Youth Exchange 19.10.2021-28.10.2021
Sărata-Monteoru, Buzău, România
Contents Objectives First steps Ice breaking and socializing games Hopes, Fears and... Rules Our first workshop Land Art Egg...sercise! World caffe method Business plans Key competences Self awareness and knowledge (test) The human statues Our own island Silent dialog Intercultural night Romanian night Intercultural presentations Birthdays! Impressions at the end of the project Facilitators Videos
EMPOWERING THE POVERTY - Erasmus+ project, Sărata-Monteoru 19-28 October 2021 Participants: 36 youths (16-24 years old) from 5 countries Greece, Italy, Spain, Latvia and Romania
Objectives of the project Strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit
for 36 young people and 5 group leaders from 5 countries. They learned how to raise awareness and make use of the business opportunities in the disadvantaged areas in their countries of origin
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Acquiring of new entrepreneurial skills
for 36 young people and 5 group leaders from 5 countries in order to develop new business and entrepreneurial skills by creating business ideas specific to disadvantaged areas
Increasing the attractiveness
of young people in poverty and unemployment in 7 partner communities by developing, promoting and applying in 2021 some "start up" businesses based on 7 models of business plans created by 42 participants in the 8 days mobility
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Through this project and the methodology based on non-formal education we want to offer solutions for the development of entrepreneurial competences, exchanges of good practices in entrepreneurship in disadvantaged areas and to strengthen the self-confidence and the competences of the young people so that they can create and apply a business plan.
How it all started First of all... safety!
Everyone had to take a COVID-19 test on arrival in order to safely participate in the project. Measures connected to COVID-19 restrictions were respected by all participants during the project.
Ice breaking and socializing games Our first energizer In the first morning of the project, everybody was excited for the amazing days that are yet to come. To ensure that everybody has enough energy for the first day of activities, we started the day with the "Hey, Joe" energizer!
Ice breaking and socializing games Getting to know eachother To break the ice and to get to know each other's names, hobbies, interests and dreams, we played a little drawing game. In this way, we started to talk to each other and to know more about everyone of us.
Empowering the rules...
Everybody got to know the House Rules, to understand them and their purpose and to sign the paper as an agreement to promise to respect them.
Hopes and fears
We also had a moment of thinking in perspective about our hopes and fears. Everybody's thought was heard and our bond became stronger.
First workshop
In international groups, we discussed about: unemployment in each country, how entrepreneurship can address this issue, who are responsible for easing the entrepreneurial initiatives and so on. The final products were some very nice posters, and we organized a "Tour of the Gallery".
Our work
Land art in the forest
"The pyramid of life" shows the three stages that most of the people get through for achieving success (the top of the pyramid). The twist comes in the brown area where there is a green plant with a green leaf, which symbolizes the courage of people to get out of their stage and achieve immediatly success through entrepreneurship, with the help of an open mind and pure intentions.
We buried a bare tree, already dead, as a symbol of poverty, a funeral. From that moment, that tomb is the symbol of a new beginning. The dead branches will bloom again, because by now we had buried the poison of poverty.
Some days ago Joe lost his job, so now he is homeless, he plays guitar and drums on the street. He is in a dark place right now and because of that he started to smoke and eat “mushrooms”. Although Joe is a bit of the track now, we know that he just needs to get more time to recover. We believe that Joe is emotionally strong, he has the mindset that giving up isn't the solution to the problems.
Sometimes I wish I could collect the burden of poverty and unhappiness from everyone in the world and just put it on my shoulders to carry the weight and make people happier.
Our team connected with nature and we created our little art. Garbage and stones represent poverty and the hardships of life. The light bulb that is above "poverty" is the hope to start a new life, with new ideas.
"Stairway to Heaven" "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold And she's buying a stairway to heaven When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed With a word she can get what she came for Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven"
Egg...sercise!
Our 6 teams had to face another challenge! Each team had to protect the egg from breaking down after throwing it from the balcony using only some given materials, creativity ahead!
