YOUTHMASS
Start date: May 1, 2016,
End date: Nov 30, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
The Youthmass project starts from an idea of Cazalla Intercultural, as an attempt to respond to some challenges and demands of young people of Lorca during the summer months. The risk of social exclusion, lack of real opportunities to participate in any leisure activity in summer is a reality for those who can not leave the city during the holidays, and this happens to a growing number of young people, especially immigrants and Roma communities. Missing meeting places, learning activities and the exchange of ideas, which are the basis of the reasons that led the local NGO to fight for these opportunities and writing this project. And to do it together with European volunteers is the best way to go for learning, experience, impact, peer learning, The main objectives are to develop competences and basic skills (communication, self-esteem, express their own needs, intercultural learning, ...) of European volunteers and young people from Lorca, both groups with fewer opportunities; learn to use ICT (video, computer programs, ..); improve communication in foreign languages (English and Spanish); motivate them to be active citizens and to take initiative; acquire new knowledge and develop organizational skills, creativity and working with youth groups skills. All this through activities as Street Art, music, dance, video-making etc., youth workshops and interactive talks on EVS and Erasmus + in Lorca. And we also think of the smaller ones from the poorest Hood of Lorca, with which volunteers would work two mornings per week, doing fun and educational activities at the same time. The activities are based on principles of non-formal education, through which volunteers learn not only new knowledge but also skills and attitudes and to question where the main focus will be on peer learning. The activity takes place in the month of July 2016 in Lorca, which involves 21 young people from 7 European countries (Poland, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Finland and Greece). All participants will be selected by 7 sending organizations along with Cazalla and most of them are young people with fewer opportunities and those who, being disadvantaged in their own environment, need more experience in intercultural, social and artistic learning. The expected impact of the project is for EVS volunteers and local beneficiaries to acquire basic skills, necessary to become competent young, participatory, active young people in the modern society. The city will have a "school of music and art in public places, co-created by EVS volunteers and local youth, activities extremely important for the young life of Lorca, where young people are the main caracters. After completing the project, the other youths and youth organizations can learn from our experience and create such projects where needed, as we will disseminate a video created by the volunteers themselves, which will in details show this experience and what it means to be a European volunteer. The project partners will benefit from the vast experience of conducting a group EVS project together, on how to involve young people with fewer opportunities in our activities, so also improve this aspect of our work, collaborate better with this type of participants and empower them to break out of their precarious situation.