I spent the morning with two different classes, talking about the European Solidarity Corps, the organisations involved in my project, and what I actually did during my time in Liège. I also introduced them to the city and showed two videos I helped create: one about a typical day of volunteering and another showing how we prepared my first “Dinner in the Dark”.

After the presentation, it was time for something more interactive. I organised a game where the students worked in pairs and took turns guiding each other around obstacles. The idea was to give them a small glimpse into some of the challenges people with visual impairments can face. I stayed close to make sure everyone was safe while they tried it out.

The students were very receptive throughout the morning. They asked questions, actively participated in the game, and showed a lot of curiosity and openness towards the topics we discussed. It was a nice opportunity to share my volunteering experience in Belgium with young people back home.

Silviu, former ESC volunteer at VIEWS

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Each programme addresses a different aspect of the transition from education to employment:

• For vocational educators: Creating more inclusive learning environments through accessible teaching methods, digital tools and approaches that prepare learners with disabilities for employment.
• For employers and recruitment professionals: Addressing unconscious bias, inclusive recruitment, workplace accessibility and reasonable accommodations, alongside practical ways to support employees and interns with disabilities.
• For learners and jobseekers with disabilities: Developing personal, social and digital skills, from job applications and interview preparation to employment rights, self-advocacy and greater autonomy.

Together, the programmes aim to address barriers at different stages of the same journey, recognising that inclusive employment depends not only on the preparation of jobseekers, but also on the opportunities and environments available to them.

The next milestone will bring the W.I.N. partnership to Liège on 23-24 November 2026, for its second in-person transnational meeting. With the training materials nearing completion, partners will focus on finalising the curricula and discussing how to reach educators, employers, learners and other stakeholders.

For VIEWS International, the meeting will be an opportunity to welcome project partners to Liège and contribute to the next steps in bringing these resources closer to the people who can benefit from them.

Some of the organisations already knew each other and had cooperated before; others were meeting for the first time. Having five days together gave us the time to get past the introductions and better understand what each organisation does, what it can bring to a partnership and what it would like to develop next.

Accessibility and inclusion were among the main focal points throughout the week. We exchanged experiences around making international youth activities accessible to everyone, while also looking more broadly at inclusion and meaningful participation in youth projects. For some participants, the week was also an opportunity to become more familiar with visual impairment and with different ways of communicating and cooperating with people with disabilities.

Environmental sustainability was another important part of the programme, looking at the choices involved in planning international youth activities and how environmental considerations can be integrated in practice.

Alongside these discussions, a large part of the PBA was dedicated to finding common interests and looking at where future cooperation could take shape. As the week progressed, we moved from exchanging experiences and getting to know each other’s activities to working on concrete project concepts.

In small groups, participants took initial ideas and developed them into possible future projects, defining their focus, objectives and activities and considering how they could be taken forward after the PBA. This also gave us the chance to move beyond talking about potential cooperation and actually start building something together.

By the end of the week, participants left Liège with new connections, a better understanding of the organisations they had met, and several project ideas that they can choose to develop further together. The PBA ended there, but hopefully some of the connections and ideas that started in Liège will continue beyond it.

My path across international youth initiatives began from a deeply personal place: first as a participant and beneficiary. It started with a teacher who trusted in the power of communication, showing me that as a young person, I could actively participate in my community, share my ideas, and bring my own initiatives to life.

When I joined VIEWS International as a European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteer I knew I wanted to turn my own experience into tangible opportunities for others. I wanted to take everything I had learned and everything I could learn to open doors for other young people who face additional barriers.

At VIEWS, inclusion isn’t just a concept; it’s a daily practice. Supporting both the Communications and Project Management offices, I learned about all the work behind managing Erasmus+ mobility projects, I supported turning complex policy frameworks into smooth, supportive journeys for participants. I created engaging visual content for our social media platforms, ensuring our messaging was clear, accessible, and welcoming.

But some of the most meaningful moments so far have happened on the ground. I have had the opportunity to realize local awareness activities and facilitate artistic workshops, using creative spaces to encourage self-expression, break down social barriers, and build genuine connections among participants. European mobility and civic participation should never feel like exclusive privileges for a few. They must be open, inclusive opportunities for everyone, regardless of their background or starting point.

