"First Steps" brought together 28 people from Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Poland, Austria and Italy in a small place called Hollókő in Hungary (which is also a UNESCO world heritage site) in December 2019. Thanks to our friends from "MOVE to Be You", who were the partner organization from Austria, we were part of it.

The project itself had started even before we all met, starting from the application form followed by preparing the program, designing info-packs, contacting partners. For me personally it began when I read the info-pack and the following quote

"This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose

recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of

nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and

grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself

to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs

to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege

to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I

die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its 

own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid 

torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to 

make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to 

future generation." - George Bernard Shaw

The training course offered different non-formal processes through which each participant had the opportunity to learn about themselves in a group context.
The first part of the training was about understanding the concepts we acquired through our lives and in what way they are supporting or limiting us in reaching our goals and dreams. Having a deeper look into ourselves and how we see the world and people around us created the opportunity to take a first step into consciously deciding what we want to change or keep and cherish.


What became clear in the first days is that we all have our own perceptions and understandings and that it is important to keep that in mind, but at the same time to watch out and not confuse our perception for facts.

In the next days of the training we cooperated with each other with honest intentions and showed ourselves more and more. Working on authenticity and integrity created some more insights and understandings.



Another topic that was worked on was inclusion and how we include or exclude ourselves and others in our daily lives. Through different experiential activities inside and outside we had the opportunity to observe each other and look deeper into our own behavior when working alone, in pairs or groups.

Through non-formal learning and self-reflection we were able to learn to enjoy every process and see what it brings for us. What surprised me once again was that changing or controlling the focus, language and physiology, can influence the state of oneself.

The purpose of "First Steps" was “to create more successes in life while enjoying it”. In the second part of the training it was time to put into practice what was acquired in the first days that we spent all together. We created small groups for the upcoming activity in which all participants got the chance to actively use the learned methods while experiencing Hungarian culture. In this process, we experienced that in life, one can decide to focus on “what are my limits” or “what can I create”!



In the last part of the training course we reflected upon our learning goals and created visions for our own future. Together with that we planned SMART first steps for the time after the training. Together with our buddies we agreed on how we can support each other in the future and with our country groups we planned how we can use our learning and promote Erasmus+ in our local environments.

As it is always nice to read how it was for people to take part, here are some insights from participants:
"Seeing the training from the other side was a unique experience. While it was at least as intense and challenging as I remember the training as a participant, it was definitely worth to see what it gave the people. I also got a new perspective on many parts of the training and got the possibility to refresh my memories."
- Stefan / Austria -

"Before going on the First Steps training I had heard from a few people that I should be prepared for an unforgettable experience, a very deep one, a myriad of learnings, discoveries and revelation moments about myself and the reality I live in, a training that is one of its kind. And my comment after the training is: This was exactly as I had been told. And even more!"
- Ula / Poland -

"This was my first Erasmus+ training I have participated in. I was super curious to join this program as I am also working with non formal education in the workshops I lead. After the first steps training, I notice that I am much more conscious and clear in my communication, and I feel more confident after the outdoor exercise. It has also helped me to set my intention and direction for the upcoming year. What I also enjoyed is the passionate and capable community I got to know at the event. I am still keeping in contact and planning projects together with multiple people I got to know at the training." - Viktor / Hungary -

"This time I joined the training as a co-trainer, and for me everytime I join is a completely different and unique experience. This time, even from this side I discover how much honest I have become since I was a participant and how much more accountable for my actions. Overall, this training has shaped a lot of myself , and my approach to people and going back to it reminds me who I want to be and what I want to do, and just do it, not spend my energy on trying but doing it. It was a magical experience in a winter wonderland filled with snow, magic, calmness, tea, people and emotions."
- Katerina / Greece -

Thank you ReCreativity for hosting this training course and big thanks to everyone who was involved in this unique experience!

Yours,
Nina

After I attended many Erasmus+ projects I thought it’s time for my first training course. And so I took the challenge and applied for the training Course “Hop On - The Train to Trainings” implemented by wEUnite and I was really happy when they accepted my application. I had big expectations for the project because I wanted to improve my skills as a facilitator and learn how to write and organize my own projects.


