Get to know our ESC volunteers - Justin

Where are you from?

I come from Lille, in the northern part of France near Belgium. Lille is also named Capital of Flanders because of its history. Flanders is a region shared between a part of the north of France and Belgium, where a lot of local traditions still exist including cultural events, food and more. Lille is a small city but like Galway, there are a lot of things to do and see all year long: concerts, theatre, bars, parks, and architecture. Lille has a lot of students around during the year, just like Galway.

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

I don’t have a background in circus specifically, but I have previously worked in theatres and exhibitions, which helped me learn more about the arts, after having studied cinema at Lille University. Part of these experiences were linked to circus, which made me interested in coming here to Galway Community Circus.

What made you want to volunteer at Galway Community Circus?

At first, I always wanted to have an experience in Ireland, so when I checked the map of volunteering opportunities on the European Solidarity Corps website, I discovered that Galway Community Circus was offering a volunteering opportunity in arts administration. Since it’s a job I’m familiar with, but also one where I felt there would be lots to learn, especially about circus, I applied immediately. And here I am!

Who is your sending organisation? Tell us about them.

My sending organisation is Lille Avenirs, which is a part of the “Mission Locale” also located in Lille. They support young adults from 18 to 30 years old around employment and programmes such as the civic service and the European Solidarity Corps. They are of great help and support because people there are aware of everyone’s needs when it comes to finding activities, employment or support on personal projects.

What do you love about working with Galway Community Circus?

I really enjoy the whole idea of Galway Community Circus’s project: put every effort into not only teaching circus to people of all ages, from toddlers to adults, but also into anything that involves practising circus skills. It goes from working both on your own and as a team, to helping develop social skills and learning from failure. It’s a place where you meet people, and where you learn to see perseverance as a fortifying tool. And all of that couldn’t happen without the whole team working here at Galway Community Circus.

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

I’m working on different projects with the whole team. My main role is reception and administration, but I also work on the ESC dissemination plan, the environmental and sustainability policy and actions, and social circus programmes. My tasks for each project vary, whether it’s being in contact with people for information or for class registration, communicating about the volunteers at the circus school, bringing awareness about environmental and sustainability efforts (waste, energy, quality of life), and helping organise workshops outside of the main weekly classes.

What do you love about Ireland?

Ireland is a really interesting country to be in and there’s a lot to learn about it. It has a strong sense of history and tradition. You can easily go out, meet, and talk to people. Irish people will always be willing to share knowledge about many things. Also, it is enjoyable to be able to travel through Ireland quite easily, as it is manageable to go on a journey to another place for a day or two. Everything feels accessible. And there are such a great variety of landscapes and places to discover.

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

Living away from home has been a big deal for me, since I have never been abroad or away from home for such a long period of time. But I am grateful for being here because it makes me see things from a different angle, being in a different culture, and seeing my home country from the outside. It’s also an opportunity to get to know myself better, and to hope that this year will help me later in life if I dare to do it again. I also love getting to know more about Ireland, its history, its culture, and meeting people here. And I’m trying to practise circus a little bit. I started learning how to juggle, with 3 balls!

What is one thing you love about circus in general?

I would say the main thing I love about circus is that you can practise it in any circumstance, because it relies on developing life skills. It’s about being playful, training on balance, reflexes, agility, but also about learning to fail and persevere. Circus is both about physical and mental skills. I used to skateboard and I find it to be similar to circus. You have an object, a tool, and you challenge yourself by using it depending on its properties.

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

I see the European Solidarity Corps as a great opportunity to do something that really pulls you out of your comfort zone, mostly because you are living abroad, which creates new ways of adapting and learning. The programme is more accessible than you think at first glance. And it’s also important because you get to be involved in different types of organisations all over Europe and focus on a specific project, whether it’s in culture, nature, social rights etc.

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

I would highly recommend the European Solidarity Corps programme to anyone thinking about applying, mostly for the reasons I named previously. It’s a big challenge and a great experience, because it brings you to a place where you can reconsider a lot of things while learning about where you are, and meet lots of great people.

You can learn more about the European Solidarity Corps here or visit the European Solidarity Corps page on our website for more information.