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An interview with Kinga Kusznierewicz, a mentor of ERBUD Foundation

What made you join the group of mentors under the Foundation programme?

I graduated with a degree at the Social Rehabilitation Faculty; pedagogy and psychology have always been my passion. During my studies at university I had an internship at a juvenile detention facility. I worked at a crèche and as a PE teacher at a school.

For the past decade, my other passion has been work for Erbud. Since May I have been working in the Audit and Internal Control Department, where I am responsible for audit and training. Over the past years I have not had the opportunity to work with young people and I started to miss it more and more.

I decided that it is the right time now to get involved in the Foundation's project. I have a lot of leisure time. With age, I have also learnt to separate the things that are worth bothering from those that do not matter. That is why I want to help – for the benefit of others, but also for myself.

What do you gain when you help others?

I have always known that occasional helping - once a year, during holidays - is not enough. The real sense and value comes from long-term actions, from keeping our eyes open to the injustice and suffering of those who have been marked by destiny more than us. That is why I want to share with my mentee what I have - my time, life and professional experience.

Do you already know what you would like to communicate to your future mentee?

I do not have a predefined checklist. Everyone is different, you cannot impose a ready-made action plan. I want to get to know this person first, see what his or her needs and expectations are, so that later - gradually and together - we can choose the best solutions. I do not want to teach or order, I want to show - also speaking from my personal experience - what values are important in life. I would like to help my mentee to become independent, find an apartment, a job, further education and develop qualifications of my mentee. I will tell my mentee what opportunities may open up in life for a young person, but I will also warn her/him about obstacles waiting somewhere there down the road. I will teach how to talk to a future employer and what it takes and is important to be a good team member.

We will certainly spend a lot of time outdoors - I believe that physical activity plays an irreplaceable role in shaping resilience, determination, healthy competition and character. I myself practice jogging and cycle a lot, I am also willing to play basketball with my mentee.

When are you going to start?

I hope to start as soon as possible. I can’t wait!