Seven lives : on the road to success with the European Social Fund : find out about the paths taken by seven beneficiaries of the European Social Fund.
Date: 2014-04-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Subjects: EU employment policy, European Social Fund, economic growth, fight against unemployment, graphic illustration, labour market, social assistance, social policy

Seven lives

On the road to success with the European Social Fund

Social Europe

Seven lives

On the road to success with the European Social Fund

Find out about the paths taken by seven beneﬁciaries
of the European Social Fund

European Commission
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Aﬀairs and Inclusion
Manuscript completed in June 2013

Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission may be held responsible for the use that may be made
of the information contained in this publication.
Cover image: Maud Millecamps - © European Union
Photos:
Rudi Miel – © European Union
France: p. 5: bottom photo, p. 6: bottom photo, p. 7: top photo, p. 15: top photo; United Kingdom: p. 19: bottom photo, p. 25: top photo;
Germany; Poland: p. 42: bottom photo; Lithuania: p. 54: top photo and background photo, p. 55: top photo, p. 61: background photo, p. 62: top photo;
Spain: p. 66: bottom photo.
France: Brieuc Hubin – © European Union
Spain: Leopoldo Alberto Prieto de Paula – © European Union
Poland: Agnieszka Kolodynska – © European Union
United Kingdom: Simon Burt – © European Union Lithuania: Šviesos raštas – © European Union
Lithuania: Šviesos raštas – © European Union

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P   -   (ECF)

The European Social Fund, a profoundly human story

Brigitte, James, Nauras, Ebrahim, Anna, Jolanta and Carlos… seven Europeans who are representative of the European Social Fund
today, seven very diﬀerent paths with one thing in common. At some point in their lives they have all beneﬁtted from the support
of the European Social Fund (ESF) in achieving their professional objectives.

By reading their stories and watching their testimonies on the ESF website you will see that the nature, scope and aims of the
projects supported by the ESF are extremely varied and that these projects target people from all walks of life: young or elderly
job-seekers, students, aspiring entrepreneurs...

More than ten million people beneﬁt from this support each year... Why not you?

To ﬁnd out more, visit the ESF site: http://ec.europa.eu/esf

The ESF invests in people.
It is people who are undoubtedly Europe’s richest attribute.

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Hellemmes

Project: Support for the ‘Lille Plan for Integration
and Employment’ (PLIE)
Beneﬁciaries: CCAS Hellemmes
Project duration: 2011
Total budget: € 33 072
ESF contribution: € 15 000
Participants: 145
Country: France
Organisation: Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE):
http://www.mde-lille.fr/

Brigitte,

healthcare assistant
in a nursing home

Destination
Hellemmes

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A woman
of action

Open door

My husband and I live in Hellemmes, in an old house
built for workers in the North of France, right beside
Lille. The house still has its original front door. It’s the
only one on the street that does. All of our neighbours
have replaced their doors. This is certainly not the
only thing about us that our neighbours feel is unique.
My husband is a former wrestler and lorry driver who
survived being run over by a bulldozer and who now
works with ponies. It’s certainly not a dull back story.
And if we add to that the fact that I went back to
school at the age of sixty, you can see why we are real
characters in the neighbourhood.

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Crossword puzzles

I love going for walks in François-Mitterrand park, near where I live, to recharge
my batteries. My husband can’t go for long walks so I go alone. I also like going
to the swimming pool and going window shopping in Lille. When I’m at home
I look after my husband: everyday life is a struggle for him. He has to constantly
take painkillers. To unwind I like to do crossword puzzles or watch television
programmes. I also love cooking hearty meals like endives au gratin, chips
and roasts. Unfortunately I don’t travel much anymore. But I have great memories
of the Normandy countryside, like the scent of apple and pear orchards.

All aboard!

After Francis’ accident, we started breeding ponies. My
granddaughter was very keen on this: she loves animals. It’s a
lot of hassle sometimes but we all made the decision together.
It means my husband has to leave the house and look after the
animals: it’s been a real lifeline for him. On the weekend we take
the children out for rides with the ponies, using wagons. It’s a
nice way to enjoy ourselves nearby. We only ask that the parents
make a small contribution towards feeding the ponies.

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I'm 63. I'm a healthcare assistant. I live near Lille, in France.
I've had lots of things knock me off my path in life. But I am living my life to the fullest.
I've always had lots of ideas in my head. A bit of luck is all it takes sometimes
to encourage you to take the plunge. Life isn't long enough to learn everything.
I have a great deal to give and I want to do as much as I can, while I still can.

Only two of my brothers are still alive. I'm the youngest. There were six of us.
The world then was very different than it is now.

No matter what the weather was like, we would play in the local rubbish dump every day.

What have you lot
been up to?

You're all filthy dirty. Brigitte, bring
me the scrubbing brush.

My mother was a real character. She often said: 'I just jump into things
then see what happens'. She was always on the go.
She had an infectious energy and wore her heart on her sleeve.
We all wanted to be like her.

Here. They're
waffles, for your
children, I just
made them.

When I was eighteen I started studying mental health at nursing school.
Two years later I dropped out. I was too young. I had my children.

My husband was a lorry driver.
I started my own transport company.

On the road, you're alone.
It's not the life I dreamed of.

My transport company lasted
for thirteen years and then it
didn’t work out. I was summoned
to the commercial court.

I am really sorry.
I really tried to…

I bounced back. A few of us set up
a small company again.

You've done
nothing wrong.

But in 1997, my husband had a serious
accident. He was run over by a bulldozer.

You'll be ok,
hang in there!

I helped my husband as best I could.
This experience made me want to get back into
the medical and social field. I stopped working
in transport to become a personal carer.

I bought a pony: Charlotte. One brown eye, one blue one.
It was a way to help my husband, to give him something
to put his energy into. Animals need people.

