Start & End Date: 01.08.2017-31.05.2018
Place: Hütten, Germany and Serbia
Participating Countries: Germany, Hungary, Macedonia and Serbia.
Project Partners: Volonterski Centar Vojvodine (Serbia), Association “Peace Action” Prilep (Macedonia), Service Civil International Hungary Utilapu Halozat (Hungary)
Number of Participants: 24 participants
Grant Giver: Erasmus+ and Ministry for Youth, Sport and Eduacation
Funding Program:Key Action 1
Grant Amount: 31,425 EUR
During the last few years we have been facing a serious humanitarian crisis which is taking away lives, homes, human dignity and questioning democratic values we believe in. Out of the fear from other people new fences and walls are built, people are dying of cold in front of door steps and human lives are not valued.
Under the pressure of media, negative stories, fear and other demotivating influences we often find ourselves in a very passive position and without a clear picture where and how to start influencing and changing things we disagree with. In the surge of such a vast and overwhelming crisis we are unable to see the value and significance of small scale actions.
This project will tackle the topic of solidarity and deal with the actions of solidarity by addressing the current refugee crisis in Europe. We believe that it is very important to find our motivation to start small scale actions within our local communities.
Since the main topic addressed through this project will be solidarity and actions of solidarity as a resistance to indifference, apathy and insufficient policy responses to humanitarian crisis of our time, we will put emphasis on the importance of taking responsibility shaping and creating own surroundings, societies.
To reach the aims of the project, we designed two activities:
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[ap_tab title=”Youth Exchange in Hütten”] Youth Exchange held from the 19th to 27th of November in Hütten, Germany.
During this youth exchange we will dig into the reality of WWII through lenses of displacement, exclusion and solidarity actions. In particular, by using the storytelling, video testimonies and experiential learning, we’ll try to understand how common people responded to the prosecution and captivity of those who were seen as the outcast of society. How the two realities, reality of concentration camps and life outside of the walls could co-exist.
By using the methods of social positioning in the context of refugee crisis (on local, national and European level) and examining the characteristics of active citizenship we will try to provoke critical thinking and engage in experiential learning activities. We will examine the obstacles towards altruistic action and at the same time explore the dimensions of solidarity and personal responsibility.
Number of Participants:24
Profile of the participants: Youngsters between 18 and 30 years old and who is a resident of Germany, Hungary, Macedonia or Serbia.
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[ap_tab title=”Youth Exchange in Serbia”] Youth Exchange held in April, in Serbia.
During this youth exchanges will focus on the practical aspects of solidarity. The participants will be introduced with various activist approaches to the crisis, their pros and cons and impact on the refugees and host societies. We will exchange the insights into significant movements within own countries and Europe, and solidarity practices initiated by civil society. By the end of YE, we will be equip ourselves with a set of tools which will be applicable on a local level and enable us to act upon the return to home countries/places. During this YE we will develop idea for follow up solidarity actions which will be implemented by participants once they are back in their local communities.
Number of Participants:24
Profile of the participants: Youngsters between 18 and 30 years old and who is a resident of Germany, Hungary, Macedonia or Serbia.
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Methodology
During the both activities we will follow the non-formal education (NFE) approach, principles & methods and will be based on participants’ experience & exchange. Combination of different creative, participatory & interactive methods will be used and designed upon the profile of participants, some of them being: theoretical themes/lectures; individual/group activities; games and exercises, simulations & role plays; work on examples in small group; discussions; etc. Learning of new skills, acquisition of knowledge and exchange/challenge of each other’s attitude/experience are very important for this project. Programme and contents are organised to allow for maximum participation of the group using active and participatory methods.
Group dynamic activities, daily reflections, self‐assessment and evaluation will be activities common to all of the project phases. European recognition tools will be used to support participants the learning process and the practical phases of this project.
Impact
Impact: The project is expected to raise critical dialogue on the refugee ‘crisis’ by discussing issues surrounding the ‘crisis’ and connecting them with the European values. It tends to raise awareness and question the basis of solidarity, by making youth understanding own connection to the crisis and own position in relation to the suffering other, all while discussing what it means to be a citizen in Europe, what is social responsibility and how values of freedom and equality correspond with the value of solidarity. By doing so, the project will make a significant impact on youth coming from countries severely affected by crisis – namely Serbia, Hungary, Germany and Macedonia. Project envisions follow up activities in each of these countries during which young people who took part in exchanges are expected to transmit the values of the project and multiply them on local level, by putting up exemplar deeds. These will be organized with the support of participating (sending organizations), which expect to recruit new group of youngsters who will contribute to the realization of the overall mission of the each of the project partners.
The indirect target groups are both refugees and host societies within which the participating organization act hoping to bring positive shifts related to overwhelming crisis. Those shifts come with the proactive response to the crisis – namely with the change of the dominant hostile narratives and acts, with the emphasis on active participation of citizens who form societies. They are in line with the European values and stand for unity among all the citizens of Europe, including the newcomers whose just treatment and inclusion is seen as crucial.
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