We were located close to Klagenfurt in a castle surrounded by beautiful nature. I think it was a perfect choice to be outside of the city, with a calm landscape around so we could put our focus just on the project and get some energy in the nature when necessary.

At the first days we got quite some theoretical input such as the Johari’s window, our own and others' communication styles, Visual-Auditory-Kinestetic (VAK) learning styles, Kolb's cycle, the circle of creativity and quite some more. But the training was clearly not just about theory. It was more about “Learning by doing”. We all had the possibility to choose and organize either an energizer, team building or problem solving activity, prepare a session in a pair of trainers or work in a trainers’ team, in which there was one main trainer and 3-4 assistants to support the trainer. The trainers supported us anytime we needed help and clarified that we shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes, because this is the place and space to practice. After thinking it through, I took the challenge and was the main trainer for one session. With a team of 5 people from different countries we created a workshop about dancing. At the end of all the workshops the trainers always gave feedback immediately, to make it time-bound and relevant for whoever took the stage for that session. Through that we learned how to give useful feedback, which we practiced after every session, and also how to take feedback.

I really enjoyed the fact that we made small reflection groups with 4 participants and one

trainer, that was our support system. We met twice a day and had the opportunity to mention if we don’t like something or if we just needed help or to focus on the day. In these groups we also had the chance to lead the reflection or prepare a morning focus for our small group. Sometimes it is easier to express feelings in a small group where you feel comfortable.

At the last day we just focused on how to organize our own project and I had the opportunity to talk with all of the 5 experienced trainers and could ask the for all the information I needed. They split on 5 different tables and answered questions around risk management, how to write and coordinate a project, what to watch out for with budgeting, what opportunities there are under Erasmus+ and throughout one hour we could ask them anything related to these topics but also beyond.

All in all I had some extremely intense days in Klagenfurt. I met so many interesting people from different countries and many of them became my friends. At the same time I learned so much about organizing workshops and projects and improved my facilitator skills.

Thanks to all the participants of the training and to the trainers of the training. It was just amazing!

Yours,
Martin

From the 21st until 29th of October wEUnite took part in the training course “Coach your team by coaching yourself” in Ravnogor/Bulgaria. Besides getting to know all of the 34 participants, organizers and trainers from all over the world (17 different nationalities!) we were shown advanced techniques to not only coach the teams we work with, but also how we can coach ourselves.

The project took place in Ravnogor, a small town around 3.5 hours away from Sofia, Bulgaria's capital. Ravnogor is completely different from what we are used to in Austria. It was definitely a great experience to disconnect from “our real-life world” and dive into the pure, breathtaking nature of Bulgaria. What made our stay there even more pleasant were the temperatures (up to 27 degrees!), which is far from what we are used to in October.

“Younique” - Diving into a new reality

From the 05.09. - 14.09.2019, I and 23 other people from eight countries took part in an Erasmus+

trainings course called “Younique”. As the title of the training already tells, it was all about how to find your own uniqueness and how to help others finding theirs. The great thing with Erasmus+ is that everything you do is interactive – it´s based on non-formal-learning and for me it´s just so much more rewarding being part of a non-formal-learning environment than being cramped into a formal-learning system.

About the training: The hard part with writing this article is that no matter how well I choose my words it can just give you a glimpse of what may have happened. Everything I tell you runs through my own filters of reality and is just my understanding of this experience. Therefore, I choose not to give you an overview of the training, but I´d like to share some key moments with you, that made this training special to me.

