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< Back Mohamed, 25, France 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. Mohammed has enjoyed his stay and here are some of his thoughts on EVS and life in Liverpool. What made you apply to a European Voluntary Service (EVS) project? At the end of my studies, I wanted to discover the associative world and also to do something that I have never done before to entering the world of work. I wanted to leave my comfort zone and to learn something new. What is your degree and what encouraged you to candidate to MEH? Why did you choose MEH? I have a Master Degree (Master 2) in Management Accounting in 2018 at University Lille 1. I wanted to have another experience abroad after my first in Bulgaria and also to improve my personal, linguistic and social skills. As I said, to discover new horizons before to enter in the world of work. ADICE my sending organisation in France suggested me this EVS in Liverpool, so I took the opportunity and applied. MEH works in an international context with different employees around the world: how do you find yourself in this context? Working in an international context with different employees around the world is rewarding and helps you to learn and to think differently. I’ve felt comfortable since the beginning. The work environment is really friendly. Which are the differences that you noticed most between England culture and your home country? The differences are the accent of Liverpudlians (scouse accent) and also this intercultural environment is very enriching for me and the work we do here. Furthermore, it is lovely the Liverpudlians people are like us the Ch’tis people in France , especially me because I am from Dunkirk (the northern accent). What is the thing you are missing most about your home country? I think the most are the food and drinks that I cannot find here in the UK. What is the thing you like most and the thing you would like to change about Liverpool? Liverpool is known for its historic past (football, Beatles, language etc…) which is still alive and in the hearts of the people of Liverpudlians and also it's amazing to see how they are so proud and it is something I really like. I would like to change the weather and also change the opening hours for the public places like museums since they close too early. The most thing I would like change it is the driving in UK because for pedestrians, we do not know where to look. ​ Describe MEH in 3 words Intercultural, inclusion, non-formal learning. Do you think that your experience in MEH has changed something in your being? (Professional and unprofessional point of view) On professional point of a view, I’ve learned a new skills, this experience is very useful to me. I discovered a new working environmental and new methods of working. I have improved my English skills and it will be very advantageous afterwards. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? (Personal point of view) On personal point of view, this experience allowed me to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds and countries during my European Voluntary Service. It really helped me to be more confident, to increase my social network with people around the Europe and the world. Previous Next

< Back Lynn Conley Community Outreach ​

< Back Felix, 24, France 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. In this article, our French team member Felix will share his thoughts about doing an EVS. What made you apply to a European Voluntary Service (EVS) project? At the end of my studies I still didn’t know what I really wanted to do. I’ve also never had a long term experience abroad and wanted to try and to improve my social, linguistic and professional skills thanks to a mobility project. When my sending organisation l’ADICE in France suggested this EVS in Liverpool I decided to apply. For me it was an opportunity because I’ve wanted to live in the UK for a long time, and it also gave me the opportunity to have a first professional experience. Which is your qualification degree and what encouraged you to candidate to MEH? Why did you choose MEH? ​ I received a Master degree (Master2) in Political science in 2018 at University of Lille. I applied to MEH because it gave me the opportunity to work in the field of social inclusion which I’ve always been interested in and which is related to my studies, and dissertation. Why have you decided to get an internship abroad? As I said, at the end of my studies I did not have a real professional project. I wanted to have an experience abroad in order to improve my personal, social and linguistic skills. I wanted to have a break, think about my future and enhance my professional skills by a rich and intercultural experience abroad. 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? This intercultural context is very enriching for me and for the work we do here. It is what I really expected to find here before coming. What is the thing you are missing most about your home country? I think the things I miss the most are small pleasures like food and drinks I cannot find in the UK, and of course my friends. What is the thing you like most and the thing you would like to change about Liverpool? Liverpool has a significant intercultural, social and politic history which is still alive and that you can see everywhere. There is a rich and interesting cultural background (music etc) which is really fascinating. I would like to change the weather and also some times the food I can find here. Describe MEH in 3 words Inclusion, non-formal learning, intercultural Do you think that your experience in MEH has changed something in your being? (Professional and unprofessional point of view) On a professional point of view, this experience is very useful for me. It allows me to discover a new work environment in which I would like to work; the third sector in the field of social inclusion and project management. What’s more I am improving my English skills and it will absolutely be very useful. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? (Personal point of view) On a personal point of view, it allows me to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds and countries, in MEH but also outside of work. It will be very useful, it really helps to increase my social network with people around Europe and the world. Of course it is very rewarding for me. Previous Next

< 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 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 Nicole Belle EU coordinator & Trainer Nicole is our EU Coordinator and Trainer at Merseyside Expanding Horizons, based in Bootle, UK. With a Masters in international management and background in Anthropology, Nicole is well travelled and loves adventure. She advocates for inclusive and accessible outdoor activities and has a keen interest in social entrepreneurship, digital skills, leadership development, and the future of work. ​ ​

< 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

< Back Joe Hemington Assistant Chief Executive Joe is our Assistant Chief Executive at Merseyside Expanding Horizons and acts in a senior role capacity at MEH. Joe takes a lead role in the strategic management and development of MEH, and also support the day to day running of both European (ESIF and Erasmus+) and locally funded programmes. Joe has successful track record of delivering and designing support programmes and initiatives engaging with individuals, professionals and organisations/enterprises promoting social inclusion and developing new programmes and innovations. In particular, Joe has vast experience of supporting at risk young people and developing mentoring and innovative employments and enterprise programmes for hard to reach groups. ​ Joe has been a board member of the Liverpool School for Social Entrepreneurs,and is currently a member of the Provider Alliance Voluntary Sector Leadership Group on Social Prescribing, and National Sector Consultative Group for Adult Education run by the Ecorys. joehemington@expandinghorizons.co.uk

