Sabemos que buscaís proyectos como este pero que en muchas ocasiones no conoceís muy bien en qué consisten. Por ello, os dejamos la nota de prensa que la organización lituana presentó sobre el intercambio juvenil «Healthy & Optimistic», realizado en Lituania, el pasado verano.
Exciting youth exchange ‘Healthy and Optimistic‘ in Lithuania
During August 1-11th, 2015 in Daugirdiškės learning centre, youth exchange on healthy and conscious living took place, funded by Erasmus + mobility programme. Enthusiastic Lithuanian team (Informal group «Healthy and Optimistic» leader Dovilė Steponavičienė along with team members Dovilė Armoškaitė, Radvilė Kraujalytė, Gvidas Girdeikis, Ana Luisa Monse and others) were joined by youth from Estonia, Belgium, Turkey and Spain. For 11 days there were a variety of interactive activities, workshops, exercises, discussions, culture evenings, educational games, excursions as well as reflections on the experience. Since this kind of youth exchange is based on learning one from another, vast majority of activities were organised and led by participants themselves. Therefore, participants had an opportunity not only to participate but make their own part in every step of organising.
It all started with a simple idea of encouraging healthy living among youth by allowing them to share their own knowledge, experiences and ideas not only with their close friends, but with peers from all around Europe. After the project was prepared and approved, Lithuanian team got to work: they had to find partners who share similar ideas and ideals, discuss timetable, activities, tasks and their distribution with them. For that reason Advance Planning Visit (APV) took place, where youth leaders together with youth representatives talked over all these topics. Moreover, so that everything would go smoothly, there were Skype conferences, contact was held via email and so on. After everything was decided, national groups had their own meetings to get ready for their activities, self-introductions and to do other necessary preparations.
Each day had its theme: there were days of food, physical body, relaxation, healthy mind and sound. Activities for each of those days were led by different national teams. Even before the exchange participants had intensive preparations: they collected ideas, knowledge and skills, had rehearsals. All of that was in order to be able to share it with others. And so, activities led by participants included seminars on ajurveda, importance of sports, impact of sound, experiential orienteering games, acro yoga workshop, traditional Lithuanian sauna as well as variety of games. Despite all that, some professional teachers were also invited: Vyrenijus Andrijauskas – master of sri sri yoga and meditation – showed harmonising sounds of gongs. Aiste Jančiūtė taught basics of the contact improvisation dance. YES+ (Youth empowerment seminar) specialist presented seminars on self exploring through group activities.
Since this youth exchange project was oriented to healthy living, effort was made to apply related knowledge to everyday life as much as possible. Therefore, every morning started with exercises and participants were challenged to spend 6 days sober and on vegetarian diet. Not everyone found this to be easy, however with the help of participants who have experience of leading such lives as well as experience of amazing Daugišdiškės cooks, results were pleasing.
Moreover, prosperous pass time activities should also be mentioned. Even though participants did not have much of free time, but they did spent it to communicate in unofficial environment, go for a swim in a lake, sitting by a campfire, play music instruments, have mini volleyball tournaments, and play outside and inside games.
A very important part of the exchange were culture evenings. Representatives of each country had prepared programmes which introduced their own traditions, culture and customs. Apart from theoretical introductions, there also were meals of authentical cuisines, lessons of national dances, songs and languages.
All the time spent together was finished off the «Healthy Rave» event. Both local people and guests from further away could come and meet the participants, get to know their cultures, find out what youth learned while being together, participate in interactive programme, listen to song created during the exchange, watch the special Eurovision, sample healthy snacks and generally have a great time.
