Journal

What are 39 strangers doing booking tickets to Greece?
  • Cheap traveling as the project "Youth Initiatives for Social Engagement" is funded by European Union under Youth in Action Program,
  • the destination country in the summer and
  • the need for involvement and active citizenship, constructing a stronger future for our societies were the most obvious reasons as to participate in this project.
One week is not enough to share basic structures for youth initiatives, tools of communication, sharing practices, learn how the participants can prepare, write and apply for projects under the mew program Erasmus+, only because of the thinking and creating mechanisms non formal education triggers.

The ideas the dynamics and the joyful mingling through a well structured and deepening through the days program were stunning!

Here you can find the activities, sessions, educational methods and tools on how we treated our days together, participants, educators and facilitators in beautiful Peraia, Thessaloniki, Greece in the last week of June!!


DAY ONE

The educational team started by asking the participants to join the "getting to know each other" game:

 

-'My sound'

As an introduction participants formed a circle and were asked to say their name and make a personal 'salute' sound.
Each participant had to repeat the last 3 people's names and sounds.
Apart from the membrane of the names this activity included non verbal symbols as a means to communicate with each other.

- World Map

Trainer asked the group to form a world map where everyone had to stand in the room where they stand as origin countries on the map.
The "confusion" was interesting and playful!

After introduction, brainstorming and questions on the topic Youth Initiatives for Social Engagement, trainers shared Youthpass information.

Find more: 


-Upload, Download, Virus 

Expectations, Contributions, Fears. Participants wrote as many puzzle shaped papers as they wanted on each field.
Trainers and participants, grouped and downsized results into main needs, assets and challenges.


Group brainstorming on House Rules and off to Dinner!! 




DAY TWO



- Energizer "Romeo and Juliet"


Description:

During the game participants were separated into two groups Romeo and Juliet.
Then they had to make certain movements in a competition manner.
This game erased gender taboos and was used as an ice breaking game between the participants by physical contact. 

-Participation Profile

Getting to know each other questions on a piece of paper like:
  • Name 1 quality you have!
  • If you could change one thing in your everyday life what would that be ?
  • If you were a super - hero which power would you like to have?
  • What country would they like to live, or
  • Some skills you have and want to share. 
Participants had 15 minutes to take the basic information about another participant from another country. After they had another 15 minutes to give the answers.

Filled Participants' profiles were placed on the wall. 




- Education methods 

What is formal, what informal and what non-formal education
Brainstorming and the examples on each.

           -Youth Initiatives for Social Inclusion - TC presentation


 

-Speed Dating

We draw a clock. we ask a fellow participant if he is available at 12 o' clock if he is i note his/her name at that hour.
I fill my clock. The Educator says a time and participant has a 2 min discussion with the person on that time.


The organization Youthfully yours, shared in a gift bag the program and basic dictionary, promotional material of
Greece and the host organization, traditional sweets, maps, and Greek goodies presents.


- Lets discuss the wor(l)d

On the next session, trainers noted 5 topics(SM, Internet, Marketing, PR and social engagement) "
Participants were separated into 5 teams and they were asked to write down what they thought each meant.
The results of their combined knowledge, were accompanied by an on line video to understand better the Social impact of New Media.




- Brothers and sisters

Participants were divided in 2 rows in a random way.
Facing pares became brothers and sisters.
The responsibilities of each sister/brother is to take care, surprise, make happy gestures for his sister the whole week.


-Google task – before, during, after

Participants brainstormed on technologies through the ages in teams.
Summary of results brainstorming and discussion.

     - T.P.SM.W. 4 teams of 10 people

People are equally divided into 4 groups
  • Text
  • Photography
  • Social Media
  • Writers

Participants are to brainstorm on what they can do, choose a new leader each day that shares tasks, cooperate with each other and promote, share and imprint their daily goals. Each person has certain responsibilities such as entering typing the info, write articles, make a presentation, collect the picture of the group of photographers share results on the internet through Social Media team.







Participants picked a piece of paper and formed groups according to the animal they had on the paper, forming teams of Horses, Monkeys, Lions and Crocodiles.
The groups were going too be the same for every day of the week and participants had time for evaluation and suggestions on solutions for any inconveniences or requests.

DAY THREE


-Homework Presentation

Each country had to find an event on subjects indicated on a list. Claim one subject and present key points of an event based on the topic. For example, present a project specific in their country, the aim of the project, the participation and the success the event had.


Participants' Homework:

Participants: we learnt and practiced how to present ourselves and our organizations in limited time. Also we learnt how to be tolerant and patient and how to respect the one in front of us. 

-Social media, marketing, internet, social engagement, public relations. 

Participants were divided in groups and each group had to make a presentation in a creative way of the definition/perception of one of the topics.

-Youth pass – 8 key competences.

Trainers pointed out the 8 key competences a Youthpass is focusing on as key points of a personal evaluation.

- Orange energizer 

Trainer sends an orange to one of the participants in the circle. Participants must do the same and send the orange to everyone. After a short brainstorming on what people notice about an orange changing hands, group starts again and after a few seconds another orange is added, reaching tree oranges after another discussion break.
The exercise were to show the body language, the concentration, the speed each participant had and whether other participants followed it, eye contact breathing, noise and other points, on communicating within a team, sharing work and tasks but also how each person receives and sends information about others and themselves.

