To Help and Be Useful
6. March 2023These are the future plans of Karolína Adámková, a 3rdyear student of the Social Pedagogy programme. She dedicates most of her free time to volunteering and helping others. Karolína sees these activities as her life’s mission, and we feel it is our duty to introduce a Faculty of Humanities student who can serve as an example and inspiration for many of us.
How did you get involved in volunteering? What led you to it? It was my heart and my sense of helping others as a life mission that led me to it. I grew up with my friend Lucinka, who has Down syndrome, so I have always seen people with disabilities as equals to those without. As a young child, I watched various documentaries and charity events about people with disabilities with my mother, and I always dreamed that one day I would help like that, bring joy to many people, maybe even save lives or at least improve them. At first, I felt pity, but over time, pity turned into compassion and a genuine desire to help. I always wanted to help in a real way, but I didn’t have the means or opportunities, and I didn’t know where or how. Then, when I was 17, a miracle happened. A representative from Adorea Volunteer Agency gave a talk about volunteering at our grammar school and left us her contact information. This was my sign from God, and I immediately signed up with two friends. We started visiting the Jitka Residential Centre in Vsetín weekly. Where have you worked, and where are you working now? Paradoxically, I have never worked in my field of study; I’ve held jobs in various factories, cleaning companies, and newspapers, but I never found fulfilment or satisfaction. However, if you mean volunteer work, I began volunteering in November 2009 with the Adorea Volunteer Centre in Vsetín, where I remained until December 2012. During that time, I worked as an activity coordinator, personal assistant, and caregiver for men and women with physical, mental, combined disabilities and autism spectrum disorders in the Jitka Residential Centre, Auxilium Centre, and the Kamarád Social Therapy Workshop in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. Currently, I plan to volunteer at the NADĚJE Day Centre in Vsetín. Most of my time now is taken up by my studies in Social Pedagogy, finishing my third year, and writing my bachelor’s thesis. Even so, I found time to work six days a week as a caregiver for a woman who had suffered a stroke. Sadly, she passed away in mid-November. I also spent a year caring for my bedridden mother, who had a brain tumour. In the photos provided, you look genuinely happy and fulfilled by this work. Could you mention any events you organised or participated in? I didn’t organise most of the events myself; they were led by activity coordinators and the organisations where I volunteered. I assisted wherever needed. For example, with Auxilium, we attended a camp in Rouské, where we cared for horses and engaged in hippotherapy. In 2012, we attended another camp at Dívčí hrad, which was organised in the spirit of the Olympic Games. We also attended gym classes every Tuesday and swimming every Thursday. I participated, mostly as a guest, in benefit concerts for Auxilium. Auxilium remains very close to my heart, and I look back on it with love. A great inspiration for my future work is Boženka Mikulíková, the director of this centre, whom I deeply admire and respect for her lifelong dedication to people with disabilities. She taught me so much, and I am incredibly grateful to her. Which age group do you feel closest to? I’ve worked with all age groups. I love children – I once wanted to work in a special needs nursery, where I did an observation placement. When I was 17, I mostly worked with my peers, and later with older, adult clients. I don’t have a preference; I will help anyone who needs it. What does this work bring you? Incredible joy, fulfilment, and purpose. I see volunteering and helping others in any form as my life’s mission, and I approach it with great humility, respect, and love in my heart. I always say about myself that I don’t really know how to do anything else, and I feel I have a natural gift for caregiving. You can’t do this work without sincere interest, kindness, and a willingness to sacrifice your time and energy for something that gives your life a higher meaning. I believe in God and caring for the sick and disabled has been my lifelong dream. In a way, I am always caring for someone – not just the sick but also my family and friends. I simply love people. We, as humans, are everything we have, and we should help and be kind to each other. How much time does helping others take? During my grammar school years, I volunteered at the Jitka Residential Centre every Wednesday, spent Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Auxilium Centre, and participated in various residential stays, one-day benefit events, and week-long camps. Those were the most beautiful experiences, and I was truly happy then. I commuted to the Kamarád social-therapeutic workshop occasionally. For my upcoming role at the NADĚJE Day Centre, I plan to volunteer two days a week, seven hours a day, but this will likely start in the summer after I complete my studies. What are your professional plans for the future? To help, help, and be useful. My greatest wish is to work with adults with disabilities in a social therapy workshop or a day care centre, such as NADĚJE. Later, once I gain experience and have the necessary education, I would like to establish my own non-profit organisation or foundation. I don’t know the exact concept yet, but I do know it will be called Palomita, which means “little dove” in Spanish. The dove symbolises the Holy Spirit, reflecting my faith and mission. At first, I wanted to focus on children in palliative care, but I am still considering whom exactly we will help. Ideally, I’d love to help everyone, but that’s not within my power. However, it will be within Palomita’s power. I already have my team and the support of our mayor in Hošťálková, Petr Laštovica, to whom I also extend my gratitude for his enthusiasm and dedication to this cause. I believe that we will have many more wonderful experiences together in the form of fundraising events, reciprocity and that we will help a lot of people. What would you say to students who also want to engage in meaningful activities? Follow your dreams because if you have the desire to help and make the world a better place, nothing can stop you. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Fight for your dreams and be good people who can be proud of themselves. I once thought I couldn’t help because I underestimated myself due to my own health issues and difficult life experiences. I thought for a time that I wouldn’t be able to help, and I underestimated myself because of my own health issues and some unpleasant life events, but then I realized that nothing is a barrier. On the contrary, life experiences have helped me to understand even more the different fates of people. The difficult trials of life have made me a much better, stronger, humbler and kinder person who has come to understand what is important in life, and that is the people we love. Family is the greatest asset, and I want to continue the legacy of my mother who has always supported me in volunteering and helping people with disabilities and in everything in general and I want to make her proud of me in heaven. So have enough strength and perseverance, go on with your lives with humility and love. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you, believe me, it makes sense. Don’t give up, even if there is an obstacle. It will only make you stronger if you overcome it. Good luck in your studies and your future work.