Young Urban Media Makers is a project leaded by Urban Prod association, which aims to host 5 EVS during 12 months, coming from partners countries and program countries. This present form concerned the osting of 3 EVS from Armenia, Rusia and Bielorusia for 1 year and 2 volunteers from Spain as program countries. Digital issue is very important nowadays ; rich of its experience, Urban Prod leads this project which aims to help youngsters to build their own digital project, and participate to differents actions that Urban Prod manages with and for people with fewer opportunities (from poor districts, under justice law, or with disabilities). This action follows previous actions hosting long term EVS since 2009. Agreed Jeunesse Education Populaire, Urba Prod organization is participative and encourages learning from pair-emulation. Multidisciplinary team provides a technical and humain frame which allows volunteers to easely find their place and maximize their experience. At the end, youngsers have built their own realizations and have received a rich experience, based on knowledge exchanges, deep people with fewer opportunities knowledge and share well-known association life-time.Nota Bene : It was decided by Urban Prod to finally welcome only 4 volunteers instead of 5 for logistical reasons. Indeed it is difficult for us to accommodate a fifth person.This is a decision that was taken very early and was communicated quickly to the Austrian partner organization. It seemed more appropriate to break this partnership with them because we have other projects in common.

This project connected 3 partners on EVS and the project is follow up of project Creative youth from previous deadline. KERIC hosted one volunteer from Italy - Maria DAmico (11 months) and one volunteer from Netherlands Marieke Henriks(11 months). The hosting is continuing of long-term process in local community. KERIC is bringing international dimension to everyday life of Čadca. The local network of partners: social organisations, cultural and education cooperated with our international team and this cooperation supported community life and children, young people and local community are more open minded and sensitive for foreigners. The project contributed to personal and professional development of the volunteers with the aim to find a job in the future as well as help the people from local communities to become more open and tolerant towards foreigners, or people different from them. The volunteers supported the local community, worked with children (cooperation with schools, leading conversation clubs in KERIC, help during summer camps and youth - organise workshops, awareness activities, information and presentation activities about EVS, cooperation with senior houses. The methods of work followed the principles of non-formal education. We selected volunteers with fewer opportunities.

"Das Projekt ""Europäische Integration - Mehr als Überwindung von Ländergrenzen"" war ein Projekt im europäischen Freiwilligendienst und sollte jungen Europäern und Menschen aus Deutschland die Sicht auf andere Kulturen, deren Akzeptanz, Toleranz und respektvollen Umgang näher bringen. Da die ausländischen Teilnehmer für 10 Monate ihren Lebensmittelpunkt in Deutschland hatten, ging es auch um den Kompetenzerwerb zur Bewältigung des Alltags in einem fremden Land, mit fremder Kultur, Regeln und Traditionen, fern der Heimat und der Familie. Das hieß auch, sich Situationen zu stellen, die eine große Herausforderung bedeuteten. Das war bei allen zu beobachten, insbesondere bei Aurianne Vitaux. Sie kam, gerade 18 Jahre alt geworden nach Deutschland. Ein Ergebnis war die Stärkung des Selbstbewusstseins, der Verantwortung für das eigene Handeln, der Teamfähigkeit und Fähigkeit zur Selbstorganisation. Für die TeilnehmerInnen wie auch für alle Beteiligten bedeutete die Teilnahme an der Aktivität, sich mit den eigenen Wünschen, Vorstellungen und