1. What motivated you to join this youth exchange, and what were your expectations before coming?
My main motivation was to explore how business and social impact can support each other. I have always been interested in how young people can create their own opportunities, and I wanted to better understand the connection between volunteering and entrepreneurship.
Before arriving in Bansko, I expected to gain theoretical knowledge, particularly about business models and developing a project from scratch. I hoped to find practical guidance that could help me turn a vision into something achievable.
I also wanted to challenge myself in an international environment. Meeting young people with similar interests but different cultural perspectives seemed like an opportunity to question my assumptions and discover other approaches to creating a project.
2. How has this experience changed the way you see volunteering, entrepreneurship or your own role in the community?
Before the exchange, I tended to see volunteering and entrepreneurship as separate paths. The experience helped me recognise how the skills and understanding developed through volunteering can also inform a socially responsible business.
For me, the connection lies in empathy, relationships and awareness of people’s needs. Volunteering can help you understand a community more closely, while entrepreneurial tools can help you structure an idea and consider how to sustain it.
This changed how I see my own role. I feel more motivated to contribute actively and explore how my business interests could respond to local challenges. I now want social responsibility to be part of how I develop a project from the beginning.
3. What was the most valuable activity, moment or lesson for you during the exchange, and why?
The practical sessions were the most valuable part for me, particularly the activity in which we analysed a local entrepreneur and developed our own brand, which we named “TWSS.”
Creating a brand identity gave us something concrete to work on. We had to make choices, bring our ideas together and explain what our brand represented. It helped me understand the thinking involved in moving from an initial concept towards a clearer proposal.
Another highlight was the “difficult customer” simulation. It challenged me to respond to an uncomfortable situation, communicate my position and adapt under pressure.
Together, these activities showed me different sides of entrepreneurship: developing an idea, presenting it and responding when someone questions or challenges it. That practical experience made the learning especially memorable.
4. What new skills, ideas or confidence did you gain through participating in this project?
I developed skills in communication, decision-making and presenting ideas. The debates and the “difficult customer” exercise were particularly useful because they required me to think on my feet and give clear responses.
These activities helped me become more decisive. I had to assess a situation, choose an approach and explain my reasoning, sometimes without much time to prepare.
I also became more confident speaking in public and handling challenging conversations. Practising in these situations helped me feel less insecure about expressing my position.
One of the most important things I gained was what I would call entrepreneurial courage. I now feel more prepared to take an idea seriously, work through the practical steps and give it a chance to develop.
5. After this youth exchange, what do you want to do differently in your local community or in your own future?
I already had a business plan in mind, and the exchange helped me reconsider it with greater attention to social responsibility. I want to explore how my professional goals and community involvement could support each other while keeping a clear purpose for both.
Locally, I would like to become more proactive and put the skills I practised into use. That means developing my ideas further, making concrete decisions and beginning to test what is achievable.
The experience in Bansko gave me greater confidence to move forward. I want to build on that by taking practical steps, learning from the results and continuing to improve my plans.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
