ENCOUNTER WITH ERASMUS+ AND KA1

 

     Our project meets the specific objective of the Erasmus+ Program in the youth sector, which consists of improving the level of fundamental competences of young people, including the least advantaged, and to promote participation in the European democratic life, active citizenship, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity, namely by creating more opportunities for mobility and by tightening the bond between the youth and the world of work.

     By stimulating the mobility of young people through our Exchange, we allow groups of young people from different countries and different cultures to come build and share experiences.

    We intend to empower the young people and leaders of organizations so that, through the improvement of youth intervention methods, they can trigger processes of change and contribute to Agenda 2020, particularly in reducing desertification in rural areas, failure and school drop-out and social exclusion.

    The development of personal, social and professional skills in young people will result in the modernization, dynamism and professionalism of these same organizations, that will be able to integrate good and innovative methodologies, new partnerships and future concerted efforts focusing on training, social inclusion and the creation of opportunities for the young people.

 

PROJECT PRESENTATION

  

GROUP LEADERS

 

     Each organization selected a group leader who represented their organization in the activities and led the youth. It was a person with knowledge in the field of non-formal education, which facilitated the involvement of young people in the project and their learning process and skills development. He/she was also responsible for facilitating the bridge between organizations and young people.

     The participants in this project were young people between 15 and 25 years of age who showed interest and motivation to be part of an innovative and differentiating project in personal, social and professional terms.

   As mentioned, gender balance was a criterion in the selection of the group participants in each association. In cases where there were more interested parties than effective participation places, maintaining the 50% participation ratio of both genders, the entire Consortium agreed to take as additional criteria the reduced participation in European projects and the demonstrated motivation.

     However the participation of young people with fewer opportunities took precedence over other selection criteria, including gender equality.

   In all the activities of the project there was a concern to create multicultural working groups where we cared about gender equality and multiculturalism.

 

APV AND PREPARATION EVENTS

 

1. a) development of social competence: the young people discussed, argued and agreed the contents to be shared in the Exchange, according to the task agreed in group. Therefore, they developed the awareness of the other, the dialogue through respect, the ability to adapt the communication to the interlocutor and situation of communication, and managed different decisions and agreed on a common path.  
2. b )knowledge related to the exercise of their profession: as preparation for the preparation sessions, the participants reflected on the specific profile of disadvantaged young people in their community, on the points of contact and distinction between formal and non-formal education, focusing on their own work experiences and those of their organizations. This allowed a self-oriented and peer-to-peer training on concepts essential for the revitalization of personal development activities.
3. c) learning to learn:participants reflected on their own style of learning and, through non-formal learning activities, determined how best to acquire knowledge and skills. They then had the opportunity to reflect on which strategy is best suited to monitoring and evaluating their own learning, basing on the youthpass and 8 key competencies. They were then able to determine their personal learning goals and what strategy they followed to track them throughout the project. Related to this moment, participants also reflected on strategies to promote awareness and follow-up of learning in the youth group in question.

 

MAIN EVENT – YOUTH EXCHANGE

 

1. a) Communication in a foreign language: this being a language of communication at a global level, participants had the opportunity to improve their proficiency in it through the practice inherent in immersion in a context with young people from several European countries, as well as to learn some terms of the participating countries which is always a source of intercultural learning and a factor of self-confidence and motivation for learning new languages belonging to the European context.
2. b) Practical knowledge and skills related to the exercise of their profession: in a European context and with the support of experienced group leaders on the project themes, young people had the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills essential to act in a more capable way of creating impacts. In reflection and discussion between peers, they shared good practices in the area and jointly constructed methodologies applied to the context and the group in question. They also addressed the learning potential, strategies and concrete tools that motivated and accompanied the recognition of learning by the youth themselves;
3. c) Intercultural and civic competence: understanding the importance of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue by empowering them in the field of active citizenship so that they can contribute to a more just, inclusive and egalitarian society. At the same time, by contacting other young people from Europe, they had the opportunity to know the difference, to share and learn about new experiences and to develop outstanding learning on a personal level. We believe that by similar experiences and actions, great intercultural friendships have emerged.

