By implementing the project we want to find ways how to get the knowhow about the EU values to reluctant people by confronting them with Erasmus enthusiasts or at least profiteers in an discreet way to educate them to develop a certain responsibility for supporting EU Values and to question their prejudgements against the EU. Furthermore we wanted to achieve that more and more people will understand the many opportunities the EU offers to its citizens and residents. Although various EU and Erasmus plus activities are taking place all over Europe, they are nearly only visible to people involved in EU programs, while even direct neighbors or the general public have no idea such events are happening around them. Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, Volunteering teams, long-term European Solidarity Corps Volunteering projects or other EU initiatives are not recognized by local people, even though these activities bring a positive value to their lives. We wanted to develop one or more tools for educators and organisations taking part in Erasmus plus programmes to make their activities visible while they are performing their duties in the field. With these tools we aim to get education materials to teach EU reluctant people accordingly.
We applied for the project to find an educational approach how to reach a maximum of adults in the member states to educate and enlighten them about the EU Values, legally garanteed in the EU in the Treaty of Lisbon of 2007 and bring education to these people about the many opportunities they could take especially because of their country being a memberstate of the European Union. We have identified a deficit in civic education that has led to EU-sceptical voting behavior and even to an exit from the EU (Brexit). We saw a need to react to hinder shrinking opportunities for freedom-loving people and to counteract unjustified prejudgement EU citizens are getting victims of. Once people got victims of prejudgements and indoctrination by EU haters it seems to be difficult to teach them directly as they reject this knowhow by be reliant on arguments from within their political bubble. We saw a need to reach these people indirectly by confronting them with the many Erasmus activities in their neighborhood, making the many Erasmus participants visible to them, as good practice examples for them to learn, that the European Union is a good thing and that they start to feel that they could also take such opportunities to enrich their lives.