YOUth belong

3 June 2024

Program: Erasmus+, KA152-YOU – Mobility of young people
Project leader: Change Your Life Now (CYLN)  – Grecja
Duration: 27 May – 3 June, 2024

Partners: 

• Poland – Association Reflections on Europe

Program: Erasmus+, KA152-YOU – Mobility of young people
Project Leader: Change Your Life Now (CYLN)  – Greece
Duration: 27 May – 3 June, 2024

Partners: 

• Poland – Association Reflections on Europe
• Italy – Comune Di Cinisello Balsamo
• Romania – uMunthu
• Lithuania – ENTERPRISING PARTNERS

Project goals:

• Analysis of the issue of exclusion of marginalized youth
• Investigate the cause of this phenomenon and the circumstances that contribute to its continuation in our modern European society
• Equip youth workers with knowledge and skills for such cases
• Non-formal education on inclusion

Project progress:

Day one: Again, hi Chania!

After arriving at a campsite already familiar to all, participants of the third camp held an “ice-breaking” session. Thanks to various energizers, young people from Poland, Greece, Italy, Romania and Lithuania had the opportunity to get to know each other and integrate. Time was also set aside to write out expectations and the contribution each participant could make to the project.

Then there was a discussion on inclusion – what is it for each of us? Later, the group seamlessly moved on to create short theatrical scenes on European values such as inclusion, identity, freedom and speech.

The last item of the day was a talk about the Erasmus+ program, the European Solidarity Corps, and Youthpasses. The organizers introduced the participants to these terms and allowed them to exchange project experiences.

Day two: Walk and talk

The morning began with energizers on the beach. The organizers then prepared several activities to teach the youngsters how to cooperate, as well as to raise their awareness of the difficulties faced by people with disabilities. They divided the participants into groups, where each experienced a different disability: some could not speak, others could not hear or see. They were then asked to perform various tasks.

The next activity was a walk and talk session. Young people talked in pairs about the marginalization of young people, what experiences they have on the subject, and how to prevent it.

Next, the youth prepared posters about inclusion in groups and presented them to the rest. The evening was dedicated to an intercultural event. Participants from Italy and Lithuania presented their traditions and prepared snacks typical of their countries.

Day three: Stereotypes and prejustices

The next day the youngsters greeted the day energetically, as entertainers from Italy prepared interesting games to stimulate the rest. This was followed by a workshop in World Cafe format, where participants discussed European values. Discussions were held in small groups, aiming to come up with conclusions about inclusion and diversity.

The next activity was a discussion session, the main topic of which was stereotypes and prejudices. Young people discussed how these phenomena affect the lives and relationships of everyone.

The last task was to prepare activities for the next day of the exchange.

Day four: Little trip

After breakfast, the youngsters went to the center of Chania. There, in addition to sightseeing, an important task awaited them. This is because they were to record interviews with local residents on the topics of inclusion, diversity, as well as stereotypes. The purpose of the interviews was to raise awareness on these topics, as well as to assess people’s attitudes towards these phenomena.

When they returned, an intercultural evening was held. This time Poland, Greece and Romania presented their traditions to the participants.

Day five: Time to discuss

The next morning began, as usual, with an energizer session to stimulate the minds of participants. Then it was time for an interesting activity of active listening and discussion of social issues related to inclusion such as LGBT+, human rights, disability, migration and refugees. Young people exchanged experiences and together sought solutions to the alienation of certain social groups.

Later, using the knowledge gained, the youth created a book in digital form. The publication is intended to educate and raise public awareness about inclusion, as well as tell about the knowledge and good practices transferred during the exchange.

Day six: Evaluation

The last day was devoted to evaluation. The youngsters summarized the knowledge they had gained, and shared their conclusions about the project. Everyone also had the opportunity to write something nice to other participants during activities prepared by the organizers. Thanks to this, the last day was adorned with a unique atmosphere, and you could see emotion on the faces of the participants.

In the afternoon, it was time for a final farewell and preparations for the return, which was to take place the very next day.

Hubert Habel

“It was great! I really learned a lot about the cultures of other countries, and most importantly, I learned how to fight social exclusion, which I’m sure will be useful in my future projects!”

Galeria: