Seven lives — On the road to success with the European Social Fund

Social Europe

Seven livesOn the road to success with the European Social Fund

doi:10.2767/53254

KE-03-13-154-EN-C

Seven lives

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Meet Brigitte, James, Jolanta, Anna, Nauras, Ebrahim and Carlos in ‘Seven lives’. Learn about how each of them found their way and successfully completed a professional project thanks to projects and programmes fi nancially supported by the European Social Fund (ESF).

In addition to ‘Seven lives’, you can also fi nd out much more and watch their stories on the ESF site: http://ec.europa.eu/esf

Find out about the paths taken by seven beneficiaries of the European Social Fund

European CommissionDirectorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

Manuscript completed in June 2013

Seven livesOn the road to success with the European Social Fund

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More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu).Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013ISBN 978-92-79-30126-1doi:10.2767/53254

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Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission may be held responsible for the use that may be made of the information contained in this publication. Cover image: Maud Millecamps - © European UnionPhotos: Rudi Miel – © European Union France: p. 5: bottom photo, p. 6: bottom photo, p. 7: top photo, p. 15: top photo; United Kingdom: p. 19: bottom photo, p. 25: top photo; Germany; Poland: p. 42: bottom photo; Lithuania: p. 54: top photo and background photo, p. 55: top photo, p. 61: background photo, p. 62: top photo; Spain: p. 66: bottom photo.France: Brieuc Hubin – © European Union Spain: Leopoldo Alberto Prieto de Paula – © European Union Poland: Agnieszka Kolodynska – © European Union United Kingdom: Simon Burt – © European Union Lithuania: Šviesos raštas – © European Union Lithuania: Šviesos raštas – © European Union

Brigitte, James, Nauras, Ebrahim, Anna, Jolanta and Carlos… seven Europeans who are representative of the European Social Fund today, seven very different paths with one thing in common. At some point in their lives they have all benefitted from the support of the European Social Fund (ESF) in achieving their professional objectives.

By reading their stories and watching their testimonies on the ESF website you will see that the nature, scope and aims of the projects supported by the ESF are extremely varied and that these projects target people from all walks of life: young or elderly job-seekers, students, aspiring entrepreneurs...

More than ten million people benefit from this support each year... Why not you?

To find out more, visit the ESF site: http://ec.europa.eu/esf

The ESF invests in people. It is people who are undoubtedly Europe’s richest attribute.

The European Social Fund, a profoundly human story

Seven lives — O

n the road to success with the European Social Fund

3

Hellemmes

Project: Support for the ‘Lille Plan for Integration and Employment’ (PLIE)Beneficiaries: CCAS HellemmesProject duration: 2011Total budget: € 33 072ESF contribution: € 15 000Participants: 145Country: FranceOrganisation: Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE):http://www.mde-lille.fr/

Destination

Hellemmes

Brigitte,healthcare assistant in a nursing home

http://ec.europa.eu/esf

Destination H

ellemm

es — France

5

A woman of action

Open doorMy husband and I live in Hellemmes, in an old house built for workers in the North of France, right beside

Lille. The house still has its original front door. It’s the only one on the street that does. All of our neighbours

have replaced their doors. This is certainly not the only thing about us that our neighbours feel is unique. My husband is a former wrestler and lorry driver who survived being run over by a bulldozer and who now works with ponies. It’s certainly not a dull back story.

And if we add to that the fact that I went back to school at the age of sixty, you can see why we are real

characters in the neighbourhood.

6

Crossword puzzlesI love going for walks in François-Mitterrand park, near where I live, to recharge my batteries. My husband can’t go for long walks so I go alone. I also like going to the swimming pool and going window shopping in Lille. When I’m at home I look after my husband: everyday life is a struggle for him. He has to constantly take painkillers. To unwind I like to do crossword puzzles or watch television programmes. I also love cooking hearty meals like endives au gratin, chips and roasts. Unfortunately I don’t travel much anymore. But I have great memories of the Normandy countryside, like the scent of apple and pear orchards.

All aboard!After Francis’ accident, we started breeding ponies. My granddaughter was very keen on this: she loves animals. It’s a lot of hassle sometimes but we all made the decision together. It means my husband has to leave the house and look after the animals: it’s been a real lifeline for him. On the weekend we take the children out for rides with the ponies, using wagons. It’s a nice way to enjoy ourselves nearby. We only ask that the parents make a small contribution towards feeding the ponies.

Destination H

ellemm

es — France

7

I'm 63. I'm a healthcare assistant. I live near Lille, in France. I've had lots of things knock me off my path in life. But I am living my life to the fullest.

I've always had lots of ideas in my head. A bit of luck is all it takes sometimes to encourage you to take the plunge. Life isn't long enough to learn everything. I have a great deal to give and I want to do as much as I can, while I still can.

Only two of my brothers are still alive. I'm the youngest. There were six of us. The world then was very different than it is now.

No matter what the weather was like, we would play in the local rubbish dump every day.

What have you lot been up to?

You're all filthy dirty. Brigitte, bring me the scrubbing brush.

My mother was a real character. She often said: 'I just jump into things then see what happens'. She was always on the go.

She had an infectious energy and wore her heart on her sleeve. We all wanted to be like her. Here. They're

waffles, for your children, I just made them.

When I was eighteen I started studying mental health at nursing school. Two years later I dropped out. I was too young. I had my children.

My husband was a lorry driver. I started my own transport company.

On the road, you're alone. It's not the life I dreamed of.

