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< 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

< Back 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. One of the more lasting changes from the Pandemic is the shift from fast fashion to upcycling and crafting. “Repairing and reusing is something I’ve always been passionate about” said Emma Dwyer, a Sewing Machine Engineer specialising in overlockers with her own sewing-machine workshop in Wavertree, Merseyside. As the cost of living crisis has alerted people to the need to sustain and save, Emma and other small business owners have been sharing the many benefits of networking and sourcing locally and sustainably. She has seen a shift in people’s attitudes, and has helped her own business to survive and thrive! Gendered stereotypes are hopefully ideas of the past, and fashion and textiles have been taken up in larger numbers by male crafters as the whole industry has grown through the pandemic. This may be due to the increase in awareness of the importance of ‘Self Care,’ and understanding that crafting can have a positive effect on wellbeing. Sadly, anxiety and depression rates rose by 25% during the Pandemic according to the WHO. Sewing is known to help relieve stress, among many other benefits, and people around the world are realising that this has not merely been a relief of boredom like Zoom Quizzes and baking banana bread, but a lifeline. People are also more conscious of the environment and a desire to continue lockdown passions will also have played a factor in sewing being taken up by younger demographics. Repairing and ‘Upcycling’ is great for the environment , while fast fashion is demonstrably bad for oceans, workers and agriculture. The growing popularity of the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee has gone hand in hand with the rise in popularity of a ‘make do and mend’ attitude. Along with inflation and popularity, sewing machine costs are also rising and predicted to inflate further according to a Market Research Report highlighted in “Market Watch.” Emma helps solve this issue by offering affordable rates for her repairs to expensive items vital to crafting, and helps people keep their passions and projects going. Emma is also an excellent case study in how to balance work and life: One of the biggest issues in the gender wage gap is the issue of childcare, and Emma is a proud mother who runs her own business. The wage gap is remarkably highest among those with a degree, but her skill is no longer taught in colleges and is therefore in high demand. She has balanced her life and work as an entrepreneur, and will look to take on a staff member in the coming months as her demand grows. One of the ways to shatter glass ceilings is for women to build new proverbial ceilings through creating businesses. While Emma doesn’t build ceilings, she does own her own sewing machine repair company and has decades of experience with this skill and passion. Enterprise is something which hasn’t come naturally, but rather she grew into it through learning her trade and gaining clients. Emma has clients all over the city of Liverpool, and wants to be “THE Merseyside Sewing-Machine Repairer.” She has had clients from Lancashire, Manchester, Birmingham and Wales and enquiries across the country, and is looking forward to seeing her business expand! If you would like to learn how we’re supporting those in Merseyside in Enterprise, contact us at: train@expandinghorizons.co.uk Visit our website: https://www.liverpoolsewingmachineservicing.com/ Project Gallery Previous Next

< Back 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. The EVS project was called " Two Volunteers for the Local Community” and it was funded by the Erasmus + program. To best present Ellie, we bring you her article, which we report below: “Welcome to my post! I am Ellie, from the United Kingdom and I am 19 years old. This is my first time ever travelling outside of the UK so it is a very big step for me to take. I decided to participate in this organisation because I knew it would be a great opportunity to take up and it was something I could not miss. I had been in college for 3 years and I felt as though I needed a chance. I was put in touch with EVS/Erasmus through Expanding Horizons and from there it was pretty easy to get involved. Throughout college, I studied History, Politics, Law and English Literature. Since completing these subjects I still have a keen interest in them outside of an academic branch. I enjoy going to political lectures back home in Liverpool/Manchester. Also, I read quite often and have always loved reading. I will continue to discuss more things about myself in order to get to know more! My hobbies include watching films and going to gigs. I am very into cinema art; I watch at least one film a day because I am interested in casts and directors. My favourite films are Interstellar, No Country for Old Men, Lady Bird and Disobedience. Also, I watch foreign films like Dogtooth, La Haine, Roma and The Handmaiden. My favourite actors/actresses are: Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, James Franco, Timothée Chalamet, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux and Dakota Johnson. Some Directors I like are: Christopher Nolan, Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch and Gia Coppola. Some gigs I have been to recently are: Gus Dapperton, Rainy Miller, Brad Stank, Hers and Mac Demarco. I have a varied taste in music as I like to listen to Grunge and old Rock quite often as well as alternative pop artists. For example: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Nirvana, Hole, Alice in Chains, Led Zeppelin and Kiss. I used to listen to rap and hip hop a lot but that is only occasional for me now” Finally, after reading about my interests, I think what I am doing now in Zabok, Croatia, is a great experience and I am ready to take on new challenges and hopefully teach people some things we do in the UK or even bond over new things! “ Previous Next

< 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

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