Get to know our ESC volunteers - Anna

Where are you from?

I was born in Spain, but lived most of my life in Germany, where we moved around until we landed in a town called Hanover.

What is your training or background in circus or the arts?

I first started with circus nine years ago in a local youth circus, where we would train twice a week and perform on multiple occasions throughout the year. I also took flamenco classes until Covid hit, so it is safe to say that I am comfortable on a stage.

What made you want to volunteer at Galway Community Circus? 

I wanted to spend a year away from studying and get to spend more time being creative, learning new skills and improving my teaching as well as my organisational skills.

Who is your sending organisation? Tell us about them. 

My sending organisation is Internationale Jugendgemeinschaftsdienste or “ijgd” for short. They are an independent non-profit association for international youth work and a recognised independent youth welfare organisation, who has been organising volunteer services programmes since 1949. Each year they assist around 4,000 young people with volunteer work in Germany and abroad.

What do you love about working with Galway Community Circus? 

I love that I am able to learn from very experienced circus people and that I also have the opportunity to do a lot of outreach projects. I am really grateful that I have space and people to train with, so that I’m able to work on my circus skills.

What project or projects are you working on at the Circus and what results do you hope to achieve?

I’m currently part of the “Circus is for Every Body” project, where we work on making circus more accessible for D/deaf, hard of hearing, disabled and neurodivergent young people in Galway. Our goal is to implement the methods into our general classes, so that we can teach circus to even more people! I am also working on my personal project, which is yet to be determined.

What do you love about Ireland? 

I love being surrounded by the lively music and arts scene in Galway and I love the impressive nature so close to the sea!

What are a few important things you have learned or are learning while volunteering with Galway Community Circus?

I have learned a lot more circus skills and have already improved my juggling which is one of my goals for this year. I am also learning many methods on how to make the circus more inclusive as well as improving my teaching skills with children and adults alike.

What is one thing you love about circus in general?

I love the number of different skills there are, so that everyone can get excited and be part of the circus. Moreover, I am very fond of how supportive people in circus are. They are always going to cheer for you even if you're competing against each other.

Why do you think a programme like European Solidarity Corps is important? 

This programme is important because it gives young people a chance to spend a year abroad and experience a different culture. It also gives them a chance to get out of their comfort zones in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming, like it could if they were doing it alone. It helps to stay connected with people, build communities and friendships across borders.

Would you recommend that other people apply to volunteer at organisations through the European Solidarity Corps programme? Why

I would definitely recommend it since there are so many more projects available for you through the ESC programme! They are all projects that directly impact the community and because there is so much variety, you can find one that exactly suits your wishes!

Learn more about the European Solidarity Corps and discover more about the ESC programme at GCC.

Galway Community Circus's European Solidary Corps programme is supported by Erasmus+ and Léargas.