My transport company lasted for thirteen years and then it

didn’t work out. I was summoned to the commercial court.

I bounced back. A few of us set up a small company again.

But in 1997, my husband had a serious accident. He was run over by a bulldozer.

I helped my husband as best I could. This experience made me want to get back into the medical and social field. I stopped working

in transport to become a personal carer.

I am really sorry. I really tried to…

You've done nothing wrong.

You'll be ok, hang in there!

I bought a pony: Charlotte. One brown eye, one blue one. It was a way to help my husband, to give him something

to put his energy into. Animals need people.

When I was 60, a challenge was thrown my way. That was when things just clicked.

You're not qualified, don't touch anything!

I went back to study to become a healthcare assistant. The Social Action Centre helped me, as I didn't have an

income. At 60 you're not entitled to unemployment benefit. It's retirement age.

I passed and was quickly hired by Les Orchidées. I'm happy there, I feel I've blossomed. We have the right, no matter our age, to study. I decided to move forward

in my life.

BrokeWhen I went back to study I stopped working. So I didn’t have any income. I found an organisation to pay for my studies. But that wasn’t enough. I then went to the Social Action Centre where I met Valérie and Aziz. They helped me. The involvement of the European Social Fund meant that I could complete my studies. When you doubt yourself you have to stay strong and keep your wits about you. There’s always support there to get you through. You just need to find the right support. No-one is ever really stuck. You have to get to know yourself and recognise that we all need each other.

The gift of yourself

Destination H

ellemm

es — France

13

Straight to the heartWhen Les Orchidées called me, I didn’t hesitate at all. I liked it from the very start. When I started, people were surprised at my age. But they accepted me very quickly. I’m now part of the furniture. I’m in my element. The residents have really taken to me, to my personality. I have a fun, easy relationship with them. I am a spontaneous and warm person. The residents often tell me that I add an atmosphere where there wasn’t any before. I try to give them moral support. And their kindness always goes straight to my heart.

No thank youI love giving to others. I always say that it’s easier to give than to receive. When you receive something you have to say thank you. And I’m not sure how to go about saying thank you because I tend to have feelings that are disproportionate to the action of the other person. So, for me, giving is more natural. I give my good mood, my energy and my love. I give to people who need this. Whether it’s here or elsewhere. I am very tactile and like to get involved with people. I sing for them and play around with them. I make them laugh and that makes everyone’s day better.

14

Life experienceI get on well with many of the residents, because they are simple people. I can have serious conversations with them even though we often end up laughing. The more reserved among them also let me help them from time to time, as they can relate to me because of my age. These affinities have to do with my experience of life. I’ve had a very diverse life and know a little bit about everything. Young people don’t always understand older people. I’m more able, than someone who has just finished school, to accept certain things. My people skills are better.

Full steam aheadI love my work. I will keep doing it for as long as I have something to give. I’m not going to stop now that things are going so well. Although I may have to set certain limits. I still have lots of plans. I would like to learn sign language. I already talk a lot with my hands... it’s a start! I would also like to look after children... I’d like to finish my secondary education too. I’ve been thinking about that for the last ten years. And I would like to learn English and German. I’ve bought books to help me get started.

Destination H

ellemm

es — France

15

Destination

Newquay

Newquay

Project: XtraVert run by Real Ideas Organisation (RIO)Beneficiaries: Young unemployed peopleProject duration: June – August 2009Total budget: € 104 902ESF contribution: € 16 733Participants: 11Country: United KingdomOrganisation: Real Ideas Organisation (RIO) http://xtravert.realideas.org/

Destination

Newquayhttp://ec.europa.eu/esf

James,skateboard ramp designer

Destination N

ewquay —

United Kingdom

17

Extreme passions

SeasideNewquay is the town I grew up in. I live there with my

girlfriend. My father has his home there... And all my friends and family are there. It’s the town of extreme

sports... All year long the centre of Newquay is a mecca for surfing and skateboarding enthusiasts. Even the

shop windows are designed with these sports in mind. I love any outdoor sports. But I don’t really like the

cold... So I only surf in the summer. But my friends are braver than me: they surf all year round.

18

On the waveSurfing gave me a taste for travel. I’ve surfed in exotic paradises like Thailand and Indonesia... It’s a sport that doesn’t have language or cultural barriers. I think that it’s the feeling of freedom you get from surfing that unites surfers all over the world: when we’re out on our boards, all our tension just melts away. It’s really a way of expressing ourselves. Relationships between surfers are simple and natural, whether you’re an amateur or a champion.

Friends for lifeFriends are everything for me. We hang out together in the pub and on the beach, listening to music and surfing. There are often festivals in the summer. I also like going fishing with my friends. But what really binds us together is our passion for skateboarding. We’re a real skateboarding community. Skateboarding has no age limit: everyone skates together in the same parks. Through skateboarding I’ve met lots of people and made some great friends.

Destination N

ewquay —

United Kingdom

19

I’m 23. I’m a joiner and I love extreme sports like skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding. I live and work in Newquay, in the United Kingdom. It’s a town of surfers, in both summer and winter. I’m lucky enough

to have a job linked directly to my hobby: I design and build skate parks and ramps. My whole life is about skateboarding!

My Dad was passionate about surfing and passed that on to me.

I have nothing much more to teach you James! You already know what

you’re doing!

I was very young when I got my first skateboard. I learnt how to use it myself, in the parks. There’s no school for that.

There is a sense of urgency to skateboarding. We are always stuck to our boards, we live and sleep with them.

