Since the beginning of September DANUBEparksCONNECTED hosts an Interreg Youth Volunteer. Damir will support us for the next 6 months and it is our pleasure to have him on board.

As introduction to our project, we asked Damir a couple of questions about his motivation to become a Volunteer at an Interreg project:

Damir, why have you decided to get active as volunteer?

To my opinion, it is important to get active for important aspects in our daily life like social aspects or nature conservation. I want to contribute a little to make our region and our living together more valuable, more sustainable, more peaceful.

And, additionally, I want to get an insight into the work of experts. I´m sure, this experience will raise my personality and will help me in my future jobs.

You joined the IVY initiative to become DANUBEPARKS volunteer. Can you give us more details how it works?

It is easy: just register on https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en  and express your willingness to get active as volunteer within an Interreg project, and note your main interest. I´m happy that I have been chosen by DANUBEparksCONNECTED. It fits perfectly to my interests!

What will be your main tasks as volunteer?

I will support the team of DANUBEparksCONNECTED in the implementation of their actions. For example the coordination of the cross-border grazing with a flock of sheep coming from Slovakia and grazing the valuable Austrian grasslands will be one priority. And I´m very much looking forward to organizing the 2nd Danube Volunteers Day. Main topic in 2018 will be cleaning dynamic river habitats. But first, I hope that the 1st Danube Volunteers Day will be a big success, definitely, I will be part of it.

What are your main expectations of your 6 months period as one of the very first Interreg Volunteers?

I hope to get insight how transnational cooperation works. I´m looking forward to contributing to concrete actions for nature conservation along the Danube. And I´m sure that not only my professional skills as freshwater biologist but also my language skills, born in Bosnia, will support the project team of DANUBEparksCONNECTED in their ambitious work. 
 

Damir, good luck as Interreg Youth Volunteer! Have a good time! We are looking forward to present news of your work with DANUBEparksCONNECTED in the News section on our website or on Facebook.