My time at VIEWS International continues to remind me of why authentic, multi-faceted communication matters so much. It has given me the space to grow, sharpen my digital storytelling and project management skills, and learn alongside incredible peers who share the same values of equity and accessibility.

With a few more weeks of my project still ahead, I already carry many lessons of my experience in Liège with me. Opportunities only change lives when people know they exist. When we communicate with empathy, creativity, and clarity, we aren’t just sharing information, we are building communities of trust and empowering the next generation to shape our shared future!

Sofia

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

The project focused on inclusion, outdoor activities, environmental awareness and intercultural learning. Hiking, outdoor activities, team challenges and other experiences in nature created opportunities for participants to cooperate, communicate and simply spend time together outside their usual environments. The project was designed to bring together young people with and without sensory impairments, and this interaction became one of its most interesting aspects.

Participants were not only meeting people with and without disabilities, but also discovering different ways of communicating and interacting with people with different sensory impairments. In particular, there were many attempts to connect between visually impaired and hearing-impaired participants. Communication was not always straightforward, but this was precisely what made these interactions meaningful. People had to find their own ways of understanding one another, adapting and taking the initiative.

The diversity went even further. Although the participating organisations officially came from five countries, the group itself represented many more cultural backgrounds, including people with origins in Ecuador, India, Pakistan, Portugal, Afghanistan, Turkey and Morocco. With such a large and multicultural group, communication and organisation could easily have become complicated. Nevertheless, the group managed to create a positive atmosphere and make the exchange work well.

For some participants, the experience also meant stepping outside their comfort zone. One participant, who described himself as normally not being a very social person, said:

“the project was a real challenge for me. At the same time, I learned a lot about sensory impairments and about interacting with people whose experiences were different from my own”.

Another visually impaired participant particularly appreciated the rhythm of the activities: rather than feeling overwhelmed by a demanding programme:

“I felt that the exchange had something of a holiday atmosphere: being in nature, enjoying outdoor activities and having time to experience the surroundings”.

For those who have already participated in many international projects, the activities themselves may not necessarily be new. What remains interesting, however, is seeing how differently people from different backgrounds approach the same experience. Expectations, concerns, ways of communicating and even what participants consider satisfying can vary considerably from one country or culture to another.

That may be one of the most valuable things about an exchange like Step Into Action. It is not only about doing activities together. It is about discovering how differently people can experience the same situation, finding ways to connect despite those differences, and realising that inclusion is something we build together through everyday interactions.

The brochure introduces three ESC volunteering opportunities in Liège:

• VIEWS International – Support European youth projects, awareness-raising activities and international cooperation while working alongside a diverse and inclusive team.
• CSCSM & La Baraka – Contribute to educational, cultural and community activities for young people in one of Liège’s most vibrant multicultural neighbourhoods.
• IRHOV – Support children and young people with visual and hearing impairments in a specialised school, promoting inclusion, independence and accessible education.

Whether you are interested in communication, youth work or inclusive education, the brochure provides an overview of each placement, the activities involved and the support available throughout your volunteering experience, from accessibility arrangements and mentorship to practical guidance before and after arriving in Belgium.

That is the ambition behind the newly published W.I.N. Transnational Report, which explores how vocational education and training (VET) and workplaces across Europe can become more inclusive for people with disabilities. Drawing on research and good practices from 12 European countries, the report examines what works, what still gets in the way, and where change is needed most.

The findings point to a simple but important conclusion: inclusion cannot rely on individual adjustments alone. It needs to be built into education and employment systems from the start. Across Europe, successful initiatives combine accessible learning environments, personalised support, close collaboration between educators and employers, and real opportunities for work-based learning.

The report also highlights the barriers that continue to limit equal opportunities, from inflexible education systems and fragmented support to inaccessible workplaces and persistent misconceptions about disability. But alongside these challenges, it showcases practical solutions already making a difference, demonstrating that inclusion is not only possible but beneficial for learners, employers and society alike.

More than a research publication, the report provides a roadmap for the next stages of the W.I.N. project. Its findings will inform the development of training programmes and resources for educators, employers, people with disabilities and policymakers, helping strengthen the journey from education to employment across Europe.

Read the full report to discover the practices, recommendations and ideas that are helping build more inclusive vocational education and workplaces across Europe.

