« Dans les chaussures de l'autre » (réalités socio-économiques et culturelles en Europe), in English, « In the other’s shoes » (socio-economic and cultural reality in Europe), is a jigsaw puzzle in which each piece contributes to the beauty of the finished picture. This picture is made up of 10 individual projects which take place in social institutions (children’s homes and residential centres for mentally disabled persons). Through the coordinating organisation, the volunteers walk along the road together, during 10 – 12 months, in order to share their visions, their experiences, their aspirations, ... for the benefit of the hosting projects. These projects are linked via the volunteers and benefit not only from the sharing, but also from their culture, their freshness, their commitment and their motivation. The goals of this project are many and varied, but to summarise, walking a few kilometres in someone else’s shoes enables you to understand his reality, his social and cultural context, to eliminate prejudice and stereotypes (he is poorer than me, less intelligent, a different colour, he doesn’t even speak my language...). The project is multiple and involves ten volunteers of six different nationalities. These young people have sometimes just finished their baccalaureat, sometimes university, or sometimes they have followed a completely different path. They are never, in any way, chosen because of their qualifications, their sex, their gender, their nationality, their religion or their ethnicity... but they are people who are ready to commit to a year of volunteer service in the social field, either with children or disabled people who live in institutions. N.B. The annexed project descriptions are only as a guide. The timetables and activities will be agreed according to the desiderata and the volunteers’ specific skills. In each project, the volunteers will begin their service with a period of getting to know the institution and its characteristics. Only after this time will the tasks and specific timetables be arranged. In the children’s homes, the volunteers will support the educational team in the everyday supervision of the children – i.e. accompanying the children in a “normal” way : a healthy lifestyle, fundamental need... However, the volunteer can also bring a personal touch through extra activities such as games, crafts, outings, going with the children to sports clubs and Scouts, etc. He or she can also share the habits and customs of their country as well as their family culture, while inviting the children to think about their own. 1. With the disabled adults, there is also the aspect of everyday supervision, in the living communities, but also in the workshops where the people go every day to work (leather, wrought iron, cheese-making, farms, mosaic...). The interaction with the disabled people can be very rich and varies according to their level of independence. 2. The volunteers will also have the chance to reflect on what they are learning and on their experiences as a young European volunteer, with professionals from the same fields, during the SPJ seminars and numerous evaluations in the local projects. The methodology of evaluation and training is part of the methods used in non-formal education. They will also have the possibility to discuss things with other volunteers in the same situation as them during the training sessions organised by the coordinating organisation (SPJ) and those organised by the BIJ. 3. The results, the impact and the longer-term benefits of this project fit in with each other : 4. Reinforcement of engagement in society 5. A new language 6. Intercultural learning 7. Greater maturity 8. Help with professional orientation 9. Teamwork 10. Patience respect and compassion.