Get to know our ESC volunteers - Elisa

Where are you from?
Hi again, folks! It’s Elisa, the Belgian girl. I live in Belgium, but I have an Irish father.

What is your training or background in circus or the arts?
Before coming here, I did not have any circus skills. Now I'm working on it! I'm learning some things like juggling and hula hoops.

What made you want to volunteer at Galway Community Circus? 
Last year, I was looking for a volunteer opportunity that was in sync with my values. As I was on the European Solidarity Corps platform, I saw GCC’s profile, and it just matched what I was looking for. I also wanted to join the circus because I love the arts, and I love people. As an inclusive circus school, GCC perfectly combines both!

Who is your sending organisation? Tell us about them. 
My sending organisation is the Centre for European Volunteering in Brussels. This organisation supports volunteers across Europe to boost social change. They offer experience and tools to help young people integrate into society and find jobs that they can work in. If this interests you, I recommend checking out the European Volunteer Centre website!

What do you love about working with Galway Community Circus? 
You know what they say: the people you meet can make the difference. Well, that saying is very true and I personally love the people here!

Our members and staff are genuinely the best thing! I love seeing the kids getting confident with their circus skills. And even though I’m a tutor, I feel like the kids teach me a lot, both consciously and subconsciously. Being a tutor really makes you question yourself and for that I’m very grateful to our younger members!

What project or projects are you working on at the Circus and what results do you hope to achieve?
For the moment, I’m working on some personal acts, trying to develop the artist in me. One of my roles is also being the environmental officer (sounds fancy, I know!). For this role, I brainstorm on ideas and events that we could set up to make GCC more sustainable. We can make the Circus greener together!

What do you love about Ireland? 
I would say that I definitely love the amazing Irish cuisine! Just kidding, haha. On a more serious note, I love that here in Ireland I breathe the purest air possible, that even when it’s pouring rain, people still have something to laugh about, whether it be the weather or something else. I also love that we are surrounded by the sea which calms me down. There are other things, of course, but I will stop here.

What are a few important things you have learned or are learning while volunteering with GCC?
At Galway Community Circus, I’ve learned that teaching is more than just shoving knowledge into kids’ heads, like we often do in schools. Teaching is an exchange. Yes, we teach the kids some skills and make them think, but they also give us back input such as feedback and other knowledge. It’s made me realise that teaching means questioning yourself and what you do a lot!

I’ve also met special and silly people, like me. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is. These people help me evolve and change. I’ve learned that any kind of relations, like friendships, are only defined by the barriers we put to them.

And finally, I’m slowly but surely learning new skills, developing my creativity and putting together some projects.

What is one thing you love about circus in general?
One thing I love about circus is that everything is possible! Well, almost everything.

Why do you think a programme like the European Solidarity Corps is important? 
I think the European Solidarity Corps programme is important because it offers the opportunity to experience a different way of living. You get to do different types of work to help the community. And on top of that, you are supported by your organisation. To quote Hannah Montana: “It’s the best of both worlds”.

Would you recommend that other people apply to volunteer at organisations through the ESC programme? Why? 
Yes, I would recommend the ESC programme to young people under 30 for the same reasons as I wrote previously. I find that the programme is very rich in experiences. Like everything, the journey will have its ups and downs, but that helps you learn a lot about yourself!

For example, this is my first time being this far away from my home and I have discovered that I am very well able to be independent, of course with the support of the people I’ve met here.

Voilà, well, done, you have arrived at the end of this blog. Thank you for the time you have spent reading what I wrote about myself!

Lots of love and warmth during this cold weather.
- Elisa

Click here to learn more about the European Solidarity Corps or click here to discover more about the ESC programme at GCC.

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