When I was 60, a challenge was thrown my
way. That was when things just clicked.

I went back to study to become a healthcare assistant.
The Social Action Centre helped me, as I didn't have an
income. At 60 you're not entitled to unemployment benefit.
It's retirement age.

You're not qualified,
don't touch anything!

I passed and was quickly hired by Les Orchidées. I'm happy there, I feel I've blossomed.

We have the right, no matter our age,
to study. I decided to move forward
in my life.

The gift
of yourself

Broke

When I went back to study I stopped working. So I didn’t have
any income. I found an organisation to pay for my studies.
But that wasn’t enough. I then went to the Social Action Centre
where I met Valérie and Aziz. They helped me. The involvement
of the European Social Fund meant that I could complete my
studies. When you doubt yourself you have to stay strong and
keep your wits about you. There’s always support there to get
you through. You just need to ﬁnd the right support. No-one is
ever really stuck. You have to get to know yourself and recognise
that we all need each other.

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Straight to the heart

When Les Orchidées called me, I didn’t hesitate at all. I liked it from the very
start. When I started, people were surprised at my age. But they accepted me
very quickly. I’m now part of the furniture. I’m in my element. The residents have
really taken to me, to my personality. I have a fun, easy relationship with them.
I am a spontaneous and warm person. The residents often tell me that I add an
atmosphere where there wasn’t any before. I try to give them moral support.
And their kindness always goes straight to my heart.

No thank you

I love giving to others. I always say that it’s easier to give than to receive.
When you receive something you have to say thank you. And I’m not sure
how to go about saying thank you because I tend to have feelings that
are disproportionate to the action of the other person. So, for me, giving
is more natural. I give my good mood, my energy and my love. I give to
people who need this. Whether it’s here or elsewhere. I am very tactile
and like to get involved with people. I sing for them and play around with
them. I make them laugh and that makes everyone’s day better.

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Life experience

I get on well with many of the residents, because they are simple
people. I can have serious conversations with them even though we
often end up laughing. The more reserved among them also let me
help them from time to time, as they can relate to me because of my
age. These aﬃnities have to do with my experience of life. I’ve had a
very diverse life and know a little bit about everything. Young people
don’t always understand older people. I’m more able, than someone
who has just ﬁnished school, to accept certain things. My people skills
are better.

Full steam ahead

I love my work. I will keep doing it for as long as I have something
to give. I’m not going to stop now that things are going so well.
Although I may have to set certain limits. I still have lots of plans.
I would like to learn sign language. I already talk a lot with my
hands... it’s a start! I would also like to look after children... I’d like
to ﬁnish my secondary education too. I’ve been thinking about
that for the last ten years. And I would like to learn English and
German. I’ve bought books to help me get started.

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Newquay

Project: XtraVert run by Real Ideas Organisation (RIO)
Beneﬁciaries: Young unemployed people
Project duration: June – August 2009
Total budget: € 104 902
ESF contribution: € 16 733
Participants: 11
Country: United Kingdom
Organisation: Real Ideas Organisation (RIO)
http://xtravert.realideas.org/

James,

skateboard ramp designer

Destination
Newquay

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http://ec.europa.eu/esf

Extreme
passions

Seaside

Newquay is the town I grew up in. I live there with my
girlfriend. My father has his home there... And all my
friends and family are there. It’s the town of extreme
sports... All year long the centre of Newquay is a mecca
for surﬁng and skateboarding enthusiasts. Even the
shop windows are designed with these sports in mind.
I love any outdoor sports. But I don’t really like the
cold... So I only surf in the summer. But my friends are
braver than me: they surf all year round.

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Friends for life

Friends are everything for me. We hang out together in the pub and on the
beach, listening to music and surﬁng. There are often festivals in the summer.
I also like going ﬁshing with my friends. But what really binds us together
is our passion for skateboarding. We’re a real skateboarding community.
Skateboarding has no age limit: everyone skates together in the same parks.
Through skateboarding I’ve met lots of people and made some great friends.

On the wave

Surﬁng gave me a taste for travel. I’ve surfed in exotic paradises
like Thailand and Indonesia... It’s a sport that doesn’t have
language or cultural barriers. I think that it’s the feeling of
freedom you get from surﬁng that unites surfers all over the
world: when we’re out on our boards, all our tension just melts
away. It’s really a way of expressing ourselves. Relationships
between surfers are simple and natural, whether you’re an
amateur or a champion.

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I’m 23. I’m a joiner and I love extreme sports like skateboarding, surfing
and snowboarding. I live and work in Newquay, in the United Kingdom.
It’s a town of surfers, in both summer and winter. I’m lucky enough
to have a job linked directly to my hobby: I design and build skate parks
and ramps. My whole life is about skateboarding!

My Dad was passionate about surfing
and passed that on to me.

I have nothing much more to teach you
James! You already know what
you’re doing!

I was very young when I got my first skateboard. I learnt how to use it myself,
in the parks. There’s no school for that.

There is a sense of urgency to skateboarding.
We are always stuck to our boards, we live and sleep with them.

But it’s a pleasure that comes with a price. I’ve
lost count of how many bones I’ve broken. Once,
I woke up in the hospital, the day after I had a fall.

It’s serious this time James. The doctors warned
me. You’re going to have to take it easy...

Skateboarding is like a virus. You can’t get rid of it easily.
Two years after being forced to stop, I got back on my board.
It’s a dangerous sport but you get a real adrenaline rush from it!

I know…
But you know I’ll never
give it up...

Skateboarding helped me continue my studies. I find it hard to concentrate because I’m dyslexic.
Skateboarding after classes invigorated me.