World caffe method causes and effects; solutions and responsibilities of unemployment
Causes
Effects
-> Covid-19 Covid-19, the global virus that affects the working class culture, National lockdown comes with restrictions, No income from tourism, Vaccinated and unvaccinated culture differs with rights and possibilities
INDIVIDUAL -> Psychological Depression and/or lack of motivation (Feeling of failure, culpability, and/or shame, Low self-esteem, Addiction / Gambling)
-> Lack of experience in specific field Lack of skills, Lack of creativity, Big competitions, More and more papers needed for the same jobs, More years in schools/universities
-> Physical No proper nutrition, Stress-induced illnesses
-> Procrastinating Bad conditions in work place affects the will to work, "The lost generations" is downgraded because of their vision of life
-> Others Homelessness, Emigration FAMILIAR -> Loss of stability -> Financial stress
-> Low salary Short term jobs make people workless when the season is over, Big competition, Minimum wage that is not enough to survive -> Bureaucracy Low support from the state, Lack of networking, Lack of investments, A lot of paperwork -> Geographical disadvantage Distance, Dissertation, Gap between studies & working environment -> Globalization & capitalism Big factory companies moving to third world countries, Job conditions are getting worse, Financial system -> Process automation Robots doing human jobs, Low classification jobs disappear -> Lack of information "The sheep effect" - If others are unemployed, the person feels like there's no need to get a job -> Mental condition Different type of people, Different understanding and needs, Neurotypical and other mental disadvantages -> Crime Unemployment rises bad addictions and depressive thoughts that leads to stealing and destroying other businesses, No backup from the state -> Prejudice Pressure and disadvantage to smaller social
-> Resentment and guilt -> Unable to maintain their kids Social services need to intervene / families just can’t have kids Depending on the level of education and cultural beliefs, sometimes unemployment and poverty might derive in a larger offspring -> Dependency from family members + late financial independence COMMUNITY -> Demographic effects Loss of population (educated and uneducated), Smaller offspring = restrain on social security programs such as pensions -> Budgetary effects Less tax income = less public income, Higher expenses on unemployment relief measures (public deficit and debt, can’t afford social programs) -> Social effects: Social unrest and protest, Demonstrations and/or violence, Increase in criminality, Lower life quality, Lack of social mobility, Uninspiring environment, especially for the youth (Normalization of unemployment, financial stress, and precariousness, Discouragement to grow)
Solutions
Responsibilities
-> Investment We were thinking about investment in local companies or in little cities or villages, so people do not need to leave their house to work in another city. For example, we will invest in a little company which is a a little city, so the company can have success and have a lot of places of work for all the people.
-> Technology Robots doing human works
-> Connections Also, the connections idea was a good one, because we came with the idea of making a lot of buses or trains that go in another cities, so it could be easily for the people who have to work in another one to arrive at the job, or also making some buildings for the people who can not afford to pay everyday for the bus or train to live for free. -> Education Education was also one of the most discussed topics, because we were thinking about free education or free classes for different languages, because the companies also need people who know a lot of languages. And the final topic, equality.
-> Educational System School doesn't prepare you for real life -> Covid-19 Restrictions to people's lives, especially to unvaccinated ones. No tourism for countries that their economy is based on that -> Overpopulation More people less jobs -> Discrimination It's harder for women to find a job and most of the times they're payed less than men -> Self-Employment Nowadays many people tend to start their own business -> Global Warning -> Low participation in Democracy -> Geographical disadvantage
-> Equality Equality in all the cities, even the littlest ones, so the people would not get forced to go in another city because there are the highest paid jobs.
-> No help / Support from the government -> Immigration to big cities -> Centralism -> Mental condition / Mindset -> Procrastination -> Unfair competition
Our business plans
CountrySite Once upon a time, there were five friends Annija, Sofia, Christian, Samuel and Vasilis. They decided to have a trip and they ended up in an isolated village in the Carpathians mountains of Rumania. They were looking for a cow to get milk but they couldn’t find it. They were looking for (chicks) eggs but they couldn’t find them. They needed some potatoes but again they didn’t know where to find them. At the same time, there was a farmer called Tolea who ran out of eggs but had an overproduction of milk. So he needed customers and people who could give him eggs for apple pie and someone who want some milk. In the same village, there were empty fields with no equipment at all. So one day they made up with an idea. COUNTRYSITE!!!. A website (application in smartphones) that connects the village with an outside world to buy, sell and exchange products and equipment. They hope to make it and they hope to save the village and the whole community and they all lived together even after.
Network, village, locals, tourism, handcraft, natural product, traditions, isolation, connection, trades, discover, adventure
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Easy to use, easy to implement, fulfill a need, has no borders
The internet connection in the isolated areas. The need for a digital device.
