2/22/2016 6:52:42 Basil, 55, USA. 1 week on Lesvos, with Attika Warehouse. Organized warehouse items for easy retrieval, distributed clothing at port during departure times. Extraordinary experience. The warehouse is a critical part of making life a little more comfortable for the refugees and distribution at the port let me see the process full circle. Proud to be working with such dedicated people, wishing i could do more/spend more time, impressed that the processing is going smoothly and that refugees say they were treated with dignity and respect. Recommendations: Too many volunteers gathered at Moria with little to do; they could be encouraged to work at less popular areas, such as the warehouses. Organization of donation collections could be better so that the clothing that is needed is the clothing that is donated. Resource point needed for where refugees with no money for travel can go for help so they make ferry fare as well as bus fares to their destination. To future volunteers: Helping refugees through indirect means like working in the warehouse, or helping the islanders by cleaning up the beaches are two terrific way of making a difference and are very rewarding. Look where there is a need but not a lot of help and pitch in there. show less

2/11/2016. Sian Wood, 29, UK. 2 weeks with Better days for Moria and Off Track Health. Did clothing distribution and medical aid, early and late shifts. Positive experience, met some incredible people. The quick change over of volunteers makes it very difficult to run efficient teams, differing views and opinions of how things should work can cause tension between long and short term volunteers. It would be very useful to have a short team meeting at the beginning of each shift so you know who you are working alongside and what the priorities for that shift are. The situation changes so rapidly that it was hard to know if we were doing something helpful/ worthwhile all the time. It's very useful to be able to talk through your day/ feelings/ frustrations with other volunteers. Future volunteers: If you haven't already been involved in the aid effort you can't possibly understand the situation. Before I went out I read every possible bit of information that I could, then I arrived and learned 100 times more than I could ever have found out from home. show less

2/11/2016. Molly, one month in December. Mainly with Dirty Girls, visited lots of places & groups to collect clothes, based at Skala Sykamineas and Lighthouse camp. Also sometimes helping distribute clothes, greet boats, help people from boats to camps/buses. Very positive experience. I'd also have liked to help in the Olive Grove at Moria, at the No Borders kitchen in Mytilini, do more with the Lighthouse camp, now I'd love to also help at the Hope Centre & wish I'd had time for more beach cleaning! Could easily come back for 6 months if I could just put my life on hold (considering it!) Still very connected from home. Torn between my life and Lesvos life. Reading all the time about what's happening on Lesvos and wider situation. Wanting to tell people to go to Lesvos on holiday & help the local economy! I had strong emotional times but mostly my work was not traumatic. Recommendations: Lighthouse camp impressed me enormously. The perfect blend of good organisation with genuine friendliness and gentle care. I hope initiatives such as this aren't bulldozed by big organisations/government. Future volunteers: Don't be frightened that you won't be up to the job (whatever the job is!) - if you want to come then your common sense and compassion will rise to the fore when needed. But do let better experienced or trained people jump in first if they are ready to do so - you can learn by watching them. Don't think you need to have everything organised in advance. Be prepared that things on the ground are very fluid - be flexible. Cleaning (beaches, loos, paths, kitchens, clothes etc) is a big part of most jobs - don't shy away from this or think it's not 'frontline' work! Please do understand that many things are done the way they are for very good reasons - don't try to remake systems until you've been somewhere a few weeks and understand the background/bigger picture! Bring a plastic or tin mug and carry it with you, so you don't use up disposables every time you want a hot drink at the camps. show less

2/11/2016. Amanda Cawood age 61 from England. One month with The Starfish Foundation. Welcomed refugees in Molyvos harbour and distributed clothes,food and water. Registered refugees in the harbour. Cleaned beaches,collected rubbish from the harbour and roadsides. Dug up old dingys from the beaches and collected life vests. Worked in the clothes distribution tents at Oxy and the IRC camp. Worked in the clothing distribution houses organizing the arrival and stock rotation of clothes and toiletries. Very positive experience. If I go back I would probably hire a car. Found it difficult to settle at home. I found I was irritable with friends who posted trivia on face book and wanted to talk about trivial matters. Recommendations: The Starfish Foundation hold a weekly meeting on a Sunday for as many volunteers as possible. At this meeting the previous week is discussed and plans for the coming week are also discussed. Votes are taken. There is excellent leadership from Melinda. Future volunteers: I was surprised how much I enjoyed the experience Open to being a mentor: amandajcawood@gmail.com show less

