Back to search

BURNING BOXES

2020-3-DE04-KA105-0202802020Youth mobilityfinalizedGood practice
Countries: DE|LV|EE|PL · Grant: €18,250
Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)Access for disadvantagedCreativity and culture

Objectives

All our original goals of our BURNING BOXES project were achieved. Especially the sub-goals: to develop relevant, own ways in comparison to other countries to actively take responsibility in one's own circle of friends, family, school and education, as well as to break through and reduce the own comfort zones of all of us - were fulfilled by the participants. We - together with our partner organisations and their young people - prepared our project very well. The participants were particularly involved in the search for a topic, the relevance of which was of great importance to them. It was a topic that concerned them - that was "burning under their nails" - something that concerned them. By "BOXES", all those involved in the Projjet understood the comfort zones within which we move every day. We saw them as compasses that help us make decisions. They give us security and structure in our everyday life. But we also see them as obstacles for change! for departure, for greater knowledge and a better life full of curiosity, tolerance and openness. Burning was for our project in the sense of: Old burns - and space is created for NEW! - was meant. The aim of BURNING BOXES was to develop tools for this process and to acquire skills to implement the ideas found. In the various workshops there were: Theatre/Film/Hip Hop/Expression Dance/Music/Song Development/Common Band Experience - an active engagement with our project theme " Burning Boxes". In the sense of: leaving the security-giving structures of my/our everyday life. The programme components were about overcoming the obstacles for change, for departure, for greater knowledge and a better life full of curiosity, tolerance and openness with the help of cultural-pedagogical means. For this, all participants needed personal empowerment, which they worked out for themselves by achieving the individual learning goals they had set themselves. They achieved these goals by expanding their English vocabulary through constant speaking during the encounter. The youth workers involved, as well as our regional and international partners, were enriched by our project. In terms of concrete knowledge about supporting young people's change processes, they were able to broaden their competences as well as their organisational profiles and professional competence. The success of our project can be seen in the results of the workshops; in the scenes, songs (own compositions and texts were created) and physical forms of expression. One of our goals was to use our project to promote a growing cross-national understanding, knowledge and interest in/about each other, and we all succeeded in achieving this goal. Our topic was very profound; everyone had to question their own opinion and make a decision in specially forced conflict situations. There was an open, intimate atmosphere. Two of the participants came out to the group during these 9 days, in very touching moments for all. The goal of daring to show something of oneself - in front of other - previously unknown, strange young people - was achieved. This atmosphere in the group was a good prerequisite for developing small, subtle solutions, offers of support, common ground. The high number of visitors at the public performance made it clear how great the regional interest in our international youth work is. Many visitors informed themselves, asked questions;- also during the exhibition presented by the young people about the course of the project and the project results. Curiosity about other cultures was aroused. Our regional partner networks here on site were also strengthened through active participation. As well as through the later participation then in our follow-up activity. The interest in our non-formal learning methods used in the course of the project as well as in the results of intercultural, European youth work has clearly grown.

Project partners (4)