But it’s a pleasure that comes with a price. I’ve lost count of how many bones I’ve broken. Once,

I woke up in the hospital, the day after I had a fall.

It’s serious this time James. The doctors warned me. You’re going to have to take it easy...

Skateboarding is like a virus. You can’t get rid of it easily. Two years after being forced to stop, I got back on my board.

It’s a dangerous sport but you get a real adrenaline rush from it!

Skateboarding helped me continue my studies. I find it hard to concentrate because I’m dyslexic. Skateboarding after classes invigorated me.

I studied tourism, because I wanted to see the world. I’ve always travelled a lot, with my family and friends.

But I didn’t stick with the course. There was too much theory.

I know… But you know I’ll never

give it up...

Next I learned to cook because I wanted to work as a chef

at a snowboard resort. I worked in a big hotel in Newquay.

Make us something good, ok?! Yeah, ok, off you go and enjoy

yourselves you slackers!!

I loved cooking. But the hours didn’t suit me: I was stuck in the kitchen all day while my friends were surfing and skateboarding.

I then worked in bars and shops for a while. I felt a bit lost... without any real qualifications.

At this time my Dad suggested I could give him a hand. He had decided to build a wooden house, all by himself.

It was a new experience for me... and a chance to learn about joinery.

Have you heard about the XtraVert courses?

Yes, Aunty… it seems like a good idea. Skateboarding and joinery…

everything I like together!

That’s how I joined the XtraVert team.

They taught me all the basics of joinery in just four months.

I learnt how to build skate parks and ramps.

At the end of the course, they wanted to hire me. Today I’m doing what I love. With my friends. It’s all go for me!

On track!

Destination N

ewquay —

United Kingdom

25

The wood industryI wasn’t all that interested in joinery at the start. I thought it was a boring job. But I’ve really taken to it. Joinery is not just carving and assembling pieces of wood. First and foremost, it’s got a lot to do with design and creativity. It’s also crucial to choose the right kinds of wood, depending on their final use. For skateboard ramps, for example, we use a specific type of multilayer wood which is both flexible and very strong.

Passing the torchThe young people I teach remind me of myself. I see myself in their questions and their mistakes... At the beginning they never have much self-confidence. But then they make progress quickly. Some even choose to go on to university. We teach them the basics of joinery. They begin by making a chair all by themselves which they can then take home with them. The fact that I’m just a few years older than them is a big advantage. I can say to them ‘look, I was in your shoes just three years ago and I did it: now I work full-time’.

26

Launch padMatt, Jack and I are really passionate about skateboarding. But finding a job linked to skateboarding seemed like an unattainable utopia to us. After the XtraVert course, the project founders realised that the skateboarding ramps we made were popular and that there was a chance to turn it into a business. That was three and a half years ago. They hired us. We successfully rose to the challenge. Nowadays we sell our ramps all across the United Kingdom, to both individuals and communities.

Tried and testedBuilding something new is always very exciting. When we come to the end of a project we can’t wait to get back on our skateboards and test it out for ourselves. The experience is always different: it’s always a new feeling. The best part of my job would have to be this final test: it’s at this point that everyone in the team gets to jump on their boards and just let loose.

New lifeWithout the European Social Fund I have no doubt that I would not be where I am today... I would probably never have even studied joinery. Everyone, including my colleagues Matt and Jack, who took part in the first courses has been able to make something of their lives. The XtraVert programme changed several people’s lives. Lots of young people and adults want to do something with their life but never get the opportunity to.

Destination N

ewquay —

United Kingdom

27

Koblenz

Project: MYK4internationalBeneficiaries: Young Germans working in the hotel and restaurant industry in France.Project duration: May 2009 – December 2013Total budget: € 2 044 717ESF contribution: € 1 208 532Participants: 125 planned. 86 to date.Country: GermanyOrganisation: IKABhttp://www.ikab.de/portrait/index_en.html

Destination Koblenzhttp://ec.europa.eu/esf

Nauras & Ebrahim, apprentice chefs

Destination Koblenz —

Germ

any

29

One big family

Straight to the pointI live in an apartment three kilometres from Koblenz. I have had German nationality for two years but I still

don’t feel completely German. When people ask where I am from, I always instinctively want to say ‘Iraq’. But this is more of an emotional issue because I do really like living in Germany. I speak German and my friends

speak German. I appreciate all that my host country has done for me. I’m the first to support the German

national team in football matches.

30

Going with the flowWhen the sun shines I love going to sit beside the Rhine or Mosel rivers during my breaks and, together with my friend and colleague Ebrahim, having a glass of wine and something to eat. My work requires a great deal of energy. I do, however, always find the time to cook for myself in the evenings. I cook simple dishes, but my standards are high in terms of the preparation or the ingredients I use. I enjoy trying out new combinations when it comes to sauces and soups.

Fresh water fishingToday I feel completely German and fully integrated into society. It was a long road: twelve years! I don’t have much time for my hobbies because of my work, but I love fishing on the edge of a lake or along the Rhine. And I sometimes play guitar. After work I often go out with colleagues in the evening to have a drink and unwind. We’re like one big family.

Destination Koblenz —

Germ

any

31

My name is Nauras. I'm 26. I left Baghdad with my parents, my two brothers and my sister when I was seven. I am training to be a chef in Koblenz. I specialise in desserts. Cookery is my

passport to the world. I would like to complete my training in Switzerland and would also like to go to Asia and see how things are done there. I would like to have my own restaurant

some day, in Spain. The vegetables taste different there.