I studied tourism, because I wanted to see the world.
I’ve always travelled a lot, with my family and friends.
But I didn’t stick with the course. There was too much theory.

Next I learned to cook because
I wanted to work as a chef
at a snowboard resort.
I worked in a big hotel in Newquay.

Make us something good, ok?!

Yeah, ok, off you
go and enjoy
yourselves you
slackers!!

I loved cooking. But the hours didn’t suit me: I was stuck in the
kitchen all day while my friends were surfing and skateboarding.
I then worked in bars and shops for a while.

I felt a bit lost... without any real qualifications.
At this time my Dad suggested I could give him a hand.
He had decided to build a wooden house, all by himself.
It was a new experience for me... and a chance to learn about joinery.

Have you heard about
the XtraVert courses?

Yes, Aunty… it seems like a good
idea. Skateboarding and joinery…
everything I like together!

That’s how I joined
the XtraVert team.

They taught me all the basics
of joinery in just four months.

At the end of the course, they wanted to hire me.

Today I’m doing what I love. With my friends.
It’s all go for me!

I learnt how to build skate parks
and ramps.

On track!

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The wood industry

I wasn’t all that interested in joinery at the start. I thought it was a
boring job. But I’ve really taken to it. Joinery is not just carving and
assembling pieces of wood. First and foremost, it’s got a lot to do
with design and creativity. It’s also crucial to choose the right kinds
of wood, depending on their ﬁnal use. For skateboard ramps, for
example, we use a speciﬁc type of multilayer wood which is both
ﬂexible and very strong.

Passing the torch

The young people I teach remind me of myself. I see myself in their
questions and their mistakes... At the beginning they never have much
self-conﬁdence. But then they make progress quickly. Some even choose
to go on to university. We teach them the basics of joinery. They begin
by making a chair all by themselves which they can then take home
with them. The fact that I’m just a few years older than them is a big
advantage. I can say to them ‘look, I was in your shoes just three years
ago and I did it: now I work full-time’.

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Launch pad

Matt, Jack and I are really passionate about skateboarding.
But ﬁnding a job linked to skateboarding seemed like an
unattainable utopia to us. After the XtraVert course, the project
founders realised that the skateboarding ramps we made were
popular and that there was a chance to turn it into a business.
That was three and a half years ago. They hired us. We successfully
rose to the challenge. Nowadays we sell our ramps all across the
United Kingdom, to both individuals and communities.

New life

Without the European Social Fund I have no
doubt that I would not be where I am today...
I would probably never have even studied
joinery. Everyone, including my colleagues Matt
and Jack, who took part in the ﬁrst courses has
been able to make something of their lives.
The XtraVert programme changed several
people’s lives. Lots of young people and adults
want to do something with their life but never
get the opportunity to.

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Tried and tested

Building something new is always very
exciting. When we come to the end of a
project we can’t wait to get back on our
skateboards and test it out for ourselves.
The experience is always diﬀerent: it’s always
a new feeling. The best part of my job would
have to be this ﬁnal test: it’s at this point that
everyone in the team gets to jump on their
boards and just let loose.

Koblenz

Project: MYK4international
Beneﬁciaries: Young Germans working in the hotel
and restaurant industry in France.
Project duration: May 2009 – December 2013
Total budget: € 2 044 717
ESF contribution: € 1 208 532
Participants: 125 planned. 86 to date.
Country: Germany
Organisation: IKAB
http://www.ikab.de/portrait/index_en.html

Nauras & Ebrahim,

apprentice chefs

Destination Koblenz

http://ec.europa.eu/esf

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One big
family

Straight to the point

I live in an apartment three kilometres from Koblenz.
I have had German nationality for two years but I still
don’t feel completely German. When people ask where
I am from, I always instinctively want to say ‘Iraq’. But
this is more of an emotional issue because I do really
like living in Germany. I speak German and my friends
speak German. I appreciate all that my host country
has done for me. I’m the ﬁrst to support the German
national team in football matches.

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Going with the ﬂow

When the sun shines I love going to sit beside the Rhine or Mosel rivers during
my breaks and, together with my friend and colleague Ebrahim, having a
glass of wine and something to eat. My work requires a great deal of energy.
I do, however, always ﬁnd the time to cook for myself in the evenings. I cook
simple dishes, but my standards are high in terms of the preparation or the
ingredients I use. I enjoy trying out new combinations when it comes to sauces
and soups.

Fresh water ﬁshing

Today I feel completely German and fully integrated into society.
It was a long road: twelve years! I don’t have much time for my
hobbies because of my work, but I love ﬁshing on the edge of a
lake or along the Rhine. And I sometimes play guitar. After work
I often go out with colleagues in the evening to have a drink and
unwind. We’re like one big family.

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My name is Nauras. I'm 26. I left Baghdad with my parents,
my two brothers and my sister when I was seven. I am training
to be a chef in Koblenz. I specialise in desserts. Cookery is my
passport to the world. I would like to complete my training
in Switzerland and would also like to go to Asia and see how
things are done there. I would like to have my own restaurant
some day, in Spain. The vegetables taste different there.

My name is Ebrahim. I left Iran when I was seventeen, during my military
service. My mother helped me escape. I now live in Koblenz. I work with
Nauras: we are both in training at the moment. Gastronomy is more
than just an interest for me. It's my life. When I look back at what I've
achieved, I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish so far.

My memories of my home country are linked to the
war. The Baghdad neighbourhood we lived in was
bombed. We lived in Jordan for five years. We were
political refugees. I stayed there until I was thirteen.

My parents always loved to cook. I rarely cook for them because they are
better than me! I've learnt a lot by watching my father. He cooks very healthy
dishes. It's because of him that I wanted to learn to cook professionally.

When I first came to Germany, life was not easy. I had
imagined a grey and boring country. I missed the sun and
I had to learn the language and to write from left to right.