The first moment I would like to share with you is when we were all facing our fears. This exercise

was probably one of the most intense in this trainings course. It lets you have so many emotions and thoughts running through you. The aim was to find a fear we had inside of us, giving it a name and finally facing it. This was executed in four steps. Step 1 was a short guided mediation with music. Than we were writing our fear down on a piece of paper. In step 2 we were all one by one walking a path in the woods. Along the path, we found different pictures attached to the trees. These pictures should help us to reflect upon our fear(s). It took me one hour to walk the whole way, even if it was just around 20 pictures. It was just me, the trees, these pictures and my own picture of my fear in my head. When I came back, we had to draw our fear on a piece of paper in step number 3. Music was playing, people were drawing – everyone was in his/her own world. You could see pure emotions and it was okay to show them, because we created a room, where it was possible to show ones vulnerable sides. Step number 4 was the hardest. We went outside on a grass field. There we divided in groups of four to five people. The task was to face our fears. Four of the group were turning their backs to the fifth person. Now the fifth person said: “I am ready to embrace my fear of….” – while facing the others backs. The tricky part was, that the four people who turned their backs to the fifth person did not turn around, until they would believe what they were hearing. Imagine the feeling of standing behind four people you barely know with the task of opening up to them, showing them your vulnerable side and telling them about your fear and that you embrace that fear. All these emotions and thoughts rushing through your head and body. “Why should I do that?” “Who are these people I am opening up to?” But even, if you don´t know them very well you still feel connected to them, you feel safe to let go and you feel that they will take care, of what you show them and tell them. When all four people turned around they would open a hole between them and the fifth person could go through that hole – entering his/her new world/reality where he/she would be set free from this fear to the very extend he/she could allow himself/herself to be set free. It was all about us. It is about you and how much you dare to be vulnerable, how much you dare to show yourself and how much you dare keeping this new reality alive and not letting it fading away, when coming back to “the real world”. 

I wanted to share more moments with you and I could go on for pages, but I won´t do that. I hope that

you got a glimpse of what may have happened in this trainings course and I am glad if it helps you in some way. I don´t want to tell you, that you have to attain such a training, because of whatever reason – even if it is awesome. Just always, think about what feels right for you and keep in mind to dare…. Dare to be you, dare to be vulnerable, dare to step out of your comfort zone and dare to show your true self. For me the Erasmus+ TC was perfect for that. What can YOU do in order to find your own uniqueness?

Yours,
Luca Mark

From the 5th until 14th of September wEUnite, together with partner organizations from Spain,
Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Czech Republic, Greece and Lithuania organized a training course all around the topic of uniqueness and authenticity in Grafenbach/Austria. Through many non-formal and experiential methods in different environments, the 27 youth workers first got to know themselves better and then found ways to use the tools and methods in their youth work to help young people be more happy with their (yo)unique selves.

The idea behind the project was that through our daily work with people we know that authenticity, empathy and courage are the keys to healthy social relationships and societies, yet these are not skills usually discussed or worked with. Young people are strongly influenced by social media and ideals of beauty and form unrealistic images of how they should be in comparison with the role models on social media platforms. Through "YOUnique" we counteracted these issues and learnt to appreciate ourselves as we are.

Throughout the project we asked ourselves many questions, but the starting point of our journey were these:

How can I see my own uniqueness?
How can I support others in seeing and appreciating their unique selves?
How can I co-create more open, authentic, truthful and connected communities?


From getting to know each other, creating reflection groups and setting our personal learning goals we jumped into the program by diving deeper into masks we were in life instead of being our true selves. We experienced, talked and realized things about ourselves and the communities we live in. In the following days we worked in groups, pairs and alone to understand how we act in different settings. After 4 days of unlearning and learning it was time to create our own workshops, share with others what is precious to us.

We discovered that everyone is unique and has something valuable to contribute. Through contact improvisation, a sound path, team building spider webs or boom-games, the museum of intelligence, tarot cards and enchanted forests inside the training room we learnt to be a leader or stay in a group. The activities were prepared in a short time and we even recorded them for you to use. Check our Video tutorials out!


And because personal impressions tell more than anything else, here some testimonies by participants:

"Participating in the TC “YOUnique” was an amazing experience for both professional and personal

field. I learnt how to appreciate people uniqueness and look for the qualities that I admire from them, so that I can incorporate them to myself in order to grow as a person. Besides, I enjoyed new team-building and self-reflection activities which for sure I’ll incorporate to my lessons as a teacher."

