ERASMUS +

YOUTH

exchange

"Capture every day. There will never be another like today"

“Youth Work in Rural Areas” - S.M. di Leuca, Italia

"Youth Work in Rural Areas”- S.M. di Leuca, Italia (2014 – 2015)

YOUTH WORK IN RURAL AREAS was a bilateral youth exchange designed and implemented by two informal groups of unemployed young people, aged between 18 and 25, from different European rural areas (Italy and Romania), for 20 youth and 2 group leaders.

YWRA involved participants that were dealing with economic, geographical and educational-training obstacles.

During the exchange, youth were involved in different activities based on the principles of non-formal and informal education (such as round tables, debates, brainstorming, evaluation sessions, workshops), but also study visit to innovative companies born from the ideas of the local youth and funded by the Local Action Group, Capo Santa Maria di Leuca (agriturismi, agri-nido, biological productions, productions of alternative energies, ...).

“The Long Way Home” - S.M. di Leuca, Italia

“The Long Way Home” intended to give the opportunity to 20 young people 18-25y.o. (5 per partner) + 4 group leaders (1 per partner) mainly facing geographical and economic obstacles, from Italy (Fattoria Pugliese Diffusa), Romania (Debate Club), Poland (Grin Elephant) and Cyprus (Social Policy Action) to reflect on what makes the European project so special: the common history with its inglorious moments on one hand, and tolerance, intercultural dialogue and reconciliation on the other. With the use of formal and non-formal methods, as ART, youth followed the four stages of Zivi Miller’s journey towards the so called Promised Land were Bucharest (Romania), Zivi Miller’s hometown, Auschwitz (Poland), the Desplaced Camp n° 34 in Santa Maria al Bagno (Italy), Nicosia (Cyprus), and finally Haifa (today State of Israel).

“Raising our voice through debate” - Dabrowa, Poland

“Raising our voice through debate”- Dabrowa, Polonia (2016)

The project "Raising your voice through debate" was initiated by members of European Club in Strzelno and the Youth Council of Dabrowa Commune. Polish participants invited to project their peers from Romanian and Spanish partner organizations.

All participants were linked by their active attitude and desire for personal development and a wish to have an impact on what is happening in their towns. The reason why the young people from Strzelno and neighboring Dabrowa have started this project was the desire to acquire new skills in an international group of peers. Young people from villages and from small towns equipped with these competencies more likely will engage in social activities not only at the level of their town, but also on the regional and international level.
The project included several elements characteristic of training, seminar and, above all, youth exchange.
During intercultural learning workshops participants have strengthen an attitude of tolerance and curiosity about other cultures, discovered similarities and differences and gave up stereotypical thinking.

It was organized a public debate with the motion "THBT youth have no influence on the decision-making processes in their towns" with invited authorities and decision-makers.

“Together We Include, We are Included” - Larnaca, Cyprus

The project is a result of an accurate and critical thinking and brainstorming between the partner organisations for an important matter such as collaboration towards prevention of exclusion, inclusion of differences and diversity. The ideas developed showed that understanding and acceptance of differences, such as disability or social status, in all aspects of equity and inclusion are a important topics among young people, especially in the EU. It is widely recognised that social exclusion produces deep and long-term damage to the living conditions, social and economic participation, emotional life and health status of young people.It also contributes to the intergenerational transmission of poverty. In turn, insecurity of living standards, political and social isolation, feelings of estrangement and unhealthy lifestyles aggravate pre-existing conditions of social exclusion. The results in a vicious circle, where socially excluded young people are in even more danger of suffering from additional material deprivation, social and emotional marginalisation, and health issues, which in turn expose them to more serious risks of exclusion.The causes of social exclusion are differences that vary between ethnicity,(dis)ability, religion, sexuality, skin colour, socio-economic background, appearance, educational level, language spoken etc. All the above are issues we are seeking to address through the project by creating an open dialogue among young people. Especially, nowadays, in the continuously changing world, understanding and acceptance of differences, promotion of inclusion, celebration of diversity are vital component to build inclusive and united society.
The motto of EU is “United in Diversity”, the Europe 2020-strategy aims to generate a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The EU works for social equality and develops social security and tries to protect the weakest. It seeks to prevent social exclusion and discrimination.

The project has been organised with respect to all the permanent priorities of Erasmus+ program: European citizenship, cultural diversity, social inclusion and intercultural dialogue. The overall aims of TOGETHER WE INCLUDE - WE ARE INCLUDED are to promote the understanding and acceptance of differences among young people and to celebrate the diversity in a society inclusive towards everyone.
The handbook is one of the results of the project that gather together 36 youngster from 6 different European Countries. It’s want to be a toolkit that youngster and adults can use to create and develop social inclusion within different communities using non formal education methodologies.

DOWNLOAD THE PROJECT HANDBOOK

“Urban and Audiovisual Art as a Tools for Youth Participation”
- Seville, Spain

The "Urban&Audioviual Art as a Tool for active youth participation" project aimed to promote active citizen participation of young people through artistic techniques focused on urban art, prioritizing audiovisual language as a means of documenting the creative process and its relative communication. To achieve this goal, a general objective was achieved: to provide youth workers with artistic and audiovisual tools connected to new technologies that allowed them to get closer to the youth in order to promote their European citizen participation. From the practice of youth work, 24 participants were able to learn these practices but also put them into practice, and experience them during the training course.

It was a great advantage to be able to reproduce similar actions in our locality.

The project consisted of 6 phases which were carried out before the training, during and after it. Once the training and the 6 phases had been completed, an open and accessible document was created for other organizations and individuals that systematized the tools and techniques learned, as well as the actions carried out and their results.

DOWNLOAD THE PROJECT TOOLKIT