My name is Ebrahim. I left Iran when I was seventeen, during my military service. My mother helped me escape. I now live in Koblenz. I work with Nauras: we are both in training at the moment. Gastronomy is more than just an interest for me. It's my life. When I look back at what I've achieved, I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish so far.

My memories of my home country are linked to the war. The Baghdad neighbourhood we lived in was

bombed. We lived in Jordan for five years. We were political refugees. I stayed there until I was thirteen.

My parents always loved to cook. I rarely cook for them because they are better than me! I've learnt a lot by watching my father. He cooks very healthy

dishes. It's because of him that I wanted to learn to cook professionally.

You can cut the peppers, Nauras.

When I first came to Germany, life was not easy. I had imagined a grey and boring country. I missed the sun and I had to learn the language and to write from left to right.

At school the other children would make fun of me, because I spoke German badly. But I was

good at art and geography. And that made the other children jealous.

Your drawing is no good!

When I was fifteen I worked as a barmaid: I needed money. Two beers,

here you go!!The opportunity to train and become a chef came from the job centre.

I was sceptical. It seemed too good to be true. So... I did a traineeship in Bordeaux for a few weeks. I loved it.

Beat the eggs into peaks

Nauras.

I've had a German passport for two years now... The kitchen team is like a family. Everyone has adopted me, even though it is a male-dominated environment.

Everyone agrees on how good my chocolate cake is. But the recipe is a secret!

I didn't want to die in the war. I crossed Turkey, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia on foot... My journey lasted twenty-one days.

I met up with my brother in Italy and he drove me to Germany.

We hadn't seen each other for five years. So I didn't recognise him straight away.

When I got in his car I fell asleep straight away. I hadn't closed my eyes for several days.

My early days in Germany were tough. I had to start from scratch. I had absolutely nothing. I had to wait several years for my work permit.

And I wasn't allowed to study either.

No, I'm sorry. I don't have any

work for you.

My interview with the job centre was a shock, but a positive one. The moment everything clicked was when I did a traineeship in France, in Bordeaux.

All of a sudden I knew I had found my way. I was certain. I was proud. I was going to be able to be a role model for my son, who was born in Germany.

I’ll do the onions

for you.

Thanks Nauras.

My life is here now, even though my heart is still in Iran. I had a very happy childhood. I have good memories

of my home country. My father still lives there.

I went to Iran a few years ago. The government had given up on looking for me. I will go back, definitely... And maybe open a hotel there, why not...

You've done well for yourself, son.

But at the minute I'm focusing on my training. I want to travel and to learn new things in Asia (China or Japan). I love the way they sculpt fruit and vegetables

and how they cook shellfish, crustaceans and fish. I still have a lot to learn.

Flavours and colours

Destination Koblenz —

Germ

any

37

Chef’s suggestionsMy working day starts at eight o’clock in the kitchen when I have a meeting with the team. We talk about the plan and recipes for the day.... And allocate tasks. There are normally three of us: one is in charge of the starters, one the main courses and side dishes and the third person does the desserts. I prefer doing the main courses or the desserts.

Grand cruThe job centre and the European Social Fund enabled me to train. It almost seemed too good to be true. I was sceptical. The traineeship in France, in Bordeaux, taught me a great deal. I learnt about certain ways of working and trying different approaches to cooking. I always loved baking and making desserts. But the project enabled me to learn that there are lots of other things that interest me in the kitchen.

Designing dishesEvery time I prepare an ingredient I think about its flavour and the way I could use it in a recipe. I love to discreetly observe the customers’ reaction when they taste my dishes, especially when I’ve made something new or unusual. I am also careful to present the dishes well in general. I am a real perfectionist. I try to motivate my colleagues to get them to do the same.

38

Experimental cookingThe thing I like the most about the training I received is the confidence people have in me: they believed in my abilities. And the most satisfying thing, when I experiment with new things in the kitchen, new combinations of flavours, is when customers enjoy my dish creations. I love making special dishes from scratch and impressing the customers.

Full of lifeThe MYK4international project changed my life. I find it to be extraordinary that Europe supports its young people with a training opportunity like this. I really feel full of life today, I love my job. I feel like I am useful. My existence has evolved in a positive way. When I’m in the kitchen I feel at home.

Destination Koblenz —

Germ

any

39

Lublin

Project: Initiative is a woman IVBeneficiaries: Women who want to set up and manage a small business Project duration: January 2011 – August 2012Total budget: zł 2 951 186ESF contribution: zł 2 508 508Participants: 72Country: PolandOrganisation: Fundacja Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej http://www.fundacja.umcs.lublin.pl/

Destination Lublinhttp://ec.europa.eu/esf

Anna,crèche owner

Destination Lublin —

Poland

41

Secret garden

A breath of fresh airI am 25. I live with my parents in a village just

outside Lublin. In the past I tried living with my brother and his student friends in the city but I soon realised

I was too old for that. Student life and late-night parties don’t really go well with the demands of a career. But the countryside also gets to me quite quickly.

So I do the opposite of what most people do: I spend my weekends in the city.

42

Complete oppositesI have a split personality. On the one hand I am very organised, structured and responsible: I like to be able to control everything. So I need to compensate for this serious side of my personality with some other activities. This explains my interest in extreme sports: I need adrenaline to be balanced. I dream of experiencing kitesurfing and parachuting. I also run most days. I really like jogging.