Vorurteilen bezüglich der Tätigkeit in den Einsatzstellen, des Lebens in Deutschland, dem Land auseinanderzusetzen und Änderungen zu zulassen. Die 6 jungen Menschen im Alter zwischen 18 und 26 Jahren kamen aus der Türkei, der Ukraine, Weißrussland, Russland und Frankreich. Sie waren in den Bereichen der Jugendbildungsstätte, wie Kita und Hort tätig, das waren die ""Jugendbildungs- und Begegnungsstätte Hirschluch"", im ""Heilpädagogische Hort"", in der Kita ""Glücksbärchen"" sowie ""Arche"" und ""Globales Lernen an Oder und Spree"". Die Aufgaben der Freiwilligen umfassten u.a. die Arbeit in den Kindertagesstätten und dem Hort; die Gestaltung des Alltages, Durchführung von Projekten sowie das Erlernen von Liedern, Geschichten und Märchen aus den Heimatländern der Freiwilligen; ebenso die Unterstützung bei Ausflügen und der Gestaltung der Ferien> in der Arbeit in den Jugendeinrichtungen; Hauptaufgabe den Kontaktaufbau zu den Jugendlichen, ständige Kommunikation unter Mithilfe von Spielen und Aktivitäten; Organisation von AGs, Fahrten, verschiedene Projekte oder Projekttagen. Sie lernten in ihrer Einsatzzeit, die verschiedenen Methoden im Umgang mit dem Klientel ihrer Einrichtungen kennen. Ihr Ideenreichtum, die Kreativität und der länderspezifischen Hintergrund bereicherten die Einrichtungen. Weiterhin sammelten die Freiwilligen Erfahrungen in den Wünschen und Zielen von Menschen in Deutschland und konnten sie mit ihrem eigenen Leben bzw. der Lebensweise in ihrem Heimatland vergleichen. Alle Beteiligten erhielten einen Einblick in ein Land, dass sie vielleicht nur als Touristen im Urlaub kennengelernt haben oder bisher noch nicht bereisten. Die Teilnehmer erwarben soziale und kulturelle Kompetenzen. Mit der Unterstützung der AnleiterInnen lernten die Freiwilligen das Planen und Durchführen von eigenen Projekten. Die jungen Menschen wurden an alle Arbeitsbereiche herangeführt und somit in deren Praxis einbezogen. Die Einrichtungen hatten auf diese Weise die Möglichkeit, ihrem Klientel in enger Zusammenarbeit mit den Freiwilligen, Europa näher zubringen. So war es keine trockene Theorie, sondern ein gemeinsames miteinander Erleben. Die Teilnehmer wohnten gemeinsam in 4 Wohnen mit weiteren Freiwilligen aus Ungarn. Sie lernten auf diesem Wege nicht nur die deutsche Kultur, sondern auch die Kulturen Russland, Weißrussland, Ungarn, der Ukraine, Türkei, und Frankreich kennen. Sie lernten das Miteinander und Zusammenleben in einer Gemeinschaft, was oft zu größeren Herausforderungen für sie wurde, kulturell, aber öfter persönlich. Nach ungefähr der Hälfte der Einsatzzeit wurde eine Zwischenauswertung mit allen Freiwilligen durchgeführt. Dazu fand einerseits ein separater Kultur- und Begegnungstag statt. Der sich ausschließlich mit dem Rückblick auf das erste halbe Jahr befasste und den Zielen und Vorhaben, die nach dem EFD geplant wurden. Bei vielen jungen Freiwilligen mussten Anträge für Folgemaßnahmen gestellt werden oder Anträge auf Verlängerung der Aufenthaltstitel. Ebenso fanden auch Zwischengespräche mit den Einsatzstellen statt, um über den aktuellen Stand der Arbeit, sowie Erfüllung von Zielen und Wünschen zu sprechen. Am Ende des EFDs fanden ein gemeinsames Abschlussgespräch zwischen AnleiterInnen, Tutorin und den Freiwilligen in den einzelnen Einrichtungen statt. In diesen Gesprächen wurde auf die Zwischenauswertung bezuggenommen und die evtl. neu vereinbarten Ziele und Wünsche geschaut. Ein Blick wurde auch auf das ganze Jahr genommen von Beginn, die dort formulierten Ziele und Wünsche, den Weg während der Einsatzzeit und das Ende. Auf diese Weise konnten die Entwicklungen, das Erreichen von Zielen und die Erfüllung von Wünschen und Vorstellungen sichtbar werden. Vielen Freiwilligen wird ihre persönliche Entwicklung erst im Vergleich ""Gestern und Heute"" deutlich. Das Gespräch war Grundlage für die Erstellung des Youthpasses, das jeder Freiwillige zum Ende der Dienstzeit erhielt."

