We have come to the end of another chapter in the noble story of the Older Brother, Older Sister program, which began in October 2022. A total of 52 volunteers actively participated in the program, dedicating 4,248 hours to creating workshops, spending time with children, attending training sessions, meetings, and engaging in many other activities.

The children especially enjoyed spending time with the volunteers and participating in the fun activities they had the opportunity to experience on group trips and workshops.

“Older Sister” Emina Šehović shared her experience of participating in the program:
The love I felt in the project filled my life with joy, planning new activities, and eagerly awaiting our meetings. It improved my group and individual work skills, but also allowed me to meet the real heroes of today. ‘Older brothers and sisters’ are superheroes with big hearts. The moment when the mother hugged me with tears in her eyes and thanked me for spending time with ‘my younger brother’ is something I will remember for the rest of my life. Sometimes, our little effort means so much to someone.

Throughout the past year, the focus was on providing support, love, and attention. The mother of one of the girls involved in the program shared why she decided to include her daughter:
The reason for enrolling my daughter in the program was initially because she has a brother with developmental difficulties. I wanted to provide her with a different environment and, in a way, meet her needs and give her moments dedicated only to her. My daughter gained a new friend, a sister, wonderful new experiences, and knowledge through outings, workshops, and all the activities of the project. All praise and a big recommendation for all those who decide to support you because this is truly a responsible, important, and beautiful thing for the upbringing, education, learning, and acquisition of different experiences, as well as for the healthy development of every child.– M.

Special attention was given to closely monitoring field activities through group and individual advisory meetings, and workshops aimed at self-development provided opportunities for personal and professional growth. These meetings offered a space for volunteers to share experiences and, through discussions, solve challenges and develop new strategies to improve the quality of their interactions with children. In self-development workshops on topics such as Personal Boundaries and Their Function, Self-Aware Emotional Management, and Self-Perception, volunteers had the opportunity to strengthen their social and emotional competencies.

None of this would have been possible without good coordination and preparation. Sanela Šehić, the program coordinator, added what she believes were the added values of this cycle:
It meant a lot to me when I noticed that, in addition to progressing in the program, the volunteers were successfully overcoming personal challenges such as anxiety, lack of self-confidence, etc., and achieving their goals—not only as mentors in the program but also as individuals in the community. On the other hand, I would like to highlight that the children showed great interest and effort to support other children in need, even though they themselves face the challenges of growing up.

Through the work of the “Older Brothers and Sisters” with the children, they played, sang, socialized, learned, but what connected them all was the desire for progress and the building of a better society. If you also want to be part of this noble story, join us in the next cycle starting in October 2023.

Ajsela Kučinar