Once upon a time…
In the country under the Tatras, the story of INEX Slovakia began to be written. Our story began in 1993, but the history of international volunteering workcamps is much older. They were founded just after the First World War. An important character in our story (like our Superman) is Pierre Cérésole, who experienced the horrors of war and had the destroyed buildings in front of his eyes every day as a memento of what the war brought to people’s lives. In 1920 Pierre brought together a group of people from Germany and France – countries that were on opposite sides during the war – and together they set about repairing a war-torn village near the French town of Verdun on the French-German border. Their work together was an expression of support and understanding.
This one act started a wave of international volunteering workcamps as well as the emergence of international volunteering networks. Over time, this trend spread to the countries of the former socialist bloc. And after the Velvet Revolution in 1989, volunteering workcamps were also organised in Czechoslovakia thanks to INEX – SMVTM. The split of Czechoslovakia, however, could have put an end to the story of volunteering workcamps in Slovakia. Only…
Fortunately, there were people who weren’t going to give up and wanted to keep writing this story. However, the authors of the story have changed. It was no longer Pierre or INEX – SMVTM, but Majka Rajtíková (now Ďurajková), Braňo Ďurajka, Robo Spišák, Paľo Adamec and Peťo Barát. These five young people said to themselves that the story of the workcamps cannot just end. They were motivated by the idea that volunteering workcamps would be organised in an independent Slovakia. Young people in Slovakia will not sit in a corner. They wanted to give people the opportunity to find themselves in an ocean of adventure, to travel, to get to know other countries, to make friends from all over the world. To live the story of a volunteer, to be a part of it when they help out at volunteering workcamps.
That is why INEX – Association for International Youth Exchanges and Tourism – was founded in Slovakia in 1993. From the very beginning, INEX people were “passionate about the cause”. In 1993 we became members of the international network Alliance of European Service Organisations and in 1994 we became partners of the network Service Civil International. Over the years we may have changed our name to INEX Slovakia, but what has not changed is our determination to continue what Pierre once started.
The path to personal growth for young people
Our story can be written thanks to the young people who have travelled abroad through INEX on volunteering projects. They returned home from the workcamps full of impressions and experiences, and we decided to give them the opportunity to meet, share their experiences with each other and create a unique community, the only one of its kind in Slovakia. Thanks to volunteering and non-formal education, they got to know themselves better, what they enjoy, what they don’t enjoy and where they want to go. This is the origin of our slogan “Find yourself in the ocean of adventure”. We noticed that those who knew themselves better were able to make easier decisions, choose jobs, activities, relationships and become more satisfied in life. Therefore, we focused more and more on the personal growth of young people and our vision became active people with a healthy self-esteem, tolerance to other cultures, traditions, and differences, critical thinking, general overview, and a willingness to help those in need. Because such people know how to build and develop a society where everyone feels accepted and can find their place. In this we are helped by trainers, INEX volunteers, partners in Slovakia and abroad through fun, games, discussions, workshops and practical experiences.
And what’s next?
That’s what we’re curious about, too. 🙂
We will continue to work to ensure that our vision is fulfilled and that we live in a healthy society based on the values of humanity.
The INEX story continues and you can write it with us – whether by participating in an international volunteering workcamp, a weekend workcamp, travelling to European Solidarity Corps projects, Erasmus+, helping with our one-day volunteering activities or attending an educational event.
There are many possibilities – you just have to choose. 😊