-The day closed or the night opened with the Intercultural evening















  

DAY FOUR

- No hate speech movement

We shared 6 case studies with the participants

Examples :
    • demonstrating migrants are responsible for the economical crisis
    • videos against LGBT community
    • Implying criminal acts from specific groups of people due to religion or way of living and were asked to fill the form "Questions for analysis Answers in relation to the given example"
      No hate speech movement
      such as

      • What are the causes for this behavior?
      • What are the main arguments used in this behavior for supporting hostility towards a given group?
      • What is the context in which this behavior takes place?


      - E-enabling, E-engaging , E-empowering

      Have creatively introduced the definitions and context of the terms.


      Boat to Thessaloniki through Thessaloniki Waterways

      http://thessalonikiwaterways.gr/roots/

      Free time in the city with the youth maps USE IT

      "Thessaloniki cityguide" provided the participants with cultural and touristic guides of the city


      Going back on a summer rain experience!

       

      DAY FIVE 




       -Energizer outside "Golden Atoms"


      Instructions say all participants are atoms of gold and atoms activity inside gold varies according to temperature. Instructor says a temperature and participants have to act like it. If he says 15 degrees the atoms are very slow, if he says 600 atoms must run up and down. Trainer should say different numbers to shock the participants between slow and active.

      Participants: through this energizer we noticed that we are unique so we have individual working tempo and our scale and abilities are not the same.

      -Energizer "Penguin"

      All group were penguins walking with hands glued to the body and the appropriate walk. Two participants were zombies walking like it and their aim was to touch a penguin turning him into a zombie, and start acting like one also. Pretty soon everyone was a zombie and the game came to an end.

      Participants: through this energizer we noticed that we are unique so we have individual working tempo and our scale and abilities are not the same.

      - T.P.SM.W

      Discuss and presentation of responsibilities of each group on the T.P.SM.W task. Mid evaluation. “It 's easier to destroy than to create”. 

      - Energizer with markers "Pic, Poc and Pac"

      Through this game we were intentionally confused and we had to remember quickly several things. The energizer practiced our speed of attention/perception and multitasking skills.

      - Internet tools

      Discussing different ways how to promote organization using social media.

      - Presentation of how to develop a communication plan

      Teams chooses topic and develop towards the task given – includes objectives targets, channels of dissemination, message, adopt and evaluation.

      - Gantt Chart 

       

        Explanation of the Gantt Chart. two volunteers from the group explain what is Gantt chart through giving examples.

      -"The Magician". 

      It's like rock-scissors-paper, but with 3 positions that all the team needs to do simultaneously: Prince, Dragon, Magician

       

      DAY SIX

      - Casino Game

      Participants were given an amount for each team at the beginning, and should make a plan to collect the more possible at the end of the game.
      They had to choose between or in combination to 'play' in 3 different stands.

      First station: Balloon tower


      Pick a balloon by chance and win for your team with questions such as:
      • Which state entered the EU this year (2013)?
      • Engaging mean a) Free will b) Supporting C) information
      • How many deadline the Erasmus+ has?

      You can 'buy' the compass book for one minute if you do not know the answer.

      Second station: Stock Market

      Stocks (Questions on matters discussed throughout the week) depended on the time period or the accuracy of the answer of the stock. The stock would pay off accordingly.
      Some of the Stocks titles were :
      • How can we use Facebook in our communication plan?
      • How can we reduce discrimination at national level?
      • How can we involve public authorities in youth projects?
      • How can we receive the patronage of the European Parliament for a youth event?



      Third Station: Dice game


      as a fun way to understand the tc Erasmus+ and the youthpass



       Game instructions: English, Greek









      -Exercise of the knowledge learned in the last presentation (Ghantt Chart)

       

      - Implementation of the Gantt Chart with Communication plan 

      we make into practice what we learnt and create Gantt Chart for the Communication plan project
      • Split up into smaller groups,

       -Project planning,
      exercising the skills we learnt in the communication plan presentation

      • Ecology ( Energy, Nature)
      • Economics (Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Social changes)
      • Art and culture (Travelling, Interrelations Dialogue)
      • Education
      • Sports (Wellness, Healthy Lifes )
      • Communication


      DAY SEVEN

      - Energizer "Balloon Dancing"

      Group divided in doubles who had one balloon. The participants have to dance holding the balloon with everything else but their full arms. Target not to lose the balloon to the ground. The music was intense! ;)












      -Center of the universe

      As an informal evaluation of technical issues, participants were asked to stand accordingly to their satisfaction on each question, in the center of the universe( in the middle of the room) or any distance from it according to their dissatisfaction.



      -Personal Evaluation

      Participants were asked to fill a personal form with questions on personal skills and aims.

      -Group Evaluation

      All participants shared a piece of rope passing it from one to the other and visualized the connectivity between human relatins aquiered in the project.






      -Youthpasses
       

      Participants were give certificates of participation, filled with their personal comments on the skills obtained.




       


      - Comments from the evaluation

      • What did you like most about the project?
      trainers were prepared
      different kinds of tasks didn't make the program boring
      difficult topic said in an understood way

      - volunteer -

      The courses were focused and really targeted.

      - volunteer -   
      • What didn't you like about the project?
        I would like to have more time for the project

        - volunteer -

        The tourists in the sessions

        - volunteer - 
         


      • Can you describe 3 skills that you have improved during the project? 

        1. Not to judge a book by it;s cover
        2. Be more positive
        3. There is a whole new world out there

        - volunteer -
      • How could you use what you have learned in the project in your own country? 

        To participate more in the youth programs to contribute to them


        - volunteer -
      Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)