By Valentina Bastioni, Italy / Volunteer for Change team February 2026
Hello! I am Valentina and I am Italian.it I have been living at CICD for four months and am part of the 10-month Volunteer for Change team. I graduated in Law last year, motivated by my passion for human rights since I was a child and by a secret dream: working in international cooperation.
I therefore decided to come to CICD because through the 10-month programme I have the opportunity to begin this journey and get closer to realities like those of African countries, where human rights are not always fully recognized, with the aim of contributing to their protection.
The Gaia Programme: hunting for sites!
During these months, I participated in the Gaia programme, a programme that allows students to join for about two and a half months within the College to raise a scholarship, thus helping to halve the course fees.
During this time, I was part of the “site find team”, helping to generate funds that allow the school to continue its work and support ongoing projects. Together with my team, I travelled to different parts of England looking for possible spots to place containers for collecting used clothes and shoes. These were intense and demanding months, but at the same time stimulating, engaging, and rewarding.
What I learned
I had the opportunity to visit numerous English cities, but above all, I developed skills that will be useful in my professional life and in my daily life. Organization and time management became essential. Every day, I interacted with the locals, improving my English level.
Not only that, I also learned to drive on the left side of the road – a truly amazing experience!
The challenges of the journey – a growth experience
Of course, it wasn’t always easy. It’s a very stimulating activity, but also full of challenges. It can often be frustrating and discouraging, especially at the beginning, when you don’t get answers or when new opportunities seem difficult to find. But with time, you learn to be patient and keep looking. Addressing these challenges is part of the learning process.
I’m very proud of the journey I’ve made and the skills I’ve developed so far. For me, this experience represents one of the most formative moments of my college journey: it allowed me to get to know my team better and collaborate with people from different cultures, allowing me to approach the next training period of the programme with greater awareness.
