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Open your Heart, Unleash your Potential
Start date: May 1, 2016, End date: Oct 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

When young people reach the point of having to make a choice of profession, many of them still lack a clear vision of what they really want to do in their life. The established educational system offers them a multitude of information, but fails to provide them with suitable guidance and support to enable them to realize their potential and contribute to the welfare of their society. Sometimes, however, young people are aware of their dreams, but lack confidence to follow them. In such cases, they need encouragement and support from their communities, which can efficiently support the achievement of their goals.The project "Open Your Heart, Unleash Your Potential" addresses the basic need of young people to find their unique role in the world. Its primary objectives are:- to help young people hear their inner voice, overcome their fears and find their true mission in life;- teach them how to successfully enter the group processes and how to create stable and efficient support teams;- to master skills of non-violent communication to begin a constructive intercultural dialogue;- to encourage young people into active social participation and a meaningful engagement in the world.A 9-day youth exchange that will be carried out within the project will bring together 26 highly motivated participants from Slovenia, Italy, Estonia and Germany. They are mostly volunteers from partner organizations, and almost half are participants with fewer opportunities. Target age group is 18-24 years.Within the exchange, we will experience a complementary set of workshops to explore ourselves and our relation to the group. We will start with the "Hero's Journey", an amazing, individual, in-depth research process aimed to reveal our »call« as our life vision. Then we will place these personal stories into the broader context of a group or community that we are a part of. We will learn non-violent communication, build a community, and raise awareness of group dynamics. We will explore our personal limits, recognize patterns, practice self-awareness and being present. Together we'll enter the "Mandala of Truth" to share our deepest emotions, and experience rebirth in the purifying ritual of Native American sweat lodge. We'll grow and learn through play and artistic expression. There will be daily reflection and documentation of the learning process. Presentation of Youthpass and Erasmus+ program will help us to assess the acquired skills and better understand the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+. An NGO market will encourage further cooperation among partners and initiate future projects.Participants will explore the potential of "Open Space" method and learn "Dragon Dreaming", a very successful project planning tool. There will be a set of activities aimed to raise the collective intelligence. We will express ourselves through art and story-telling. The mythological model of Hero's Journey will be investigated through a case study. Group dynamics will be explored through panel discussion or through a flash forum, which will also serve as a useful tool to resolve potential conflicts. Other working tools will include role play, discussion, dialogue, brainstorming, post-it wall, observation, practical work in groups, etc. Altogether, this will provide a whole-person learning experience, integrating methods that work on intellectual, emotional and physical levels through a carefully designed, profound, individual and community-based process.This will enable participants to find their authentic vocation and place it in the broader context of their community. They will learn skills of non-violent communication and open dialogue and will thus be able to express their needs clearly while, at the same time, respect the needs of others. Participants will learn how to build a community and find a common vision, become aware of group dynamics and increase awareness of roles in the group. They'll explore distribution of power within a group and learn how to effectively support the group process. They will improve their communication skills, become assertive and learn how to develop successful projects. Creative and inspiring teamwork will motivate and empower the participants for greater social participation.Thus, we can reasonably expect a long-term positive effect of the project, as the youth, while pursuing their call, in line with their values, dreams and talents, will be able to fully realize their potential. With the gained knowledge of successful project management and the creation of support groups they will become initiators of sustainable projects, which will contribute to the creation of a democratic, inclusive, just, creative and sustainable society. By mastering skills of non-violent communication they will be able to participate in a constructive intercultural dialogue, which will promote freedom and respect for human rights as well as intercultural diversity.
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