Passionate about travelI have lots of friends in Warsaw. I like to ‘disappear’ from time to time to see them. We go to outdoor concerts and festivals and listen to rock music. As I am my own boss I organise my time as I like. I also travel abroad. I’ve been to Italy five times, three of them to Rome. I love Italy. One of my teachers started my love affair with the country. I learnt Italian and speak it fluently.

Destination Lublin —

Poland

43

I'm 25. I run a crèche I set up in the suburbs of Lublin. My background is in law so I didn't intend to end up in this line of work. But, while working as an assistant in a daycare centre

for children, during my studies, I realised that I was born to do this job: I really love it. I feel fulfilled and free,

and love being around children every day.

I don't really have specific memories of my childhood... But according to my parents I was a very noisy, sensitive little girl who always liked to be the centre of attention… Thankfully, again according

to my parents, I settled down in the end…

In my family, my parents and grandparents were teachers... Looking after children must be in our genes...

I'll make you a snack... Go and start

your homework.

For this reason I didn't really think I would go down the same road as they did, or even look after children in general. I didn't

have any experience in this field. I had just done a bit of babysitting when I was a teenager: I'd looked after my cousins.

I'll tell you a story... But afterwards,

it's lights off, ok!?

Have you thought about what you're going to do when you're

older, Anna? It's time to give it some thought... Yes, I'll be

a lawyer!

My parents were very happy about that choice… of course! They encouraged me to follow that path.

But then I rebelled. As my parents were delighted for me to study law, I did a 180 and told them I was going to study Islamic Arts.

My mother was smart in how she reacted. She knew how

stubborn I was so she let me make my own choice...

So in the end I signed up for law school.

I was very diligent in my studies… My future as a lawyer was all planned out. And then, something happened: I got the job as an assistant in a kindergarten…

I liked it so much that I decided to organise my study schedule around my working hours.

But the last year it became very difficult to manage. I had to quit the job

so I could concentrate on my studies. It was really heartbreaking.

I finished my law degree. I didn't want to waste all of that knowledge. And after investigating things a bit, I started to look for premises outside Lublin because there were already enough private crèches in the city.

I did all of this secretly. I didn't want to tell my parents about my decision until everything was ready.

My budget wouldn't allow me to renovate the property and buy all the equipment I would need. So I got in touch with an association co-funded by the ESF, which helped

me financially and trained me in fields I didn't know a lot about.

I invested a lot of time in this project... But it's brought me such happiness, I don't regret it at all. When I compare my lifestyle to that of my former classmates, I realise that my life is both

less stressful and more rewarding. Children give you positive energy all day long!

The courses also cover marketing,

advertising and the financial

management of your project.

A child’s soul

Destination Lublin —

Poland

49

The right wayThe majority of my work is linked to my responsibilities as the manager: administration, insurance, contracts... I am in close contact with the parents, of course, but also with my employees. In this way they can tell me what they need and what the kindergarten needs. We’re a bit too full at the minute. I opened the crèche a little over two years ago and would love to expand the space, because I have children on the waiting list.

Precious moments

My favourite part of the day is when I get to have a break and spend time with the children in their room. This is what I really enjoy each day. I sit down and play with them. And all of a sudden my worries seem so insignificant and my problems fade away. When I watch the children and am sharing in their world, I always smile. That’s the magic of childhood.

A responsible womanIt’s enormously satisfying for me to have been able to create a space that meets a real need in the region. I did, however, feel under a lot of stress when I, for the first time in my life, paid my employees’ salaries. I realised, all of a sudden, that the financial security of the three people I work with depends on me. It’s a heavy burden. But, at the same time, it motivates me to always keep on improving.

50

Freedom of choiceI’ve never regretted not becoming a lawyer. Lublin is a small city and there are two universities that teach law so it’s difficult to get a job in that field without leaving the region. Lots of people try their luck in Warsaw. There is a lot of competition to get a job. I needed a more relaxed, less stressful job. When I see the amount of tension my university friends experience, I tell myself that I am lucky to find a sense of fulfilment in what I do.

Resourceful spiritAt the ‘Initiative is a woman’ foundation, supported by the European Social Fund, which helped me finance my project, I have been able to meet lots of women who are active and independent like me, who have set up their own company. We have stayed in contact and really support each other. We see each other regularly to discuss our experiences and like to spend time together at a beauty salon one of our friends has opened. We help each other a lot.

Destination Lublin —

Poland

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Destination Vilnius

Vilnius

Project: ‘Towards Work’ – development of mediation services in the recruitment of people with hearing disabilitiesBeneficiaries: People with hearing disabilities Project duration: March 2009 – December 2012 ESF contribution: € 891 055Total budget : € 891 055Participants: 665Country: LithuaniaOrganisation: Lithuanian Deaf Community http://www.lkd.lt/

Destination Vilnius

Jolanta,seamstress

http://ec.europa.eu/esf

Vilnius

Destination Vilnius —

Lithuania

53

At the topI live in Vilnius with my father and mother, in the TV tower neighbourhood. Sometimes I go up to the top. I love it because I can see the whole city from there.

I feel free at home: I have my own room and I’m independent. I have a brother but he has his own house

with his family. He has two children. My father and brother don’t really understand sign language.

My mother, however, does. We spend a lot of time together as she doesn’t work.

Dialogue

54

BondsI have a real bond with my mother. Certain topics are difficult to talk about because of the communication barrier. Dialogue is easier with my deaf friends. My mother sometimes treats me like a child, thinking she is protecting me. She forgets that I am an adult. She sometimes controls my relationships. She is afraid of me making friends with the wrong people. This has, at times, created tension between us... But it doesn’t ever last for long. We quickly make up again.

