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Water and All It's Forms - How to infuse Erasmus+ Projects with Outdoor Physical Activity

2024-3-IE01-KA152-YOU-0002702952024Mobility of young peoplefinalized
Countries: IE|HU · Grant: €45,619.12
Physical and mental health, well-beingPreventing early school leaving and failure in educationInitial and continuous training for teachers, trainers and other education staff

Objectives

Through the implementation of this project, we aspired to create a lasting, transformative and holistic impact by engaging participants with water and all its forms, and honors its vital role in sustaining life, communities, and the environment. Our ambition with this project was to foster a love for water activities, nature and integrate outdoor water activity into Erasmus+ projects. We aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle among young people with fewer opportunities through engaging water sports activities, while fostering personal development, teamwork, and intercultural learning. We wanted to encourage environmental awareness and respect for nature while promoting social inclusion and building confidence through physical challenges We wanted to strengthen European identity through an international youth exchange. We also wanted to develop soft skills like leadership, communication and problem solving on a non formal learning environment using water as the main resource. This in turn instilled a greater appreciation and respect for the national aquatic and Tourism environments in Ireland and Hungary. The objectives were: 1.To promote and instill maintained participation in outdoor water activities on a long term, life long basis in disfranchised and underprivileged young people. 2. To empower disadvantaged youths to increasingly engage in water activities. This in turn will help create self - esteem and break the cycle of unemployment and antisocial behaviour and criminality in participants. By staff learning how to broaden these youth horizon's and getting them to see the world outside of their insular communities through water activities it will have a knock on effect on the wider community and sets the next generation for success. 3.To help young people to develop new or existing healthy habits/pastimes and continue these habits into the future. 4.To make vulnerable young people more resilient. 5. To give the young people the tools to become independent in physical activities in water and maintain well-being. 6.To complement Ireland's existing Gaisce Presidents Award Adventure Journey using water as part of the activities. 7. To sustain future lifelong participation in water activities. 8.To create an understanding of the value of the natural environment and aquatic resources. By the end of the project, our goal was not only to participate in water activities but to create lasting personal growth and cross - cultural friendships that would continue beyond the project's duration. In line with core values of Erasmus+, we aimed to create meaningful learning experiences that promotes inclusion, sustainability and European cooperation among youth. Our intention was that participants would take what they learned back to their communities and peer groups - becoming advocates for healthy, active, and inclusive lifestyles and provide young people with fewer opportunities with experiences, skills and competences they need to become active European citizens.

Project partners (2)