From Shy to Ready: ALMA Offers New Horizons for Poland’s Youth
When you’re young and uncertain about your future, even the smallest opportunity can feel like a lifeline. And that’s exactly what it became for a young Polish woman named Zuzanna Tomasiak.
Just a year ago, Zuzanna described herself as “eager to discover the world and a bit shy.” That shyness left her afraid to take action toward her dreams, quietly wondering what might come next. But that changed when her class teacher mentioned something called ALMA.
Zuzanna learned that ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve) is a European Union initiative designed to support young people aged 18–29 who are not in employment, education or training – a situation that described her perfectly.
Her teacher introduced her to a project called the International Career Accelerator (ICA), one of many ALMA projects across Europe. She explained that it takes place in three carefully designed stages: tailored training in Poland, a supervised work-related learning experience in Greece or Cyprus, and follow-up support upon return.
When Zuzanna heard about the opportunity to learn and challenge herself in another country, she didn’t hesitate. “I felt the desire to test my language skills and visit a new country,” she recalls.
Along with 21 other young people from Poland, she joined the ICA project – a decision that would soon prove to be one of the best of her life.
New Skills, New Country, New Confidence
The experience began with a few months of intensive training, during which Zuzanna and her peers took part in lessons on a wide variety of topics from language and CV writing to personal development and intercultural communication workshops.
“I felt sufficiently prepared thanks to the training and support I received,” she says. But the most valuable learning came when it was time to travel abroad.
Zuzanna had the opportunity to take part in a work-related learning experience in a hotel in Greece, gaining practical knowledge of the hospitality sector and first-hand experience of interacting with customers. At last, she was able to step out of her comfort zone and put her English language skills to the test.
“Conversations and interactions with Greeks, even those whose English wasn’t very strong, had a big impact on me,” she says. “I felt that I was getting to know Greece through their eyes and their stories.”
Through daily encounters and shared experiences, Zuzanna began to feel more at ease in her own skin. Her shyness started to melt away. She initiated conversations, built relationships, and found a voice she hadn’t realised she had.
“I created new and lasting memories, broadened my horizons, gained professional experience, and became more confident in speaking English and interacting with people in general,” she says with a smile.
Today, Zuzanna is back in Poland, but now she sees her future through a different lens. She wants to travel, continue learning languages, and build on everything the ALMA experience gave her.
“It was a great way to gain experience and spend unforgettable time abroad,” she says. “No one should hesitate to take part in ALMA!”
For her, the future no longer feels frightening. She’s now ready to tackle any challenge because, as the saying goes, motion creates emotion, and doing is the fastest route to growth.
The People Behind the Progress
Zuzanna’s journey is inspiring, but she didn’t walk it alone. Behind her success was a network of mentors and professionals dedicated to helping young people thrive.
One of them is Katarzyna Chimiak, project coordinator at Certes, the organisation that implemented the International Career Accelerator project in Poland.
“We look at numbers, like how many young people found work or started studying, but the success of this project goes beyond that,” Katarzyna explains. “The real transformation is in their confidence, their openness, their ability to communicate and connect.”
Katarzyna sees ALMA as filling a vital gap in European youth support programmes and initiatives. Unlike other projects, which often focus on students or volunteers already engaged in structured activities, ALMA is tailored for young people who are still trying to find their place.
“It provides opportunities for everyone, not just the most active or academically successful young people,” she adds. “Through international experiences, ALMA helps participants build practical skills, gain confidence, and improve their employability, while also promoting solidarity and cultural exchange across Europe.”
Katarzyna firmly believes that the support and mentoring these young people receive are crucial both personally and professionally. It’s about helping them discover their own potential, often for the very first time.
A More United, Hopeful Europe
For Zuzanna, the impact of ALMA extended far beyond the workplace.
“My experience abroad showed me how easy it is to form bonds with people who seem completely different from you,” she reflects. “Sharing stories and conversations with foreigners helped me better understand what it means to be European.”
That, in essence, is what ALMA sets out to do: build bridges. Not just between young people and job opportunities, but between cultures, countries, and even personal barriers. In a time when many young people feel isolated or left behind, ALMA proves that there is still room for hope, connection, and growth.
Co-funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus Social Innovation+ initiative, ALMA demonstrates that Europe is more than just a union of governments – it is a community of people willing to lift each other up.
Zuzanna is no longer the shy girl from Poland. She is someone who found her voice in Greece and now speaks with confidence about who she is and where she’s going.
And it all began with an initiative designed not just to change outcomes, but to change lives.
Learn more: ICA project
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