My Vilnius is a series of interviews that introduce you to people who call Vilnius their home. It’s all about the ordinary lives of extraordinary people and vice versa. Cédric Raffier is the Head of Vilnius Social Club. Having studied social sciences, he has always had a desire to help people, which led him to live in Lithuania for nearly two decades, work at Caritas, establish his own social initiative, and engage in numerous other purposeful activities.
VP: Could you tell us more about your story?
Cédric: I am French, and I have been living in Lithuania for 18 years. I grew up in Poitiers, and I studied management. After completing my studies, I secured a job in this field. Meanwhile, I also began volunteering at a local football club, where I had the opportunity to play myself. My coach invited me to train children, so I became a football coach in my free time.
After a few years, I realized that I was much more interested in training children than going to work, so I started looking for opportunities to try myself working with children every day. I contacted a French organization that sends volunteers all over the world. They offered me a project in Vilnius, at a Caritas day center, where children and teenagers used to visit. The project description sounded exactly like what I wanted to try: social work with children and teenagers. So, I agreed to come to Lithuania, although I knew very little about the country.
VP: How was the idea of Vilnius Social Club born, and what mission does it serve?
Cédric: Interestingly, the idea of Vilnius Social Club was actually born in India. When I arrived in Lithuania in 2007, I volunteered at a Caritas day center. This experience confirmed my desire to work in the field of social work. After a year in Lithuania, in 2008, I received an offer to work at the Pal. J. Matulaičio social center, there were various projects, with people with disabilities, with children, and with young people. I had very different tasks: I was a driver, I led sports classes, and I helped prepare lessons, trips, and camps. In brief, it was like a condensed training for me; I could learn social work through internships and practical experiences.
In 2012, I realized that enough was enough, and I wanted to have my own project, where I would have more responsibilities. I then found another project in India, where I served as a football coach in a nursing home. There, I realized how strong sport is in the context of social work. After volunteering in India, I received an offer to return to Lithuania to work at the same center. They offered to work with a group of teenagers, so I returned to Lithuania in 2013. A few months later, I also founded the Vilnius Social Club organization. After India, I gained more courage to create, and also developed ideas about using football as a means of social work. That’s how our football program was born, because I saw a need to create alternatives in Lithuania.
We differ from ordinary sports clubs and groups in that football is, for us, primarily a means of achieving positive changes in the lives of children and young people. The primary goal is not the achievement of sports results, but rather a qualitative improvement in the life of each participant. Initially, in my free time from work, I led activities at the Vilnius Social Club. Then the organization grew and became my main job, with additional programs emerging (including work in street newsrooms, a day group for teenagers, and mobile activities, among others).
VP: What was the first moment that made you realize opening Vilnius Social Club was worth all the effort?
Cédric: It is difficult to answer this question. I do not recall the exact moment when the result became apparent. The entire evolution of Vilnius Social Club has been a long-term and meaningful process. After a while, we grew and expanded our activities to what we are today, and it was all a learning experience. We currently offer six different programs for children and adolescents, serving approximately 450 children and young people each year.
But the feeling has not changed since the first year, when about 10 young people attended. From the very beginning, this organization has been meaningful to me; it is like a calling. I believe in our work philosophy, our mission, and our values. Most importantly, to create a healthy relationship with young people, one that fosters mutual respect, dedication, and openness, we must listen to what people say without judgment, respect their history, and honour their wishes.
I have lived with this idea from the very beginning. Seeing the number of people who have joined our activities today, including young people, employees, volunteers, partners, and financiers, fills me with a sense of gratitude—proving that over the past 12 years, we have been heading in the right direction.
VP: What are the options to support the initiative?
Cédric: You can either support our activities financially or join us as a volunteer. For more information, please visit our support and volunteering pages.
VP: What’s your relationship like with Vilnius? Does it feel like home?
Cédric: I like living in Vilnius, it’s a place where I can actualize myself, where I can do a lot, create a lot, but also a place where I can relax, enjoy the old town, the lake, and nature, all in one. It really feels like home to me, although I still feel French at my core.
VP: What is your favourite spot in the city and why?
Cédric: There is a football stadium in Naujininkai near the youth school. This is the place where I used to conduct football classes open to all young people. Very warm memories, when I felt like I had found exactly my place.
VP: Where can we find you in the digital sphere?
Cédric: @Vilniussocialclub on all, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or visit our website www.vilniussocialclub.lt.
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