NOORTEVAHETUS
Name of the project: “Strong Together – Across the Border’’ Youth Exchange
Date: 03rd July – 11th July 2022
City/Country: Katowice, Poland
What was the main topic of the event?
Derin Baykal – The main topic of the project was to increase the involvement of young people in local, national and European communities through simulating participation in democratic processes.
Helen Mitt – Youth participation in democratic processes
Ksenija Akimova – The main topic was the involvement of young people in local, national and European communities. Therefore, the main goal was to increase the participation in democratic processes and raise the awareness of the best democratic practices.
Roman Matvejev – Simulating participation in democratic processes
What were the biggest learning moments of the event for you?
Derin Baykal – I learnt the meaning of an active citizen and how an active citizen can contribute to the society and the democracy.
Helen Mitt – Must have been during the cultural evenings. For me it was really interesting to hear about other countries’ cultures.
Ksenija Akimova – The biggest learning moment for me was the visit to the city council. We had three speakers that told us about the development of Katowice, youth involvement and how they are tackling all arising issues and challenges. Also, we got a chance to ask a lot of questions and learn about the history of Katowice.
Roman Matvejev – After taking part in EU parliament simulation, I did understand how complicated it actually is to create new laws in the EU.
Do you have any plans to continue being active in the field? If yes, what?
Derin Baykal – Yes, I would want to be active in the field. For example, using my background- which is design, I can learn a lot from the topics where people interact with each other. I can continue being a volunteer and organize some workshops.
Helen Mitt – Not particularly, My reason for going was precisely the opposite actually. I wanted to learn about something that I had little knowledge of.
Ksenija Akimova – Yes, I am planning on continuing learning about democratic processes and take active participation in youth work.
Roman Matvejev – Yes, there are a lot of youth organizations which help you to get involved in democratic process in every country. I’ll look for more information about those organizations in Estonia and maybe even join one of them.
Would you recommend it to your friends? If yes, why? If not, why not?
Derin Baykal – Without a doubt! Because I met so many wonderful people from various backgrounds and with interesting stories. The exchange program not only expanded my understanding, but it also made me more open to different cultures and points of view.
Helen Mitt – I would recommend it to people who don’t know a lot about the subject. But people who already are familiar with the topic might find this project just as fun and a good opportunity to connect with people, although the amount of new information is little 🙂
Ksenija Akimova – Definitely! These projects allow people to gain valuable knowledge, meet new people and try various activities
Roman Matvejev – Yes, but this experience is not for everyone. To participate in this project, you need the basic knowledge in this field as well as the will to improve things in your country.
This Project was financed by European Commission’s Erasmus + Programme
