"<< Objectives >>„We don’t need no Education” is an opportunity for young people to come to Poland and to get involved in the discussion about education, at the same time developing their sense of criticism and entrepreneurship. More so we want youth to have their own voice and their opinion heard on the matter, something that we believe still doesn’t happen so often. Education is a topic that touches young people’s lives and for such it is important to hear their saying on that.Why is it important to speak about Education? Do we need it?We are seeing radical ideologies coming to the forefront again, youngsters being influenced by hate speeches and following them, other ones dropping out of school for some reason or being denied access to school at all, which still happens to more than 200 million children and teenagers around the world.The workshops and activities planned aim at this: to discuss the topic, have young people’s own say and challenge them on their sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, their sense of critic and own opinion, while spreading awareness on subjects that, direct or indirectly, are entwined with education in society: inclusion, poverty, discrimination, policies making, among others.The participants are invited to be creative, share their thoughts on the activities and engage in constructive discussions with other youngsters who might come from different backgrounds, such religious or economic ones other than the cultural.Here are some of the objectives of the project:•Engaging youngsters in the discussion and encourage them into being part of decisions making.•Empower young people through self-esteem and critical thinking; •Promote an inclusive education, regardless of the background of the youngster.•Challenge participants into creating public campaigns and exhibitions about education at the same time promoting teamwork and organizational skills.•Share and exchange cultural treats and learn more about people across Europe.•Increase the motivation of young people to be part of future projects of formal/non formal education.All of this while having the chance of knowing Bystrzyca Kłodzka, a town of about 10000 inhabitants located in a rural area in the South-West of Poland just few kilometres away from Czech Republic. The region is famous for its mountains, such the black mountains and the Table Mountains, and for its beautiful nature and surprising History.<< Activities >>The youth exchange project ""We don't need no Education"" will take place from 13 to 18 of October 2019 in Bystrzyca Kłodzka and will involve young people, 15 to 18 years old, coming from Poland, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, Greece, Kosovo, Armenia and Georgia, with groups formed by 4 participants plus 1 leader, making a total of 40 people. Our project defends equal opportunities for youngsters, thus no young person will be deferred due to gender, origin, religious beliefs, economic situation, sexual orientation or education level.During the project youngsters will be involved in activities, such as:- Integration games and energizers, which have the purpose to create the team spirit with the group and bringing them together.- Debate, to develop critical thinking of the youngsters and their sense of argumentation as at the same time, improving their public speaking.- Street campaign and exhibition, as to develop creativity thinking and sense of initiative and entrepreneurship.- Activities of role play, which will allow youngsters to have a different perspective of the world, by putting themselves in ""another's shoes"".- Writing of a manifest, empowering youngsters by giving them the opportunity to be heard about matters that are important to them.Besides this, the youngsters will also take part in intercultural evenings which also have the aim of promoting cultural awareness and breaking barriers of prejudice or stereotypes. All the activities in our project are linked to the objective of promoting education, as a tool for social inclusion and tolerance. At the same time, these activities will be promoting the values of Erasmus plus - during the activities connected to the program or the youthpass- and the values of Europe.<< Impact >>By taking part on ""We don’t need no Education”, the involved people of 8 countries will gain and improve knowledge and important skills, not only for them as individuals, but also to the organizations and - through them- other youngsters and the society.These are the results we want to accomplish:- Cultural awareness, through the contact with youngsters from across Europe and participating in cultural evenings.- Team work, by taking part in the workshops and group activities;- Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship,- Sense of inclusion and empathy, by working together with people from different backgrounds, but also by taking part in activities from which they can see different realities around the world.- Sense of creativity;- Public speech and sharing opinion. Every activity planned involve some discussion and exchanging of ideas, which will make that at every point of the activities, since their built, participants will be encouraged to give their opinion and speak in front of the group.- Sense of criticism by learning how to listen and respect each other’s opinions while at the same time standing by their own and learning how to argument;- Improved communication skills and language skills among the 40 participants, not only in english, but also on the languages of the 8 participating countries;- Open perspectives and opportunities in terms of different educational paths for 40 youngsters participating in the project.“We don’t need no Education!” was thoroughly planned to not only give youngsters some tools and skills which can be important for the future but at the same time to raise awareness to human and social behaviours, as Education is much more than the formal knowledge acquired.Plus, the project will also have impact on the broader knowledge about the programme Erasmus +, Youthpass and its 8 key competences and most of all, the values of EU."

