The youth exchange My Youth Goals 1.0 was implemented in Varna, Bulgaria, from 11 to 15 May 2023. This project is part of the Key Action 1 of the Erasmus+ Programme: learning mobility of individuals. It gathered 32 young people from 6 partner NGOs: OKO from Serbia, Tavo Europa from Lithuania, Fundacja Inkubator Innowacji from Poland, Elix from Greece, MultiKulti from Romania and FECE from Bulgaria.
The participants went through five youth goals during the exchange: #1 Connecting EU with youth, #3 Inclusive societies, #9 Space and participation for all, #4 Information and constructive dialogue, #11 Youth organizations and European programs.
The participants were warmed up in the mornings with ice-breakers and energizers to be in condition for the next activities during the day.
The first day allowed participants to discover the history and values of the European Union, the Youthpass certificate and its importance as recognition for participation in non-formal and informal learning during youth projects, and the other NGOs participating in the project.
The second day pushed participants to express themselves more theatrically by letting them create a drama illustrating their perception of human rights. They also had to come up with an elevator pitch and think about how to include young people in society.
The third day started with the electioneering game, a discussion-based activity, that addresses rights and responsibilities connected with democracy: the right to participate in government and in free elections, as well as the freedom of opinion, expression and thought.
Another activity played was “Where do I stand?”, in which participants were given statements related to General Rights (civil and political as well as social and economic rights) with which they may agree or disagree and accordingly position themselves along an imaginary line. They were asked to argue their position and listen carefully to others’ points of view. Also, Civil dialogues activity allowed them to develop soft, leadership and negotiation skills by pointing out the rights and responsibilities of citizens, the government, NGOs, and the media in the democratic society.
The fourth day was an occasion for the participants to discover more about the hosting city of the youth exchange. They had to prepare posters presenting the European youth goals for people in Varna. They were also invited to realize a playful, interactive and entertaining video depicting their excursion in Varna and include their interactions with local people and special moments.
The last day of the exchange was dedicated to presenting the Erasmus+ Programme and the EU youth strategy. Finally, groups of participants had to come up with an imaginative project in the Erasmus+ Programme framework with which they can apply.
The youth exchange ended with the Youthpass awarding, the disclosure of the secret friend and a final assessment of the exchange. A huge and personalized cake built with the logo of Erasmus+ was offered to the participants to celebrate the end of this youth exchange.