Title: Being a refugees is not a choicePlace: Riva del GardaDate: from 21-11-2016 to 27-11-2016Being a refugees is not a choice is a Youth exchange organized by Mavì, focused on the importance to increase social and migrant policy awareness to a more human and compassionate approach to life. Our contemporary world is eperiencing a period of great change, where next to the ongoing social transformations are needed parallel paths of evolution. Alongside the social policies to find the balance, we need to carry on a process of personal growth and awareness that starts from each individual. At the same time, many young people feel powerless in front of the changes that are taking place, social policies, visa immigration always as threatening, is a crucial issue. This project combines the theme of migration issues with the Photovoice method; through this method people realize photos on a particular issue and discuss them as a group in order to present proposals for change. The use of the image causes the participant is stimulated to an active reflection about themselves and the context in which they live making them aware of the resources and potential that they already possess or that they can develop.Group discussion of pictures and writing captions to be affixed to the pictures is the most important part of the method. The emphasis is on the allocation of shared meanings to the images, rather than on the process of producing photographs. Thanks to this shared narrative process (story telling) is possible develop a critical consciousness of the group that activates people to seek alternative solutions together.To develop the aforementioned topics and introduce them in the best possible way we will use these working methods:-Lectures about the Dublin Convention and comparison between the various policies adopted by each country on migartori policies and international protection-Photography as an artistic mediator to creare a story telling (Photo Voice method)-Presentations-Workshops-Debates-Visit to a migrant reception center-Simulation games will allow to identify current challenges of non-formal education and show possible measures that strenghten . These sessions will provide the partecipants with concrete ideas that can be implemented in their local communities, thus ensuring and important multiplier effect-Ice-breakers and teambuilding games to getting know each other-Street actions-Making of short promotional video-Preparing an online informative campaign-Reflection groups that take place every evening and will serve as platform where the participants can give feedback and share general impressions.Objectives of the project are:-To promote EU values and Erasmus + programme-To encurage partecipation to organize different actions and projects to reacg the awareness in the community of social problems on local, national and international level-To recognize, value and celebrate young people's positive contributions to society-To create intercultural dialogue-To learn more about issues of migration, of Dublin Convention, the human situation that migrant find themselves, but above all on the awareness that being a refugee is not a choice, but a consequence of very complex economic and social balance-To understand that "the other"is never different from us, a reflection on how to live responsibly and not ego-centred, making them aware of what aspect of our lives can make the changes so that have a benefit for the whole community-Discover different opinions and point of view about contemporary social problems-Building critical thinking and observation skills thanks the Photo Voice Method-Spread the use of the Photo voce method (that has a lot of benefits: it can be used with any target, and at any age, the basic level of Photography is easy to learn and is accessible to all, through the photos people can communicate and share easily, take pictures can change the perception that people have about their social and physical environment, Photos can be a clear representation of what exists at a particular time, and are tools of great emotional impact, etc.)-Empowering to articulate interpretations about a social problem with the Photographic tool-Start to use a Digital Media as Facebook for social purposes. The Photographic portfolio relized will become awareness material on the net, through the creation of a visual storytelling-Raise awareness about problems by organizing local event and create online campaign-To overcome the language barriers-After the realization of the project, participants will have the opportunity to discover and explore similarities and differences between cultures and it has developed a process of awareness and empathy about people came from other country, about migrant issues. -The youth exchange will also provide the opportunity the participants to create new friendships