My name is Marc Raw. I am from Huddersfield and I am 19 years old. Last year I took part in one of the projects in Aruba working on De Palm Island as an activity instructor/life guard for 3 months.

Throughout my VET project I took part in some professional activities and I also did some teaching of these activities to the customer. Some of the activities that I did were snorkelling and Snuba. Snorkelling involved me swimming above the water with my head in the water with a mask on so that I could breath. Snuba is where you are in the water with a mouth piece on, to breathe through tubes that were attached to a float and goggles. I also did sea trek which is where you wear a helmet and walk under water.

In my free time I visited many cultural places. One of the places was called Ayo Rock Formation which was an area in Aruba where it had lots of different types of rocks and boulders to climb and explore. Another place was the California Lighthouse which was based in the Noord. The lighthouse overlooked most of Aruba. There was also De Palm Island which was an activity Island. It had many activities on it and also some flamingos as well.

Whilst being in Aruba I learnt how to run all the activities on De Palm Island. These where: zip line, life guard tower, snorkelling booth, Water Park and air jump. This involved providing excellent customer care.

During my time on this project I learnt how to speak a different language which was Spanish/Papiamento. I also learnt how to live independently, by having to cook my own food, do the weekly shop, travel to places on my own and clean after myself. I was also able to learn how to go sea trekking and also snuba. I was also able to build up on my communication skills and also being to budget my money.

This project could help me in the future as it would open more doors for me applying for different types of jobs, improve on my skills that I already have and learn new skills. It has enhanced my CV greatly, and the whole experience was amazing.

Project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

My name is Shane Blaylock, I’m 18 years old and I’m from a small town in the North East of England called Haltwhistle. I currently study outdoor adventure sport at Newton Rigg college and in my first year of studying I was granted the chance to apply and be interviewed for a winter sports project in Sweden. My initial thoughts were this sounds amazing as Sweden is a place I’d never thought I’d look into travelling to and or take part in winter sports such as cross country skiing.

Once I was interviewed my excitement grew and 2 weeks later I was told I was going to Sweden for free! Which is amazing being from a low income family and the fact I’d never been abroad before.

Whilst studying outdoor adventure sport, I took part in kayaking, canoeing, caving, climbing and hill walking which fuelled my interest to become an outdoor instructor.

To be a good instructor you need to be able to be confident and adaptable, which are 2 things I was able to develop when in Sweden.

During the project, I spoke in front of school pupils and delivered a presentation of live in England and then got into small groups and compared the differences between England and Sweden. I learned that Sweden is much more environmentally friendly such as returning plastics to supermarkets for money. I had to adapt between different groups as there was age differences and different abilities of speaking English, through this I was also able to learn a little bit of Swedish as well.

When we weren’t in classrooms, we would either be on the slopes, on an ice rink, driving snow mobiles or being pulled on a sledge by huskies! There was always something to do, one of my favourite activities was ice fishing. A memorable moment is sitting on a frozen lake at -12 degrees looking at the Northern lights!

We also become good friends with a sámi family and worked on their reindeer farm for a day. I’m still in contact with them today!

Since coming back from Sweden, (apart from wanting to go back) I have gained relevant Outdoor Adventure qualifications which will help me get jobs in the outdoor industry.

I have become much more competent in trying new things since partaking in winter sports and the want to develop new skills has increased dramatically. The project has made me enthusiastic to travel to different countries and learn about different cultures and hopefully work abroad too.

The project has made me become more independent and taught me important life skills such as having to cook for myself and the group has made me a lot more confident in my own cooking and has allowed me to cook at home more frequently which I love. Budgeting was also a key part when shopping which has helped me be more careful with my own money.

With all the skills I have learned from the project, I felt confident enough to further my education and apply to university which will help me develop my skills learned in Sweden even more, making me an all round better outdoor instructor.

Project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Great interview from Liam about his Vocational Educational Training project in Aruba, coaching young people with Tur Cos Ta Posibel.
 

 

Project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Here is another great interviez. Watch Cameron’s inspiring interview about his Vocational Educational Training project in Aruba, coaching young people with Tur Cos Ta Posibel.

Project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Watch Luke’s inspiring interview about his Vocational Educational Training project in Aruba, coaching young people.

Project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

My name is Jake Douglass, I recently took part in a project with everything is possible which involved me flying to Aruba where I would work on a resort named De Palm Island.

There my job as a trainee was a lifeguard but I did much more. My training work always varied on a day to day basis as each day a schedule would be released and would give us the chance to go and work on all the different stations that the resort offered. This ranged from operating slides, to helping with equipment and also being able to personally take guests on snorkelling tours.

