30/06/2009

Week of Youth in Action sessions in secondary school in Olhão

Week from 1^st till 5^th of June 2009 was very busy for us,  Bart and Marta, EVS volunteers who work in YEU Head Office in Faro. During that week we could make a practical use of everything that we had been preparing since long months. The aim of our sessions was clear: to raise the awareness of the opportunities that Youth in Action programme offer to the youth. We started working on the sessions long time before it started. The only thing that we knew was that we have to made the sessions as attractive and interesting to our teenage audience as possible. Under the eye of more experienced colleagues we’ve chosen right (non-formal education of course) tools, that were most suitable for us, most attractive to the youth and was possible to make with the restriction that we had (limited time, space and the amount of participants).  Finally, the time came up. First day, first group, first impression. We started with introducing ourselves and explaining what was our purpose there. Afterwards we conducted ice-breaking name game and get to the right part of the sessions. We figured out that there are some important facts about European Union that we have to give or remind. Crossword puzzle was a perfect tool to accomplish that task. Next, main part was a game and a discussion about Youth in Action and its main objectives: European citizenship, active participation, volunteering, cultural diversity and inclusion. In the end of each sessions we distributed some materials about Youth in Action, our contacts data and we asked for short feedback that will help us to improve our sessions.

After this busy week, each single day we were going to Olhão and we found out one very important thing. With a group of youngsters it’s not possible to be perfectly prepared. There are always new circumstances, new questions, surprising answers and other views and opinion. It was very fascinating week for us. There were many unexpected situations that forced us to change our plan and sometimes even to improvise. All that made that week pretty challenging and very motivating for both of us.

Totally, after one week, over  170 youngsters have participated our sessions. We got very accurate feedback about our activities and what is most important it was very positive. For many of young people our session was a first direct meeting with representatives of the other culture, which they found very interesting. There was no barrier between us and students. Also the fact that working language was English, didn’t change the fact that the sessions were fun for the participants. What was a positive surprise for us was that they really paid attention to the content of the sessions and understood the importance of most of the values promoted by Youth in Action. However we also reveal the areas where lot of work can and should be done.

                As for now we’re having a session free time working on YEU activities, but only till September. With the end of the summer holidays we’ll enter secondary schools in Faro to spread the ideas of Youth in Action and the programme itself.