For the NGO ijgd voluntary services are a tool to achieve a better understanding for responsibilities of the participants for the society and to broaden their scope of action. In this way the European Voluntary service can strengthen the sense of European citizenship and the democratic development in Europe. Additionally the commitment of the volunteers will increase the perspective of the disadvantaged children and youngsters who are living in the hosting projects. Last but not least for us EVS is an instrument of informal learning for the volunteers and we aim to increase their potential.3 volunteers participated for 12 months, 1 for 9,5 months in this project: all came from partner countries. The common link between the volunteers was their motivation to work with disadvantaged children, youth and young adults. They all possesed the required communicative competences. The volunteers did their project at the Jugendsiedlung Heidehaus, at the Westfälische Kinderdorf in Barntrup and at Odilia e.V. .The aim of these organizations is: to support disadvantaged children, youth and young adults and to increase their chances of integration into the society The volunteers took part in a pedagogical programm which stated with the preparation and ended with the evaluation. Beside the task-oriented training in the hosting projects and the trainings of the National Agency the applying organization organized three seminars and trainings with the following objectives: to define the educational aims, to induce an intensive discussion about European citizenship and to reflect on the attainment of the learning objectives. By this we want to ensure that the volunteers develop their personal competences, their employability and their sense of civic responsibility. We also want to enable the volunteers to support their hosting projects noticeably in the progress towards their goals by improving the abilities of disadvantaged people. With this project the European idea became more important mainly for the hosting projects and the volunteers, but also for all other partners which are involved. In the long run this project can make a contribution to a democratic, fair and vital Europe.

<< Objectives >>It’s hard to overestimate the importance of youth work in Europe and the impact it has been making on the young people’s lives and their empowerment, fostering active citizenship and participation, social inclusion of youth as well as active promotion of common European values.Youth workers, being an integral part of this process and often acting as a role model for their target groups, need to meet a list of requirements from keeping up with the changes of an advanced and progressive society we live in and tracking and addressing the social issues arising in the community to acquiring new skills and competences in order to raise the quality of the services they provide.Erasmus + Programme and the Mobility of Youth Workers provides a unique opportunity for professional development of youth workers and establishing contacts with the colleagues all over Europe and beyond, gaining new competences relevant for today’s youth work as well as raising awareness about crucial issues of nowadays. Without doubt, youth, its development and well-being are at the bedrock of such activities. Yet, it’s essential to pay attention to the well-being of youth workers as well. Numerous researches show, that educational and social work sector have some of the highest number stress-related illnesses: acc. to European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Condition “stress was most prevalent in the education and health sectors, as well as in agriculture, hunting, forestry & fishing (28.5%). The largest group of employeeswho suffered from anxiety at work were those employed in education and health (12.7%) ”https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-andpublications/publications/reports/TE-81-08-478-EN-C_OSH_in_figures_stress_at_work. Undoubtedly, it can result in an adverse impact on young people. Thus, according to european trade union committee for education “the impact of these illnesses on workers in education can result in the adoption of dogmatic and authoritarian measures, making the job routine and taking little initiative, absenteeism, depression and stress, requesting a transfer, and leaving the profession” (see pages 82-84 https://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/education/library/study/2013/teaching-profession2_en.pdf).There’s no European research showing the impact of stress exclusively in youth work, therefore we with our partners conducted a survey among volunteers and staff members of our organisations (among 50 youth workers) and found out that, around 52% of respondents experience stress on a daily basis, 67%- have thought of leaving the field at least once due to the stress it creates, 32% - feel under the pressure financially due to instability of work (dependence on grants and donations).Luckily, EU policy recognises stress as one of the main occupational risks (53%) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52014DC0332&from=EN and is already taking measures in addressing this issue.Therefore we believe that it’s a burning issue at the moment and with this project we’d like to address the issue of stress among youth workers and focus on development of their well-being in order to address the quality of educational activities they organise. Furthermore, we would like to train youth workers on usage of stress-management tools in their work with young