You can cut the
peppers, Nauras.

At school the other children would make fun
of me, because I spoke German badly. But I was
good at art and geography. And that made
the other children jealous.

Your drawing
is no good!

When I was fifteen I worked as a barmaid:
I needed money.

Two beers,
here you go!!

The opportunity to train and become a chef came from the job centre.

I was sceptical. It seemed too good to be true.
So... I did a traineeship in Bordeaux for a few weeks. I loved it.

I've had a German passport for two years now... The kitchen team is like a family.
Everyone has adopted me, even though it is a male-dominated environment.
Everyone agrees on how good my chocolate cake is. But the recipe is a secret!

Beat the eggs
into peaks
Nauras.

I didn't want to die in the war. I crossed Turkey, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Croatia and Slovenia on foot... My journey lasted twenty-one days.
I met up with my brother in Italy and he drove me to Germany.

We hadn't seen each other for five years.
So I didn't recognise him straight away.
When I got in his car I fell asleep straight away.
I hadn't closed my eyes for several days.

My early days in Germany were tough. I had to start from scratch.
I had absolutely nothing. I had to wait several years for my work permit.
And I wasn't allowed to study either.

My interview with the job centre was a shock, but a positive one. The moment
everything clicked was when I did a traineeship in France, in Bordeaux.

No, I'm sorry.
I don't have any
work for you.

All of a sudden I knew I had found my way. I was certain. I was proud.
I was going to be able to be a role model for my son, who was born in Germany.

My life is here now, even though my heart is still in Iran.
I had a very happy childhood. I have good memories
of my home country. My father still lives there.

I’ll do
the onions
for you.

Thanks Nauras.

I went to Iran a few years ago. The government had given up on looking for me.
I will go back, definitely... And maybe open a hotel there, why not...

But at the minute I'm focusing on my training. I want to travel and to learn new things
in Asia (China or Japan). I love the way they sculpt fruit and vegetables
and how they cook shellfish, crustaceans and fish. I still have a lot to learn.

You've done well
for yourself, son.

Flavours
and colours

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Chef’s suggestions

My working day starts at eight o’clock in the kitchen
when I have a meeting with the team. We talk about
the plan and recipes for the day.... And allocate tasks.
There are normally three of us: one is in charge of the
starters, one the main courses and side dishes and the
third person does the desserts. I prefer doing the main
courses or the desserts.

Designing dishes

Every time I prepare an ingredient I think about
its ﬂavour and the way I could use it in a recipe.
I love to discreetly observe the customers’ reaction
when they taste my dishes, especially when I’ve
made something new or unusual. I am also careful
to present the dishes well in general. I am a real
perfectionist. I try to motivate my colleagues to get
them to do the same.

Grand cru

The job centre and the European Social Fund enabled me to train.
It almost seemed too good to be true. I was sceptical. The traineeship in
France, in Bordeaux, taught me a great deal. I learnt about certain ways
of working and trying diﬀerent approaches to cooking. I always loved
baking and making desserts. But the project enabled me to learn that
there are lots of other things that interest me in the kitchen.

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Experimental cooking

The thing I like the most about the training I received is the conﬁdence
people have in me: they believed in my abilities. And the most
satisfying thing, when I experiment with new things in the kitchen,
new combinations of ﬂavours, is when customers enjoy my dish
creations. I love making special dishes from scratch and impressing
the customers.

Full of life

The MYK4international project changed my life. I ﬁnd it to
be extraordinary that Europe supports its young people with
a training opportunity like this. I really feel full of life today,
I love my job. I feel like I am useful. My existence has evolved
in a positive way. When I’m in the kitchen I feel at home.

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Lublin

Project: Initiative is a woman IV
Beneﬁciaries: Women who want to set up
and manage a small business
Project duration: January 2011 – August 2012
Total budget: zł 2 951 186
ESF contribution: zł 2 508 508
Participants: 72
Country: Poland
Organisation: Fundacja Uniwersytetu Marii
Curie-Skłodowskiej http://www.fundacja.umcs.lublin.pl/

Anna,

crèche owner

Destination Lublin

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http://ec.europa.eu/esf

Secret garden

A breath of fresh air

I am 25. I live with my parents in a village just
outside Lublin. In the past I tried living with my brother
and his student friends in the city but I soon realised
I was too old for that. Student life and late-night parties
don’t really go well with the demands of a career.
But the countryside also gets to me quite quickly.
So I do the opposite of what most people do:
I spend my weekends in the city.

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Complete opposites

I have a split personality. On the one hand I am very organised,
structured and responsible: I like to be able to control everything.
So I need to compensate for this serious side of my personality
with some other activities. This explains my interest in extreme sports:
I need adrenaline to be balanced. I dream of experiencing kitesurﬁng
and parachuting. I also run most days. I really like jogging.

Passionate about travel

I have lots of friends in Warsaw. I like to ‘disappear’ from time
to time to see them. We go to outdoor concerts and festivals
and listen to rock music. As I am my own boss I organise my time
as I like. I also travel abroad. I’ve been to Italy ﬁve times, three
of them to Rome. I love Italy. One of my teachers started my love
aﬀair with the country. I learnt Italian and speak it ﬂuently.

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I'm 25. I run a crèche I set up in the suburbs of Lublin.
My background is in law so I didn't intend to end up in this line
of work. But, while working as an assistant in a daycare centre
for children, during my studies, I realised that I was born
to do this job: I really love it. I feel fulfilled and free,
and love being around children every day.

I don't really have specific memories of my childhood... But according to my parents
I was a very noisy, sensitive little girl who always liked to be the centre of attention…

Thankfully, again according
to my parents, I settled
down in the end…

In my family, my parents and grandparents were teachers...
Looking after children must be in our genes...

