easy to talk with, even if sometimes they are impossible to understand because of their scouse accent. This is where my experience with Merseyside Expanding Horizons began. With MEH, I not only did my first internships, but also had the opportunity to experience my ESC. Being part of VIEH, has been an amazing opportunity in all aspects. It has been a very big personal growth. It was my first time living in another country, alone, without my family and friends, In a different language and with a different culture. I have matured a lot in this period. I have known myself a lot, I have rediscovered a Marta that I did not know. Now I am independent in almost all aspects. As well, as meeting great new people, who I'll take with me forever when this will over. They have cared of me, and trusted me since the beginning, have learned a lot from them and with them. MEH has definitely changed me. It was literally a personal growth. MEH is helping me to enhance my confidence, to overcome my fears, learn about my strengths and weaknesses, and how to overcome them. Who was going to tell me, that even I was going to experience a global pandemic far from my home! At MEH I have discovered the passion for work. They are people who work to help others and it shows in the way they work. I am learning a lot from my co-workers, from their experience. Working in a multicultural environment opens your mind and enriches you a lot. The key for me to have learned so much is that they have trusted me a lot since the beginning, because they have allowed me to have responsibility. I have taken away the fear of speaking in English. I love that in this job, communication with people is so important. During these months I have learnt new skills and qualities that I did not even know to have. All the skills that I am learning here are helping me to clarify my ideas about my future Job career. I still have a lot to improve but I hope that the time I have left in MEH I can and know how to take advantage of it. I hope that I have left the best of me in MEH, as they have done with me. Thank you MEH Previous Next

< Back Adam, 20, Ireland My 2 month European Solidarity Corps with Merseyside Expanding Horizons (MEH). I moved to Liverpool from Ireland at the beginning of October for a two month European Solidarity Corps with Merseyside Expanding Horizons (MEH). This was my first ever time living abroad and volunteering full time, so going into this experience, I didn't know what to expect and I was nervous. Voluntary Service International (VI) was my sending organisation and they helped me plan what I needed to bring and worked with MEH to make sure I felt comfortable going. When I arrived in Liverpool I went straight to the MEH Big Onion office. It was a great introduction to the organisation as I got to see the great work they do for social enterprises in the Bootle community, I got to meet the new businesses in the Traders Arcade and I met my colleagues who were working with Job seekers. For the first weekend I got to explore Liverpool City and I loved it. I immediately felt it was a friendly city with so much history. I enjoyed all the restaurants and bars it had to offer. I also visited the brilliant library and museums in the city. My favourite area was around the docks. I loved beautiful World Heritage buildings, especially the Liver Building. My first week at MEH was a little daunting as there were a lot of new terms and practices I had to learn and understand. My first task was to familiarise myself with our ongoing Erasmus+ projects by reading the project applications which were extremely long and monotonous. I then got underway with organising and facilitating focus groups for some of our projects. At first I found it difficult to find people for these events but then I learned how to best reach out to people. Back in Liverpool, I enjoyed cultural nights with my colleagues and fellow volunteers, I had some amazing food and went to the cities attractions such as their light trail. I enjoyed working in the office with the team as the environment was relaxed and fun. I also felt like the work we were doing was impactful and important to the community. One of my highlights of the volunteering was attending a barista training that MEH was organising. I learned lots about coffee roasting and about customer experience. I got to practice making great coffee and as someone who has never liked coffee. I unexpectedly enjoyed the final product. During the volunteering, the other volunteers and I had planned a trip to Montenegro as my colleague Anja was from there. It was an amazing travel experience to one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. I got to experience more great food and culture and learn more about the Balkans. Overall this short volunteering experience had a profound impact on me and I learned more about myself and about other cultures. I really enjoyed working with those in MEH and I hope to have more experiences like this in the future. Previous Next

A Multi Layered Approach to Social & Economic Inclusion. The Retail Space The Employability Hub The Community Centre In December 2020, Merseyside Expanding Horizons (MEH) successfully opened our Big Onion Bootle initiative. Spanning over 7000 sq ft. of once empty commercial retail space in Bootle Strand. ​ The hub has been totally redesigned to incorporate: ​ 20 lettable self-contained trader units including a coffee shop A training room Kitchen Meeting rooms Accessible toilet ​ From this vibrant space we deliver a comprehensive range of services and support designed to enable local people to improve their skills and become more economically and socially independent. Primarily these services cover: ​ Skills Training Programmes Employment Support & Guidance Services Business Start-up & Social Enterprise Support Services Community Development & Volunteering Support ​ In addition, The Big Onion plays an active part in the life of the Strand Shopping Centre regularly delivering special events including employment fairs, a monthly artisan market, an annual ComicCon and even regular live music. We are acutely aware of the challenges facing the community we serve and of the impact locally of the declining high street and are committed to being an agent for change creating new opportunities and ‘being part of the recovery’. Check Us Out! Get in Touch Bootle Strand Shopping Centre 73 The Hexagon, Bootle Merseyside, UK L20 4SZ ​ Opening hours: Monday 9am-5pm Tuesday 9am-5pm Wednesday 9am-5pm Thursday 9am-5pm Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 9am-5pm Sunday Closed ​ info@thebigonion.co.uk 0151 330 0552 / 07713 562905 First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

A BRIGHTER FUTURE Let's Make a Difference Putting Our Experiences to Work Merseyside Expanding Horizons (MEH) is a non-governmental organisation for positive influence and social change. ​ We strive to develop the skills of socially and economically disadvantaged communities in the Merseyside region, so that they are better equipped to identify their needs and participate confidently within society. Our multi-skilled delivery team is drawn from a diverse background that combines professional skills with lived experiences. Our collaboration with multi-agency and cross sector partnerships allows us to support and deliver a further range of targeted initiatives to achieve our goals in promoting and enabling social inclusion across Merseyside. ​ ​ Learn More Check Out What We Do Take a look at our projects past and future. Why not volunteer to be part of our growing team and help to make a difference to someone's life? Our Projects Latest News FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

< 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