 

EVENT OF DISSEMINATION AND DURING THE WHOLE PROJECT

 

     Given the role that the young people had in implementing the entire project, they developed entrepreneurship skills as they gained experience, developed project management skills (preparation, implementation and follow-up) and European partnerships. They have taken another step on the road to becoming more active European citizens, capable of transforming ideas into actions of great impact, that promote the acquisition of competences and the youth action for the change of mentalities and the achievement of healthy and sustainable habits of life .

 

     In the APV and exchange: the travels were purchased by Enzonas, taking into account available funding and budgets sent by organizations or reimbursed to partners. Enzonas also covered activity insurance for all participants, which covered the length of stay of participants in the country, so that any risk was reduced and, under the guidance of each organization, each participant addressed the acquisition of their European Health, where applicable. Participants also had access to emergency contacts. Accommodation and food were the responsibility of Enzonas who collected budgets and submitted the best proposal (with visual record and all necessary information) to the consortium for approval.

     Food: breakfast in the accommodation, lunches and dinners in Municipality social services canteen in Bragança, one restaurant in the city, a school canteen and a partner association made by Enzonas elements and snack at mid-morning and mid-afternoon at the place of activities.

     Accommodation: In Youth Hostel of Bragança.

    Place of activities: space in the accommodation facilities (room and outside space) with capacity and comfort for the participants, with all the necessary material for the training, natural light and flexibility of movement of the furniture and in natural context due to the three days of trekking.

     Transport: use of transport from Enzonas, Municipality Bragança, Parish Council and Private Transport (Rodonorte/Santos).

 

APV (1 group leader and one participant)

1. a) type of activity: preparation of the youth exchange.
2. b) location: Bragança, Portugal.
3. c) implementation dates: March 4rd and 5th, 2019, being March 3nd and 6th for travel.

 

MAIN EVENT – YOUTH EXCHANGE ( 1 group leader and 5 participants)

1. a) type of activity: youth mobility – youth exchange.
2. b) location: Bragança, Portugal.
3. c) implementation dates: Between April 13th and 17th, 2019, being April 12rd and 18th for travel.

 

PROBLEM / NEEDS

 

     The problem we want to confront is isolation, social exclusion and the lack of multicultural opportunities associated with interiority and less developed geographical areas.

     With the resolution of the problem, we intend to combat and reduce the desertification and non-establishment of the young age groups derived from the problem of interiority, trying to soften and remedy some differences in the territory and access to the same opportunities, as well as stagnation and the possible cultural backwardness.

     By developing social exchanges between young people through nature and sport - walks in nature - healthy lifestyles are stimulated, favoring a means of socialization of excellence, cooperation and interaction that are the common motto and of interest to all.

     The valorization of the potential of the region, in addition to increasing the social value between peers, will allow other benefits, such as economic, ecological, environmental and cultural, generating multiple values ​​for the benefit of participants and local citizens. It allows promoting endogenous resources and a sense of belonging among stakeholders, improving the understanding and awareness of the participants, thus creating a more positive vision of the Region.

     At the same time, by promoting intercultural dialogue, we have responded to a certain isolation that the interior suffers in terms of contact with other cultures and the absence of concrete and positive experiences of Europeanization, which has allowed all involved to initiate (or continue) the construction of their European citizenship, multicultural, but with common concerns and aspirations.

 

1. a) create positive impacts on the prevention of isolation, social exclusion and lack of multicultural opportunities.
2. b) intervene in an innovative and differentiated manner in the education and training of young people.
3. c) create training opportunities for young people and organizations through nature and sport.
4. d) share European good practices on non-formal education at a broad level.

 

     The need to develop strategies designed for young people with geographical obstacles and others and the lack of contact with other European youth practices were identified by young people themselves as key gaps in their human development.

 

GOALS

 

1. a) to promote healthy lifestyles, thus increasing the quality of life and stimulating the practice of physical activity, resulting in added value in terms of well-being;
2. b) create citizenship processes to reduce and prevent the isolation of young people, overcoming geographical barriers in intercultural dialogue through the promotion of peer contact;
3. c) exchange of good environmental and sporting practices, methodologies in youth action and social values;
4. d) produce high quality non-formal and informal peer learning outcomes for participants and skills acquisition through activities based on non-formal education;
5. e) promote the development of social and cultural skills in young people in Europe, enabling them to collaborate in the future in multicultural educational or professional environments.