Desirée Sanchez Navarro is a Full Time Volunteer at one of our residential houses. From Asturias in Spain, Desirée came to Cork Simon this January with support from the European Solidarity Corps. She is enjoying Irish life, along with the difference she is making and the skills she is learning through her volunteering experience.

"The thing that I like the most of Cork; everybody says 'hi'! And that makes my day.

For me, the thing that impact me most when I came here; the way Cork Simon engage with residents and how they treat each other. We have to be human, we have to appreciate people for who they are and for what they are going through.

The thing that I learned most, it’s human power. We as human beings have ways to help ourselves and to overcome all the situations that life puts us in. I’m very impressed how most of the residents that we have in Cork Simon have overcome loads of different and very difficult situations."

Desirée talks about companionship and communication ...