Youth Exchange "Media and Youth activism” - The Netherlands

​Association "Alternativi International" is looking for 7 motivated young people from Bulgaria to take part in a youth exchange in The Netherlands.

Project dates: 30 November- 8 December 2015

Place: Pingjum, The Netherlands

Project description:

The main aim of this youth exchange is to raise awareness and create space for open dialogue, inter-cultural understanding, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity between young people in our organizations. We would like to empower European youth, by enabling them to raise their cultural awareness through a mix of methods of Non-formal learning and using social media tools like action blogging, footage, article- and video production. Moreover this will allow them to share their life stories and experiences to enhance their mutual understanding, better inter cultural communications, networking, and friendship.

Project objectives are:

1. Fostering mutual understanding and inter cultural understanding among groups from the participating countries.

2. New media education - learning blogging, graphical designing, video and poster production, through hands-on and practical use of the new media tools.

3. To minimize stereotypes and prejudices in participating countries as well as across Europe, through an open dialogue space created through new media tools, providing an unbiased room for creative life story telling.

4. Empowering young people with knowledge and competencies to actively take part in society and take ownership over their own lives, in order to enrich and enlighten their everyday activities in general.

5. Experience education through non-formal methods, giving youth direct access to make practical testing of their skills and learning style.

6. To promote Erasmus+ programme opportunities that participants can use in their future

The needs that are addressed in this project are: Intercultural understanding among young people in Europe, raising tolerance and solidarity, using new methods and tools for sharing the information and learning, enhancing life skills and competences among young people to support growth and innovation for the future of European community.

The daily program is designed for 7 working days. Using non-formal education methods we will offer participants wide variety of interactive workshops, presentations and discussion platforms comprising blogging, graphical designing, and video production we will make campaigns targeted at European citizens in general, raising awareness of discrimination issues all over Europe. As an outcome of our project we expect that participants will use the new skills and competences to increase their intercultural sensitivity, become more tolerant and respectful toward other European cultures and become more active in their communities and organizations.

The working methods will include:

- cultural animation (ice-breaking games and energizers),

- team-building activities,

- exchange of experiences,

- presentations by both participants and guests,

- discussion platforms,

- non-formal education activities (including learning-by-doing activities and creative exercises such as simulation games and creative thinking activities),

- cultural activities,

- new media skills

- on-going evaluation

Participating countries:

There are 5 partner organizations in our Youth Exchange, coming from: Slovakia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Spain and the Netherlands.

The Group size: 6 Participants (age limit 18-25) + 1 Group Leader (No age limits)

Financial Conditions:

The Youth Exchange is scheduled during 30th November and 8th of December, 2015. Project is financially supported by the Dutch National Agency, under the European Commission’s “Erasmus+/Youth”-programme granting scheme. All costs for accommodation will be covered fully, and travel cost will be reimbursed only up to the lump sum limit stated bellow in the chart of this practical info.

Participation fee: 20 euro will be collected from each perticipant

Venue:

The venue of the Youth Exchange is “De Welstand” in Pingjum, The Netherlands. You can check the venue on this link: www.dewelstand.nl the Address of the venue is the following:

Weather:

We recommend you to bring with you, Cloths which you consider as the most comfortable for you, for the temperature from (+00 to +100). Take also Sport Shoes and Sportswear that can be used for (dance, theatre and outdoor activities).

Accommodation and Food:

There are rooms with 2, 3, 4 beds, in principle 2, 3, 4 participants of the same sex and different nationalities will share one room.

Hotel will provide us bed linen but please bring your own towels.

The Seminar room and Dining room are located at the same complex. Organizers will provide participants with three meals per day and two coffee breaks.

We strongly recommend each participant to inform the ORGANIZERS about any special needs such are dietary, vegetarian or any other kind of special need!!! You can provide this information in the application form for participants details.

Security Advice:

! The organizers will not provide you with Insurance!

It is obligatory for each participant to obtain travel insurance – at own expense - for whole duration of Youth Exchange 30th November – 8th December, 2015. (if your insurance back home covers traveling to European countries then you don’t need any extra Insurance).

Money: The Currency in Netherlands is EURO.

Internet Access: There will be a Wi-Fi Internet available in the Venue.

Travel cost: 170 EUR is the maximum for each person

If you are interested to participate in the project, please send email of interest to: yia.alternativi@gmail.com and we will provide you with application form

Please use as a subject of your email / YE- Netherlands/

DEADLINE: 25 of October 2015

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