<< Objectives >>Youth exchange “The Melting Pot” is a 7-day activity gathering together 35 participants from 7 countries in Vilnius, Lithuania. The mixed group of youth representing the participating organizations will gather together to celebrate diversity and contribute to make a difference and to take a step toward more equal, inclusive, multicultural and diverse society. There are more than 740 million people in Europe, each one an individual with a different background and life experiences. Cross-border population flows, such as migration, lead to even increased diversity within societies. People can share many different characteristics like culture, religion, ethnicity, language, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, disability, geographic location and lots of other things. Diversity in its simplest meaning is about variety, or having a range of different entities. How should people co-existence of a difference in behavior,traditions and customs? How can we make people live together as One? An acceptance of difference and recognition of mutual respect is crucial.According to Eurostat only in 2017 2.4 million immigrants entered the EU from non-EU countries. The number of people residing in an EU with citizenship of a non-member country in 2018 was 22.3 million. These huge numbers lead to rising tensions in the EU because people are not prepared for this phenomenon. In most cases, the cultural diversity is pointed as a being at the origin of all the problems: frustrations, intolerance, identitarian or communitarian closure, racism. The worrying increase of hate crimes, mistrust attitudes, racist behavior, rejection of others highlight the need to change our behavior. Generation of young people grew up in the middle of diversity and they can play an active role to promote diversity and fight racism and discrimination. This project is designed to explore the topic of diversity and related issues people in Europe face today, so together we can embrace and celebrate each one of those differences and enhance intercultural dialogue. The main idea of the project is to promote cultural diversity and encourage young people to engage in initiatives promoting tolerance and respect towards other cultures.The main objectives of the project are to:-learn ways of understanding diversity and different cultures-achieve a deeper understanding of people facing discrimination and social exclusion because of their cultural, ethnic and religious differences-promote social acceptance of people with different backgrounds living in Europe-promote intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding between young people living in Europe who belong to different social and cultural backgrounds-encourage participants to actively participate in international projects and use the opportunities of Erasmus + program-increase efforts for inclusion and cultural diversity through the Erasmus + program-enhance the international dimension of the organizations involved in the projectBy reaching above mentioned objectives we believe that youth exchange “The Melting Pot”’ will contribute to creating modern open society by promoting diversity, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, common values of freedom, tolerance and respect of human rights. During the youth exchange participants will have an opportunity to learn in a different, innovative way and take a part in interactive lectures, working groups, discussions, simulations and role-plays, outdoor activities involving local community, reflections, etc. The working methods applied in the project reflect the needs of an internationally composed group of participants, and those requirements linked to NFE.<< Activities >>For the youth exchange organisations will create a mixed group of participants selecting the active young people from local community. Participating countries are: Lithuania, Italy, Greece, Ukraine, Denmark, Bulgaria, Georgia. Each national group will be composed of 4 young people (aged 18-25) and 1 group leader (18+).Partner organizations together with chosen national group leaders will select participants with diverse background (students, minorities, newcomers etc.) to form the national group to ensure greater dissemination and visibility of the project. Participating organizations decided to involve more newcomers to the project. Gender balance will be ensured.During the youth exchange participants will have an opportunity to learn in a different, innovative way and take a part in interactive lectures, working groups, discussions, simulations and role-plays, outdoor activities involving local community, reflections, etc. The working methods applied in the project reflect the needs of an internationally composed group of participants, and those requirements linked to NFE.Energizers and Icebreaking methods will be used to get to know each other, rise up the energy, activate and focus. Team building activities(Babel tower) will be organized to build a group out of individuals, learn how to cooperate in a team, build mutual trust. Participants will be introduced with Erasmus +, key competences and Youthpass using interactive and multimedia methods.Participants will deepen knowledge in the topic of the project via numerous of thematic activities which are aimed to understand concept of diversity; differences between cultures, trigger participants’ reflection on their own behaviour or reactions in certain situations. Interactive exercise(How diverse is your universe?) will be conducted to demonstrate diversity in everyday life. Iceberg activity will help to understand different aspects of culture. National groups will produce a collages that show cultural diversity in their countries.To allow participants to experience difficulties involved in cross cultural communication and encourage reflection on intercultural competences, simulations(Ambassadors’ tea party; Welcome to my village) will be held.Another part of activities is dedicated to explore assumptions, stereotypes, challenge and provoke participants’ mentalities, develop more critical thinking and sensitivity which will be transferred to a variety of diversity-related topics and in more proactive attitude.To understand labelling, to feel what it is like to be discriminated against because of an inherent trait interactive exercises(Guess who is coming; Get into circle) will be organized. To analyze attitudes towards people from different cultural or social groups simulation(Take a step forward) will be held. To experience how cultures with different values work (or do not work) together, become aware of inclusion/exclusion with a multicultural community(Cultural clash) interactive workshop will be organized.Participants will also raise awareness on advantages of diversity identifying influences of other cultures on their own society, contributions they make and value influences positively by looking for “footprints” from other countries and cultures in their communities(Trailing diversity). Participants will discuss advantages of cultural diversity and brainstorm ideas how to embrace diversity in society, benefit from intercultural learning. Participants will hold creative workshops, during which they will write song promoting diversity, develop project branding, posters breaking stereotypes.The peak of the youth exchange will be outdoor social action organized by participants on November 9th - International Day against Racism. Participants will involve local community by encouraging people to take a picture in background All different all equal, organize, running Free hugs campaign, inviting people to overcome their prejudice. They will explore multicultural Vilnius in a city tour. Every day of the exchange cultural exchange activities will be run by participants, during which they will present their countries and cultures and in a way they want, through food, drinks, dances etc. To assess learning achievements and give feedback Reflection activities in small groups using tools for facilitating the expression games will be held. Participants will also fulfill questionnaire to assess satisfaction with the project and evaluate project in interactive games. << Impact >>On personal/professional level participants will:- feel what it is like to be discriminated/excluded and that will increase their empathy, tolerance, openness, respect, sensitivity toward other cultures- improve active listening, learn to make arguments and express yourself, discuss with others, come to mutual understanding -improve ability of self-awareness, self-reflection and organizing their own learning as well as awareness of the learning process-improve social skills - communication, interpersonal skills - positive attitude, teamwork -develop creative thinking and creativity - improve communication skills - brainstorming, listening, ability to build constructive discussion, networking, decision-making skills, building positive relationship with othersincrease participants teamwork, team management abilities, cooperation skillsimprove public-speaking competences, build self-confidence increase research abilities, information gathering, analytical thinking, presentation skills-improve English language skills-gain knowledge in project management, learn how to generate project ideas, plan project, disseminate project results-foster leadership skillsOn project topic participants will:-raise awareness on Erasmus+, youth exchanges and YouthPass, non-formal education methods-deepen knowledge on definition of diversity and culture and related topics-understand own beliefs and how they affect their life -raise awareness on discrimination, prejudices, stereotypes, confront them with critical thinking-raise awareness about the inequality of opportunities in society, to understand possible consequences of belonging to certain cultural groups-learn about different cultures-be able to point out other culture influences on their own and understand advantages of cultural diversity, valuing other cultures -acquire abilities/attitudes to promote diversity-gain knowledge on organizing public events-improve competences/skills needed to understand, manage and promote diversity-improve intercultural competences - knowledge of cultural-self, valuing other cultures withholding judgment, viewing difference as learning opportunity, tolerance for ambiguity-understand difficulties in cross-communication -acquire basic skills to interact with people of different minorities-facilitate intercultural communication skills, be able to build intercultural dialogue-Understand importance of reflection in educational activities Participants will experience alternative approaches for learning, that will motivate them to participate in other Erasmus+/NFE projects, take more active role in social initiatives. They will make friends, networks in other countries, which could be useful in the future and open more opportunities in life.Project activities will increase participants’ intercultural sensitivity, cultural competences, intercultural interaction that might help them in the future. It is expected that experience will have an effect on the behavior and attitude of the participants: they will become more open-minded, tolerant, respectful, reconsider assumptions and stereotypes they had before coming to the exchange. Gained skills/knowledge, YouthPass certificate might be used while applying for job/internship which will increase their employment opportunities, since employers look favourably upon experience gained abroad and knowledge obtained of another language/culture. In a long-term perspective they might better address diversity in everyday life.Project would help all the participating organizations to raise the profile and grow internationally and increase capacity, improve management skills, reinforce cooperation with partners. They will benefit through gaining more/new experience, improving ways of operating towards their target groups, developing of new project ideas and exchanging experience. It will also increase visibility of the participating organizations, staff motivation and satisfaction as well as teamwork spirit. Local communities will likely develop the sense of respect and tolerance towards different cultures, will widen their knowledge and will adopt new approaches in their daily life. They will also widen their horizons experiencing different cultures and built an understanding of the European values and contribute to more open, tolerant society. Regionally, the project will achieve a positive impact in strengthening civil society, promoting the European values of equity, solidarity, social inclusion. At the international level, the impact of the project will take the form of networking between youthorganisation from different sub-regions of Europe, creating a common vision of the European future and actively engaging young people in its formation. The project contributes to the forming tolerant, peaceful and inclusive society on the continent through educating the young leaders.

While the existing structural, direct and cultural forms of violence in Europe are the visible symptoms of existing societal and political conflicts in the continent, these conflicts are the expression of societal changes and challenges that need to be addressed by peaceful approaches and the involvement of young people as they have to face the consequences of these conflicts.Against this background, the project aimed to enhance the capacities of youth organisations in empowering young people to actively contribute through democratic participatory nonviolent processes to community inclusion, equality and tolerance in their city, country and within Europe.The specific objectives of the project were the following:-To increase the competences of youth workers in supporting young people to create youth-led peacebuilding projects on community level based on the principles and approaches of nonviolent civil conflict transformation-To plan inclusive follow-up projects dedicated to youth empowerment to strengthen grass-root and youth-led processes of nonviolent civil conflict transformation-To establish among youth workers and youth organisations international partnerships for an on-going exchange of practices and expertise on youth empowerment and peace workIn order to reach these objectives, we realised the following core activities throughout the project implementation period:•Step 1 – E-course “Introduction to peacebuilding” (September 2017)The participants followed a 3-weeks e-course on key terms and approaches to peacebuilding•Step 2 - Training course on youth-led peacebuilding (October 2017, Bakuriani, Georgia)•Step 3: Follow-up and use of the competences gained by the participants (November – January 2017)All in all 24 participants from 8 countries (Estonia, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine) participated in the entire project cycle.The main project activity, the training course “Youth Takes Action for Change – A Training Course on Youth-Led Conflict Transformation” took place in Bakuriani, Georgia, from 08.10.2017 to 16.10.2017. The training was based on principles of non-formal education and applied a wide range of educational methods.The project achieved the following results:-24 participants developed competences in supporting young people to create youth-led peacebuilding projects on community level based on the principles and approaches of nonviolent civil conflict transformation-7 project ideas were developed by the participants in the field of youth peace work-Two follow-up projects on enhancing capacities of youth and community workers in aiding change processes are currently already in implementation

