Synergy & Grundtvig – Interviews
Name: Réka Balogh Represented institution: Gondviselés Segélyszervezet (Romania) Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project? I decided to participate in this project because the possibilities provided by the project seemed useful for us. The information given, the training sessions, that the members and leaders of the city's various institutions, organizations and associations can sit together and think and support the community was intriguing. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? The project was beneficial and useful for the future in our work, thnks to the meetings and activities, we formed a closer relationship between the institutions and organizations. Because of this our city events such as the Christmas Fair are prepared smoother, it is easyer to work together. More specifically, getting to know each other's strengths, we can now work more efficiently in the city, asking each other for help at various events, projects. How about things outside from working life? Did you learn something new from yourself, other people or other cultures? We forged good relations not only in our work, but also in private life, the joint meetings and experiences forged us to be a small community. In the international meetings we learned phrases and words in Latvian, Finnish, Portuguese and Italian. At the same time, we made new acquaintances. By meeting the representatives of various countries we could learn about the characteristics of different ethnic groups. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention? Latvia is wonderful. Riga will forever remain a beautiful memory in my mind. Last year it was the cultural capital of Europe, that in itself says a lot. Nice, tidy, old buildings, sometimes cobbled streets, where the tranquility, the new and the old are closely intertwined. I am grateful to God for the Youth Association from Transylvania and the project participants because being part of this training series, I was able to travel, to think together and sometimes I could also work together with these people. Hoping for further sequels!
Synergy & Grundtvig – Interviews
Name: Istók Lajos Represented institution: Pro Life Foundation (Romania) Our foundation organizes programs for children to spend their free time usefully. Children take part in our workshop to learn how to paint, draw and to do craft workshops. We also organize camps for them where, in addition to the above activities we emphasize health education and environmental protection. Our foundation is one of the local partners of the Synergy Project in Romania and thanks to this project we now work together with the Romanian coordinator of the Synergy project, ATA. Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project? Because I wanted to gather information for the further development of our organization, to build relations with organizations like ours, and because we wanted wanted to take part in joint projects with other NGOs. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? Yes, it broadened our horizons, we have gained new information, and new activities were created in our workshops through this cooperation. These activities are still carried out, and this is recycling workshops done by international Voluneers in our NGO. These brought a new color in the life of the children who come to us. Since then they learn recycling techniques and do special experiences that the foreigners can teach to them. How about things outside from working life? Did you learn something new from yourself, other people or other cultures? Yes, because my knowledge of the English language managed to be revived thanks to the new relations: recently I had few opportunities to converse in English with English speaking people but the volunteers changed that. There are as many people as there are cultures. Everyone has a skill, a knowledge. By taking part in international meetings you can absorb these things, or at least experience other people. I managed to do this. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention? It was a strange experience for me to visit Portugal within the framework of this project, I could live in a country far away from where I was from and I
Synergy & Grundtvig – Interviews
returned home full of experiences. In the future, we would like to participate in similar projects and more actively than before.
Name: Ingrīda Veipa Represented institution: Jekabpils Agrobizness College (Latvia) Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project? Because I want to improve, my English skills, to get to know other cultures, improve the skills of mobility projects writing. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? Yes. New contacts help me to realize new, different projects. How about things outside from working life? Did you learn something new from yourself, other people or other cultures? Absolutely yes! I met some new people, friends from other sides or world. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention? The hospitality was wonderful, something new, new experience. I really liked getting to know their culture. Name: Anda Lukstiņa Represented institution: Skujenes Primary School (Latvia) Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project? The aim of the project meeting in Romania was the EU grant opportunities. Since I had a small project work experience I desired to continue this work, I was invited to participate in this project activity. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? I had previous experience of the EU Lifelong Learning and Nordplus projects. I was at the meeting in Romania with another EU grant. Held training on the new Erasmus + program options and project proposals writing,
Synergy & Grundtvig – Interviews
knowledge I've already used and has participated in several projects in Erasmus + application development and submission. We met with a number of local education and social work institutions, which gave some experience and new ideas for my work at school. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention? This was my second visit to Romania. Romania is rich with its nature and culture heritage objects. However, unlike the tourist trips, project meetings have the opportunity to get to know the local people. I am glad for the opportunity given to see very different schools, meet with teachers and children to see them at work, get to know them in a conversation.