2/26/2016 Louise Joselyn, 58, UK national, France resident, 2 weeks with I am you. Sorted clothes in warehouse, housing refugees in Moria Camp, general support in camp, cooking for volunteers, delivering clothing to Moria Camp. Day shifts only. Very useful experience. Volunteers in Moria provide a human aspect and a very valuable service, even without language skills. Happy to do the same, but would go/do what is needed most. I want to do more, but feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the crisis, especially in light of new geo-political developments. Recommendations: News/info embargo on life in the camp is detrimental. Outside volunteers are just as useful but feel resentful they can't see what is happening in Moria. More information (ie from volunteers of their experiences/observations) would help prevent an unneccessary 'us and them' mentality, giving them better understanding of why access is limited. Future volunteers: Sign up with one of the organisations on the ground there (we did) especially if you are only there for a short time. Be flexible - expect to have to do anything that comes up as the situation changes. Own transport adds flexibility (ie rental car between 3 or 4 people). Don't be 'precious' about being on the 'front line' to help refugees. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that is just as useful/vital. show less

2/29/2016 Charles Storer, 3rd trip, first to assess, second with four trucks of specific aid, and this one with two celebrities to help. stayed at Mytinena Hotel west of Mytileni, and Hotel Akti near Molyvos. Worked with so many wonderful small NGO's and private individuals. Brought trucks of aid with the charity I lead called Hope and Aid Direct. Worked closely with Nefeli in Attika warehouse and Robert in Kalloni warehouse, and the Kempsons, Drop in the ocean volunteers and South Group coordination beach crews. Warehouse distribution, and refugee beach and Port support Positive experience, useful, emotional for all, part of the amazing volunteer 'family' Now determined to do more and angry at the media and Political pen pushers who deal in numbers and not human beings. Been doing humanitarian work for 20 years. Recommendations: Things can always be improved on, but some amazing people are doing amazing things. The challenges we faced were mainly pre-arrival in identifying and then being able to communicate with the right people regarding specific aid needs, official invitations to bring trucks or send containers, receiving warehouse addresses but knowing which had space and which didn't and who to contact, and suitable hotel accommodation. 'Info Point' in facebook was my main source of details, and it's great in describing all the different groups locations and options, but there is a big need I feel for a single central volunteer coordination group for the whole Island, and indeed all the Islands. Forget the likes of UNHCR who are just not interested in supporting the smaller NGO's and volunteers who are actually providing all the main refugee support . A coordination group is needed to answer all enquiries, provide advice, link all volunteer points around the Island, meet and greet all new arriving volunteers, provide brief protocol training, direct volunteer groups to crisis spots, maintain written info and keep it up to date, and link this into the bigger picture. This is not in any way a criticism of the current groups and organisers. I have nothing but admiration for every single volunteer and group that is working so hard to do what they can to help. The Greek Islanders themselves that are involved in helping, are also amazing. Future volunteers: Sign up to Info point for Lesvos Volunteers, Read as much as you can, connect with others, and just do it. You'll never regret it! Take a hi vis top, torch and head torch, and the rest will come naturally. Open to being a mentor: charles@storerbox.co.uk show less

3/2/2016 Rosemarie Jolley, 39, UK. 5 days with RefugEase, Better Days for Moria, Attika, I Am You, No Borders Kitchen - whoever needed us at the time. Distributed clothes, cooked, sorted warehouses, Beach patrol, distributed food, day and night shifts. I did feel useful but I was also aware there is so much to do. I would stay for longer if I went back. After I left: Angry that this is being allowed to carry on and the rest of the EU seem to have washed their hands of the situation. Excited at the things we can do back home to continue helping and supporting both refugees AND volunteers. I had a lot of support from the team and from my church back home. Recommendations: Part of the group I travelled with had been out in October and commented how much better everything is now, infrastructure and organisation. Future volunteers: Wear lots of layers for night shifts - it gets cold! I was surprised/impressed by the feeling of community. As soon as you arrive as a volunteer you become part of one big group - race, religion etc don't matter, you all just get on with the task at hand. show less

