Croatia
participants
The goal of this event was to promote social inclusion and foster meaningful connections between Erasmus students, volunteers, and members of the local community, particularly individuals with disabilities, through shared creative and culinary activities. By collaborating with DIP Rijeka, the event aimed to: encourage mutual understanding and empathy through personal interaction, offer students a chance to contribute meaningfully to the local community, raise awareness about and support the work of a local NGO, create a warm, collaborative environment where everyone could engage equally.
Our second event of Social Impact Days – Spring Edition was a heartwarming candle-making workshop combined with a culinary activity, held in collaboration with the local NGO: DIP Rijeka. We have collaborated with DIP (The Society for Research and Support) in the past, and they were excited to partner with ESN Rijeka once again. Founded in 2013, DIP’s mission is to improve the quality of life for citizens—especially people with disabilities—by promoting inclusion, a healthy lifestyle, humanity and solidarity. The collaboration came together effortlessly. DIP proposed the date, limited the number of participants due to space capacity, and kindly provided all the materials. Students were also invited to purchase candles as a way of supporting the organization.
On the day of the event, we were warmly welcomed by the smiling faces of DIP members and soon got to know each other. Participants were split into two groups: one for candle-making and the other for preparing food. Each student was paired with a DIP member to create candles together, with the aim of supporting them rather than doing the task for them. The room was filled with creativity, conversation, and connection as we learned more about each other's experiences while keeping our hands busy. The second group teamed up with DIP members to prepare salad and pizza rolls, which later served as lunch for everyone.
The positive atmosphere, laughter, and shared efforts made this event a truly memorable one. We wrapped up the day with a group photo and warm goodbyes, with DIP members expressing their hope that we’d come back again soon.
We are grateful for the opportunity to connect with this inspiring part of our local community and to bring our Erasmus students and volunteers a bit closer to its often-hidden gems.
Members of the association were welcoming and satisfied with the collaboration, while the students also expressed their satisfaction and showed interest in supporting the organization by purchasing handmade candles.