Name: Miguel Pinto Represented institution: Aventura Marão Clube (Portugal)
Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project? As the responsible of the promoter partner of this project, it was very important as we were able for the first time to agregate most of our local social network in Amarante around this international initiative, promoted by Aventura Marão Clube (AMC). From a strategic point of view this project is crucial to consolidate the work we are willing to reinforce at a local level. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? Yes, I do. First from the human relations perspective (motivation, interest, knowledge), as it involved several staff elements from AMC and also for the conditions created to discuss e produce new local projects and, above all, internacional projects with the involved partners. How about things outside from working life? Did you learn something new from yourself, other people or other cultures? Yes, this project allowed me to get to know a new country: Finland, and understand how we can work together dispite being so different from each other at a cultural level. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention?
Synergy & Grundtvig – Interviews
I was in Romania and Finland and both travels were very interesting. In Romania, we had the opportunity to know in a deeply way the social and educational reality from that area were we met (Transilvania), mainly composed by one of the minority groups living there: hungarian people. It was a great way to compare that to our social network in Amarante and learn good practices on how to involve youth organisations with the social local network. In Finland I can highlight the credibility and opportunities that organisations working in the youth field have to present themselves in midlle of their communities, with clear papers and functions defined by their state and public financial support that can garantee good infrastructures and quality equipment for the local youth service.
Name: Maria Silva Represented institution: Associação ”A Terra dos Homens” (Portugal) Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project? I decided to participate in the Grundvig project to get to know knew peolple, cultures and learn knews skills at a profissional and personal level. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? Yes. As we did several activities in many diferent subjects I fell I took different knowdlege and experiences that can be useful to my professional activity. How about things outside from working life? Did you learn something new from yourself, other people or other cultures? Yes I did. As we were an international group I learn menay things about/with those people coming from different countries and cultures. I also highlight the importance of knowing how to communicate in english as it was the way we could understant each other. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention? I really loved to visit Finland. Their people are very friendly and warm.
Name: Barbro Forsell (Finland) Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project?
Synergy & Grundtvig – Interviews
A place was offered for me and the project is meant for the staff of youth centers, who are not directly working with young people. I'm also interested to know about the youth centers of other countries, their partner organizations, their working habits and where the EVS' sent by us work. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? I'm naturally analyzing situations and environments through the eyes of a service person and it's useful to know how things are done somewhere else. I've tied friendship which possibly will gain results for Villa Elba also on other fields than just youth work. How about things outside from working life? Did you learn something new from yourself, other people or other cultures? Travelling broadens the mind and I'm always open for new things, so I really can't give a deeper answer. I noticed, that you can cope with bad English if you have the right attitude. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention? I visited in a historical city of Amarante, Portugal. The topmost things were high unemployment rate among young people, insignificant social security and what mostly surprised me was that the youth won't accept the work they're looking for or their parents think are "bad". We had a warm welcome in Amarante and the people participating in the project were nice. I'm looking forward for their visit here in Villa Elba. Name: Päivi Myllykangas-Rasimus (Finland) Why did you decide to participate in Grundtvig project? I was there as a group leader and I wanted to refresh my language skills. I was asked to join the project and usually I'm interested to get to know new countries. Do you feel that the project was useful in things related to your own work? Yes, during the week I got hints and practical tools I can use in my own work. My language skills improved because I got to speak English. How about things outside from working life? Did you learn something new from yourself, other people or other cultures? I learned new things about other cultures and people. I got new friends and I'm still in contact with them to some extent. We had fun together and we had
Synergy & Grundtvig – Interviews
a good team spirit. I also noticed that Finnish people are somewhat different compared to other cultures when surrounded by foreign people. How did you like the country you visited during the project? Anything special to mention? I liked it a lot. Good food, friendly people and the city was neat and beautiful.