Hello everyone! My name is David, and I’m a 20-year-old law student from Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. I’m currently volunteering as an IVY Project Partner for the Interreg “Desafios Jovens” program.
The General Directorate of Youth is my host organization, a department of the regional government of Galicia which develops several programs for the Galician youth.

What is “Desafios Jovens” About?
The “Desafios Jovens” project aims to promote quality employment and improve working conditions within the Galicia-North Portugal euroregion. It places a strong emphasis on supporting rural youth as well as green and social economy.

Who’s Involved?
This collaborative effort involves five main partners:

• General Directorate of Youth (Galicia)
• Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation from Santiago de Compostela (Galicia)
• Northern Regional Directorate of IPDJ (Portugal)
• National Federation of Youth Associations (FNAJ) (Portugal)
• Northern Regional Delegation (Portugal)

How Are We Making an Impact?

One of our key initiatives has been the itinerant office, which has visited several rural areas across Galicia. Its purpose is to provide young people with valuable information about job opportunities in both Galicia and Portugal, offer guidance on personal brand improvement, and provide training in digital competencies.

My Role as a Volunteer
My two months on the project have been a truly positive and enriching experience. With my background in law, I’ve been able to assist with both activity promotion and the management of contracts. I also got the opportunity of interacting with people from different countries, mainly Portugal, with the same interests in volunteering programs as me.