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
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
My name is Jay, I come from Petrozavodsk, that is a city in a north-west part of Russia. I love cycling, reading books and watching series, my favourite one at the moment is BoJack Horseman and Ted Lasso. I am a teacher of English and German by training, and I have been working in a Russian NGO Agriculture club for about 3 years. I am a transgender man and an open LGBTI+ activist.
What is your previous volunteering experience?
I started volunteering at a school for foreigners in Petrozavodsk, introducing newcomers to my hometown. After it, I started collaboration with a German organization die ijgd – I led 5 international workcamps as a team leader. I spent some time abroad as an exchange student, but when I got back home, I started working with a local NGO Agriculture club.
What kinds of projects do you do at Agriculture club?
Agriculture club is an art-community in Petrozavodsk that merges art-cluster, civil activists and citizens together. At first, I was a volunteer there, and I helped at the events. As soon as I got my ways around, I started leading my own projects – language clubs, TED-talk conferences, seminars, different formats on such topics as human rights, LGBTI+ inclusivity, feminism and masculinity. I coordinate and manage projects that are done by other members of the community. And I am one of the organizers of a big festival Barcamp, the so-called intellectual picnic that takes place in summer and unites active citizens of my region.
How did you decide to become a volunteer at e.p.a.?
I started collaborating with e.p.a. at online event Share the light, that started in the beginning of 2021. Agriculture club became one of the partners of that event, and I was the one who coordinated the partnership. I did not think about doing my ESC there until the team actually mentioned that there is an open placement, and I am more than welcome to come. Doing ESC project was on my bucket list, since I believe that volunteering is expanding one’s horizon, so I decided to do it with the organization that I already knew, especially because we have established a very friendly connection.
What are your plans for the upcoming months?
I am pretty excited to be a part of e.p.a. team and to have an opportunity to travel in pandemic when the borders to Russia are closed. I really want to refresh my German, as I have not used it for almost 2 years; I want to explore Hamburg and meet people from different backgrounds; I am interested in learning more about the work of youth NGO and participate in organization of seminars and exchanges.
I really hope the upcoming months will help me to recharge, to build meaningful connections, and to find inspiration for future projects.
