Nevo Parudimos learned how to BE ACTIVE and INVOLVED, through a youth exchange in Poland!
8 Romanians participated in a Youth Exchange in Poland between 29th November – 10th December 2019, on the topic of active citizenship and involvement in communities. The youth exchange gathered together for one week 32 young participants from Poland, Hungary, Italy and Romania.
More and more people benefit from opportunities which Erasmus+ is giving but still not many of us can enjoy such opportunity, sometimes only because of lack of the proper knowledge about the existing options. If we know more, then we can benefit more. This was the idea that leaded to this project.
The other aspect that lead to this project is the intercultural contact and the need to communicate with people from other countries, among youngsters. While English and learning foreign languages is getting essential for the citizens of the world, in both personal and professional aspects, it is necessary to communicate with our peers from other parts of Europe. This youth exchange therefore aimed the building of European connections and making friends around Europe, by combating stereotypes.
Last, but not least the youth exchange wanted to make the 32 participants be more active in their local communities, by benefitting from the initiatives of their peers from different countries and find together the solutions for existing challenges and problems in their areas of living.
The organizers, ADRA Association from Poland, believed that thanks to this youth exchange, where the youth from Poland, Hungary, Italy and Romania discussed and exchanged ideas, experiences and knowledge about different initiatives taken up in their countries, the participants are now more encouraged to actively participate in their local communities’ lives and this will cause the “domino effect” at a local level because of popularizing good practices after the project is finished.
The objectives of the youth exchange were:
-sharing knowledge, experience and good practices regarding different opportunities for young people, including Erasmus+ offer of international cooperation and diverse programs for the youth such as youth exchanges, trainings, EVS –European Voluntary Service etc.
-presenting different ways of being active and involved in our own communities by comparing existing initiatives in Poland, Hungary, Italy and Romania along with identifying needs in our local communities and finding concrete solutions for responding to them
-arising intercultural awareness, improving language skills and combating with stereotypes by cooperating with participants coming from different countries, having similar age and facing similar issues in their everyday life