SnapshotsI am very sociable. I have lots of deaf friends. Deaf people are a community. On the street we ‘talk’ really quickly to one another. I also chat with my friends online. When we meet up in town, I take my dog. We love watching him play. We normally meet at the square in front of the cathedral. I always take lots of photos. When I travel I do too. My mother encourages me to take advantage of opportunities I’m given. I’ve been on all the trips organised by school and have already been to Russia, Belarus and Poland.

Destination Vilnius —

Lithuania

55

My name is Jolanta. I'm 25 and I'm a seamstress. I work for a famous designer in Vilnius who has her own brand. I am responsible for the church garments. I'm deaf and mute. I was three years old when the doctors detected

my disability. I am surrounded by family and I love my job. I wouldn't change things for anything in the world.

When I was very young my mother took me to different hospitals for tests. When they found out that I was deaf it was a big shock for the family.

My mother told me that people, at the time, were very closed-minded. People were afraid of deafness. The doctors tried to find something

to blame for my disability. They said it was my mother's fault.

My mother took their absurd criticisms to heart. She didn't know how to react. She cried a lot.

Opinions have changed a bit. But my mother is stronger now. She has moved on from the things the doctors said.

She learnt sign language to communicate with me. She isn't totally fluent: we have our own language. We were not very hopeful that one day I would have a 'normal'

job... Society isn't very open to disabilities. It's rare that we are able to find a rewarding job that we really like.

But I've been lucky.

I always loved sewing and embroidery. For this reason, my mother enrolled me in a school after having talked about it

with someone at the training centre.

I really found my way in the school. In the third year, my teacher, who knew Daiva,

suggested doing a traineeship with her.

It was a great opportunity but it was also very intimidating for me. I still didn't have much confidence.

At the start I wasn't able to get to work on my own. My mother had to go with me. The city scared me. I felt lost.

But I found my feet in the end and became more independent. And at the end of my traineeship my teacher asked Daiva if she would like to give me a trial job.

Daiva accepted and for me it was a new stage in my life. Although I may have been slow at the beginning I found my way.

We've now been working together for two years.

I'm the only deaf person in the workshop but my colleagues and I 'understand' each other really well, in every sense of the term. It's important for me to feel of use to society.

They respect my difference and my little flaws. That's what matters, in my opinion.

Early vocationI’ve loved embroidery since secondary school. I used to take lots of photos and try to reproduce them through embroidery. With my disability it’s not easy to find your place in society. I’m lucky to do what I love, something that, at the beginning, was a hobby for me. The training centre and the European Social Fund allowed me to get a job that I love. It’s perfect for me... I’m happy here.

Nimble fingers

61

Destination Vilnius —

Lithuania

MisunderstandingsBeing deaf is not always easy. People’s reactions can be a bit silly. Sometimes, when I am going to work, young people see me signing with another deaf person or even with my mother and they make fun of me. I just ignore them now. My disability obviously limits my interactions with others. But, in my work, I always find ways to communicate with my colleagues and to understand each other. I sometimes just use my phone to write phrases.

Lip-readingI get on well with Greta, the assistant of Daiva, the owner. Greta is the one who tells me about my work for the day and organises my schedule. To communicate with her I write. I can read her lips. Greta always encourages me. I know that I am sometimes slower than the others but I am also very diligent in my work. And quality is very important to us. That’s what our clients expect.

62

New lineDaiva is always full of new ideas. She is very creative. As she seems to like the way I embroider and the designs I am capable of, she wants me to be involved in launching her new line of church garments and accessories. I am working very meticulously on this project, because I don’t want to let her down. I am very flattered by and proud of her trust in me.

Coffee and chocolateI get on well with my colleagues even if we are not particularly close. We work together so that creates a connection. They love bringing in photos of their children and talking about what they did at the weekend. I take photos of the embroidery I do at home and show them to Greta and my colleagues. We get together to have coffee and sometimes I bring chocolate. My mother often comes to see me and I show her my work.

Destination Vilnius —

Lithuania

63

Destination

Salamanca

Salamanca

Project: Training researchers in Castile and LeónBeneficiaries: ResearchersProject duration: 2007-2013Total budget: € 156 000 000 ESF contribution: € 125 000 000Country: SpainOrganisation: Ministry of Education, Castile and León Region http://www.jcyl.es/

Destination

Salamancahttp://ec.europa.eu/esf

Carlos,clinical biology researcher

Destination Salam

anca — Spain

65

All-nighters

BiotopeSalamanca is a city where history greets you on every street corner. It’s my biotope. I love walking along the riverside and going out with my friends in the old town to have a drink on one of the terraces. During the summer time, the nightlife is really incredible: the streets are heaving with people. All the nightlife spots are concentrated in the same area. You can go from one bar to another, as you feel like it. And as the drinks are so cheap it’s not easy to stay sober!

66

Against the clockAlthough I no longer run professionally, following a leg injury, I still jog. I need to run every day. It helps me relax and sleep better. Football also helps me unwind: I play once a week with my friends. My other hobbies include playing video games, going to the cinema and reading: I like detective stories, poems and medieval novels. I’m very compulsive. The trade-off I have to make to enjoy my hobbies is sometimes harsh. This is especially true as my work doesn’t leave me with much free time.

