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Don't dream it - be it
Don't dream it - be it
Start date: Jun 1, 2015,
End date: Oct 31, 2015
PROJECT
FINISHED
The project"Do not dream it - be it" was a project of youth exchanges with neighboring partner countries of the EU, which lasted a total of five months, from 01.06.2015. to 01.11.2015. The mere youth exchange was carried out in Rogoznica (Croatia, Sibenik-Knin County) in the period from 17.08. to 26.08.2015. The organizer of the exchange was Croatian Red Cross - City Branch ?upanja and partner organizations YMCA-SERBIA Backi Petrovac from Serbia and PRONI Brcko from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The main theme of the project was healthy lifestyles of young people, and the main objective of the project was to increase the quality of life of young people in rural and underdeveloped urban areas, especially young people with fewer opportunities.
Specific project objectives were:
1. the acquisition of skills and knowledge in the field of healthy lifestyles (diet, exercise, responsible sexual behavior, non-violent communication)
2. contribution to the development of responsibility towards health
3. contribution to the development of social attitudes and values in young people, self-esteem and self-confidence
4. raising awareness of substance abuse among young people
5. intercultural learning and the spread of social networks and mutual support among young people
Young people from the three partner organizations come from areas where you still feel the consequences of the war, which are additionally aggravated by the economic crisis. Young people from Zupanja and surrounding villages, and from partner organizations, are faced with a big problem of unemployment, hence the other problems and difficulties that lead to the risk of social exclusion. They tend to spend their time unorganized, in bars or in front of a computer, without the financial possibilities for further education or engagement in some organized leisure activities. Impaired quality of life of young people living in these communities, especially young people with fewer opportunities, which are the main actors of this project. Participating in the project, young people have learned about healthy lifestyles and healthy habits, worked on communication and social skills, and skills needed in the labor market, represented their culture and got to know other people's culture, developed their creativity and project planning, have been motivated to volunteer, make new friendships and thus expand the social network and improve their self-confidence. The main topics that was addressed are: introduction, setting rules, agreement on Youthpass, prevention of addiction (drugs, alcohol, smoking, internet, betting, games ...), sports activities outdoors, non-violent communication, organization of leisure time, the impact of social networks and the Internet on the mental and emotional health, learning about healthy nutrition, skills to deal with emotions and stress, promoting volunteering and other topics that young people recognize as essential in achieving the project goal.
During the ten-day youth exchange a variety of non-formal and informal methods of working with young people have been used, and some of them are: discussions, presentations, role-plays, "icebreakers", energizers, sports outdoor activity, exercise, sports competitions, design techniques, workshops on a particular theme, artistic expression, outdoor games, small group work, work in pairs, teamwork, interactive exercises, structured exercises and simulations, games for getting to know and creating trust, feedback, process evaluation etc..
A total of 36 participants (together with 6 youth leaders) participated in the project, to it: 12 from Croatia, 12 from Serbia and 12 from Bosnia and Herzegovina. All participants in the project were 18-29 years old, and 24 of them were young people with fewer opportunities.
Some of the major impacts on participants and partner organizations of the project "Do not dream it - be it" have been:
- better quality of life of young people with fewer opportunities, enriched with new knowledge, skills and opportunities
- young people empowered with knowledge about healthy lifestyles
- young people encouraged to the do sports, staying on the air and spending less time at the computer
- increasing awareness about the problem of addiction among youth
- raised awareness of the problem of violence in adolescent relationships, and encouraged reflection on responsible sexual behavior
- young people encouraged to spend quality leisure time
- young people from the three countries associated in a firm social network and a network of mutual support
- participants acquired various life, social, communication skills and self-advocacy skills
- strengthened the confidence of youth
- institutions that work with young people with fewer opportunities associated, and expanded awareness of the values of the EU
- raised awareness among young people about the importance and value of volunteering and active involvement in the community
- developed cooperation between the three partner organizations