Evaluation Seminar 2025: Conclusion of the volunteer path in the heart of the Beskydy Mountains

Between 27–30 May 2025, an evaluation seminar for international volunteers 🌍 working in the field of social services took place in the picturesque setting of the Sepetná mountain resort in Ostravice 🏞️. The four-day gathering provided space for reflection, closure, and appreciation of a truly unique life experience - one that voluntary service undoubtedly represents.

The first day was dedicated to welcoming, creating a relaxed atmosphere, and initial reflection. Through interactive games, discussions, and creative activities, participants tuned in to a shared rhythm and gradually began to explore deeper topics. A particularly powerful moment came with the metaphorical Hero’s Journey activity, which compared the volunteering experience to a personal quest - full of challenges, discoveries, and growth 🌱.

The second day focused on deeper reflection and searching for meaning in the overall volunteering experience. Through silent work and shared discussions, participants created letters to themselves and future volunteers, capturing their insights, disappointments, joys, and hopes. By building a symbolic “bridge”, they connected their memories to specific skills they had gained. In the afternoon block "What’s next?", volunteers began to look ahead and explore the possibilities before them. The evening program was led by the volunteers themselves.

The third day stood out thanks to the collaboration with supervisors. Together we shared results, reflected on organizational cooperation, and enjoyed moments of relaxation and joy - such as a badminton tournament 🏸 between volunteers and supervisors. We also reflected on two key aspects of volunteering: teaching Czech and creating content for social media. The day concluded with leisure activities like swimming, bowling, and karaoke 🎤.

The final day was dedicated to the ritual closure 🔔 of the volunteering journey. Volunteers wrote messages and words of thanks 🙏 to those they wished to appreciate, and exchanged them with each other. In silence, each person created a bracelet as a personal symbol of their journey – a reminder of the experiences, people, places, and personal growth. In a final sharing circle, everyone contributed a single word to express what this experience meant to them. These simple words carried the emotional weight of the entire year.

The seminar brought not only space for reflection and gratitude, but also joy from shared time, new friendships, and a sense that the path the volunteers walked had deep meaning ❤️ - both for themselves and for those they served.