Ideas on how to overcome weaknesses and build on strengths. International approach The elements that constrain or threaten the range of opportunities for change. The customers may don’t have digital skills or how to promote
STORY Once upon a time, there were five friends Annija, Sofia, Christian, Samuel, and Vasilis. They decided to have a trip and they ended up in an isolated village in the Carpatians mountains of Rumania. They were looking for a cow to get milk but they couldn’t find it. They were looking for (chicks) eggs but they couldn’t find them. They needed some potatoes but again they didn’t know where to find them. At the same time, there was a farmer called Tolea who ran out of eggs but had an overproduction of milk. So he needed customers and people who could give him eggs for apple pie and someone who want some milk. In the same village, there were empty fields with no equipment at all. So one day they made up with an idea. COUNTRYSITE!!!. A website (application in smartphones) that connects the village with an outside world to buy, sell and exchange products and equipment. They hope to make it and they hope to save the village and the whole community and they all lived together even after.
MAIN IDEA
The five friends realized that it was too difficult to live like this. So the main idea is to produce something that helps the village and local economy to improve, to export products and to advertise all the available resources. There would be a map that everyone will be able to find what is suitable for them. With one click you will be able to access fast, easy and safe to every corner of every village. TARGET GROUP
The target group would be both foreigners and locals of all ages (16120), that want to explore the countryside of every country and to feel free to experience the local environment. RESOURCES
We will need human resources to create a website and application for phones, and web designer. As well, will need a person to maintain and update the website. Material resources. SLOGAN CONNECING VILLAGES!!!!!!!!!
OUR VALUES
Quality - we care about the well-being of our guests and that they receive the highest class of services during their stay at the hotel Local services - we respect the local lifestyle of and the handcrafted materials in order to develop new improvements. Funny - we are innovative and utilize best practices to continually improve our management techniques, and the quality of our products and services. New times - we are a company of the new World, and the communities in which we operate.
F4AC Everyone knows about Sicilian mafia, but no one knows about its history and landscapes. During the roman´s period, the island was a very important place from a geographical point of view, fact that made Sicily be considered the center of the world. Lots of cultures have enjoyed for many years this wonderful place, but it is still a very unknown destination, especially the north. This is why we think it has a lot of potential in the tourism area. We are a group of young people that we meet each other in an Erasmus project, and we came up with the idea of building a hotel in the city of Patti, Province of Messina in the north of Sicily. Our field would be tourism and we will provide accommodation and catering service, guided tours, local experiences (traditional food, wine…), trips to close places (like Tindari and Laghetti di marinello, Montalbano Elicona and the natural site of Argimusco and the Eolian Island which are right in front of Patti) and renting services (bikes, motorbikes…).
Slogan Breath Sicily
EXPLANATION OF OUR IDEA Why we decided to choose this place? It is a natural area with interesting tourism attractions like beach, mountains etc. It has a wonderful weather It is not a very famous place for foreigners, so it has a big amount of development opportunities One of the components of the group is a recognized influencer who shares information and photographs about the province of Messina, so we can take advantage of this situation Patti is a strategic place from a geographical point of view.
Our services
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Geography Weather Not a famous place for foreign people Wonderful nature Lots of historical places (e.g. Greek theater, Roman ruins, ancient Greek and Roman museums, etc.) Unique landscapes (e.g, active vulcanos) Traditional food and drinks
Weaknesses Lack of experiences Most of us are not from Italy Not a very popular place Lack of transport infrastructures It would be less tourism in cold seasons
Opportunities Tourism is not a very developed sector, there is a lack of hotels and services. We are a multicultural group, so we have a transversal perspective. European Union is currently investing money in this region. A direct road between the Catania airport and Patti is being constructed, so it is the perfect opportunity to invest in this region. Better connection between cities will increase tourism
Threats There already are more developed places in tourism sector, even in Sicily. There are more places in Mediterranean Sea with similar characteristics that are cheaper than Italy
Why is this project good for the local community? Our team worries about the Sicily citizens, and we consider that this plan can help them in some different ways: Direct effects. Employees will be locals, so we are creating new jobs. Indirect effects. Tourists will spend more money in the area, and that´s good for the economy. Also, promoting tourism will make government invest more in infrastructures, and this will have positive effects for the locals.