I'll make you a snack...
Go and start
your homework.

For this reason I didn't really think I would go down the same
road as they did, or even look after children in general. I didn't
have any experience in this field. I had just done a bit of
babysitting when I was a teenager: I'd looked after my cousins.

I'll tell you a story...
But afterwards,
it's lights off, ok!?

Have you thought about
what you're going to do when you're
older, Anna? It's time to give it
some thought...

Yes, I'll be
a lawyer!

But then I rebelled. As my parents were delighted for me to study law,
I did a 180 and told them I was going to study Islamic Arts.

My parents were very happy about that choice… of course!
They encouraged me to follow that path.

My mother was smart in how
she reacted. She knew how
stubborn I was so she let me
make my own choice...
So in the end I signed up
for law school.

I was very diligent in my studies… My future as a lawyer was all planned out.

And then, something happened: I got the job
as an assistant in a kindergarten…

I liked it so much that I decided to organise my study schedule
around my working hours.

But the last year it became very difficult
to manage. I had to quit the job
so I could concentrate on my studies.
It was really heartbreaking.

I finished my law degree. I didn't want to waste all of that knowledge. And after investigating things a bit,
I started to look for premises outside Lublin because there were already enough private crèches in the city.

I did all of this secretly. I didn't want to tell my parents
about my decision until everything was ready.

My budget wouldn't allow me to renovate the property and buy all the equipment
I would need. So I got in touch with an association co-funded by the ESF, which helped
me financially and trained me in fields I didn't know a lot about.

I invested a lot of time in this project... But it's brought me such happiness, I don't regret it at all.
When I compare my lifestyle to that of my former classmates, I realise that my life is both
less stressful and more rewarding. Children give you positive energy all day long!

The courses also
cover marketing,
advertising
and the financial
management
of your project.

A child’s soul

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Precious
moments

My favourite part of the day is when I get to
have a break and spend time with the children
in their room. This is what I really enjoy each
day. I sit down and play with them. And all of
a sudden my worries seem so insigniﬁcant and
my problems fade away. When I watch the
children and am sharing in their world, I always
smile. That’s the magic of childhood.

The right way

The majority of my work is linked to
my responsibilities as the manager:
administration, insurance, contracts...
I am in close contact with the
parents, of course, but also with my
employees. In this way they can tell
me what they need and what the
kindergarten needs. We’re a bit too
full at the minute. I opened the crèche
a little over two years ago and would
love to expand the space, because
I have children on the waiting list.

A responsible woman

It’s enormously satisfying for me to have been able to create a space that meets
a real need in the region. I did, however, feel under a lot of stress when I, for the
ﬁrst time in my life, paid my employees’ salaries. I realised, all of a sudden, that
the ﬁnancial security of the three people I work with depends on me. It’s a heavy
burden. But, at the same time, it motivates me to always keep on improving.

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Freedom of choice

I’ve never regretted not becoming a lawyer. Lublin is a small city
and there are two universities that teach law so it’s diﬃcult to get
a job in that ﬁeld without leaving the region. Lots of people try their
luck in Warsaw. There is a lot of competition to get a job. I needed
a more relaxed, less stressful job. When I see the amount of tension
my university friends experience, I tell myself that I am lucky to ﬁnd
a sense of fulﬁlment in what I do.

Resourceful spirit

At the ‘Initiative is a woman’ foundation, supported by the
European Social Fund, which helped me ﬁnance my project,
I have been able to meet lots of women who are active and
independent like me, who have set up their own company.
We have stayed in contact and really support each other.
We see each other regularly to discuss our experiences and like
to spend time together at a beauty salon one of our friends has
opened. We help each other a lot.

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Vilnius

Project: ‘Towards Work’ – development of mediation
services in the recruitment of people with hearing disabilities
Beneﬁciaries: People with hearing disabilities
Project duration: March 2009 – December 2012
ESF contribution: € 891 055
Total budget : € 891 055
Participants: 665
Country: Lithuania
Organisation: Lithuanian Deaf Community
http://www.lkd.lt/

Jolanta,

seamstress

Destination Vilnius

http://ec.europa.eu/esf

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Dialogue

At the top

I live in Vilnius with my father and mother, in the TV
tower neighbourhood. Sometimes I go up to the top.
I love it because I can see the whole city from there.
I feel free at home: I have my own room and I’m
independent. I have a brother but he has his own house
with his family. He has two children. My father and
brother don’t really understand sign language.
My mother, however, does. We spend a lot of time
together as she doesn’t work.

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Snapshots

I am very sociable. I have lots of deaf friends. Deaf people are
a community. On the street we ‘talk’ really quickly to one another.
I also chat with my friends online. When we meet up in town,
I take my dog. We love watching him play. We normally meet at
the square in front of the cathedral. I always take lots of photos.
When I travel I do too. My mother encourages me to take advantage
of opportunities I’m given. I’ve been on all the trips organised by
school and have already been to Russia, Belarus and Poland.

Bonds

I have a real bond with my mother. Certain topics are difficult to talk
about because of the communication barrier. Dialogue is easier with my
deaf friends. My mother sometimes treats me like a child, thinking she
is protecting me. She forgets that I am an adult. She sometimes controls
my relationships. She is afraid of me making friends with the wrong
people. This has, at times, created tension between us... But it doesn’t
ever last for long. We quickly make up again.

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My name is Jolanta. I'm 25 and I'm a seamstress. I work
for a famous designer in Vilnius who has her own brand.
I am responsible for the church garments. I'm deaf and
mute. I was three years old when the doctors detected
my disability. I am surrounded by family and I love my job.
I wouldn't change things for anything in the world.

When I was very young my mother took me to different hospitals for tests.
When they found out that I was deaf it was a big shock for the family.