Guitar heroI’ve been playing the guitar since I was 15. Unfortunately the rock group I was in isn’t together anymore. I still play but now I play alone, in my room. I love all sorts of instruments. I also sing. Last year, at Christmas, I performed the Bon Jovi song ‘It’s my life’. I won a touch-screen tablet. Everyone in my family loves music. My brother plays the transverse flute. I don’t just listen to a single genre, I like everything: rock, heavy metal, pop, electronic, classical music...

Destination Salam

anca — Spain

67

My name is Carlos, I am 27. I live and work in Salamanca, where I grew up. I have a Master's degree in the clinical biology of cancer. I have been working

at the Cancer Research Centre for a year. This disease has affected me personally as numerous members of my family have suffered from it.

My time is split between research, music and sport. I'm the hyperactive type.

My father says that I've always been hyperactive. He even remembers me often falling out of my cradle! I could have been an architect or an

engineer. I loved Meccano and Lego. Those were my favourite toys.

One day I had the idea of making an Eiffel Tower with my Lego. I worked on it all summer. But I was missing some pieces to finish it off.

I started playing football when I was very young. I had to channel my excess energy into something.

Impressive, Carlos! When you finish it I'll take you to see the real one!

In 2001, I signed up to join the athletic club. I was very serious about running

for several years. I even won some awards at national level.

But a leg injury meant my career was prematurely ended.

While I was running I also started to learn to play the guitar. And a friend invited me

to join his group.

Our music was somewhere in between rock, punk and metal. We recorded a song in a studio. I sang and played guitar. My brother, who now lives in Toledo, played piano in the group.

I spent a lot of time in the forest, in the countryside, observing flowers and insects. My father, who is a professor of biology, used to take me with him.

These are morel mushrooms… Let's indulge!

I think that my interest in biology comes from my father sharing his passion with me. He taught me how the animal and plant worlds work…

I was very curious about everything. I bombarded my father with questions. I was lucky to be his student. So it seems natural

that I focused on biology at university. Our world throws up more questions than answers.

I thought that I could make my own small contribution to research. University opened lots of doors for me. I think I chose the right one.

The European Social Fund enabled me to meet other young people who share

my values and my enthusiasm.

We didn't see you last night at Miranda's

place…

I was there! But I didn't get

there until late…. very, very late!

Everyone, at this level, is fighting to beat cancer. My mission is to test out new drugs to fight colon cancer cells. I hope that

our work will save lives some day. That's what motivates us all.

A long- distance run

Destination Salam

anca — Spain

73

Patience and steadfastness

Our work requires a great deal of steadfastness, concentration and patience. We must be very flexible. To successfully conduct our research we need lots of time. My first months were difficult and even frustrating. I wasn’t making much progress. But my determination bore fruit in the end. I consider myself to be lucky as, in the end, I got good results that could help other researchers.

Infinitely smallI have always been fascinated by life sciences. When I was small I was captivated by the insect world, plants and animals. I am fascinated by infinitely small things, by the way the universe around us is organised and how it regulates itself. My father always supported me, since childhood, in all my discoveries and my learning about biology. I can trace everything back to him. I think he is proud that I followed in his footsteps. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.

Strong personality

I am a perfectionist. I love to work in an ordered way. In my head, everything is organised. I hate improvising. In my work, as in my everyday life, I am very structured. I appreciate that this isn’t always easy for those around me... Especially as I sometimes have a very impulsive personality. Some of them might hate me for that. But I can accept that. Once the ice has been broken everything goes smoothly.

74

New experimentsMy bosses concentrate on designing and carrying out experiments They provide me with the necessary equipment and I apply what was learned. I analyse the results for them. We test new drugs, which seem promising, to fight colon cancer cells. We get good results in vitro. But that doesn’t mean they will cure cancer. It is likely, however, than in the near future they will be the subject of clinical trials.

Daily struggleI hope to be able to continue to put my energy into this work that I love so much, for many years. And I also hope that, in the future, many people will benefit from the results of my research. I would love to continue to work for the centre I am currently employed by, but times are hard for everyone in Spain. It has become rare for a researcher to get a long-term contract. My future, no matter what, will be in research, in my ongoing struggle against cancer. Here or somewhere else.

Destination Salam

anca — Spain

75

Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE)

In Lille, France, talented and enthusiastic people are getting the opportunity to successfully switch careers. The ‘Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE)’ has the aim of opening up the labour market to people with diverse qualifications and of all ages. It allows participants to develop a strategic action plan, to anticipate economic changes and to contribute to local development by removing obstacles to employment. The participants, who are suffering the effects of social exclusion, need support: they are assisted until they

return to full-time work. To plan their return, the project brings together institutional, social and economic partners, offers traineeships and training and supports participants in their dealings with job agencies.

Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE)http://www.mde-lille.fr/

XtraVert run by Real Ideas Organisation (RIO)

‘XtraVert’ helps young unemployed people in Newquay (United

Kingdom) by offering them the chance to gain new skills in a motivating environment. The aim of the project is to teach 16-19 year olds about the joinery techniques needed to build skateboard ramps. This not only enables clubs to get fitted out with ramps but, most importantly of all, it gives the young people the chance to get a qualification. Adolescents learn the basics and the creative aspects of the trade through the programme, which gives them practical experience of joinery. They all leave with their own tools and safety equipment, increased employability, a certificate and qualifications in health, safety, maintenance and customer service but most importantly of all, with an improved sense of confidence in their own abilities.