RESOURCES
Fincancial
Materials
Human
Time
Stakeholders
We participated in an Entrepreneurship project of the European Union and we won. They would help us with the half of the money that we need. The other half would be provided by the local government, our savings, crowdfunding by the local community and loans.
We need materials to build the new house. We will corporate with building construction company. After that we will equip the whole hotel, so we need a lot of things, for example, all furniture including a bed, a chair, a bedside lamp, a wardrobe with 3 hangers and so on. In accordance with applicable regulations, in order for a hotel to be rated with the appropriate number of stars the rooms must meet strict standards, For Hotel with 4 stars should include armchair or a sofa, a table, a fridge and a minibar. An additional amenity is also a hair dryer. We also will need all furniture for the kitchen and the restaurant. Materials to build a swimming pool and all furniture for the beach. Vehicles for renting by the customers (cars, motorbikes, bikes)
We need to hire a trained well skilled staff. Kitchen and restaurant Staff (50 people) Lifeguards Guides for hikes. Resources for economic and financial side of the business
One year and a half
One year and a Local community and European Union
BUSINESS PLAN STRATEGY We will create a webpage for our hotel business. Then we will promote it on Instagram and Facebook. We will do collaborations with local farmers, businesses. BUSINESS RISKS Other hotel business in Sicily Lack of experience in tourism field Invest in disadvantage and unknown place (customers maybe will choose better to go to the popular tourist places) The Sharing Economy- companies like Airbnb have spawned a new wave of travelers and reinvigorated peoples’ wanderlust. While this is great news in one way, it can be detrimental to hotels in other ways. Our idea will help to develop Sicily’s popularity. We think that our added values are our strategical position and ecology. Our business will give changes in poor area as it is Patti in Sicily. We will give the workplaces to local people and also it will be possibility to other business to get new customers and selling their products and services.
VALUES Quality and customer orientated services We care about the well-being of our guests and that they receive the highest class of services during their stay at the hotel Respect We respect the objectives of our stakeholders, the values of our guests, and the cultural difference in the locations that we operate in Sicily. Continuous Improvement We are innovative and utilize best practices to continually improve our management techniques, and the quality of our products and services. Integrity We are honest and straightforward in our interactions with our owners, guests, colleagues, and the communities in which we operate. Teamwork Only with the help of each one of us can our vision of becoming a dynamic hotel company in Sicily in Patti come true.
Garthia - Neofarming
After their studies, 6 very good friends return back to their village called Patti, in Southern Italy. Patti is a small rural area in front of the sea, with natural beauty, mountains and plains. They have to find a job but the opportunities are scant. No one wants to leave their friends and family but that seems as the only option. One of them was talking about his experience after an Erasmus exchange project. It was in a village where they were doing farmer duties and other related activities. Right away the idea came up.
BUSINESS RISKS Other hotel business in Sicily Lack of experience in tourism field Invest in disadvantage and unknown place (customers maybe will choose better to go to the popular tourist places) The Sharing Economy- companies like Airbnb have spawned a new wave of travelers and reinvigorated peoples’ wanderlust. While this is great news in one way, it can be detrimental to hotels in other ways. Our idea will help to develop Sicily’s popularity. We think that our added values are our strategical position and ecology. Our business will give changes in poor area as it is Patti in Sicily. We will give the workplaces to local people and also it will be possibility to other business to get new customers and selling their products and services.
VALUES Quality and customer orientated services We care about the well-being of our guests and that they receive the highest class of services during their stay at the hotel Respect We respect the objectives of our stakeholders, the values of our guests, and the cultural difference in the locations that we operate in Sicily. Continuous Improvement We are innovative and utilize best practices to continually improve our management techniques, and the quality of our products and services.
Integrity We are honest and straightforward in our interactions with our owners, guests, colleagues, and the communities in which we operate. Teamwork Only with the help of each one of us can our vision of becoming a dynamic hotel company in Sicily in Patti come true.
