Erasmus+ Learning Mobility of Individuals
Youth Exchange „Beyond Labels”
Bremen, Germany
Dates: [not clear yet]

 

Objectives

European societies are more ethnically and culturally mixed, and the trend is growing. But as societies are becoming more mixed, and this has brought a significant change to our societies and posed entirely new challenges as this process also can lead to conflicts among groups, judging people by their backgrounds, judgment based mainly on stereotypes and prejudices. This also increases the demand for competencies of youth in order to improve the communication and cooperation for peacefully living together. The project, therefore, aims to create a space where diversity is appreciated and to promote among youth competences in performing non-formal ways that can help decrease discrimination and engender tolerance and understanding. In the project, participants focus on raising European awareness of the realities and possibilities for a more inclusive society and on building more peaceful Europe and prevent discrimination based on people’s cultural, aesthetic, social and educational background. With this project, participants groups want to understand the mechanisms of discrimination and hatred and how it affects society – with a special focus on gender and how it affects young people. We want to develop awareness and understanding of various concepts related to gender and how it connects to promoting common values in Europe such as gender equality and diversity.More precise objectives arising out from the common aim are:

– To appreciate the individual value of each culture, highlighting shared values and pluralistic identity and diversity
– To plan and implement concrete activities to promote equality ( with focus on gender equality), diversity and inclusion
-To exchange views and experiences and realities between countries and among young people
– To promote tolerance and solidarity among different cultures, incl. subcultures, ethnic and religious groups, etc.
– To involve young people from minority groups (focus on LGBTQIA+ community) from various European countries
– To promote social dialogue and social change
– To develop positive attitudes and behaviours for less discrimination and more positive intercultural relations
– To fight discrimination and promote intercultural dialogue among youth
– To understand the strength of non-formal education in dealing with discrimination
– To encourage young people’s active participation in society, and especially to empower youth to take an active role in their communities in fighting discrimination
– To spread a message of attention and visibility of sexual and gender diversity in local and universal level
– To promote the Erasmus+ Programme and the EU developed platforms as a resource for youth and youth mobility opportunities
 

Activities

The youth exchange will take place in Bremen, Germany. The activities of the project relate milestones of intercultural dialogue and tolerance promotion, human rights, gender equality and sexual education, and youth participation/activism. All groups are charged with responsibility for the implementation of some workshops. In the planning phase of the project, there are the preliminary meetings where activities will be prepared by participants of each group together with the team leader. Some participants have not been outside of their country before and most of them have never taken part in such Erasmus+ programme. They will be more excited and curious about the project and with the help of the leaders, such curiosity will be channelled into operating expectations and preparing mentally for the encounter. They will be also the first time involved in the facilitation of the projects where they will be active with the help of the group leaders.
Our aim is to have participants with different skills, therefore we do not expect any of them to have basic knowledge or any special abilities. Every participant should be between 16-25, but the leaders can be older. The project will bring 45 participants together.