Questo post è disponibile anche in: Italian
All it needed was a week to test the excellent level of preparation of the first training course supervised by the educational team of Youmore Morcelli Giovani – Local Eurodesk Agency – on “Newcomers in Erasmus Plus – Preparing for Quality Mobility Projects”, a project which was held at the CG2000, 2nd Via Tagliata, Chiari during April 19th to 26th, with 100% reimbursement of travel expenses for its participants. The eighteen international participants – two from Romania, five from Macedonia, including the two trainers, two from Croatia, one from Belgium, one from Poland and two from Bulgaria teamed up with the Italian representatives, Lucia Bulgarelli of Rovigo and Davide Bianchini of Pesaro, and were coordinated by Youmore Morcelli Giovani’s Project Managers, Sona Arevshatyan, JustinaKrauledaitė and Uliana Bychkova. Thanks to the EU’s Youth Pass released as a certificate of attendance, this training course has allowed the eighteen young participants to qualify as Youth Workers within the Erasmus Plus framework in order to promote new European transnational mobility projects. We have recorded the impressions of the two young Italian participants at this learning experience taking place at Chiari through Youmore Morcelli Giovani.
Davide Bianchini of Pesaro is 28 years old, has a degree in Biomedical Engineering and is a representative of the social promotion association “Sentinelle dell’energia” of Pesaro. “I have already taken part in other Erasmus Plus European projects – said Davide – and I have recently joined a seminar on social entrepreneurship in Armenia. I asked to join the “Newcomers in Erasmus Plus” training course in Chiari because I was mainly interested in the quality of program’s topics, useful in the specific training as a Youth Worker in a way that would allow me to implement my knowledge regarding the transnational mobility projects for youth in Europe. I was struck by the extraordinary level of organization and the quality of the training course at Chiari. In 2013 our association in Pesaro “Sentinelle dell’energia” carried out, within the framework of the European programs “Youth in Action”, the “A+++” project, which stands for “Apprehension, Analysis and Action for efficiency and energy saving in the residential sector”. Thanks to the new skills developed during this training course at Chiari and also to the networking opportunities with the other European participants, we can now develop other projects particularly on raising awareness in the field of sustainable energy from renewable sources. In fact, it is now possible not just introducing young people with these issues, but also, through Youmore Morcelli Giovani, networking between local organizations and coordinate initiatives on a European level. To all the young people who show concern or fear to deal with these European exchange experiences, I can only say that their doubt is unfounded! Networking with people coming from different backgrounds means overcoming all barriers. Moreover, the differences in traditions and culture among the European nations represent a real enrichment for the youth! The intercultural evening of Sunday, April 20th, was the perfect example of how each participant has presented their own culture: for instance, our friends from Romania have introduced themselves by wearing the traditional clothes of their home area, whilst we Italians, rather gave space to the spontaneity and improvisation. But everything was done in harmony and without dishonesty and pretense. I can truly say that, among young people, there are no barriers!”
Lucia Bulgarelli of Rovigo is 20 years old and studies Psychology at the University of Padua. “When I was in my fourth year of high school – said Lucia – I took part in my first European cultural exchange in Bologna on issues regarding pollution and waste recycling. This experience has opened thedoor to a whole new world: the international youth exchange projects in Europe. All these years I have stayed in touch with the National Youth Agency and I have recently participated in a youth exchange project in Poland. Unfortunately, these experiences are still little or not at all known, especially in my region, but they provide the young people with new opportunities to connect, to increase their level of international cultural awareness and to improve their English skills. Through the National Youth Agency we can keep hooks for updates and have insights on new ongoing projects, and, among these, I chose to join the training course at Chiari. Where I come from, also after talking to my peers, I still find there is too little information on these international youth exchanges and I intend to promote these European programs also in my hometown. In Chiari, thanks to the “Newcomers in Erasmus Plus” training course, I found bread for my teeth, since this was a program led by young people for the young people! For me it was an absolute novelty, but I’m already laying the foundation to develop, in partnership with the Eurodesk Agency , new initiatives involving the young people of Rovigo, who are still poorly responsive to these experiences. Above all, I have learned a well-organized operating method in both times and methods. The theoretical part of the course was completed by a very useful practical part which helped us to reprocess the new gained knowledge: this method, alongside with the need to follow the received instructions, has allowed each participant to develop and enrich their personal skills. Among the participants of this training in Chiari there has never been about competing against each other, on the contrary, a strong spirit of cooperation was developed. Thursday, April 23rd, we were on a trip to Brescia and, after the guided tour of the city, each had some free time: at first, each participant arrange part of this individual time to his/ her own liking, but, then we all got together for a drink. This positive atmosphere predicts new summer projects with Youmore Morcelli Giovani!”