My mother told me that people, at the time, were very closed-minded.
People were afraid of deafness. The doctors tried to find something
to blame for my disability. They said it was my mother's fault.

My mother took their absurd criticisms to heart.
She didn't know how to react. She cried a lot.

Opinions have changed a bit. But my mother is stronger now.
She has moved on from the things the doctors said.

She learnt sign language to communicate with me.
She isn't totally fluent: we have our own language.

We were not very hopeful that one day I would have a 'normal'
job... Society isn't very open to disabilities. It's rare that we are
able to find a rewarding job that we really like.

But I've been lucky.

I always loved sewing and embroidery. For this reason,
my mother enrolled me in a school after having talked about it
with someone at the training centre.

I really found my way in the school.
In the third year, my teacher, who knew Daiva,
suggested doing a traineeship with her.

It was a great opportunity but it was also very intimidating
for me. I still didn't have much confidence.

At the start I wasn't able to get to work on my own.
My mother had to go with me. The city scared me. I felt lost.

But I found my feet in the end and became more independent.

And at the end of my traineeship my teacher
asked Daiva if she would like to give me a trial job.

Daiva accepted and for me it was a new stage in my life.
Although I may have been slow at the beginning I found my way.
We've now been working together for two years.

I'm the only deaf person in the workshop but my colleagues and I 'understand' each other really well,
in every sense of the term. It's important for me to feel of use to society.
They respect my difference and my little flaws. That's what matters, in my opinion.

Nimble ﬁngers

Early vocation

I’ve loved embroidery since secondary school. I used to
take lots of photos and try to reproduce them through
embroidery. With my disability it’s not easy to ﬁnd your
place in society. I’m lucky to do what I love, something
that, at the beginning, was a hobby for me. The training
centre and the European Social Fund allowed me to get
a job that I love. It’s perfect for me... I’m happy here.

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Lip-reading

I get on well with Greta, the assistant of Daiva, the owner. Greta is the one who
tells me about my work for the day and organises my schedule. To communicate
with her I write. I can read her lips. Greta always encourages me. I know that
I am sometimes slower than the others but I am also very diligent in my work.
And quality is very important to us. That’s what our clients expect.

Misunderstandings

Being deaf is not always easy. People’s reactions can be a bit silly.
Sometimes, when I am going to work, young people see me signing with
another deaf person or even with my mother and they make fun of me.
I just ignore them now. My disability obviously limits my interactions
with others. But, in my work, I always ﬁnd ways to communicate with
my colleagues and to understand each other. I sometimes just use
my phone to write phrases.

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New line

Daiva is always full of new ideas. She is very creative. As she
seems to like the way I embroider and the designs I am capable
of, she wants me to be involved in launching her new line of
church garments and accessories. I am working very meticulously
on this project, because I don’t want to let her down. I am very
ﬂattered by and proud of her trust in me.

Coﬀee and chocolate

I get on well with my colleagues even if we are not particularly close.
We work together so that creates a connection. They love bringing in photos
of their children and talking about what they did at the weekend. I take
photos of the embroidery I do at home and show them to Greta and my
colleagues. We get together to have coﬀee and sometimes I bring chocolate.
My mother often comes to see me and I show her my work.

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Salamanca

Project: Training researchers in Castile and León
Beneﬁciaries: Researchers
Project duration: 2007-2013
Total budget: € 156 000 000
ESF contribution: € 125 000 000
Country: Spain
Organisation: Ministry of Education, Castile and León Region
http://www.jcyl.es/

Carlos,

clinical biology researcher

Destination
Salamanca

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All-nighters

Biotope

Salamanca is a city where history greets you on every street corner.
It’s my biotope. I love walking along the riverside and going out with
my friends in the old town to have a drink on one of the terraces.
During the summer time, the nightlife is really incredible: the streets
are heaving with people. All the nightlife spots are concentrated in
the same area. You can go from one bar to another, as you feel like it.
And as the drinks are so cheap it’s not easy to stay sober!

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Guitar hero

I’ve been playing the guitar since I was 15. Unfortunately the rock group I was
in isn’t together anymore. I still play but now I play alone, in my room. I love
all sorts of instruments. I also sing. Last year, at Christmas, I performed the
Bon Jovi song ‘It’s my life’. I won a touch-screen tablet. Everyone in my family
loves music. My brother plays the transverse ﬂute. I don’t just listen to a single
genre, I like everything: rock, heavy metal, pop, electronic, classical music...

Against the clock

Although I no longer run professionally, following a leg injury,
I still jog. I need to run every day. It helps me relax and sleep
better. Football also helps me unwind: I play once a week with
my friends. My other hobbies include playing video games, going
to the cinema and reading: I like detective stories, poems and
medieval novels. I’m very compulsive. The trade-oﬀ I have to
make to enjoy my hobbies is sometimes harsh. This is especially
true as my work doesn’t leave me with much free time.

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My name is Carlos, I am 27. I live and work in Salamanca, where I grew up.
I have a Master's degree in the clinical biology of cancer. I have been working
at the Cancer Research Centre for a year. This disease has affected me
personally as numerous members of my family have suffered from it.
My time is split between research, music and sport. I'm the hyperactive type.

My father says that I've always been hyperactive.
He even remembers me often falling out of my cradle!

I could have been an architect or an
engineer. I loved Meccano and Lego.
Those were my favourite toys.

One day I had the idea of making an Eiffel Tower with my Lego.
I worked on it all summer. But I was missing some pieces to finish it off.

I started playing football when I was very young. I had to channel my excess energy into something.

Impressive, Carlos!
When you finish it I'll take
you to see the real one!

While I was running I also started to learn
to play the guitar. And a friend invited me
to join his group.

