Why do a Citizen Service? Meet Julie who shares her experience with us.

After studying to become a humanities teacher, Julie taught for 2 years in a school in Namur. After 2 years of work, doubt crept in and the desire for a career change became stronger and stronger. She finally decided to stop teaching and embarked, at 24 years old, on a Citizen Service !

Julie, what was the trigger that made you want to start a Citizen Service ?

" I wanted to be more hands-on. When you're a teacher, you transmit a lot. It's a wonderful job and I still love it just as much, but at a certain point, I felt this need to take action.

I was lucky enough to learn about Citizen Service during my teacher training. I had seen a video about French Civic Service and, while researching the equivalent project in Belgium, I came across Citizen Service !

I considered it right after my studies, but I ended up getting hired directly in a school. So I had pretty much buried the project. In June 2021, after two years of teaching, I was 24 and had few prospects for the future. I told myself it might be time to take this time for myself and go for it because I needed it. "

What was your mission during these 6 months of Citizen Service ?

" I chose a mission in market gardening. Alice, my promotion coordinator, guided me in this choice. I wanted to be outside and get involved in the environmental sector. This mission was a lifesaver on many levels ! It did me a world of good to be out in the fresh air ! I learned a lot about market gardening and met some absolutely fantastic people with huge hearts and super cool values ! "