The project relates to the various areas where our local communities face challenges in their attempts at creating a healthy social environment, both in terms of preserving nature and providing opportunities for a healthy way of life for all groups in our immediate surroundings.
The project has two main dimensions:
1) Promotion of intercultural dialogue;
2) Enhancing participation of young people in the civil life of the local community.
Why?
We want to encourage each young person to “connect the dots” between those challenges and his or her unique place in the local community. Our hope is that in this way they could both contribute to the civic life of their community and share their positive experience with young people from other cultures.
Who?
Directly, 24 Portuguese and Bulgarian students participated in the intercultural event in Portugal. However, this project is open to participation by other stakeholders.
How?
To approach the above mentioned issues, the project will consist of three phases, and each phase will comprise several specific activities.
1. Preparatory phase
The purpose of the activity “Carrying out of case studies” is to introduce the project participants to the activties of non-governmental organizations dealing with crucial social issues and in this way to challenge them to actively participate in the life of their local community.
The expected result is that the youth will become aware of the activity of NGOs in the spheres of social-economic development, environmental responsability and the public health by researching their projects and campaigns, and will present the best practices during the exchange trip to Portugal.
2. Exchange visit
The visit took place in 2 cities: Lisbon and Lagos. The choice of these places is related to the opportunity that the participants had to know in loco some relevant projects: “A Rocha” in Lagos, “ABLA” and “O Vigilante” in Lisbon. During the exchange visit, each working group from both countries had the opportunity to present their case studies and to raise the awareness of the people from the other EU country about their local issues and possible contributions, as opportunities for young people to get involved into voluntary work in their communities.
The visit took place in 2 cities: Lisbon and Lagos. The choice of these places is related to the opportunity that the participants had to know in loco some relevant projects: “A Rocha” in Lagos, “ABLA” and “O Vigilante” in Lisbon. During the exchange visit, each working group from both countries had the opportunity to present their case studies and to raise the awareness of the people from the other EU country about their local issues and possible contributions, as opportunities for young people to get involved into voluntary work in their communities.
3. Follow-up phase
It will also aim to create a social network among the partner organziations, the participants and other interested persons through the web blog (created in the preparatory phase) with the aim to give the students the opportunity to discuss further their experiences from the project and collaborate in ways diagnosed by each organization.
It will also aim to create a social network among the partner organziations, the participants and other interested persons through the web blog (created in the preparatory phase) with the aim to give the students the opportunity to discuss further their experiences from the project and collaborate in ways diagnosed by each organization.
