Project Name: Youth Exchange “Careerification”
Activity: Youth Exchange in Slovakia for 5 participants (18 to 30 years old) and one leader from our organisation. During this Youth Exchange young people will be able to get better knowledge about their future career and help to define what they want.
Youth Exchange: 19th to 28th of August 202
Place: Podhájska, Slovakia
Target Groups: National groups will have 6 participants (1 team leader + 5 participants) and we highly encourage the participation of people with fewer opportunities, especially migrants, NEET (people not in education, employment or training) and youngsters experiencing economic or geographical barriers. We also ask for gender balance in the participants choosing.
Age limit: 18-25 for participants (no age limit for leader) Target Groups: Young people aged 18-25, people with educational/ economic difficulties
Impressions of our participants that took part in the project
This is a story about our "Careerification"
Close your eyes and imagine a group of young people coming together from three different parts of the world: Europe, Africa and Asia. And what's the location all of us met you might ask? The answer is -drum roll please- central Europe and especially Podhájska in Slovakia. We got to meet new friends from all over, learn about each other's cultures, and discover many new things. Now, you probably want to know all about the juicy things that took place during this eventful project but first let's take a look at what we learned, how we shared our knowledge, and the great advantages of this cultural adventure. We had a wonderful opportunity to take a look at our occupations from various perspectives, reflect on our career purpose and background which may help us in the future. The participants shared some successful stories as well as some failures.
Every day, we had activities and workshops that helped us understand jobs, success, and leadership. These activities were like games that also taught us important life skills. We talked about our dreams and ambitions. Because we were from different continents, our ideas were very diverse, which made these discussions really interesting. We also improved our social skills, learned how to work better in teams and discovered the value of working together. We did a lot of different things that helped us understand how people from different backgrounds can collaborate and be friends.
Additionally, we gained a lot more than just knowledge. We made new friends from around the world and learned to appreciate the differences between us. We broke down stereotypes and discovered that we're all unique in our own ways. The friendships we made will stay with us for a long time, reminding us that no matter where we come from, we can all work together and make the world a better place.
Even though we were busy with learning, we also had some fun adventures. We explored Podhájska, talked to local people, enjoyed a nearby lake and had a blast at the aqua park that was literally five minutes away from our villas. These activities were not just for fun, they helped us learn about Slovakian life and culture.
The best part of our exchange was meeting people from so many different places. We all had different backgrounds and traditions, but being in Slovakia made us feel like one big family. We learned about each other's countries through special presentations, kahoot -of course- and other fun activities which helped us understand our differences and similarities better. This made us more open-minded and respectful towards each other. What was especially fun during these cultural exchanges, learning about the "Zaghrouta" that women do in the Middle East to express their happiness, in Cyprus the "Goza" -the pottery- when they break it during the dance and its bad luck, in Ukraine the special scarf which it’s symbol in weddings, the snow in the African continent in Tunisia -who would've thought- and the many "Ouzo" toasts during the Greek night. Also, it was interesting finding out that Slovakia's drink of choice is "Tatratea" with more than 70% alcohol. Furthermore, the Georgian team prepared a beautiful dance for us and last but not least Armenia performed a hilarious sketch and much more.
In conclusion, our youth exchange in Slovakia was a wonderful experience of learning, sharing, and growing. Coming from Europe, Africa, and Asia, we learned to celebrate our diversity while finding common ground. This adventure reminded us that by connecting with people from different parts of the world, we create a stronger, more colorful global community. This valuable experience has left a remarkable sign for our future. Oh and we -the journalists- lied to you, the juicy things will stay hidden because what happens in Erasmus stays in Erasmus!
Project summary:
Is an 10-day youth exchange that gathers 32 young participants from 6 different countries and creates a multicultural environment to find right career development opportunities and to succeed in their careers.
Problem:
Young people at early ages are facing issues related to their career choices. They find it hard to choose the right profession and even when they choose it, they are confused and not sure whether they made it right. Once they know what they really want, they are still confused about ways to reach their goals. Young people do not have enough space where they can freely discuss what they are really struggling with. They need to raise their questions and get answers to them to be successful in their careers.
5 youngsters (ages 18 - 25) +1 leader (no age limit) from our organization will take place to the program. Travelling food and accommodation all are payed from the program
Objectives:
- To let participants figure out what the current stage of their career is and to elaborate their strength and weaknesses;
- To create the right mindset that determines right career choice and development path;
- To find motivation get satisfaction on short-term and long-term basis;
- To raise the awareness on the importance of non-formal and informal ways of learning in order to succeed in your career;
- To break career-related stereotypes and to promote equal opportunities;
- To see the added value of cultural diversity and to find new career development opportunities while respecting solidarity.
Activities:
There will be a youth exchange mobility lasting 8 days focusing on the topics: what is career? Which professions do we currently have? What are my strengths and weaknesses? Have I chosen the right career path... Why? Why not? How can I plan my career? Which online career planning tools I can use? Who is a mentor and why do I need it? How do I get to motivate myself? What is volunteering and how is it connected to my career? Why should I be involved in youth activities? Where can I find career development opportunities? Is it necessary to study at formal institutions or can I get the same competencies in another way?
Outputs:
Participants will socialize and exchange ideas, they will have an inclusive environment that lets them be free and discuss the issues they face and get answers to them. They will realize that they are not the only ones with difficulties and uniting with others can help solve these issues. Participants will be at their different stage of careers - some of them experienced enough to lead others by example and share their experiences, others with challenges, issues facing that will be addressed properly. Participants will concentrate on their personal current states of a career, determine what they really want to achieve and make roadmaps to plan and develop their potential.
All countries will create Career Development Clubs and continue cooperation.
Aplication for Interest of Participation: https://forms.gle/g6hTvdaXSxkgf34L6
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