- Jaime -

"For me, participating in an Erasmus program was a life changing experience. I learned how to appreciate myself for who I am as well as how to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds."
- Stratis -

"Spending these 10 days in Grafenbach were the best I could ever hope for. The place was majestic, the people that I met were incredible, the activities that we did were exactly what i needed.. I would safely say this project went way beyond my expectations."

- Atanas -

"What is remarkable for me from Younique is how a group can go through difficult times. Even though this periods might be hard, everything that doesn't kill you, makes you stronger and that's what happened on this project. We had difficult moments, facing conflicts and funny days, making inside jokes and rolling down on hills and in the end that's what life is about. Living every given moment intensely and fully."
- Eszter -

"Younique project is one of the most inspiring projects I have ever participated. The time spent there and the connection between people was so strong, it felt like we are a huge family and known each other for already several months. I appreciate the facilitators and team members for creating this amazing atmosphere where each of us could feel unique in every possible way"

- Danielius -

"Besides all the useful tools i learned and the nice connections i had, this project brought back a part of me that i forgot about and helped me to integrate it. It somehow helped be more complete, and for that i am grateful"
- Andrei -

"YOUnique has been an enlightening project in which I found myself getting new insights about my inner state and outer behaviors, I got the opportunity to explore what it means to face my fears and to support others in living their experiences"
- Tommaso -

Are you curious to see how our project was? Here you go : ) 

Yours,

Nina

The Butterfly effect was the name of a partnership building project that took I part in from the 25th of July until the 2nd of August. The project is a Training course which is organized by BetterMaking organization or BMO. 25 participants from Serbia, Greece, Germany Austria, Italy, Romania and Spain took part and all participants are involved directly or indirectly with youth work and Erasmus plus. The project took place in a small, quiet Town in lower Austria called Melk, which was great for both relaxation and productive work. The premise of the whole project is that the focus should be on building connections between the many existing NGOs rather than creating new ones.

 

Day one was the day of the arrival. No activities were assigned other than for everyone to settle in for the next day, which marked the introduction and primary briefing of the project. What I personally enjoyed that day was how fast we got to know each other and that there was little to no need for Ice-breaking, because everyone was in a great mood and got along very well very quick.

On the 2nd and 3rd days of the project we were taught through methods of non-formal education what the life cycle of an Erasmus project is, as well as the classification system of Erasmus plus (Key Actions 1 through 3 and each of their properties).
We also had the chance to present the Organizations that we´re active in and each of us offered the group a glimpse about what their organization did, what the target groups are and what kind of projects they organize. It is also worth mentioning that we were informed about project-funding possibilities other than Erasmus and the criteria they have for the funding.

The project was mentally demanding as we needed to actively learn how the whole system of Erasmus plus worked. Due to the demanding nature of the training course we were given a day off, in which we could spend the time as we please. My teammates took a trip to Vienna that day to see the city. I on the other hand decided to have a chill day at the venue and enjoy how calm and beautiful Melk is.

In the remainder time of the project we were assisted into making our own Project. We were split into two groups, each had a different topic for an Erasmus project that addresses a given issue both locally, as well as on the level of the EU. We were split into four groups, each had a different responsibility of writing a part of an Erasmus Project. My group was tasked with figuring out what the Impact of our project is and how we can measure it. 

It would be an understatement to say that I learned a lot during the project. It would be another understatement to say that I had a lot of fun too. We learned and laughed during the day, relaxed and laughed some more during the night, and we said goodbye with a wholesome group hug that was the perfect way to end a great project :)

And here is the official video  https://www.facebook.com/bettermakingorganization/videos/2439267716138380/


