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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 Terri Cashmore Big Onion Coffee Club Manager ​

< Back Anja Marojević Project Manager Assistant Our lovely intern from Montenegro, Anja Marojević, is currently studying for her Master's degree at the University of Parma, Italy. Anja is passionate about travel. She loves visiting different countries and absorbing the variety of cultures (mainly food). She enjoys observing how different groups of people live, think and eat and believes that food has a lot to say about a countries' culture. Did we mention - Anja loves to eat? Anja's ambition has always been to work with 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!” ​ ​

< Back Anja, 23, Montenegro My experience of Merseyside Expanding Horizons What made you apply to a European Voluntary Service (EVS) project? At the end of my studies, I was granted a scholarship for a 2 month internship with MEH. I completed my 2 month internship and fell in love both with people and city of Liverpool. After that, I have discovered that MEH is involved in European Solidarity Corps programmes and decided to come back to Liverpool for another 9 months. What is your degree and what encouraged you to candidate to MEH? Why did you choose MEH? I have a Bachelors Degree in Economics at The University of Donja Gorica, and a Masters Degree in European Studies at the University of Parma. I wanted to broaden my experiences abroad after my first one in Italy and also to improve my personal, linguistic and social skills. I choose MEH because the position offered suited my interests and it was connected to my studies. I wanted to learn more about European projects and work with international partners. MEH works in an international context with different employees around the world: how do you find yourself in this context? For me it was very exciting. I love people, and I love hearing their stories. Which are the differences that you noticed most between England culture and your home country? I noticed that English people are very direct, the food culture is not as strong as from my home country. For example, in my home country we like to eat lunch and dinner very slowly and it is considered as a social thing. When in England, a lot of times they eat their lunch at the desk while working. I have found it strange that everyone was calling me "love", but later on, I really liked it. Scouse people are truly lovely and because of the people after sometime Liverpool started feeling like home. What is the thing you are missing most about your home country? The sun and my family and friends. What is the thing you like most and the thing you would like to change about Liverpool? The thing I love the most about Liverpool is the people. I have travelled a lot around Europe, but I’ve never met so many friendly and nice people. Their hospitality is truly incredible. The only thing I would change about Liverpool is the weather haha, and I would change the quality of food. Describe MEH in 3 words Intercultural, inclusive, real 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. On a professional level, I have learnt a lot. The team have been great and very encouraging. There are no limits in the knowledge that can be gained from them. On a personal level, it has also changed me. I have opened up my horizons, and have met some truly lovely people that I hope I will remain in contact for the rest of my life. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? Absolutely. I've gained a lot of knowledge, but more significantly, I've had the opportunity to try out many working styles, which has helped me create my own. I also hope I was useful to MEH :) 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 Stacey Robinson Health Wellbeing and Lifestyle Coordiator Stacey Robinson is a Psychologist, a registered member of The British Psychological Society with extensive experience working within criminal justice, mental health and educational settings. Stacey is a Director of The European Anti Bullying Network which brings together 19 members from 15 EU Member States to coordinate bullying prevention across Europe. Stacey has particular expertise within sexual exploitation, addiction, bullying and offending. Stacey continues to be committed to the development and implementation of socially inclusive programmes for those most disadvantaged within society on a local, national, European and International Level. staceyrobinson@expandinghorizons.co.uk

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