About the project

“Exchanging Intercultural Experiences” was the first implemented project of the YfY and was a bilateral youth exchange financed by the European Comission under Erasmus+ Programme KA1, that sprang from a common need identified in two isolated communities, Bălan (Romania) and Krnov (Czech Republic), namely the stringent need of young people to develop their intercultural understanding. Taking into account the contemporary highly-globalized world and the important role played by the digital reality nowadays this youth exchange was meant to bring out of their comfort zone the young participants from Bălan and Krnov in a safe and controlled environment in order to “open themselves for the world”.

The project took part between 17 – 28 March 2017 in Balan and the participants were 48 motivated young people facing fewer opportunities (economic, geographical and social obstacles) from Krnov and Balan, and 6 group leaders that worked together in order to acquire hands on experience in intercultural understanding and dialogue. The two partner organisations: Youth for Youth and Asociaţia Ecosportivă Sufletul Hăşmaşului were supported by two high schools: Technology High School “Liviu Rebreanu”, Balan and Střední odborná skola dopravy a cestovního ruchu, Krnov, teachers in these institutions acting as group leaders, coordinating participants taking part in the project.

Objectives met by the project:

–        to develop practical knowledge, competences and abilities of 48 youths aged 18-21on what is intercultural understanding and the role of tolerance and judgment free relations in intercultural dialogue

–        increase the capacity of communication in English and adaptability to intercultural environments of the 48 young participants from Czech Republic and Romania

–        raise awareness about the intercultural character of the contemporary world

The main activities included group buildings, approaching the topic of intercultural understanding by group activities, and exploring the community and understanding intercultural dialogue empirically, by taking the participants to a field trip in Miercurea-Ciuc. Also, the opportunity for the participants to be introduced to the possibilities of E+ as well as empower them to create their Europass CV.