What a week.
Here I am after my trip to Kosovo overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts by what I have learnt and experienced this week.
The first day we got there, it was a big reunion, seeing old friends and meeting new participants who would soon become good friends too.
We had been set some homework since leaving Northern Ireland, to research the history of Kosovo. I had watched a few documentaries about the conflict in 1998-1999 but nothing could prepare me for hearing personal stories from my friends about their experiences of the war.
As I sat and listened to the team from YMCA Kosovo share their stories, I couldn't help but shed a tear. These are my friends and to hear what they went through, well I couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like being a refugee or staying in a country of war. After the conflict had finished, people returned to find their homes and their towns destroyed, there was nothing. But instead of dwelling on it, the people of Kosovo worked hard to rebuild communities and create new lives for themselves.
What an inspiration that as a country they had the motivation to keep going to rebuild their livelihoods. Everyone of them are so strong and inspiring, we all could learn a lot from them.
The partition for Kosovo happened in 1999, and they became an independent country in 2008. Now Kosovo as a country are fighting hard to become part of the European Union. I don't really know too much about what impact the referendum will have on Britain if we end up leaving the EU, but it seems to me that we as young people, should be looking into this and thinking carefully about how we will vote, because if there are countries like Kosovo trying so hard to join, why is Britain fighting to leave? As young people we feel our voices aren't heard very often. Just because they aren't heard, doesn't mean they don't matter. Our vote in the EU referendum counts and it will make a difference. We just need to research more so we can make a decision that is right for us as individuals and not letting others influence our choices, not just in voting but in all walks of life. Being in Kosovo has made me realise that our voices are important.
Learning about the history of Kosovo has been fascinating and learning about the work YMCA Kosovo are doing is just as amazing. 65% of Kosovo's population are under the age of 25. Now from a population of nearly 2million that is around 1,300,000 young people. The YMCA is currently reaching 400 young people per week through children's work, youth projects and peer to peer leadership programmes, they are the fastest growing YMCA in Europe.
Whilst we were in Kosovo, we had the privilege of meeting and working with some of the peer trainers who volunteer to run the leadership programme. Their passion for the YMCA is so inspiring. They were all so committed to improve and help their community, that energy and passion could not help but be rubbed off onto us participants.
I am excited for the future of YMCA Kosovo as they plan to open a camp in a few years. I'm excited about what they can achieve and what impact they will make on their country. I hope to return one day.
Throughout this whole experience I have learnt so much about different cultures, youth work, leadership styles and skills, funding applications and writing proposals, games to play with young people, the work of the YMCA in different countries and lots of other practical skills that will help me with my ambition to help young people, but the thing I will cherish for the rest of my life will be learning more about who I am as a person, the new great friends I have made and my ever growing passion for the YMCA.
Here I am after my trip to Kosovo overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts by what I have learnt and experienced this week.
The first day we got there, it was a big reunion, seeing old friends and meeting new participants who would soon become good friends too.
We had been set some homework since leaving Northern Ireland, to research the history of Kosovo. I had watched a few documentaries about the conflict in 1998-1999 but nothing could prepare me for hearing personal stories from my friends about their experiences of the war.
As I sat and listened to the team from YMCA Kosovo share their stories, I couldn't help but shed a tear. These are my friends and to hear what they went through, well I couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like being a refugee or staying in a country of war. After the conflict had finished, people returned to find their homes and their towns destroyed, there was nothing. But instead of dwelling on it, the people of Kosovo worked hard to rebuild communities and create new lives for themselves.
What an inspiration that as a country they had the motivation to keep going to rebuild their livelihoods. Everyone of them are so strong and inspiring, we all could learn a lot from them.
The partition for Kosovo happened in 1999, and they became an independent country in 2008. Now Kosovo as a country are fighting hard to become part of the European Union. I don't really know too much about what impact the referendum will have on Britain if we end up leaving the EU, but it seems to me that we as young people, should be looking into this and thinking carefully about how we will vote, because if there are countries like Kosovo trying so hard to join, why is Britain fighting to leave? As young people we feel our voices aren't heard very often. Just because they aren't heard, doesn't mean they don't matter. Our vote in the EU referendum counts and it will make a difference. We just need to research more so we can make a decision that is right for us as individuals and not letting others influence our choices, not just in voting but in all walks of life. Being in Kosovo has made me realise that our voices are important.
Learning about the history of Kosovo has been fascinating and learning about the work YMCA Kosovo are doing is just as amazing. 65% of Kosovo's population are under the age of 25. Now from a population of nearly 2million that is around 1,300,000 young people. The YMCA is currently reaching 400 young people per week through children's work, youth projects and peer to peer leadership programmes, they are the fastest growing YMCA in Europe.
Whilst we were in Kosovo, we had the privilege of meeting and working with some of the peer trainers who volunteer to run the leadership programme. Their passion for the YMCA is so inspiring. They were all so committed to improve and help their community, that energy and passion could not help but be rubbed off onto us participants.
I am excited for the future of YMCA Kosovo as they plan to open a camp in a few years. I'm excited about what they can achieve and what impact they will make on their country. I hope to return one day.
Throughout this whole experience I have learnt so much about different cultures, youth work, leadership styles and skills, funding applications and writing proposals, games to play with young people, the work of the YMCA in different countries and lots of other practical skills that will help me with my ambition to help young people, but the thing I will cherish for the rest of my life will be learning more about who I am as a person, the new great friends I have made and my ever growing passion for the YMCA.
Wow Naomi, such a great post. You have such a gift in the way you communicate with words. You gave alot of committment to this programme and it seems you got it back ten fold. Thank you. I look forward to watching your progress with YMCA.
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