Xmas Calling!
Start date: Sep 1, 2016,
End date: Feb 28, 2017
PROJECT
FINISHED
The idea to organize a youth exchange focused on the Xmas and its traditions has been created in our organisation already a long time ago. We regularly observe among young people, especially those with fewer opportunities, lack of interest in any Czech traditions or holidays. Their approach especially to Xmas is very consumerist. This is not only the problem of the Czech Republic, similar situation was described by all the partners involved. Our aim is to organize a youth exchange, where we want to show them that Xmas can also be a opportunity for gifting others, especially those, who are experiencing hard Xmas, because of loneliness, illness or any other reason. We want to show them that it makes sense to celebrate together. We want to create a space of mutual intercultural learning, where young people learn the traditions of other countries and learn not to see in a different relationship to the traditions of a threat, but a space for inspiration and learning.The project will be created and managed by young people aged 14-22 years, participants of the exchange. They will be accompanied by experienced facilitators, who will follow the entire running of the exchange, motivate young people and help them resolve any obstacles that may arise. The project will also involve young people with fewer opportunities.The main objective of this project is to show young people that Christmas can be an opportunity to be helpful in their community, and introduce them the typical celebration of Christmas in other countries with the help of mutual intercultural learning to them.The youth exchange will be held in the Czech Republic. There will be 6 countries participating - 4 young participants per country + a groupleader: Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Turkey and Greece. Our main condition for selection of partners was not only the experience of working with the target group, but also a geographical balance needed for the presentation of individual customs and traditions from various parts of Europe.Within the project, the young people will prepare and organize the presentation of their Christmas traditions for primary school pupils and also organize events for seriously ill people from the hospice. During the exchange they will create a small gifts andgive them to old people. At the same time each country will present the Christmas traditions, music and food.The project will use methods of non-formal education and wants to contribute to raising young people's awareness of the cultures of European countries and creates space not only to develop key competences useful for the labor market, but also to create a network of international contacts, which is in line with the priorities of mobility youth program, Erasmus +.Young people gain through the project the opportunity to get to know other cultures of other countries, get in touch with the young people of similar age and make new contacts. They realize, how much celebration and keeping the traditions are important in their lives for them personally. They will compare their ideas and opinions in the context of young people from other European countries and realize that they are part of the whole Europe.The project will also have an impact to the participating organizations that will be able to enrich their activities by various Christmas traditions of individual countries. Organization will get back motivated young people who gain new experiences, that they can later in realisation of different events and projects.