Raising our voice through debate
Przyjezierze, Poland 9-15 October 2016
YOUTH EXCHANGE 9-15 OCTOBER 2016 PRZYJEZIERZE POLAND
The project "Raising your voice through debate" was an youth exchange initiated by members of European Club in Strzelno and the Youth Council of Dąbrowa Commune. Polish participants invited to project their peers (aged 13-17 years) from Romanian debate club Nameless Club and Spanish organization Asociación Polaco-Española Piast. All participants are linked by their active attitude and desire for personal development and a wish to have an impact on what is happening in their towns. The reason why the young people from Strzelno and neighboring Dąbrowa have started this project was the desire to acquire new skills in an international group of peers. Young people from villages and from small towns equipped with these competencies more likely will engage in social activities not only at the level of their town, but also on the regional and international level. All partners were involved in preparation of the project. The variety of project activities is the result of all partners’ ideas. The project included several elements characteristic of training, seminar and, above all, youth exchange.
The coordinator of the project was Gmina Dąbrowa (www.ug-dabrowa.pl)
The first day in Przyjezierze was the day of ice-breaking and entering the group. Participants quickly learnt and remembered their names, broke the ice. Then they presented their organizations, and discussed the detailed schedule. They got to know which skills and knowledge they can gain within the week of exchange. The day ended with a karaoke party.
Young people spent second day of the exchange in Dąbrowa. There were some team-building activities and integration through sport. After coffee break they played ActionBound “European Village”– they could visit the village and check their knowledge about European countries.
After lunch in village house participants continued team-building games – they had to build the highest tower made of straws.
After return we organized evening of many cultures with traditional clothes, dances and food.
Third day started with watching funny videos taken during yesterday ActionBound. After that workshops of time management started. Participants got to know about “smart” goals, about different sense of time, and imagined their achievements in 10 years.
Second workshops concerned efficient Communications. We talked about communication noise, misunderstandings, active listening, “I - statement”, non-verbal communication and intercultural aspects in communication process.
Thanks to the afternoon workshops of intercultural education participants realized, that folklore, dances, costumes and food from yesterday was only the top of intercultural iceberg. The deep culture is also hidden under the water and we should learn those aspects of culture to avoid conflicts and stereotypes.
Simulation game „Albatros Family”
Presentation of „Cultural Iceberg”
‌and drawing cultural icebergs of our countries
In the evening everybody had fun at the party
Next Day we started to learn about debates. Young people from Nameless Club talked about Karl Popper’s debate format and showed us the example of debate “Tom and Jerry should be friends”
After debate workshops we had short trip to Toruń, where we eat best dumplings.
Next day young people could make a use of knowledge, gained yesterday, during debate tournaments. They were divided into 3people teams and each team had to participate in 3 different debate sessions – as opposition or proposition. After the results were summed-up, we selected 6 best speakers for public debate (Nicola, Alexandra, Matei, Andrada, Eddy from Romania and Igor from Spain)
After hard Day of debate tournaments everyone wanted to spend great time learning dances from each other and listen to popular music from Poland, Spain and Romania.
Sixth Day of Exchange we spent in Strzelno. Speakers were getting ready for public debate and the rest of participants were preparing stands of their countries, food and decoration.
The event started with a parade in the city. Young people in national costumes with flags and balloons with the logo of the project, brass band and residents who joined the parade together they reached the building of the school.
We had the opportunity to see performance and knight fights…
…and participate to the public debate with authorities, decisionmakers, teachers…
The motion: „Young pe ople should participate in decision-making process in their towns
During the picnic we could taste some food from Poland, Romania and Spain, we could visit stands of schools, Eurodesk DÄ…browa.
At the end there was a party.
Last Day started with evaluation of local event and public debate. Young pe ople in national groups created article about youth exchange…
… and we had a short trip to Inowrocław
After return participants talked about ideas to follow-up this project and made the final evaluation of the project.
Everybody had a chance to write short message to others. Envelops were full of letters ď Š
During farewell evening participants got Youthpass certificates and they were informed about digital badges, which were issued. Everyone got small gift and congratulations for participation in this demanding programme. That was really emotional evening with lots of tears on departure.
Participants:
Alba Ramis Serrano Alexandra Cernica Andrada Urleteanu Andreu Arbona Oliver Antonio Cristian Badea Barbara Sztafel Celine David Dawid Gawroński Denis David Dominik Krygier Eduard Statescu Endika Matue Blanco Filip Kusz Georgiana Necula Hanna Zbieranek Igor Koszal Jakub Koszal Jakub Walczak Julia Walkiewicz Kacper Maschotta
Kamil Zbieranek Karolina Młynarek Marta Witek Martyna Bogacz Matei Popescu Mateo Barbglia Tarrega Miruna Podaru Monica Georgiana Finichiu Natalia Swędrowska Nicola Poteca Patrycja Weihs Radu Costin Enachescu Ruben Barrocal Gomez Stefan Florin Curavale Ting Ting Yang Yuan Vanesa Barrocal Gomez Vladyslav Chenskyy Wojciech Szybczyński Yael Henrich Gutierrez Zuzanna Czaja
Leaders: Violetta Stokfisz, Aldona Matuszak, Susana Bustos Gomez, Piotr Koszal, Iulia Gabriela Badea, Magdalena Monica Badea
Trainers: Beata Perera, Violetta Stokfisz, Iulia Badea, Marcin Barczykowski, Sopo Khimshiashvili, Seher Yumrutepe
Coordinator: Beata Perera Photographer: Mateusz Panert