From Student to Volunteer

30.9.2024

From student to volunteer: Viktoriia Skachkova on her experience of studying in France.

Viktoriia Skachkova, a 4th year student majoring in Secondary Education (French, English) Language and Literature, shared her impressive experience of long-term volunteering in the French city of Lyon. Viktoriia admits that last winter she realised that she wanted to learn French among native speakers and decided to apply for international projects.

After a long wait, in early May, she received her long-awaited response. Victoria’s main task was to run international workshops: from preparing for the camps themselves to preparing all the necessary documents. She was completely immersed in this exciting process.

The camps in which Victoria works are international, so English becomes the main language of communication. However, there are times when participants who do not speak English understand only French. ‘At such moments, it was a bit scary, but I realised that it was the best chance to improve my language skills,’ says Victoria.

An important aspect of her volunteering was communicating with teenagers, which gave her additional practice in the field of education. ‘This project was my best decision. I realised that I love the French language and working with teenagers, despite all the difficulties,’ she says.

Viktoriia emphasises that this experience has become a new impetus for her to continue her studies in her field of study, and she is looking forward to new opportunities in the world of education.

Department of Romance & Germanic Philology,
Information Centre of the Educational and Research
Institute of Philology & Journalism