Yours,
Ibrahim Bashimam

I met Nina during a training course in Czech Republic, after that I got to know her NGO, wEUnite, and seeing the great work they do with young people I decided that I really would have liked to cooperate with them, writing a youth exchange about personal expression through music and and free movement. When Nina accepted my proposal I was very happy and excited, and since then our cooperation started. I enjoyed the fact that everything went smooth thanks to Nina's organizational skills and the great team Ari and Tommi. When finally we implemented our youth exchange in the amazing Austrian castle and we met the participants everything was different than my expectations, I felt overwhelmed by how much the group gave to the activity in terms of commitment, emotions, support and challenges. We held the space and people created the magic, I am really thankful to participants for sharing their unique creativity. Finally I am grateful to Nina, Tommi and Ari for being such a supportive team, always caring for each other and for sharing the same values that made this project so great. - Yours, Matte

I remember clearly the moment I arrived to the location of Re:Sound. A beautiful castle in the middle of the countryside. And I started imagining how it would be to deliver the project we had in our mind in that location: I pictured the group inside, the activities, the reflections. Meanwhile, my little, ordinary fears came up: will the group feel motivated and involved? Will they find the activities inspirational, as we pictured in our mind?

Well… As the group arrived, and I saw all the people together in the accommodation… these little thoughts vanished, and creation started.

Re:Sound made me understand how a project is created by participants, by the group itself. Even though I had my plans, my activity proposal in mind… It is incredible how they get shaped according to the people who are living it. I realized how the contribution of everyone leads to the creation of something unique and beautiful.

After this project, I am happy to say that Youth Exchanges are a beautiful opportunity of creation of space for exchange of ideas, thoughts, openness, personal and professional growth. I am amazed by the fact that, even though from a coordinating perspective, I lived the activities discovering new things of myself, that will guide me to create my path here back home.

Moreover, I am very thankful to the team, who taught me the importance of cooperation, mutual support and, most of all, care.

Finally, after Re:Sound I am even more in love with what I do, my job and my personal live. I am looking forward to creating new opportunities for inspiring self-expression and self-consciousness through music. - Yours, Ari

Some months ago Matteo asked if we should do a project together, a youth exchange all around music, and he didn't need a long time to convince me. We had video conferences with Tommi, Arianna, Matteo and me discussing how to do what, when, where...
When the project was approved we got excited and started preparing everything right away. And I remember checking out the castle, our project venue. Immediately I started to imagine a group of people coming there, working together, exchanging ideas and creating something together.

Arriving in Neumarkt a day before the project started the building was already filled with laughs and ideas by an amazing team - who put a lot of thoughts, passion and positive vibes into the project. We finalized flipcharts, timetables, and had the chance to get to know each other in real life. Time went by too fast and I started to think whether everything is prepared or not. "Do we have a rough outline and plan? When do we pick up the luggage? Will everyone arrive safely? What if someone misses their train? Are there enough snacks for the arrival and welcoming of our participants? How should I ever remember so many new names? Did we plan enough activities? Will they like the project?" - these where just some of the questions that stuck in my mind for the last hours before Re:Sound started.

Looking back I am glad how smooth everything went and I am glad that Matteo convinced me to host this amazing youth exchange. 35 people from 7 different countries created 5 songs in only 1 day. Many new ideas for future projects were shared and new cooperations were established. Throughout the few days I gained new knowledge, experienced a lovely learning atmosphere, improved some skills and made new friends. It is incredible that it is already a month ago that we met, and I am glad that so many applied for this project and decided to take part in it!

Thank you Matteo for writing and implementing the project with Arianna, thank you Tommi for catching all the moments with your camera and creating daily videos for us :)  Once again I realized that this kind of work is fulfilling, joyful and worth it! THANK YOU to everyone who was part of Re:Sound. - Yours, Nina

Re:Sound has been to me the first time I've found myself immersed in a new and yet so smooth working team. Since the first hours we spent all together preparing the material and adjusting the activities for the upcoming participants, I felt immediately surprised by how easy we understood each other and how fast we connected. I believe this is the core of the Erasmus+ experience, building immediately strong bonds with people across Europe, even though you might have nothing in common at first, you know you definitely share the same inclusive, open and curios Europian values. And that, at Re:Sound, has been to me the beautiful starting point for a new, powerful and meaningful relationship, in which I've found a professional coworker, and a dear dear friend. Thank you Nina. - Yours, Tommi