Formaat, the Flemish federation of youth clubs in Flanders considers every youth club to have a “hero” – a young volunteer who really makes the difference to the young people in the club. Each edition they feature a youth club hero in their magazine.

When it was the turn of youth club Avillo all the youngsters nominated Julie (20 years) as their hero.

“I think I don’t deserve to be the hero of Avillo. There are so many volunteers who are actively and daily involved in organising the youth club. They deserve it more than me. I really love my youth club and for me, every volunteer is a hero.”

“Of course, I’m very happy that my fellow volunteers selected me as their ‘youth club hero’. But on the other hand I think it only normal that youngsters engage themselves for other youngsters. A youth club is the ideal place for young people to get involved in and organise activities for other youngsters in their community. It’s in my youth club that I have identified what I want to do in life; I want to study social work.

Julie has been involved in youth club Avillo for 4 years, starting at the age of 16 and was introduced to the club by her boyfriend, Thomas. “In the beginning I kind of forced her to come to the youth club. Avillo is my second home and the moment Julie fell in love with me; she had to fall in love with youth club Avillo too. So I have dragged her into being a volunteer here.”

Julie soon became a really important member of the club. According to Thomas “At this time she is a solid member of a team of volunteers, in other words, she is the mother of the youth club. That’s why she deserves to be the hero of our youth club. She always there for every body and is always the first person to thank the other volunteers for the things they do. Now its our turn to put her in the spotlight.”