Testimonio Léa Feron | 19 años

Léa Feron, is doing her french Civil Service with the “Mans a les Mans” team. The french Civil Service Francés (Service Civique) is a volunteering program financed by the french governement, and is open to all the young people between 18 and 25 years old. Léa Feron has started her service in Barcelona, in ocotber 2018, and ended in july 2019.

Personality Test:

A song that you cannot stand:

Your favourite ice-cream’s flavour:

Chocolate

A book you would like to re-read:

Kundera - The Unbearable Lightness of Being

A secret obsession:

The order.

An essential work tool:

A pen for drawing

A destination to get lost in:

In the Atlantic Ocean, inside a boat like in the movie L'Odyssée de Pi.

About my EVS:

Why did you decide to volunteer?

I decided to become a volunteer because I wanted to take time to think about my personal project (my studies). Also, because it means to change city, to learn a new language and be useful.

How did you learn about this opportunity?

I got the information from a friend that has done the same program before.

Why a Civil Service?

Because it was the best option for me at that time.

What were your expectations before coming?

I wanted to discover the world of working with children to confirm my wish to be a teacher.

What is your project about?

My project consists in being with children (between 7 and 9 years old) and organizing workshops with them. I do a workshop on Mondays that changes every 3 months. I have done a craft workshop, a yoga workshop and the last was about cooking. In the afternoon I help them to do their homework. And during these hours we do different activities according to the day.
Monday is the day of the workshops, and now is the time of the cooking workshop. On Wednesday we make «Now you teach», which means that is time for the children to teach us their activity, it can be a craft activity, painting, or a game. And Thursdays is my favorite day. We make the center interesting, whit an activity about the "Book of the Jungle", through which we organize activities related to this book. Then we read a part of the story every Thursday and talk with the children about the topics (emotions, values, well-being, coexistence, etc.).

How do you bring additional things to the project?

Now, I know better how to act with children, and I have gained many ideas for my future projects! Also, I have learned another language and encountered another culture that I liked a lot.

Do you feel like being part of a process?

Yes, I feel very good in the group. At the beginning it was difficult because of the language barrier, but now everything flows. Educators trust me and teach me a lot about teamwork. In addition, the group of children is great.

What is the impact of your project on the society?

The project helps children to open up to the world thanks to art, culture, sport activities, etc. In addition, we work on their autonomy, making them acknowledge their activities (the games, when we cook, clean dishes during the snack, clean the table ... etc.). They also learn how to behave in a group, so we teach coexistence and solidarity.

Would you like keep working in this framework after the project?

Sure! It has been a great experience and it has confirmed my wish to be a teacher. Now all my questions have an answer. I feel that I have grown and that I have many new ideas in my head!

What did you like and what would you like to change about the project?

I think "Mans a les Mans" has many ideas and they do things very well. They do a lot of workshops, they look how to improve day by day, and this can be seen in the quality of the outcomes.