In 2001, I signed up to join the athletic
club. I was very serious about running
for several years. I even won
some awards at national level.
But a leg injury meant my career
was prematurely ended.

Our music was somewhere in between rock, punk and metal. We recorded a song in a studio.
I sang and played guitar. My brother, who now lives in Toledo, played piano in the group.

I spent a lot of time in the forest, in the countryside, observing flowers and insects.
My father, who is a professor of biology, used to take me with him.

These are morel
mushrooms…
Let's indulge!

I think that my interest in biology comes from my father sharing his
passion with me. He taught me how the animal and plant worlds work…

I was very curious about everything.
I bombarded my father with questions.

I was lucky to be his student. So it seems natural
that I focused on biology at university.

Our world throws up more
questions than answers.

I thought that I could make my own small contribution to research.

University opened lots of doors for me. I think I chose the right one.

The European Social Fund enabled me
to meet other young people who share
my values and my enthusiasm.

We didn't see you last
night at Miranda's
place…

I was there!
But I didn't get
there until late….
very, very late!

Everyone, at this level, is fighting
to beat cancer. My mission is
to test out new drugs to fight
colon cancer cells. I hope that
our work will save lives some day.
That's what motivates us all.

A long-
distance run

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Inﬁnitely small

I have always been fascinated by life sciences.
When I was small I was captivated by the insect world,
plants and animals. I am fascinated by inﬁnitely small
things, by the way the universe around us is organised
and how it regulates itself. My father always supported me,
since childhood, in all my discoveries and my learning
about biology. I can trace everything back to him. I think
he is proud that I followed in his footsteps. I wouldn’t be
where I am today without him.

Patience
and steadfastness

Our work requires a great deal of steadfastness, concentration
and patience. We must be very ﬂexible. To successfully conduct
our research we need lots of time. My ﬁrst months were diﬃcult
and even frustrating. I wasn’t making much progress. But my
determination bore fruit in the end. I consider myself to be lucky
as, in the end, I got good results that could help other researchers.

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Strong
personality

I am a perfectionist. I love to work in
an ordered way. In my head, everything
is organised. I hate improvising. In my
work, as in my everyday life, I am very
structured. I appreciate that this isn’t
always easy for those around me...
Especially as I sometimes have a very
impulsive personality. Some of them might
hate me for that. But I can accept that.
Once the ice has been broken everything
goes smoothly.

New experiments

My bosses concentrate on designing and carrying out experiments They provide
me with the necessary equipment and I apply what was learned. I analyse the
results for them. We test new drugs, which seem promising, to ﬁght colon cancer
cells. We get good results in vitro. But that doesn’t mean they will cure cancer.
It is likely, however, than in the near future they will be the subject of clinical trials.

Daily struggle

I hope to be able to continue to put my energy into this work that
I love so much, for many years. And I also hope that, in the future,
many people will beneﬁt from the results of my research. I would
love to continue to work for the centre I am currently employed
by, but times are hard for everyone in Spain. It has become rare
for a researcher to get a long-term contract. My future, no matter
what, will be in research, in my ongoing struggle against cancer.
Here or somewhere else.

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Six projects ﬁnanced by the ESF

Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE)

In Lille, France, talented and enthusiastic people are getting the opportunity to successfully
switch careers. The ‘Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE)’ has the aim of
opening up the labour market to people with diverse qualiﬁcations and of all ages. It allows
participants to develop a strategic action plan, to anticipate economic changes and to
contribute to local development by removing obstacles to employment. The participants,
who are suﬀering the eﬀects of social exclusion, need support: they are assisted until they
return to full-time work. To plan their return, the project brings together institutional, social and economic partners,
oﬀers traineeships and training and supports participants in their dealings with job agencies.

Lille Plan for Integration and Employment (PLIE)
http://www.mde-lille.fr/

MYK4international

The ‘MYK4international’ project, run by the gastronomic training centre in Koblenz,
Germany, oﬀers young underprivileged people the opportunity to train in the hotel
and catering ﬁelds. The young people take courses to learn skills and get the necessary
qualiﬁcations to ﬁnd a job in the restaurant, service or housekeeping ﬁelds. The students
also go on working trips in the Bordeaux area (France) to further develop their skills
in a practical environment. In addition to gaining professional skills, participants beneﬁt
from new social and cultural experiences and are also able to learn a foreign language.

The teachers regularly monitor the development of the students’ social, personal and professional skills. If they
pass the ﬁnal exam they are awarded a recognised qualiﬁcation.

IKAB
http://www.ikab.de/portrait/index_en.html

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XtraVert run
by Real Ideas
Organisation
(RIO)

‘XtraVert’ helps young
unemployed people
in Newquay (United
Kingdom) by oﬀering them the chance to gain
new skills in a motivating environment. The aim
of the project is to teach 16-19 year olds
about the joinery techniques needed to build
skateboard ramps. This not only enables clubs to
get ﬁtted out with ramps but, most importantly
of all, it gives the young people the chance to
get a qualiﬁcation. Adolescents learn the basics
and the creative aspects of the trade through
the programme, which gives them practical
experience of joinery. They all leave with their
own tools and safety equipment, increased
employability, a certiﬁcate and qualiﬁcations in
health, safety, maintenance and customer service
but most importantly of all, with an improved
sense of conﬁdence in their own abilities.

XtraVert
http://xtravert.realideas.org/

Initiative is a woman IV

In Lublin, Poland, the ‘Initiative is a woman IV’ project helps women to set up their
own business and to work towards success. Seamstresses, tattoo artists, owners
of a sailing school and a private detective, among others, have all beneﬁtted from
this wide-ranging approach. Aﬅer completing training on making a business plan,
participants are trained in how to set up and manage a business. Former successful

beneﬁciaries of the project then help train the up-and-coming candidates. Mothers’ needs have also been
addressed so that they can take part too; there is a crèche available.