The work we did was amazing and I loved the time I had in Aruba. The programme was perfect for me as each day I would meet new people with new stories and new backgrounds which I could learn about through communicating and getting to know them. This was amazing for me as it allowed me to be even more sociable which is for me my best trait. It helped me to be able to learn to communicate even better and work on my skills with people one on one.

I can’t even put into words how this project made me felt each day when I went to work. It’s by far the best thing I’ve ever done and the best way experience of my life. It’s something with my background I never thought was possible and it makes me so proud to be able to say I was able to leave my area and get to travel and work in Aruba (which by the way is my favourite place in the world).

I haven’t ever been able to visit many places but I’ve always had this side of me that wants to travel and I think now this project has influenced what I want to do with my life. I now would like to travel the world or get into a profession which allows me to do so and I think this was a good stepping stone in helping me to do so with the experience it has given me. It’s also helped to find what my passion is and this is why it has influenced my decisions what I may make in the future.

Through being in Aruba I was able to realise that having new experiences with new people and seeing new things everyday is something I want to be able to do for the rest of my life. I don’t know how or what this exactly is right now but what I do know is the time spent in Aruba has been a very important time for me and has changed my life. My free time on the island was also amazing, often we would go out with friends and see different attractions around the island or sometimes just enjoy the insane weather and relax on the beach all day!I had so much fun when being able to just be free and explore this amazing place. Guess what this was two times every week also which was great.

Professionally also, I learnt how to present myself better and how to deal with all different types of people and personalities as each day we could be communicating and helping anywhere from 200-700 people. This was by far my favourite part of the job! The variety of people we would meet. All this was important for me but the best lesson was what I learnt personally.

Personally I learnt how to be more independent. This involved being in the house and sometimes having to clean the property. Also I learnt how to have to cope with feeding myself and washing etc. All of this sounds rather boring but is very important for later life and for now as it learns me to be able to rely on myself and this is by far one of the most comforting and nice feelings.

I think this project is going to help me for the future as i have said it has shaped my thoughts on what I would like to do when I am older and as a career. Nothing is certain yet but I know a role similar to what I did at de palm where I would meet new people is something I would love to do for the rest of my life.

Project part of Discovering More, organised by Everything is Possible.
Project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

My name is Lewis Jones. I am currently taking part on a VET project with Archelon the sea turtle protection society of Greece at their rescue centre in Athens.

Archelon has three main objectives:

1 – To study the nesting habits of the sea turtle Caretta Caretta, looking at how best to conserve them.

2- To rescue and re-habilitate any injured or sick turtles found in and around Greece, through the use of the rescue centre.

3 – To educate the public on what dangers these creatures face and what they can do to help them.

I have had a very hands-on experience with the turtles and have been conducting the following.

– Cleaning both the tanks and the turtles.

– Conducting basic treatment of injuries, such as treatment to head injuries and missing limbs as well as the administration of drips.

– I have also conducted emergency first aid to turtles, especially when I have conducted a pick-up of a turtle. I have picked up two turtles, one is called Ariadni and Kornilllia, we hope that Ariadni will be released later in the year.

– I have also been conducting emergency procedures, most recently with the turtle Alkioni who came in with pneumonia.

– I have been conducting tube feeding, unfortunately a necessary procedure for many of the turtles that come through our doors.

– I have learnt a great deal about project co-ordination and how best to conduct all our activities while causing minimal stress to the turtles in our care.

In the next few weeks I will be helping with the final preparations for turtle releases. This requires me to work one on one with my manager Eirini as we conduct the final measurements and tagging of any turtles that will be due to be released, one of whom Ariadni is a turtle I have a very close bond with.

As it gets closer to summer and more turtles return to the Greek waters, more turtles will be arriving at the rescue centre with an ever-increasing workload.

I have learnt a great deal professionally since I have first arrived here, so much so that it has caused me to change the direction in which I want to take my professional career. Through this project I have learnt more about turtle ecology and turtle biology (especially while observing the necropsy of a four kilogram turtle who had died due to a hook trapped in his throat) and the risks that turtles face than I could ever have done in any lecture hall. The difference a place like this teaches you, in comparison to a classroom, is the difference between knowledge and comprehension. Through the care in which I have been conducting I have been able to learn in-depth about these creatures and why they have not had to adapt for thousands of years and how they are now adapting to the ever-changing environment that humans have created.