people in order to created a balanced learning environment for them and provide ready-to-use copying mechanisms for challenging life situations.Objectives:- to identify the stress factors which influence youth workers in partner countries - to equip participants with the theoretical knowledge on the nature of stress- to provide educators with the stress-management tools for personal everyday use (physical tools, art tools)- to learn how mindfulness can contribute to eliminating stress and learn about MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) techniques- to acquire concrete skills in time-management and learn how it can contribute to dealing with stress- to learn about stress-management tools which can be used in work with young people in order to address their study-related stress and develop their emotional intelligence- to train youth workers in using stress-management tools in youth work in different contexts- to share good practices in stress management in education and youth workThe project contributes to the following specific objectives of the Erasmus +: foster quality improvements in youth work, in particular through enhanced cooperation between organisations in the youth field and/or other stakeholders.<< Activities >>One activity will be implemented, which is a training course, 8 full working days, 21 participants involved. Participants will be coming from Russia, Slovakia, Poland, Malta, Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine, each national group will consist of 3 people. All participants are youth workers, who are working in this position for more than 2 years, facing difficulties with stress management and aiming to acquire skills of mindfulness, managing one's own stress and ability to concetrate and be fully involved into processes - thus avoiding burnout and leaving this work position, going into some other field.Criteria for selection:- Experience in youth work and active participation in the sending organization activities and work- Motivation to participate in 100% of the length of the TC- Shared expectations and clearly defined learning needs- Openness for and appreciation of non-formal learning process in highly diverse context- the deep need in stress-management tools due to demanding work conditions (cases of burn outs as well)- Motivation to explore the topic of stress management and address the issue of stress in work with the target groups- Commitment to go through the whole learning process, including responsibility for self-directed learning & learning outcomes, as well high level of motivation and discipline- Commitment to reflect on personal learning process and ability to critically assess learning outcomes- Commitment to follow up activities- Commitment to disseminate the project resultsAs a general approach we want youth workers first to experience stress management techniques and tools for themselves and then be able to adjust them for work with diverse youth groups active involvement of participants and recognition of their expertise and experience in certain topics, active sharing and participation in the discussions will ensure diversity and complexity of learning process. Moreover, as described in the programme of the activities we will try to valorise the experience of participants in everyday practices and encourage participants to contribute to facilitation of morning (yoga, sport) and evening practices (meditation). For permanent learning process awareness, trainers will organize daily reflection space groups where participants will share the most striking moments of the days, ask questions, write down important information, give and receive feedback. Moreover, during this particular course there will be enough space for self-reflection and self-exploration through daily rituals. Besides that, many of the tools offered will focus a lot on internal processes which are often underestimated. For group dynamics process that is found at such kind of activities a lot of emphasis should be put on the creation of a safe and friendly environment, providing the space and time for people to get-to-know each other personally and professionally in order for them to enter the intensive group learning process.<< Impact >>Participants of TC will gain knowledge on the nature of stress, causes and effects of stress in daily life and youth work, knowledge on the main factors producing stress as well as emotional and physical response to stress, knowledge on the local realities with stress-affected educators and stress-management in the local communities of partner countries involved in the project, knowledge on burn out as a extreme consequence of stress as well as symptoms of it. As a result of the project, their initiatives regarding to conflict handling, stress management and healthy lifestyle, as well as intercultural dialogue, including young people with fewer opportunities will be supported and hopefully further on - implemented.Capacity of youth workers to work and provide key tools for young people with fewer opportunities’ integration, intercultural dialogue and youth unemployment will be increased. Project will promote mental health and necessity to take care of one's own mind on a regular basis, just like brushing teeth or visiting necessary doctors which are dealing with physical health. Project will increase capacity of involved organizations and stakeholders to implement international mobilities and will open opportunity to do more E+ projects in Russia, since at the moment this destination is not popular at all.