On the same beat
Start date: Aug 1, 2016,
End date: Jul 31, 2017
PROJECT
FINISHED
The problem highlighted by all the partners in this application, is that youth beneficiaries of their organizations, especially young people with fewer opportunities, have a very poor cultural awareness, which affects their motivation, courage and curiosity to learn English, travel and make friends with peers from different countries. In a long term it also has an impact on their general interest in continuing education and their job opportunities, as there are less mobile and less likely to reach for opportunities beside their home town. Moreover, it has a great impact on their social environment. With a poor cultural awareness young people tend to choose their friends and acquaintances between people they know and those, who are simply similar to them, which doesn’t support their personal development and often causes an irrational fear of unknown. What narrows their horizons even more is a situation, when despite the skills and intelligence they have, they’re less likely to be ambitious and have a sense of initiative in searching for the development opportunities. In a wider context a lack of cultural awareness between youth contributes to higher risk of bullying in educational institutions and discrimination, which causes a vicious circle of marginalization of youth with fewer opportunities. As a result it has a bad influence on social cohesion in all the countries of EU.As the response to this problem, the aim of “On the same beat” project is to enhance youth’s cultural awareness, which will be achieved by following objectives:- To raise participants’ awareness of cultural diversity and equality issues;- To raise participants’ self-awareness;- To inspire participants to share their diverse cultures through the music;- To strengthen participants’ self-esteem by giving them the opportunity to be creative and resourceful;- To develop participants’ teamwork and social competences;- To promote European values and European identity;The youth exchange targets youth of different backgrounds and social situation. Part of the participants will represent the group of youth with less opportunities, who for different reason find it difficult to follow the path of formal education or are unable to attend their secondary education. They struggle different kinds of hardship, such as social marginalization, disabilities and health issues, economic obstacles, troubled family backgrounds or behavioural problems. Participants will be selected by every partner organization among their beneficiaries. We will choose 60 participants with a consideration of following criteria:- Participants have an interest in music- Are out of any abuse/addictions- Are medically stable- Are mentally stable for the last 6 months- Age 18-22- Ability to travel and acquire cultural learning from the project- Ability to communicate in English language- Available through the whole period of the youth exchange- Willing to commit to the dissemination activitiesDuring the youth exchange will be applying various non-formal education methods, such as group discussions, interactive presentations, documentation through video, self-reflection, problem tree, etc., as well as methods based on music.Project will contribute to raising young people’s cultural awareness and higher recognition of European values and European, enhanced self-confidence and social, higher interest in mobility and better communication in a foreign language. In addition to that participants will gain more sense of initiative and a feeling of being resourceful, as well as teamwork skills. Also their interest in developing their passion to music and creative skills will be strengthen.Furthermore, “On the same beat” project will increase partner organizations’ capacity in terms of their educational offer on the subject of cultural awareness and working methods in case of youth with less opportunities, as well as delivering quality projects in the future. They will become more visible and become a part of a network of organizations, that will continue working together on new projects. Also, partners will gain a more European dimension in their work, which will broaden their opportunities and offers to young people in EU.Dissemination actions will contribute to enhancing cultural awareness and understanding between European youth, changing their attitude towards mobility, stimulating more tolerant attitude towards cultural differences and developing their understanding of European values. As a result young Europeans will identify stronger with EU and they will have a higher interest in Erasmus+ program.