As you probably know, Marine biology is a highly competitive field. I have looked at several jobs as well as more advanced projects that require experience in many of the elements that I am receiving here. I was unfortunately unsuccessful for a job in the Seychelles on a private island, having got to the interview stage, simply because I did not have experience in turtle tagging. I was able to take this information to my manager Eirini who assured me that I will take part in turtle tagging to prevent a situation like this from happening again. Due to the length of my time here, it will give me a competitive edge for any jobs, projects or degree that require me to work with turtles in the future.

On a more personal note I have learnt a lot about other cultures. Due to the multi-cultural factor of the project I am regularly the only British person on the project. This has exposed me to many different cultures and the differences between these. For example, how people speak, the differences in mannerisms and what is acceptable in one culture but not another. There could be as many as 12 volunteers, but each person is from a different country. It teaches you how best to communicate with people when there is a language barrier and how to get the best out of each individual. We are also living in very close proximity to each other, now more than ever, therefore you learn many personal skills which would normally take years to master. Now, though, there are fewer volunteers, but it still blows my mind that I can be at a table of six volunteers/trainees and two members of staff, all speaking English, yet be the only English person at the table.

In our spare time we spend a great deal of time being common tourists, discovering the many hidden secrets of this ancient city of Athens as well as the major features. For example, the Acropolis (though in my opinion the many alley ways and houses around the Acropolis are the true stars of the city) and the old Olympic stadium which is truly beautiful. We have close ties with many people in the local community from the head waitress in our favourite restaurant to the part-time Greek volunteers who invite us to meet their families. It is not uncommon however for volunteers to come in on their days off especially as the work has increased, and after a hard days work there is nothing better than watching the sunset from the Rescue Centre decking (which in my honest opinion are some of the best sunsets I have ever seen).

As the virus has hit, the work that I have been conducting here has become even more important, as fewer volunteers can now arrive. Those who are still here are having to work even harder. There is no doubt in my mind that the best place for me is here, working with this team and helping to save the lives of these endangered turtles.

I hope that you take this testimonial as proof that this is the best place for me as a professional and as an individual.

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Project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

My project involves me working as a trainee mechanic for De Palm Tours here in Aruba and I work day and night shifts on alternate weeks. As part of this, I repair and service their fleet of UTVs, jeeps and buses on a daily basis and assist on engine maintenance for their De Palm Island ferries, small dinghies and 80ft catamaran. In the following months I will be helping with refitting and repainting a boat and constructing the new adult water park on De Palm Island. Also day shifts involve being sent out on road call to deliver replacement UTVs to meet the tourist groups at various sites across the island.

Overall I think I am most surprised that there is no fresh produce on the island, not even tropical fruit as it is all imported from overseas by plane or ship, which does make food shopping an expensive event.

I feel I have gained many skills already from this amazing project including learning how to weld (arc welding, MIG and oxy-fuel) and off-road driving, plus I have improved my cooking skills and qualified as a PADI Open Water scuba diver.

Felix Baines
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Vocational Educational Training (VET) project part of ‘Discovering More’, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

I am Emma and I am currently taking part in the veterinary project in Aruba as well as working one day at the donkey sanctuary. I wanted to do this project as it offered experience I would not get elsewhere. The vets help me take part in all situations including surgery. The activities involved are day to day care for the animals which includes giving medicine and cleaning wounds. I spend most of my time in surgery as an assistant which includes opening sterile equipment for the surgeons, controlling the anaesthetic, checking heart rates, cauterising wounds, preparing animals for surgery, waking animals up after surgery. At the donkey sanctuary I help feed the donkeys, treat wounds and help in the shop.

The cultural shock I have had is the language, I have sometimes struggled at the vets with the language barrier but I am starting to now understand certain words and phrases which is making it easier.

I have learnt a lot so far, I have learnt a lot about the different surgeries. I have castrated cats myself and can do injections too and I have more responsibility now. I have also learnt to be more independent in every day life.

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Vocational Educational Training (VET) project part of ‘Discovering More’, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

My name is Tom from Leeds and I have just completed my foundation degree.
During my project in Croatia at a bear refuge, I carried out different DIY tasks such as building furniture, creating enrichment for the bears and working on a carpark for coaches for the refuge.
In my free time, I spent time chatting with other members on the project, observing bear behaviour, went on a hike up a mountain to camp and learnt other skills such as fire making.
Thanks to this project, professionally I learned how to live and work with others.  The project taught me also how to lead if needed.  I have improved my knowledge of the use of tools and bear enrichment.
Personally, I have learnt that I am more capable to complete tasks that are practical.  I met a lot of new friends on this experience.
Tom Smith

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Project organised by Everything is Possible and co-funded by the European Solidarity Corps programme of the European Union. The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.