POVRESY Recycling is a great way to protect the environment and stimulate the economy. Recycling saves resources, prevents pollution, supports public health and creates jobs. It saves money and avoids landfills. We want to create a business plan for a recycling facility. It should be built in a very populated area, just outside of a disadvantaged city (approximately 50 kilometres away). We would need a big space, well communicated with the place where trash is already gathered in order to sort it and use it afterwards in the way we would like. Recyclables are actually considered a commodity. After the recyclables are sorted, manufacturers will come to our recycling center to buy the sorted recycled goods. They then take them to be processed, break them down into raw materials and make them into new products which can afterwards be sold once again. This is actually going to be the way for our company to make profit from recycling collection fees and the resale profits of processed recyclates. In order for this business to work we are going to need to cooperate with local authorities and activist groups. By making the city cleaner and greener we are going to make the city more attractive to tourists. This business is not only profitable but also very good for the local community. This is going to make our society more sustainable and self-sufficient without hurting the environment as well as promoting the idea of having a more circular economy. It will change the way rubbish is being collected, sorted and handled locally, making recycling easier and enriching the recycling options.
Lastly, we should mention a few things about the sorting process which begins with the removal of incorrect items such as crisp packets and plastics bags. Vibrating machines separate the cardboard and paper - different types of paper are sorted by hand and then baled. The remaining recyclables continue on another conveyor where steel cans are removed using magnets. Once collected and sorted, recycled materials become valuable commodities in the worldwide market.
Idea: Create a recycling facility in disadvantaged area. Repurposing industry. Services: recycling, collecting rubbish Products: recycled materials Slogan: Throw it our way! Our customers: local government for collecting trash. beverage companies, companies that produce plastic goods, paper mills, toy production companies and other companies that produce items from such as plastics, textiles, glass, metal, and other materials can buy these materials and use them to make new items. Resources People: Around 130 -> Drivers, Sorters, Managers, Workers who take trash from cars to sorting. Recycling part: 70 Sorting part: 30 Transportation: 30
Human Resources - TRASH COLLECTION: Drivers, Storage workers - SORTING FACILITY: Sorters, plant managers - RECYCLING FACILITY: Manual workers + Process directors (one for each material) - COMMON UNITS: Accounting and financial managers, sales managers, CEO, marketing etc.
Capital Resources - TRASH COLLECTION: Trucks (15), Storage hub (1) - SORTING FACILITY: Infrastructure (1), Machines for sorting, - RECYCLING FACILITY: Infrastructure, Machines for recycling, storage - COMMON UNITS: Water Financial Resources (~ 20M EUR) - TRASH COLLECTION: Money - SORTING FACILITY: Money - RECYCLING FACILITY: Money - COMMON UNITS: Money
Management plan We are going to have: 1 CEO Plant manager Process Managers 1 per each sorting facility (glass, plastic …) Financial manager Sales managers Marketing manager Human resource manager
Marketing plan We are going to work closely with local authorities and make an agreement on recycling and collecting rubbish in local areas as well as transporting them to our recycling facilities. We are going to sell recycled materials to companies that can reuse them in production of new products. One of the main things we are going to need to do in order for our business to work - change how rubbish is handled in local community. That also means to provide recycling bins and promoting recycling to people who live in local areas. Our STRENGTHS -> support from local authorities, we are going to make a good impact on local areas and people (new workplaces) as well as on environment. Our impact on environment will be great for marketing. Our WEAKNESSES -> is than we are going to need a lot of funding to start this business. Our OPPORTUNIES -> depending on area we choose to built recycling facilities, there can be little to non competition. There is always going to be rubbish to collect, which makes some resources for our business unlimited. Our TREATS -> to our company is that it may be hard to change the recycling habits in local community.
Script for the interview with local authorities - Reporter: How did this project come out? - US: This project was born because we wanted the city to be cleaner, to reuse the materials, to create new jobs, to have the green choice. - Reporter: How it will be implemented? - US: We will collaborate with local and private administrations. - Reporter: Which are going to be your main stream of revenue? - US: Our revenue will be from sales and from collection investment. - Reporter: Which will be your strategy marketing? - US: Promote the recycling and out business trough sensitization public. - Reporter: What the risks that you are facing? - US: People’s habits and mindset are usually hard to change. We need to find the way to convince them and start recycling. It’s good for them, for us and for the environment. - Reporter: How much time will it take for you to inaugurate this project? - US: In the coming months we will promote our project to the general public, raise awareness of this issue and prepare the ground for the launch of the project. In a year we will be ready to start collecting. - Reporter: What is the deepest reason that made you choose this business? - US: Give the people the opportunity to change.
