By Aven Wilsenach
I had the opportunity to participate in the SCI Austria Returnee Seminar on November 22nd. The other participants in this seminar were former volunteers from events such as the Gesäuse National Park Actions Days, Walking Against Colonialism, and other volunteer events supported by SCI. Most of the attendees were residents of Vienna or living in Austria, but many originated from different countries across Europe. The attendees of the Returnee seminar discussed their individual volunteering experiences, highlights from volunteering opportunities, and how to improve future volunteering opportunities.
Introductions & Background Information
The seminar began with attendees providing short introductions about themselves and the volunteering events they participated in. Then we began assessing our understanding of SCI’s core values and goals through activities like speed dating and the Sell Yourself Name Game. Although this seminar was only one day long, it was great to connect with former volunteers and hear their experiences!
Open House about Past & Future SCI volunteering opportunities
After these activities, we held an open house display showcasing all the different activities SCI supported over the past year. One of the displays was a small calendar listing upcoming events SCI is helping with. This session was very informative because it showed the different opportunities available to returning volunteers. Also, the attendees had the chance to learn about SCI’s history, and the organization has grown over time.
How to Design a Peace Campaign + Presentation about WalkAgainstColonialism
After a short break, one of the attendees, Joscha, provided a brief presentation about his experiences at the WalkAgainstColonialism event in Innsbruck. This presentation provided background on the event and a walking tour of Innsbruck’s history, as well as the role of colonialism in different European cities.
Final Activities and Reflection
We ended the seminar with reflections on the feelings and thoughts that emerged from volunteering and an in-depth analysis of how to address any uncertainties about volunteering in the future. Following these discussions, we revisited the first seminar activity on SCI, and almost everyone in the workshop felt they had become better informed by the end. For me, this experience made me more informed about SCI’s mission to create change through volunteering and how discussions about non-violence and peacemaking are essential, no matter the setting.
