Joshua Lundberg of Northborough spent a few summers involved in a wonderful volunteer program that sent him to Europe. Over the course of three summers, he spent time in London, Glasgow and Dublin. In each of these cities, he spent time in youth development programs as a mentor to the teens. The participants of the program were from impoverished communities within the cities. Joshua Lundberg of Northborough found the work both challenging and deeply fulfilling.

“Even though there were some cultural differences, the teens I was working with were not that different from me. They were confused about all of the things teens are usually confused about and worried about their futures. The main difference was their unstable family life and increasingly difficult financial situation,” said Joshua Lundberg of Northborough.

The majority of the teens were living in single parent households or in shelters that depended on government assistance. One of the sections of the program Joshua Lundberg of Northborough organized was sort of a group therapy period in which the teens opened up about their living situations. Many of them felt quite helpless and hopeless for the future, were on drugs and very depressed and were having trouble picturing any area of success for themselves.

“Some were incredibly shy about discussing their situations while others hollered about how angry they were. They wanted their parents to stop wasting what little money they had on drugs and alcohol and take care of them. It was heartbreaking to hear these young people just beg for simple necessities,” recalls Joshua Lundberg of Northborough.

It was draining at times to hear story after story of a completely dysfunctional household. Sometimes it would take more than half the summer for the teens to unwind and start to enjoy the program. Other than the therapy, the focus of the program is to build the teens up with academics, constructive social interactions and confidence building. Joshua Lundberg of Northborough was always amazed at the transformation many of the youth displayed from the beginning of the summer to the end.

“The program changed their lives and gave them hope. I was so proud to be a part of it. I know that I really helped numerous teens through my patience and listening skills,” said Joshua Lundberg of Northborough.