OUR added value to tomorrow’s life and society Recycling is a great way to protect the environment and stimulate the economy. Recycling saves resources, prevents pollution, supports public health and creates jobs. It saves money and avoids landfills. By making the city cleaner and greener we are going to make the city more attractive to tourists. This business is not only profitable but also very good for the local community. This is going to make our society more sustainable and self-sufficient without hurting the environment as well as promoting the idea of having a more circular economy. It will change the way rubbish is being collected, sorted and handled locally, making recycling easier and enriching the recycling options.
Our website
Sober Power Sober Power is a drink for the hangovers. It is especially useful for days when a hangover causes headaches and body aches. Its effectiveness is fully proven to be able to work after taking it or study after a holiday. It has no side effects and is intended for anyone who has previously ingested alcohol.
Slogan: The Best Cure of Hangovers What are we going to need? - Place: A factory for producing it. - Human: We need to hire a trained well skilled staff. - Materials: cans, merchandising, transportation for distribution and a corporate entity - Financial: We participated in an Entrepreneurship project of the European Union and we won. They would help us with the half of the money that we need. The other half would be provided by the local government, our savings, crowdfunding by the local community and loans.
Values 1. Commitment to health 2. Commitment to the environment 3. Commitment to curbing addictions 4. Commitment to Quality and customer orientated services
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) In order to predict our future prospects, we decided to do a SWOT analysis
Strengths Geography Weather Not a famous invent Need of it Unique Product Traditional food and drinks
Weaknesses Lack of experiences Most of us are not business people Not a very popular invent Lack of transport infrastructures No everyone is going to buy it
Opportunities Sober power isnot a verydeveloped sector, there is a lack of it. We are amulticulturalgroup, so wehave a transversal perspective.European Union is currently investing money in this kind of business
Threats There already are more developed factories sector. There are more similar products in Europe with similar characteristics that are cheaper than Italy.
Why is this project good for the local community? Our team worries about the European citizens and we consider that this plan can help them in some different ways: Direct effects: Employees will be locals, so we are creating new jobs. Indirect effects: Tourists will spend more money in the area, and that´s good for the economy. Also, promoting this kind of product in other sectors is going to improve.
SYMPHONY OF THE WIND Once upon a time there were two brothers named Bogdan and Tolea. One day they decided to organize a barbeque to practice for the Romanian Olympics. But they did not know (or did not care) that count Dracula was sleeping right next to them in his castle for thousands of years. They made a barbeque next to Dracula’s castle with only vegetables and with Reggaeton music, so the music and the terrible smell woke him up. “What the hell is this noise?!?” Dracula said. Dracula smelled the barbeque and he got really mad because how can you dare to make a barbeque without BLOOD and also no Romanian music . Dracula's favorite music is the sound of a traditional instrument called TULNIC, an instrument that reminds him of his childhood. Dracula got really mad and decided to punish them so he created a storm. Bogdan and Tolea survived, but the storm took off more than half of the trees from the whole village. Fabi saw what happened and knew that she had to do something to save the village. Now, her entrepreneurial spirit comes to save the day! She had an amazing idea. She wanted to please Dracula by preserving tradition and she resurrected the romanian spirit by bringing back to life Dracula's favorite instrument: TULNIC She collected all the fallen trees in the area with the help of the villagers and also with the help of Bogdan and Tolea, because they felt guilty. Her idea was to create a manufacturing company to make from the fallen wood the traditional instrument named Tulnic. Tulnic is a very old instrument directly related to Romanian tradition. Fabi loved the idea of keeping alive Romanian heritage and also making Dracula happy again. She employed Bogdan and Tolea and also some villagers to make the instrument as original as possible. And that is how everything started and Transylvania was brought back to life! After a while the famous CEO of “Symphony of the wind” Company organized a concert with Tulnics to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of the business. Dracula heard the beautiful sound and came to the concert. Tears of blood filled his eyes and he started “Ofofofof ” and then Bogdan and Tolea said “Come on Vlad” and all ended with a big hug.
MOTTO: Breathe in the breeze! LOGO Our logo tells the story of how it all started, using a colorful palette to express the positivity we want to spread all around the world through our business idea. Each element symbolize an important aspect of our story and our mission, directly expressing the idea of keeping alive the romanian heritage.
POSTER We used the poster to illustrate the main idea of our brand. First of all, our target group is composed of all types of people that are interested in preserving the national traditions of Romania. Secondly, our resources are the fallen trees that make our brand sustainable. We employ people from villages so they can learn how to sing and play the Tulnic, thus helping them develop new skills. And finally, when to comes to our identity, we are six ambitious young people that understood the importance of keeping the country’s cultural heritage alive and we made it possible with a lot of hard work and dedication to our cause.