Volunteering is a topic of a very wide scale. It is a vital need for individuals to be involved in their societies in constructive ways without expecting any materialistic in return. Being a volunteer can transform lives and greatly improve oneself wellbeing. However, it sometimes fails to appeal to young people. Especially volunteering abroad, since most young generations prefer not to spend their trip volunteering in addition to the natural worries and fear that we have toward what we ignore. And in many cases, youth will apply for volunteering opportunities abroad just to travel for tourism. In this project, we aim to reach out to the young generation and promote the idea of being globally responsible and that volunteering abroad makes it more than just travelling and much more than an experience added in CV. Volunteering abroad is a rich experience that helps individuals grow on so many levels, but it always requires the mindset and the inner readiness, to give, explore, learn and love. It also requires the hosting organization or entity to know the needs of volunteers and how to keep them engaged. This project is a Youth Exchange created by young people who believe in volunteering abroad after their experience in different volunteering programs around the world and its great impact on both sides (the volunteer and the local community). The project aims at: Highlighting volunteering's (especially abroad) impact on volunteers and on the local communities. Exploring volunteering opportunities for youth from both Program and Partner countries. Spreading awareness and promoting the spirit of volunteerism and global responsibility in the hearts of young people. The project will gather a gender-balanced group of 32 participants from 6 different counties from Northern Europe (Sweden, Denmark and Finland), Eastern Europe (Ukraine) and the Southern Med (Egypt and Morocco). And in order to achieve its objectives, the Youth Exchange will use non-formal education as its core method with the following main objectives and principals: - Voluntary participation. - Learner-centred approach. - Learning by doing approach, using of experience. - Emotional involvement and intellect (hand, heart and head principle) The youth exchange program will be based on the following important elements: 1. Introductory phase: Introduction and getting to know each other, setting ground rules for the project and learning objectives 2. Group-building phase: Create trust, a safe environment, genuine and active participation. 3. New knowledge and experience for participants: A set of activities will be applied to provide participants with meaningful learning experiences. 4. Analysis and reflection: each activity will be followed by a debriefing or an evaluation session to evaluate and reflect on the learning process, individual reflection activities and final evaluation of learning outcomes. 5. Evaluation: Will include ongoing evaluation of the project's impact and the final evaluation of the project results and closure. The project will have several impacts on the Youth being the target group, but also the participating organisations: The participants will be more motivated and inspired to embark on volunteering adventures after the project after seeing first hand how does it feel to be able to give and interact in an international environment. All of this goes back to the concept of self-establishment, the participants will understand how volunteering increase their employability (We all know how such an experience on one's CV can make a big difference) In addition to that, the project will increase the civil engagement level of the pax, benefiting thus the local society where they live but also their organisations which will enjoy inspired youth with a large sense of initiative. Also, the participating organizations will be able to improve volunteering experience quality for their volunteers, with mutual understanding on the subject organizations will be able to practice the gained knowledge combined with the solid outcome of their participants.

"The project name is ""Grow Your Citizenship"", and the title says a lot. We want the participants of the project, whether they be from the Youth Exchange project or the locals, to open up and try to reach four aims;1. To construct a garden, shared by the participants with the local community.2. Encourage citizenship, by demonstrating for youngster the ability they hold to make a difference, impact society and encouraging them to participate actively in the community.3. To learn about the importance of grass-root projects, as well as how to apply them in small and big measures.4. To visualize the Erasmus plus program, in hopes to reach out to the target groups suitable for Youth Exchange with this program. At the same time to show the local community, the abilities to how Youth Exchange projects can affect and mobilize youth.The idea of the project is created to link the aims to each other, not only to find ways to go forward, but also to improve and empower one another. Knowledge of Erasmus + will encourage more active citizenship, which on the other hand will give way for more projects to be done, eventually creating a direct relation between local communities and participant, and an indirect relation between locals and Erasmus +. The project will take place in a rural area in France, in collaboration with the locals and the municipality, creating a Community Garden open for the public. It will be started as a grass-root project, by participants from five different European countries; Norway, Estonia, Ukrain, Georgia and France, giving it a special touch of cultures, sustainable nature and visible abilities of the creativity and work, youth posses.As it is a grass-root project, it will be started from scratch. Since the participants most likely will not have the opportunity to directly see the results of their labor, we want to create a strong bond between the locals and the garden. Creating this bond can reassure us that the garden will be taken care of even after the participants leave, and that their work will forever be a reminder of the possibilities humans posses if we only work together."