Newsletter Youth 4 Solidarity by YOUth Move

Encouraging volunteering spirit Among young people as a symbol of solidarity

TABLE of

contents

Introduction to the project

Images from activities

Daily blog

Erasmus+ Opportunities

Interviewing the leader of Youth Move

Introduction

To the Project

“It's the only - one thing I've learned in the labor movement is solidarity. We can only overcome the challenges if we stand together.” Marty Walsh

Greetings, seekers of equality and comradeship. In this exclusive magazine dedicated to the Erasmus+ project, "Youth 4 Solidarity," you will witness stories of cultural exchange and collaborative endeavours that transcend boundaries.

And discover how this initiative is shaping a future where solidarity is not just an idea but a living, breathing force by educating young people about solidarity.

This project, taking place between the 13th and 20th of November in Bansko, explores questions about solidarity and educates young people about a variety of interesting topics concerning the EU in a nonconventional way that allows for a fun educational environment that brings the participants closer to one another.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world”

Throughout the project, participants took on the role of educators, crafting engaging workshops for each day. These sessions embrace a playful learning approach, featuring a variety of games that maintain a fun and relaxed atmosphere while also successfully achieving the goal of imparting a deeper understanding of the EU. Furthermore, these workshops include tasks designed to group different individuals together, encouraging socialisation and interaction among participants. Additionally, it featured a debate session that gave participants the option to agree, disagree, or stay neutral about controversial topics and then gave them the opportunity to state their opinion on the matter, provoking a deep and thoughtful discussion.

Daily blog 14.11.2023 The first day of the Erasmus+ project “Youth 4 Solidarity” was an energetic and memorable start to a week of collaboration, cultural exchange, and personal growth. The day began with icebreaker games that helped participants learn about each other’s interests and personalities, creating a foundation for strong connections and a sense of unity. These activities were essential in breaking down barriers and facilitating bond formation among the group. Following the icebreakers, the group engaged in open discussions to establish a set of guidelines and rules aimed at respecting individual boundaries and fostering a collaborative environment. These guidelines were pivotal in creating a harmonious and productive atmosphere for the duration of the project. In the afternoon, participants took part in a treasure hunt in Bansko, a city rich in culture and history. This activity was not just a cultural exploration but also an exercise in teamwork and problem-solving. It provided an excellent opportunity for informal interactions and collaboration among the participants, enhancing their experience and connections. The day concluded with a night of board games, offering a relaxed and engaging environment for participants to unwind and strengthen the bonds formed throughout the day. This mix of structured and informal activities on the first day set a positive and enthusiastic tone for the entire project, promising a transformative and unforgettable week ahead.

15.11.2023 On the second day of the “Youth 4 Solidarity” Erasmus+ project, participants engaged in a series of educational and cultural activities. The Italian team kick-started the day with a creative session on Erasmus and Youth Exchange, inviting participants to brainstorm and share their insights before delving into a detailed presentation on various youth exchange programs.The afternoon session, led by the Slovakian team, focused on the theme “Europe and me,” sparking in-depth discussions among participants. They debated various topics, including personal interpretations of Europe, shared values and differences among European countries, and the European Union’s role and impact. These conversations brought out diverse viewpoints on international relations and the EU’s functionalities. To add a lighter touch, the Slovak team organized an interactive game where participants guessed countries through yes/no questions, followed by a quiz with intriguing European facts. This engaging approach revealed interesting tidbits, such as the high bicycle count in the Netherlands and unique Swiss laws. The day concluded with the first cultural night, featuring presentations from Italy, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania. This evening was a celebration of cultural diversity, showcasing traditional dances, songs, food, and drinks from each country, creating a vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere. This culturally immersive day significantly strengthened participant connections and set a positive tone for future activities.

16.11.2023 On the third day of a workshop in Bulgaria, participants explored various perspectives on solidarity within the European Union. The day began with a warm-up activity to engage everyone actively. A key part of the workshop was each country presenting a theatrical scene depicting their national view on solidarity, revealing a range of opinions and attitudes within the EU. Notably, there was a generational divide in attitudes toward the EU, with older individuals often resistant to EU ideals and younger people more open and aligned with EU regulations. Romania led an interactive session, dividing participants into small groups tasked with researching and presenting facts about different EU countries. This approach aimed to enhance understanding and encourage knowledge sharing. The Netherlands contributed by introducing a game to deepen the exploration of the EU’s global role. Subsequently, participants created videos to highlight the EU’s global impact and the idea of solidarity. These videos, embodying various perspectives on the EU’s global influence, were shared among all participants, illustrating the EU’s embodiment of solidarity despite differing viewpoints. Overall, the day’s activities aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of solidarity in the EU, fostering dialogue, knowledge exchange, and creative expression of the union’s collective global role. The workshop underscored the importance of understanding and expressing solidarity, promoting unity and collaboration among EU member nations.