WEB PAGE For a better experience use this link to access our web page: https://www.figma.com/proto/S79PnjLbPs ZXBftfaCP8qP/Simphony-of-the-Wind? node-id=5%3A8&scaling=min-zoom&pageid=0%3A1&starting-point-node-id=5%3A8
INTERVIEW BETWEEN MR. DRACULA AND A REPORTER BEFORE THE CONCERT R: We are here with the most known person from Romania. Mister Dracula, tell us more about how you felt on the night of the storm and what made you cause it? D: Well, I am sure that you already know what the press mentioned about it, but the thing is simple: when it is sunny, I am sleeping, but when two random Romanian guys decide to disturb my peace, somebody will suffer! R: But do you think it was a bad idea after all, because now “Symphony of the wind” is one of the most successful instrumental companies in Europe, it has contributed to the growth of tourism in the entire country, and it is motivating many people to start a career in Tulnic singing. D: It was a brave idea, and I am happy to see that they succeed! R: What do you think is the key to a successful business? D: Besides a good marketing strategy, to be successful you need to understand the needs of your customers and provide to the people something they really want. Also, you do not sell with the product, you use the value created by the brand to make people trust you. The product is not just aimed for making profit, but it also contributes to a socially positive goal such as preserving the country’s cultural heritage. R: Do you think it is a risky business? D: It’s better to risk it than to never try and to feel sorry. AFTER THE CONCERT R: As you may know, the money from this concert will be used to plant trees, what do you think about that? D: More trees, less people and less barbeque! R: Any last words? D: I’m going back to sleep, be careful not to wake me up again! Wake me up when September ends guys.
ABOUT US We are 6 ambitious energetic young people from Romania, Latvia, Spain, Greece and Italy who came together to try to make a difference in this world with our ideas. We analyzed important aspects of disadvantaged areas from Romania, and we observed that many traditions and traditional objects are being forgotten and lost in time. Through our initiative we decided to make a business plan for a manufacturing company called” Symphony of the wind” which will revive the Romanian heritage. We discovered more about Tulnic, a traditional instrument, and we wanted to make it known again. We understood the importance of keeping alive traditions and learning from them, thus this is our idea and our perspective regarding helping the disadvantaged areas.
Key Competences to access business
Another workshop we had was about Key Competences. In order to understand them properly we had multiple activities in which we presented them through different methods (theater play, games Silent dialog, Our Own Island).
Self awareness and knowledge Another type of activity we had was based on finding out more about KOLB Diagram of learning: how everyone is learning in a different way and also about Honey & Mumford Typology
We also took a quiz to see which type we fit in according to Honey & Mumford Typology Test.
The human statues
Based on everyone's results on the test, we grouped into teams and we created a statue representing our type of personality: Pragmatist, Reflector, Theorist or Activist.
Our own island We also had a project in international teams where we had to create our own island based on some requirements. The first step was to draw the outline of the island and then to divide in equal parts thus everyone would get a part to ”live in”. It was a fun and creative way to work together and to use all of our ideas to create our own empire!
Silent dialog The "Silent dialog" was an activity meant to teach us to talk less and to act more. We had to stay in complete silence and to debate on paper our ideas about Vote, Duties, Rights and Community. It was a great opportunity to let everyone speak their minds through paper.
Intercultural Night Countries had to present their traditional food and drinks!
Greece
Italy
Latvia
Spain
Romanian night
Because the project took place in Romania, there was a special night for romanian traditional food and drinks and a little party around the BBQ with romanian music and stories.
Intercultural presentation Promotion of each country made by other national team
Romania had to promote Greece
Greece had to promote Latvia
Latvia had to promote Italy
Italy had to promote Spain
Spain had to promote Romania
Birthdays! Vittoria
Paula
Impressions at the end of the project
Giulia Erasmus+ is not just a mobility programme. It has become a cultural identity, a movement which has shaped an internationallyminded generation and created lasting friendships across borders. The project “Empowering the poverty” has influenced the lives of 35 young participants from Greece, Italy, Latvia, Romania and Spain, allowing us to develop our personality and competences.
