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Śladami utraconych historii - międzynarodowa mobilność młodzież w celu wspólnej realizacji kampanii #StolenMemory.

2024-3-PL01-KA152-YOU-0002716312024Mobility of young peopleongoing
Countries: PL|DE · Grant: €29,564
European identity and valuesInclusion of marginalised young peopleKey competences development

Objectives

The main objective of the project was to create a space for development for young people who faced limited educational, social and emotional opportunities on a daily basis (children from care and educational institutions). The foundation wanted to give them the opportunity to experience international cooperation, where they could feel like full members of the European community for the first time. The main idea was to enable young people to acquire skills that could help them become independent, find their identity and increase their belief in their own abilities in the future. For most of the participants, this was their first opportunity to travel abroad, work in an international environment and interact with peers from another country. The project was educational, social and developmental in nature. The Foundation and its German partner wanted young people from Poland and Germany to learn together through action, conversation and creativity. In particular, it was assumed that young people in foster care would develop key competences – linguistic, intercultural, social and digital – and gain a sense of agency and subjectivity. Through direct involvement in the preparation and implementation of the educational campaign, young people were to learn that their voice matters and can influence the shape of social memory. The foundation assumed that the project would be an opportunity to equalise educational opportunities between young people raised in institutions and their peers from Germany. Another important goal was to break down stereotypes – both those concerning young people in foster care and those that still exist in Polish-German relations. The young people were to learn empathy and understanding, as well as how to build relationships based on cooperation and mutual respect. The foundation's key objective was to enable participants to reflect on the concepts of identity and belonging. Working on topics such as historical memory, the loss and recovery of their own families' histories, and participating in activities inspired by the #StolenMemory campaign allowed young people to see the similarities between the fates of victims of totalitarianism and their own experiences of rootlessness, uncertainty and the need to understand their past. As a result, the project was not only educational but also therapeutic – it was an opportunity to talk about emotions, feelings of loneliness and the need to be part of a community. From the perspective of the foundation and its German partner, another important goal was to strengthen the young people's communication and teamwork skills. During the eight-day mobility programme, participants took part in integration workshops, discussions, city games and tasks requiring intercultural cooperation. They learned how to communicate effectively in foreign languages, how to plan joint activities and how to support each other in difficult situations. For many of them, it was the first time they had felt responsible for the outcome of joint work. An equally important goal was to develop civic and European attitudes. During classes devoted to the values of the European Union, young people discussed what responsibility for shared history means, how to combat disinformation, and how young people can influence the shape of contemporary Europe. These elements allowed the participants to understand that remembering the past has not only a historical dimension, but also a social one – it builds attitudes of solidarity, tolerance and respect for others. From an educational perspective, the project was designed to help young people develop independence, self-esteem and faith in the future. Young people in foster care, who often functioned in a pattern of distrust of themselves and their surroundings, began to see themselves as capable of acting and making decisions thanks to their participation in international activities. This experience, as pointed out by their carers and trainers, had a huge impact on their attitude after their return – they became more open, communicative and ready to take initiatives. The German partner's goal was also to strengthen the intercultural dimension. The association wanted to show that cooperation between young people from different backgrounds can bring real results in the form of joint social initiatives. During the classes, young Germans and Poles worked together to create materials promoting the campaign, developing short films, posters and content for social media.Thanks to this, the project was not just a theoretical experience, but led to real results that the participants could later present. The foundation and its partner also assumed that the project would become an impetus for further cooperation between young people,as well as for building contacts that could develop into long-term educational initiatives.Working together on the topic of historical memory was a starting point for a conversation about the contemporary problems of young people.

Project partners (2)