18.11.2023 Today marked an exciting chapter in my Erasmus+ journey. The day started with a reflex game. The highlight of the morning was a spirited game of Kahoot, delving into the diverse facets of Europe. From culture, it was both entertaining and educational. A well deserved lunch break provided an opportunity to recharge and connect with fellow participants.I learned things about the places of Europe, it was a good feeling for me. Because my personal culture has developed. The afternoon session took a more interactive turn with the Debating game focused on the European Union. It was inspiring to witness everyone actively exchanging ideas, fostering a sense of camaraderie.It was a great feeling to listen to the opinions of my peers from different countries.It was one of the most ınterestıng sessıon we had , so ınformative and gave us new perspective about each topic. Following a brief break, we immersed ourselves in a citizenship workshop centered on the European Union. Understanding the intricacies of EU citizenship added a layer of depth to our Erasmus+ experience. I learned what kind of problems people have a visa problem in a country that is not in the EU.Because we made a fun roleplay on this topic. As the day progressed, we were eagerly awaiting the cultural night. Learning cultures has brought us closer to each other. The day end. My Erasmus+ day was good for education and cultural exchange. It was an amazing feeling to have this experience.

19.11.2023 On November 19, 2023, the 6th day of a project in a mountainous location, participants woke up to a sunny yet cold morning, typical of the unpredictable mountain weather. The day’s activities began after breakfast in the conference room, starting with a workshop led by the Romanian team on the theme “My dream Europe”. The session included an energizer and two thematic games. The highlight was the “telephone” game, which involved whispering a word through a chain of people, ending with the last person saying it aloud. This fun activity also served as a language lesson, teaching participants how to say “love” and “food” in Romanian. Post-coffee break, the Dutch team took over, initiating another energizer involving mimicking movements. Reenergized, participants engaged in brainstorming about their visions of Europe’s future and briefly discussing various ideas. The group then divided into five teams, each tasked with selecting a topic and creating a poster about it. The activity was so engaging that some participants continued working through the lunch break. Each group later presented their posters, showcasing artistic talent and innovative ideas for the future of Europe. These presentations revealed individual expectations and imaginative concepts for improving Europe. The day concluded with dinner and free time, where participants chose to play board games, chat, or explore the town. Reflecting on the day, it was noted as highly productive, offering new learning experiences and insights into envisioning a better future for Europe.

20.11.2023 The final day of the Erasmus+ “Youth 4 Solidarity” project was a blend of creativity and collaboration, with participants completing and presenting their diverse projects. These included educational TikTok videos, daily articles, and personal experience videos, showcasing the unique talents and perspectives of the group. In the morning, each team enthusiastically presented their projects, followed by discussions on strategies for promoting the project in their respective countries. This phase focused on disseminating the learning and experiences gained during the project to a wider audience. The afternoon featured the Youthpass Ceremony, a significant moment where participants received their Youthpass certificates. This certificate is an important recognition of non-formal and informal learning in youth work, encapsulating the skills, competencies, and experiences acquired throughout the program. It serves as a valuable asset for personal and professional growth. The ceremony was a time for reflection and celebration, recognizing the development and accomplishments of each participant in the project. The day concluded with a Goodbye party, offering a chance for participants to spend their last moments together. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and some tears, as new friendships had formed, turning participants into a close-knit family. They promised to stay in touch, united by the shared experiences and memories of the “Youth 4 Solidarity” project.

Opportunities Erasmus+ Erasmus+

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It is a programme managed by the European Commission (the EU's executive body), the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), a series of National Agencies in Programme countries, and a series of National Offices in some Partner countries.

Youth Exchange

Youth exchanges allow groups of young people from different countries to meet, live together and work on shared projects for short periods. Youth exchanges take place outside the school environment. On a youth exchange, you can expect to participate in activities such as workshops, exercises, debates, role-plays, outdoor activities and more.

Discover EU initiative

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Opportunities - https://erasmusplus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities

https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunitiesfor-individuals/youth-exchanges

DiscoverEU gives 18-year old citizens the opportunity to discover Europe through learning experiences. Traveling mainly by rail (there are exceptions for those living on islands or in remote areas), you will explore Europe’s stunning landscapes and its variety of cities, towns and cities.

https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunitiesfor-individuals/discovereu

Training Course

Trainees - Erasmus+ can help you gain valuable work experience by supporting traineeships (work placements, internships etc) abroad. The cultural understanding and language skills you learn from working in another country can make it easier to find a job after your studies.

https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunitiesfor-individuals/training-opportuniti es-for-staff

Internship

ErasmusIntern.org provides an integrated market place that aims at bringing together internship providers and students seeking an internship opportunity abroad. It provides a place where companies and organizations can publish their internship offers and search for interns, and where students that want to do an internship abroad can have their profiles, search and apply for internships vacancies.

https://erasmusintern.org/content/about

ESC

The European Solidarity Corps is an EU funding programme for young people wishing to engage in solidary activities in a variety of areas. These range from helping the disadvantaged to humanitarian aid, as well as contributing to health and environmental action across the EU and beyond. https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity_en

Youth Move leader

experience

Valeria shishoeva She was proud that all the participants were always willing to participate. She was surprised to see the young people engaging, and always pushing themselves. The age gap had a positive impact on the young generation through the experience of older individuals and valuable exchange about different opportunities and life in general. The younger participants have a brighter future ahead as people are starting to notice the positive impact of such projects. In her experience, she can see more and more interest from young people in such projects. One of the main goals of the project was to raise awareness about various ongoing issues across Europe. She thinks the participants have managed to create a network, and also create a platform to share their experiences with their peers using multimedia. By working in teams on different tasks, the group has taken a big step towards solidarity. She learnt that even though everyone came from different parts of the world, it just required patience and willingness to help in order to achieve solidarity.

Cultural night

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.