For 10 days, we had the chance to explore Sărata Monteoru dressed with beautiful autumn colours and discover the regional capital of Buzău, visit volcanoes and monasteries, taste traditional Ciorba soup and Timişoreana beer, learn about the legend of Dracula and practice traditional dances. Throughout the project, 7 start-up business plans were developed with the aim of offering solutions to increasing unemployment in disadvantaged areas. The combination of debates, discussions, negotiations, workshops, role-plays, presentations, teambuilding and outdoor activities has boosted our skills and social awareness. Overall, it has been an exhausting but enriching experience which we will never forget. It is now our responsibility to find the way of building more inclusive, peaceful, equitable, sustainable and feminist businesses in our local communities. But we are ready to face the challenge.
Ana Through this experience I've connected with many incredible people from all over Europe. I've learned from and about them, and I'm now more sure than ever that an open-minded, socially active and compromised youth can change the world towards a better and more sustainable future!
Giuseppe It's hard to write about something that made you feel so many emotions. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in this experience, I am happy to have met so many people, so similar and so different. I will carry with me every memory of this project that made me more aware and gave me moments of pure joy. Thank you all!
Vaso Best experience, best group. Everything was great and I already miss it. It made me think a lot during and after the project.
Vittoria It was a kind of magic!
Marta I know I'll never forget the people I met, the experiences I gained and the stories we shared. Thank you all for your laughs, tears, smiles and hugs. These few days spent with you was exactly what I needed to feel alive again.🖤
Nikolaos It's been an amazing week full of productive activities, discussions and exchange of ideas with people from different countries and backgrounds. In the end this is what European Union is all about: friendship, common goals and development, respect to the diversity and values. I'm more than glad to have been part of this project and feel grateful for the friendships I've made, the things I've learned and the new opportunities that lie ahead!
Sofia Unforgettable experience. Thanks guys for always letting me participate and for helping me. I didn’t think I would find people with such a great desire to live and discover the world. You are special.
Anastasia This experience helped me get to know myself better and improve my communication skills. The activities were interactive, interesting and very well done. I quickly and pleasantly learned how to make a business plan and I will use this in the near future. Thank you Erasmus +!
Ștefi The group was united, very communicative and very involved. I learned a lot of information about how to make a business plan, about the other countries involved in the project. Outdoor activities connected us with nature and inspired us. It was a unique experience that developed me.
Teo This project was my first youth exchange that I ever took part in, but clearly not the last. It was truly a wonderful experience to meet so many beautiful and enthusiastic people and to work together with them to try to make a difference in our community using our creative ideas and skills. This kind of experiences bring people together and remind everyone that even if we are so different, we can use our differences to make our connections and friendships stronger.
Giada I can’t say that this was the best project because it was my first one (and i’m sure it won’t be the last) but I can totally affirm that it has been one of the best experiences in my entire life. I think this project has changed my vision of the world which now looks so big but so small at the same time. It has helped me to understand myself and my desire and first of all I discovered that I have more potential than I thought, that i can put myself out there also in things that seems more difficult or further away from me, to finally achieve what I want. I’m really grateful for the big opportunity I had, for the organization’s work, which turned out to be great, and of course the biggest thanks is for all the guys that were there with me, that now I can call my friends, who made everything amazing.
Daytrip to the Muddy Vulcanos & Ciolanu Monastery (day 8)
Facilitators
Fabi
Bogdan
Tolea
Much appreciation for our facilitators that guided us during the project! Their help, initiative and care made the project an amazing experience for everybody.
Even if the project came to an end, we will always cherish the memories, the knowledge and the friendships created during this experience!
NumericalMinus
https://youtu.be/J0QYl2bKXbs
MultilingualismPlus https://youtu.be/isKuVGgmFSE
MultilingualismMinus https://youtu.be/YS2VsJbVpXc
LiteracyMinus https://youtu.be/aemCHRhAES4
DigitalPlus https://youtu.be/MtHU812UFTw
DigitalMinus https://youtu.be/Hi1PNHo6ZQg
Tulnic https://youtu.be/1PGAeeSfO34
Sober Power https://youtu.be/6L50C8pVffE
Garthia https://youtu.be/JAIQC0QYyog
CountrySite https://youtu.be/6EbBHpdqGW4
Breath Sicily https://youtu.be/_Z7j5ZOk45Q
Povercy https://youtu.be/r4lpNiakdm4
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Magazine made by: Anghel Teodora & Uruc Andreea-Ioana ‘This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.’