I am visually impaired and almost blind, and the two IRHOV schools support children and young people with visual impairments from the age of three to 19. I chose this project because I wanted to spend some time in another European country and be involved with children and young people.

Before starting my placement, I spent the first two weeks receiving individual support to become more independent in my new environment. Different people helped me with mobility, shopping and everyday life in Liège. After those two weeks, I officially started my volunteering experience at the two schools.

At the beginning, I got to know the students, the teachers and the school environment. Step by step, I started supporting students both individually and in groups. From early on, I was encouraged to develop my own ideas and activities, which I really appreciated.

I enjoyed the warm and open atmosphere, which allowed me to create my own ideas and methods. Getting to know the students little by little and being part of their daily school life was a very positive experience.

One of the activities I organised was introducing the younger pupils to the piano and sharing my own approach to the instrument. On another occasion, we listened together to “Pierre et le Loup”. Later in the project, I also organised piano activities with older students.

I also supported students individually at both schools, for example by helping them use the computer or by practising French together. I especially enjoyed spending time with students from different countries who were learning French and supporting them throughout that process.

During my volunteering experience, I learned about the way teachers and students interact and learn together. I also learned a lot about myself and about how I communicate and teach. Teaching in French was a challenge, but it was one that I really enjoyed.

Throughout the project, I felt welcome both in Liège and at IRHOV because of the openness and support I received.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Greetings, my name is Silviu, I am from Bucharest, Romania, and for 8 months I was an ESC volunteer in Liege, Belgium, with VIEWS International.

Coming into this project was a big challenge for me. At one point I was doubting whether I should go away from Romania for this many months, if it’s the right choice for me or if I will manage. I chose to trust my intuition and the process, which indeed was proven to be the right path.

The beginning wasn’t too easy since Wallonia isn’t known for fluency in English, so I had to follow French classes and learn the local language, which was the biggest challenge for me, but also the process that gave me the biggest satisfaction when I started seeing results and was able to talk with everybody. And it was indeed such a helping tool in my day-to-day activities at the youth center at La Baraka, at the office at Views or at Coordination Sainte-Marguerite, where there was a lot of French being spoken.

In terms of activities specifically, I was never a quote to quote ,,Office person”, but with the team at Views office we found some tasks that sparked my interest, for example opening a new Instagram profile for the organisation and making videos on the activities we had during my stay.  Also, it’s worth mentioning that I was part of the organising team for 2 Dinners in the Dark, awareness-raising nights in the dark which were very tiring but equally very fun to set-up and coordinate in team.

At La Baraka, I can say I was right in my element. A lot of games to play with the youngsters, cooking workshops, events such as the “Fete de la Musique”, a music festival in Parc Sainte-Agathe in Liège, and so on. Lots of things to get my hands on and start doing with the staff and volunteers, which really helped me in the more stressful periods.

At Coordination Sainte-Marguerite, I got to help a bit with the administration, but the fun part was to go to the local school of French as a Foreign Language for newcomers and do activities with the groups of youngsters and adults, in order to help them learn French in an engaging way. We did everything from guessing games, to acting to even playing “Mafia”.  While it wasn’t easy to come up with a new activity every single week, I took the challenge and had fun with it.

8 months fly by just like that when you get a tight schedule, especially when you also do things after activity hours such as going to the gym, going to a bar or a party in the city, or simply hanging out with your mates.

I’d lie if I said that everything was perfect and I didn’t face not-so-good periods as well. There can always be things happening to us that are not in our power to prevent, combined with moments of doubt. Not being able to communicate unless I was speaking in French made me indeed question if I was even supposed to be there. I had moments where I was frustrated my activity wasn’t as good as I thought it would be, or when I couldn’t explain myself, or other instances where I felt lonely and stuck. And let me tell you right now that all that is perfectly normal and its part of the process. With time, things got better, and day by day I was building more confidence in my abilities.

Also, very important to mention, I learned a lot about living alone through this experience. From money managing to fixing things around the house or making a routine in cleaning clothes and the house, this is something that I am super proud of. Being this independent was super fun and inspiring, and now I look forward to move out and live by myself as soon as I can.

Overall, these 8 months have seen ups and downs, but the ups definitely compensated the downs, so if I had a piece of advice for future volunteers it would be to be patient with yourself and to trust your intuition.

All the thanks to the Views team, and everybody that was involved in my experience!

Silviu

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.