Projects to Help Making the Youth of Širvintos More Active

Živilė Jankauskaitė-Turkmen has been working as a youth worker specialist in the Širvintos Open Youth Center (ŠAJC) since January of 2022. She is a young worker with no shortage of ideas and initiatives, who even organized several youth initiative groups and writes projects.

About this and many other interesting things, Živile Jankauskaitė-Turkmen gladly agreed to share her insights.

- The young people of Širvintos know you very well, we constantly read about you and your works on social networks, but you are little known to the older generation. Introduce yourself: where are you from, who are your parents, what did you graduate from, what are you interested in?

-I was born and grew up in the village of Paširvintis (Musninkai parish) - in a single yard. I grew up with 2 sisters and 1 brother. Mother Birutė Jankauskienė works as an elder in Musninkai, father Kęstutis Jankauskas is a driving teacher at Laurynas Stuokas-Gucevičiaus Gymnasium in Širvintos and a dedicated farmer. I graduated from the Vilnius Pedagogical University with a specialty in geography and a teacher's qualification. Oddly enough, I have never worked as a geography teacher. After my studies, I went to volunteer in Turkey under the then European Voluntary Service program (now the European Solidarity Corps program).

I volunteered in Turkey for 12 months in various activities with children and youth: organizing leisure activities, helping with homework and other educational and social activities that were needed at the time. Volunteering changed my life and my choices. I am currently studying for a master's degree in program and project management. I am interested in the cultures of various countries, foreign languages, self-development (in personal and professional fields), opportunities for young people, adults and seniors to participate in various project activities in Lithuania and abroad, other things that motivate and set a positive mood.

With her husband's family in Turkey.

- You have visited many countries of the world. What languages ​​do you speak and in what countries do you have friends?

-I had to travel a lot, starting with internships in European countries during my studies, then taking advantage of opportunities provided by European Union programs for young people, i.e. volunteering, youth exchanges, training, seminars and internships abroad (Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Belgium, France, Croatia, Slovakia, Poland, etc.). Since I volunteered in Turkey for more than a year, now I am married to a Turkish man, of course I can speak Turkish and English fluently. I speak a little Russian. I learned this language when I worked with immigrants in Lithuania. I like Spanish a lot. I studied it, but I wouldn't say that I can speak fluently, because when there is no language practice as knowledge of language can "disappear" over time. And for friends, of course, most of them are in Turkey. Turkey is like a second country to me. My husband's whole family lives there, my friends from the time of volunteering also live there. In addition, I established many partnerships with non-governmental organizations in Turkey, with which we still work with today.

-Knowing so many foreign languages, you could have lived perfectly in any country in the world, but you returned to Širvintos. Why? What is attractive about our city and district?

-I had to live in Turkey for several years, then I returned to Lithuania and worked in Vilnius. Finally, my husband and I decided to move to Širvintos. The Širvintos region is my native region, I feel great here, I know the environment and the people. In addition, Širvintos has been beautified, cafes, swimming pools, sports clubs and other socializing places have been opened. Our city is in a strategically convenient location, as you can drive to Vilnius in 30-40 minutes, there are regular buses on the route "Širvintos-Vilnius-Širvintos".

- in 2022 you submitted as many as 5 projects and got funding for all of them. How do those projects benefit our district? What is the formula for success that your written projects receive funding?

- During the project preparation stage, we worked together with young people and colleagues, who offered many different ideas and thoughts for the activities. Projects develop the abilities of young people by organizing and implementing project activities, develop their communication, English language skills, intercultural competences and develop a sense of self-confidence. By participating in project activities, young people become more active, get involved in the activities of other organizations in Širvintos district, and develop their civic activity. The formula for project success is very simple: a good team to work with in developing the project idea, and the uniqueness and interest of the idea itself.

- Thank you for the conversation.

Romas Zibalas,

a member of the Širvintos district municipal council, spoke.

Photos of Jankauskaitė-Turkmen

Source: https://www.sirvinta.net/jaunimo-balsas/projektine-veikla-padeda-aktyvinti-sirvintu-jaunuomene/