Fundacja Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej
http://www.fundacja.umcs.lublin.pl/

Towards Work —

development of mediation services in the recruitment
of people with hearing disabilities

To boost the recruitment of people with hearing diﬃculties, the ‘Towards Work’ project provides
mediation services, including advisory services and support in job placements, among many others.
It has just won a RegioStars 2013 European Union award, thanks to a series of video clips produced
to encourage society as a whole, in particular potential employers, to give those suﬀering from
hearing disabilities the credit they deserve. Two thirds of the six hundred people who have taken part
in the campaign have been able to ﬁnd work.

Lithuanian Deaf Community
http://www.lkd.lt/

Training researchers
in Castile and León

The ESF’s activities in Castile and
León include training in the research,
development and innovation ﬁelds.
This training enables young researchers
to contribute to boosting the research
potential of the region, which is also
supported by the co-ﬁnancing of
networking activities bringing together
universities, research centres and
businesses. Two hundred researchers from
universities and research centres in Castile
and León have been able to take part in
this project between 2007 and 2013.

Junta de Castilla y León
http://www.jcyl.es/

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What is the European Social Fund?

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the main European tool used to support employment: it helps people ﬁnd better quality jobs and creates a more level playing
ﬁeld for all European Union citizens in relation to employment. To achieve these aims it invests in human capital – which is indispensable to ensuring labour
competitiveness. With a budget of 10 billion euros a year, it improves the employment prospects of millions of Europeans, focusing in particular on those who
ﬁnd it most diﬃcult to ﬁnd a job, such as young people or elderly workers. This focus on disadvantaged groups helps boost ‘social inclusion’ – a sign of the crucial
role played by employment in helping include people more in society and daily life.

The ESF is not an employment agency, and does not directly oﬀer employment, but it helps millions of people to improve their employment prospects by
ﬁnancing projects throughout the European Union member states. The tens of thousands of projects ﬁnanced at the local, regional and national level range from
small projects managed by local associations with the aim, for example, of improving access to employment for disabled people, to projects at the national level
with the objective of promoting professional training for everyone. The nature, scope and aims of the projects supported by the ESF are very diverse and target
people from all backgrounds (young or elderly job-seekers, teachers, students and future entrepreneurs, etc.). It is these citizens, in all their diversity, who are
at the heart of the ESF’s work. If, like the people you have read about in this book, you would like to take part in ESF projects, please visit the site below.
There you will ﬁnd contact details for the ESF in your country. National and regional ESF websites, as well as local employment services, are also a useful
source of information on the opportunities provided by the ESF.

http://ec.europa.eu/esf

78

The authors

MAUD MILLECAMPS

Born in Charleroi in 1982, Maud Millecamps graduated from the École supérieure des arts
Saint-Luc (Liège) and the Académie royale des Beaux-Arts (Brussels). She took part in the joint
project ‘Amour et désir’ for La boîte à bulles (2008) before creating her ﬁrst album, ‘Les gens
urbains’ with Quadrants in 2010, based on a story by Jean-Luc Cornette. Maud is the author
of one of the four stories in the ‘Jump start’ (Nataline) comic strip, which was produced
by the European Social Fund. She produced the illustrations in the ‘Seven lives’ album and also
worked on the album’s colours. Maud Millecamps lives in Brussels and spends most of her
time illustrating and drawing.

RUDI MIEL

Born in Tournai in 1965, Rudi Miel has a degree in
journalism. As a communication consultant and comic
strip scriptwriter, he is the co-author of the ‘Troubled
waters’ album, published by the European Parliament,
which won the Alph-Art communication prize in
Angoulême in 2003. ‘L’arbre des deux printemps’
(illustrations by Will & Co – Le Lombard), which he
wrote the script for, was awarded the best foreign
album prize at the 2001 Sobreda (Portugal) comic strip

festival. He is also co-author of ‘L’ordre impair’ (Le Lombard), which was published
in full at the end of 2009. Rudi Miel, the author of two comic strip albums published
by the European Social Fund, came up with the idea for ‘Seven lives’. He is responsible
for the scripts, the interviews and some of the photos.

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European Commission

Seven lives — On the road to success with the European Social Fund

Luxembourg: Publications Oﬃce of the European Union

2013 — 79 p. — 24.5 × 17.5 cm

ISBN 978-92-79-30126-1
doi:10.2767/53254

HOW TO OBTAIN EU PUBLICATIONS

Free publications:
y one copy:

via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu);

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from the European Union’s representations (http://ec.europa.eu/represent_en.htm);
from the delegations in non-EU countries (http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/index_en.htm);
by contacting the Europe Direct service (http://europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm)
or calling 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (freephone number from anywhere in the EU) (*).

(*) The information given is free, as are most calls (though some operators, phone boxes or hotels may charge you).

Priced publications:
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Priced subscriptions:
y via one of the sales agents of the Public ations Office of the European Union

(http://publications.europa.eu/others/agents/index_en.htm).

Meet Brigitte, James, Jolanta, Anna, Nauras, Ebrahim and Carlos in ‘Seven lives’. Learn about
how each of them found their way and successfully completed a professional project thanks to
projects and programmes ﬁnancially supported by the European Social Fund (ESF).

In addition to ‘Seven lives’, you can also ﬁnd out much more and watch their stories
on the ESF site: http://ec.europa.eu/esf

You can download our publications or subscribe for free at
http://ec.europa.eu/social/publications

If you would like to receive regular updates about the Directorate-General for Employment,
Social Aﬀairs and Inclusion sign up to receive the free Social Europe e-newsletter at
http://ec.europa.eu/social/e-newsletter

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doi:10.2767/53254