< 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 Luca, 29, Italy A day in the Life of an MEH Project Manager. I deeply want to thank Merseyside Expanding Horizons for the big opportunity they offered to me, and for helping me to grow up individually and personally. Thank you for the support and for making it possible for me to look out over the charm of the city of Liverpool and of the United Kingdom. Thank you to the whole team who made me feel safe. Thank you for all the knowledge I have acquired. Thank you for teaching me that life is rough and that I must not be scared to face changes. Thank you to make me personally stronger despite any difficulty. Thank you to make me realise that I can dream everyday and that we can always improve committing to be better individuals. I am sure we can do much more for reaching a major impact on the communities and Merseyside Expanding Horizons can do it better. A massive Thank You! My day-to-day responsibilities were co-ordinating with different departments and partners of projects to ensure tasks are done on time. Furthermore, keeping track of and reporting on project progress. Completing any tasks assigned by the Project Manager in an efficient and timely manner. I worked on the preparation of application forms for the Erasmus + projects. For the ongoing projects, I worked on maintaining communication with the projects’ international partners. I attended project development & management meetings. I updated and published the social media profiles for the ongoing projects and also prepared flyers for the recent training and piloting events of the projects. I worked on the 'RADart' and 'INCLUDED' Projects: 'RADart's' project aim was to develop creative and artistic tools for youth workers and using art as a vehicle to improve their competencies in order to prevent the risk of radicalisation among young people. I conducted research for the need analysis in the UK. I worked for creating an EU Manual for Youth Workers (Creative and digital methodologies to recognize and prevent radicalization processes), I attended project partners’ meetings online regularly. I have participated in 5 days of Learning and Training Activity events in Poland organised by the project’s Poland partner. I prepared agendas before meetings and after I shared the keypoints and decisions taken during meetings with all partners. I wrote a European Research Report based on the survey carried out by young people about radicalisation in collaboration with partner organisations. I conducted a pilot training session with my co-worker with 8 participants from different NGOs and organisations in Liverpool and the Bootle area. 'INCLUDED' targeted the priority “skills development and inclusion through creativity and the arts”. It aimed to design and implement an inclusive sexual education curriculum for high-school students and a model to foster a whole-school approach to sexual education, both based on theatrical techniques and positive psychology. I did the need analysis of the UK for future project outputs of INCLUDED. I kept track of project progress and communicated with project partners for deadlines. I contributed to creating a curricular inclusive sex-education training program. I attended the project progress meeting and took notes of key points and shared them with partners afterward. Now, melancholically, I say goodbye, and happily I say good luck lovely people! Love you all x Previous Next

< Back Vanessa, 22, 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. In this second article, we will introduce Vanessa, who is one of our newest team members. Which is your qualification degree and what encouraged you to candidate to MEH? Why did you choose MEH? I am finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations. The thing that drove me to candidate in MEH was that I considered this company a great opportunity to challenge my skills and my first chance to get involved in work context regarding my academic studies. Why have you decided to get an internship abroad? After my exchange program in Zurich, I decided to come here straight away, focusing on my Internship (mandatory for my Bachelor’s Degree). I come from a little town in Italy, so unfortunately there is low chance for young employees to spread their horizons in a work context, especially in my field of study, this is why I always loved the idea to living abroad. I would like to travel as much as possible in my life, because one of the most important thing for me is the possibility to come in contact with different cultures all around the world and work/study with them. Learning something new every day. 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? As I have already said, for me the interaction with cultures from different parts of the world represents a personal enrichment, so in this sense it’s great to find myself in this environment that MEH reflects. The differences that I noticed most are that here, in the work context, people are less focused on “shape” but more on the content. In the sense that are less formal, while Italian people at work tend to be more formal, to follow specific schedules etc. In general, I cannot say too much about the culture itself because my permanence here is just about one month, but I can say that for the moment all the people that I have met seem to be solar and open, available in any circumstance. In contrast with the rumours that British people are rigid and unpleasant. What is the thing that are you missing most about your home country? Well, firstly my family and my friends who supported me in every moment during my permanence abroad. Secondly the food, especially the Italian coffee to which I’m pretty addicted. What is the thing that you like most and the thing that you would like to change about Liverpool? I like the crazy people who live here, I like the combination between the comforts that gives you a non-metropolitan city (not too big distances, not too busy, etc.) and the stores, utilities and internationality that usually are given by a metropolitan city. In my opinion, this is a perfect mix. A thing that I immediately noticed was the rubbish on the roads, that after 5 months in Switzerland where everything was super clean, was really impactful. Like, the fact that in the supermarkets fruit and vegetables are wrapped with plastic. This is sad, and all the countries around the world, not only England, should be more involved in the environmental sustainability. Describe MEH in 3 words Human, open, willing Do you think that your experience in MEH has changed something in your being? I have been here for only 10 days, but as my first experience in a real work environment I am satisfied and I am sure to think that will change something positive in my being both from a professional and personal point of view. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? In my opinion, a useless experience doesn’t exist. All the experiences in life give you something that will be useful in the future. Our life process is the sum of what we have learnt from each experience, this allows us to improve our knowledge and build our future. Previous Next