3/3/2016 Priti, 30, United States. 7 Days with Better Days for Moria. Urdu translator, ran tents, worked in the kids tent, did odd jobs. There were moments where I felt there could be more efficiency. Camilla, who ran the AM shifts did an amazing job coordinating at the beginning and all through her shift. I wished more people like her were in charge. I also think that there was a lack of interaction between the volunteers and refugees. After I left: Positive, but also sad and in despair about the whole situation. I am trying to keep my hope that good people will continue to stand up and help these people and the politicians will wake up. Did you feel the need for psychological help, and if so did you get it?: Yes, and yes. Recommendations: I wrote this in earlier: Stronger shift coordinators like Camilla who really knew how to delegate tasks and keep us informed. I also think that there was a lack of interaction between the volunteers and refugees. I think for moral of all, and part of the purpose of coming is making sure people do interact. I know there is a communications barrier, but I felt that even the people that made the effort to talk to the refugees made the refugees day better. I wish more people did so. Also, I am not sure what can be done with the volunteers that come just to take selfies of themselves, but if someone could address that, it would be great. Future volunteers: Do not be afraid to jump in and help where help is needed. People do not know you and what you can do. Open to being a mentor: priti.k.kapoor@gmail.com show less

3/4/2016 Carly, 24, USA. 3 weeks in december with the Lemon Team Tea Tent, Clothing distribution. Distributed clothes, changed children, made tea, served tea, biscuits and fruit, garbage duty, made volunteer food. I worked both day and night shifts. Indescribable experience. Incredibly emotionally difficult but such a positive experience that I wouldn't trade for the world. After I left: Sad. Guilty. Confused. Empty. Alone. Misunderstood. I felt the need for psychological help more at the beginning than at the end. Maybe not so much help but just someone to talk to who wanted to listen and who understood. I found that through the amazing volunteers who helped me so much, so I was doing better emotionally by the end with all the support and people to talk to. But I also felt almost numb to the surroundings by the end. It was such a roller coaster of emotions I'm not eve sure what I was feeling. Recommendations: I think everyone tried their very best to organize things and support each other. I think the camp blossomed and grew every single day. The people in charge were the most inspiring people I have ever met. Future volunteers: seek someone to talk to if you need it. Everyone was so busy helping the refugees that I didn't want to bother anyone, it just wasn't as important or serious as the help the refugees needed. One day I just couldn't hold it in and broke down crying and so many people were there for me, and had been the whole time if I just would have asked. They all have different feelings inside but they all understand and are more than happy to help other volunteers as well not just the refugees. Open to being a mentor: car.harris55@gmail.com show less

3/6/2016 Susanne, 25, Germany 2 weeks with Better Days for Moria. Distributing clothes, spending time in kids tent, activities with people in the camp like playing cards etc., trash picking, tent numbering - worked almost all the time dayshift. It was amazing. I am very happy about how it went. I think especially the quality time with people that live in the camp atm, or are stranded, was very important for me but for sure for them as well. It is so nice to give anyone ,who is in need of having someone to listen or play games , your time and not just run around all the time. It is my first day at home and I must admit I feel pretty awful. I am not happy, it feels surreal and I would like to go back very soon because at the moment I am not sure how I will be able to continue my everyday life the way I did before. Working on Lesbos give one a purpose. Recommendations: I had a great time and feel very greatful about the long term volunteers who are able to coordinate things. Future volunteers: Just go and experience it all. There will be days where you feel like this whole world is such a shit place and there is no way this will ever change, you feel powerless and weak and sad... but on the other hand the days which give you energy and happiness are just much stronger on impact. The Better Days Camp has an atmosphere which cant be put in words, I never felt that way before. It is so peaceful. Open to be a mentor: susanneb24gmail.com show less