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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

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!

< Back Janna, 26, Finland 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. First, we will introduce to you our team member from the cold North. Which is your qualification degree and what encouraged you to candidate to MEH? Why did you choose MEH? ​ I’m studying journalism at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. I wanted to do my internship abroad and the UK was one of the countries I wanted to come to, so when I saw MEH’s ad at erasmusintern.org it seemed like a good and an interesting opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds so I decided to apply. ​ Helping people, especially the youth, has always been an important topic for me. MEH is an organisation that fits my values and I’m happy to participate in work that aims to do good. ​ Why have you decided to get an internship abroad? ​ I did my exchange studies in the Netherlands and I wanted to continue living abroad, so doing my internship outside of my home country felt like it was a good option. Also I want to learn about different cultures and get experiences I wouldn’t get in Finland. Doing an internship felt like a safe way to start working abroad. Going abroad also gives you so much. It is scary, especially when you’re going alone. At times it is also hard, but in the end it is worth it. I think going abroad just gives you something so special, that you wouldn’t get if you just stayed in your own country. Learning from people from different cultures also widens your own perspective of things. ​ MEH works in an international context with different employees around the world: how do you find yourself in this context? ​ I think that is one of the things that makes working at MEH interesting. We all learn from each other and I like working in a multicultural environment. Sometimes the language barrier creates funny moments and I think I’m slowly learning Italian, because I hear it in the office everyday. But the international environment is definitely one of the best things about working with MEH. Which are the differences that you noticed most between English culture and your home country? ​ I haven’t had any major culture shocks yet. The biggest difference is probably the left-hand traffic and I’m still confused sometimes about which way I should look for cars when I’m crossing the road. In general, I feel like my culture is not that different from the English one, but there are a lot of small things that I find funny or weird here. In Liverpool people are really friendly, which I found a bit strange at first. Especially after the rude customer service I got used to in the Netherlands, it felt weird at first to be called love by the cashier. What is the thing you are missing most about your home country? ​ Of course family and friends, but I think I miss my dogs the most. What I miss about Finland, is a proper shower with warm water haha. What is the thing you like most and the thing you would like to change about Liverpool? ​ I like Liverpool in general a lot, people are friendly and I like how the city centre is built. It’s not too big or too small for a city, so I really enjoy living here. Even though I’m still having problems understanding the scouse accent. What I don’t like is that everything closes so early during the week, for example museums. Describe MEH in 3 words ​ Positive, helpful, open Do you think that your experience in MEH has changed something in your being? (professional and unprofessional point of view) ​ I’ve only been here for a month so it’s hard to say yet. I know that my English has improved already and if things continue to go on the way they have, I think I will be more confident professionally after this. Do you think that your experience in MEH will be useful in a future? (personal point of view) ​ I think it will be. I get to do a lot of different things and my English is also improving, which is always a good thing. I also think that you gain something from everything you do and each experience teaches you and helps you to grow as a person. Previous Next

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Enterprise Support ALM Interiors Everyone has those rooms in their home that they try to tackle and just can’t quite seem to get right. They might be a difficult shape, have an oddly placed window or are just too big to fill in a cohesive way. Read More ED Sewing Machine Repairs Since the pandemic, many of us have had a chance to reignite our passion for hobbies and crafts. It has awakened us to our need to reduce consumerism and waste and learn ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. We are proud to introduce Liverpool's Sewing-Machine Repairer, Emma Dwyer - entrepreneur, engineer and mother. Read More 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. Read More 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. Read More

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SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES Testimonials Anja, 23, Montenegro My experience of Merseyside Expanding Horizons Read More Luca, 29, Italy A day in the Life of an MEH Project Manager. Read More Adam, 20, Ireland My 2 month European Solidarity Corps with Merseyside Expanding Horizons (MEH). Read More My full experience in Croatia. Learn about Ellie's inspirational volunteering experience in Croatia. Read More 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. Read More The volunteering experience of Ellie in Croatia. We would like to share with you the experience of Ellie, a young person who through Merseyside Expanding Horizons took part in the EVS program. Ellie volunteered in Mreža Udruga Zagor ( Zabok, Croatia) for a period of eight months. Read More 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. Read More 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. Read More Janna, 26, Finland 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. First, we will introduce to you our team member from the cold North. Read More 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. Read More 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. Read More 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. Read More

MEET OUR TEAM Team Members Nicola Daley Chief Executive Read More Stacey Robinson Health Wellbeing and Lifestyle Coordiator Read More Wilson Weaver Partner Employer Coordinator Read More Joe Hemington Assistant Chief Executive Read More Bryan Walsh Employability Manager Read More Terri Cashmore Big Onion Coffee Club Manager Read More Anna Bellan Transnational Programme Manager Read More Anja Marojević Project Manager Assistant Read More Lynn Conley Community Outreach Read More

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Enterprise Support ALM Interiors Everyone has those rooms in their home that they try to tackle and just can’t quite seem to get right. They might be a difficult shape, have an oddly placed window or are just too big to fill in a cohesive way. Read More ED Sewing Machine Repairs Since the pandemic, many of us have had a chance to reignite our passion for hobbies and crafts. It has awakened us to our need to reduce consumerism and waste and learn ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. We are proud to introduce Liverpool's Sewing-Machine Repairer, Emma Dwyer - entrepreneur, engineer and mother. Read More 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. Read More 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. Read More