Intervju s prostovoljko Marušo

Zakaj in kako ste se odločili postati prostovoljec-ka?

Prostovoljka sem želela postati, ker rada spoznavam nove ljudi in rada pomagam. Veliko mojih znancev in prijateljev se je s prostovoljstvom že ukvarjalo tako, da so me oni s pozitivnimi izkušnjami še bolj spodbudili k temu, da se tudi jaz vključim in poskusim.

Povejte nam nekaj o sebi ter prosim opišite kaj delate kot prostovoljec-ka in zakaj je to pomembno v vašem življenju.

 Že v najstniških letih sem se odločila za študij sociologije, ker mi je bilo všeč, da se ta veda ukvarja z delovanjem družbe in posameznikov. Tudi zaposlena sem v kadrovski službi tako, da mi delo z ljudmi ni tuje. Čeprav je delo v vsakodnevni interakciji z ljudmi včasih naporno, pri sebi ocenjujem, da je na koncu še vedno vredno in da prinaša veliko pozitivnega.

Rada pomagam tudi izven službenega časa. Ukvarjam se s poučevanjem slovenščine in pomagam pri šolskem delu otrok iz Kosova. Sodelujem tudi v projektih, ki skrbijo za integracijo Romov v družbo.

Med študijskimi počitnicami sem kot prostovoljka delala v dvojezičnem vrtcu v zamejski Sloveniji, kjer sem otrokom preko preživljanja časa z njimi in igro pomagala pri učenju slovenskega jezika.

Katera izkušnja povezana s prostovoljnim delom je bila za vas najbolj pomembna?

Najbolj pomembna izkušnja se mi zdi že sama ideja, da s svojim delom nekomu polepšaš dan. Poleg tega pa spoznaš veliko podobno mislečih ljudi.

Bi lahko izpostavili kakšno dobro ali pa slabo izkušnjo v povezavi z vašim prostovoljnim delom?

Slabih izkušenj s prostovoljnim delom zaenkrat nimam.

Če bi morali ljudi spodbuditi, da tudi sami postanejo prostovoljci, kaj bi jim rekli oz. katero svojo izkušnjo bi jim opisali?

Če bi želela koga spodbuditi, naj še sam postane prostovoljec, bi poleg altruističnega dela in dela za dušo, izpostavila še spoznavanje novih ljudi, mreženje in potovanja.

V nekaj stavkih prosim opišite, kako je prostovoljno delo vplivalo na vas osebno? Kaj se je mogoče spremenilo v načinu vašega razmišljanja,delovanja?

Prostovoljno delo me je naredilo boljšo osebo, ki se je sposobna vživeti v situacijo drugih. Preko prostovoljnega dela in pomoči drugim pa sem obenem spoznala tudi veliko o sami sebi.

Kakšna je vaša vizija prostovoljnega dela v prihodnosti, bi želeli kaj spremeniti?

Imam občutek, da se v času srednješolskega izobraževanja kar veliko mladih vključuje v različna prostovoljna dela. Mislim, da v Sloveniji še ni vzpostavljena miselnost, da je potrebno pomagati in vračati družbi tudi kasneje, v odrasli dobi. Moja želja za razvoj prostovoljnega dela v Sloveniji bi tako bila delo v tej smeri in spremembi miselnosti odraslih.

1. How and why did you enter volunteer activities, work?

I wanted to become a volunteer because I like meeting new people and like to help. Many of my acquaintances and friends were already volunteers, so I was persuaded to join volunteering organisation based on their positive experince.

1.1 Tell us something about yourself and please describe what is your voluntary work and why do you need it?

As a teenager I decided to study sociology because I liked that this science deals with the functioning of society and individuals. I also work in HR so that working with people is not foreign to me. Although the daily interaction with people is sometimes difficult, I consider that in the end it is  still worthwhile and very positive.

As a volunteer I am teaching Slovene helping with school work to children from Kosovo. We also participate in projects that provide integration of Roma people in the society.

During the study holidays I worked as a volunteer in a bilingual kindergarten in Trieste where I have through games and playtime helped children to learn Slovene.

2. What is most significant moment connected to volunteering you experienced?

The most important experience I find the mere idea that you can brighten someone’s day through volunteer work. In addition, you always meet many like-minded people.

2.1 Did you have a particularly good experience (or bad) in the voluntary work?

I have no bad experiences with volunteer work.

2.2 If you had to encourage people to voluntary work which experience of your life would you tell?

 Besides explaining the benefits of altruistic work I would also tell them how volunteering is also a great way to meet new people, travel and network.

3. In few sentences how would you describe your personal change due to volunteer activities?

Volunteering has made me a better person who is able to relate to people and their situation. Through volunteering and helping others, I also learned a lot about myself.

4. Tell me your wishes, vision, about what your voluntary work should be in the future.

I think that during their secondary school education a lot of young people are involved in some sort of voluntary work. I think that in Slovenia we still lack the mindset that you should give back to the society also later in life. My wish for the future of voluntary work in Slovenia is that we put more emphasis on the importance of voluntary work of adults.