Project place: Larissa, Greece
Project dates: 13th – 22nd December 2018
Application deadline: URGENT!
ABOUT THE PROJECT
This project is a direct result of a great phenomenon, the Syrian Civil War that has raised to a new class of homeless and stateless people, living in a condition of constant insecurity. People who the last years sought asylum in different parts of the world, including the EU, that is now facing a great crisis, not only related to political and financial problems, but also strongly connected with a great number of changes and challenges inside the society.
Taking into consideration the recent data published from Eurostat and UNHCR, nearly 13 million Syrians are displaced after the seven years of conflict within their country – which amounts to about six-to-ten of Syrian pre-conflict population. From them around 6 million Syrians are internally displaced within their own country. More than 5 million, live in neighboring countries in the Middle East and North Africa (around 3.4 million living in Turkey). Finally about 1 million displaced Syrians have moved to Europe as asylum seekers or refugees since the conflict began. As a result, in many countries reactions of fear, exclusion and xenophobic opinions within their society are becoming common especially among young people. Extreme political movements supporting oppression and violence against vulnerable groups based on their supposed inferiority, are getting more and more popular. Young people have to face a great number of changes within their society along with financial challenges (for the majority of the participating countries).
The “Adventure of a lifetime” youth exchange (Erasmus+ KA1) targets 25 young people (18 – 26 years old) and 5 team leaders (aged 18+) of the 5 European countries which are mainly facing now the Refugee Crisis: Greece, Turkey, Germany, Italy and Macedonia (6 participants from each involved country). It is a ten-day Youth Exchange (including travel days) hosted in Larissa, Greece (a city that has received an important number of refugees mainly in the Koutsochero Refugee Camp), supported by IParticipate NGO, at 13-22 of December 2018.
During the youth exchange, participants will get to know how they can actively involve in civil society through the participation at NGOs and entities fighting pro refugee rights and they will figure out practices so that they can raise the empathy within their local communities as individuals, as well as, teams. Participants will finally learn how to handle reactions of fear, racist and xenophobic opinions within their society and define common values of democracy and respect of human rights.
The objectives of the “Adventure of a lifetime” exchange are:
– Give participants the chance to share good practices upon the confrontation of the racism and xenophobia in a local/national and international level.
– Offer participants the possibility to experience non – formal education and experiential learning on a personal level.
– Inform youths about the Erasmus+ actions, aims and values.
– Increase the empathy towards the refugees issue and populations. Help the participants to develop a totally new mindset and ensure the impact in their whole society through follow up activities.
– Motivate youths to actively fight against discrimination and organize further actions. Provide them a practical set of non-formal education and experiential learning tools and methods in relation to the refugees issue and the respect of human rights.
– Encourage the international dialogue and the collaboration of the whole EU and especially of the five participating countries that have been mainly affected.
– Create a learning space for personal development, by exploring their personal connections in an international level, their limitations and strengths and reflecting on them.
The basic methods which will be used are: discussions, group work, interactive workshops, exchange of experiences, creative activities and experimentation, reflection times.
Moreover, the activities taking place during the project will be mainly:
– Name Games – Team building activities.
– Mapping of hopes, expectations and fears.
– Sharing and reflecting on international views about the refugee crisis.
– Get to know NGOs, international, European and national entities which are actively working on the refugees’ issue.
– Meet active actors within the city of Larissa and visit a refugee camp.
– Formulate proposals for social integration of refugees.
– Create a short video and leaflet with the outcomes of the exchange.
PARTICIPANTS PROFILE:
- Are in age between 18 and 26 (except for the team leaders for whom no age limit exists)
- Are active members of their society and really want to do something about refugees into their local communities
- Are committed to participate in the whole program and contribute in its activities (before, during and after the exchange)
- Are motivated to learn through non-formal education methods and creative workshops
- Are able to work and communicate in English
- Are willing to multiply the outcomes of the youth exchange into their local communities
Financial Conditions
This activity is financed by the Erasmus+ Youth program of European Union and it is supported by the Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation (Greece).
Travel costs, food and accommodation are covered 100% by the program. Travel costs will be reimbursed according to the European Commission travel reimbursement, to a maximum of 180 EUR.
Participation fee: NONE
Sending fee: 500 MKD