XtraVerthttp://xtravert.realideas.org/

MYK4international

The ‘MYK4international’ project, run by the gastronomic training centre in Koblenz, Germany, offers young underprivileged people the opportunity to train in the hotel and catering fields. The young people take courses to learn skills and get the necessary qualifications to find a job in the restaurant, service or housekeeping fields. The students also go on working trips in the Bordeaux area (France) to further develop their skills in a practical environment. In addition to gaining professional skills, participants benefit from new social and cultural experiences and are also able to learn a foreign language.

The teachers regularly monitor the development of the students’ social, personal and professional skills. If they pass the final exam they are awarded a recognised qualification.

IKAB http://www.ikab.de/portrait/index_en.html

Six projects financed by the ESF

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Training researchers in Castile and León

The ESF’s activities in Castile and León include training in the research, development and innovation fields. This training enables young researchers to contribute to boosting the research potential of the region, which is also supported by the co-financing of networking activities bringing together universities, research centres and businesses. Two hundred researchers from universities and research centres in Castile and León have been able to take part in this project between 2007 and 2013.

Junta de Castilla y Leónhttp://www.jcyl.es/

Initiative is a woman IV

In Lublin, Poland, the ‘Initiative is a woman IV’ project helps women to set up their own business and to work towards success. Seamstresses, tattoo artists, owners of a sailing school and a private detective, among others, have all benefitted from this wide-ranging approach. After completing training on making a business plan, participants are trained in how to set up and manage a business. Former successful

beneficiaries of the project then help train the up-and-coming candidates. Mothers’ needs have also been addressed so that they can take part too; there is a crèche available.

Fundacja Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiejhttp://www.fundacja.umcs.lublin.pl/

Towards Work —development of mediation services in the recruitment of people with hearing disabilities

To boost the recruitment of people with hearing difficulties, the ‘Towards Work’ project provides mediation services, including advisory services and support in job placements, among many others. It has just won a RegioStars 2013 European Union award, thanks to a series of video clips produced to encourage society as a whole, in particular potential employers, to give those suffering from hearing disabilities the credit they deserve. Two thirds of the six hundred people who have taken part in the campaign have been able to find work.

Lithuanian Deaf Communityhttp://www.lkd.lt/

Seven lives — O

n the road to success with the European Social Fund

77

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the main European tool used to support employment: it helps people find better quality jobs and creates a more level playing field for all European Union citizens in relation to employment. To achieve these aims it invests in human capital – which is indispensable to ensuring labour competitiveness. With a budget of 10 billion euros a year, it improves the employment prospects of millions of Europeans, focusing in particular on those who find it most difficult to find a job, such as young people or elderly workers. This focus on disadvantaged groups helps boost ‘social inclusion’ – a sign of the crucial role played by employment in helping include people more in society and daily life.

The ESF is not an employment agency, and does not directly offer employment, but it helps millions of people to improve their employment prospects by financing projects throughout the European Union member states. The tens of thousands of projects financed at the local, regional and national level range from small projects managed by local associations with the aim, for example, of improving access to employment for disabled people, to projects at the national level with the objective of promoting professional training for everyone. The nature, scope and aims of the projects supported by the ESF are very diverse and target people from all backgrounds (young or elderly job-seekers, teachers, students and future entrepreneurs, etc.). It is these citizens, in all their diversity, who are at the heart of the ESF’s work. If, like the people you have read about in this book, you would like to take part in ESF projects, please visit the site below. There you will find contact details for the ESF in your country. National and regional ESF websites, as well as local employment services, are also a useful source of information on the opportunities provided by the ESF.

What is the European Social Fund?

http://ec.europa.eu/esf

78

Maud MillecampsBorn in Charleroi in 1982, Maud Millecamps graduated from the École supérieure des arts Saint-Luc (Liège) and the Académie royale des Beaux-Arts (Brussels). She took part in the joint project ‘Amour et désir’ for La boîte à bulles (2008) before creating her first album, ‘Les gens urbains’ with Quadrants in 2010, based on a story by Jean-Luc Cornette. Maud is the author of one of the four stories in the ‘Jump start’ (Nataline) comic strip, which was produced by the European Social Fund. She produced the illustrations in the ‘Seven lives’ album and also worked on the album’s colours. Maud Millecamps lives in Brussels and spends most of her time illustrating and drawing.

The authors

Rudi MielBorn in Tournai in 1965, Rudi Miel has a degree in journalism. As a communication consultant and comic strip scriptwriter, he is the co-author of the ‘Troubled waters’ album, published by the European Parliament, which won the Alph-Art communication prize in Angoulême in 2003. ‘L’arbre des deux printemps’ (illustrations by Will & Co – Le Lombard), which he wrote the script for, was awarded the best foreign album prize at the 2001 Sobreda (Portugal) comic strip

festival. He is also co-author of ‘L’ordre impair’ (Le Lombard), which was published in full at the end of 2009. Rudi Miel, the author of two comic strip albums published by the European Social Fund, came up with the idea for ‘Seven lives’. He is responsible for the scripts, the interviews and some of the photos.

Seven lives — O

n the road to success with the European Social Fund

79

European Commission

Seven lives — On the road to success with the European Social Fund

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union

2013 — 79 p. — 24.5 × 17.5 cm

ISBN 978-92-79-30126-1doi:10.2767/53254

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Seven livesOn the road to success with the European Social Fund

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Seven lives

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Meet Brigitte, James, Jolanta, Anna, Nauras, Ebrahim and Carlos in ‘Seven lives’. Learn about how each of them found their way and successfully completed a professional project thanks to projects and programmes financially supported by the European Social Fund (ESF).

In addition to ‘Seven lives’, you can also find out much more and watch their stories on the ESF site: http://ec.europa.eu/esf