ERASMUS+, Key Action 1: youth exchange
Venue: Íllora, Granada, Spain
Dates: 3—11 August 2022
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: Asociación Sociocultural Aluzina
Czech team: Vít Votroubek (GL), Timoteus Pospíšil, Vojtěch Juránek, Barbora Šmerdová, Jasmine Kolibová
Project report:
Hola, que tal? Muy bien pero un poco calor. So, this phrase was during this project very typical. As you can imagine in the beginning of the August in Andalusia and close to Granada is super-hot temperature, especially during the nights.
The Youth Exchange Equality is Quality took place in Íllora, small town near Granada in dates 3 – 11 of August. We were accommodated on very special place, in local primary school. First day was about introducing each other and icebreakers. At the end of the day we got to introduction of topic of gender. The trainers were experts on this field with many theoretical and practical overlaps. Next day we focused more deeply, we created the timeline that contents important women and events in our history. After this historical debriefing we presented situation in different countries. Even though that we are living in 21st century, there are huge differences in perception of equality between woman and man. For instance, the huge gap of salaries, places in some professions.
The third day we did activity about stereotypes and prejudices. Through several simulations we have realized the background and foreground cover of many of these automatic assumptions. The lack of critical thinking, ignorance and lack of overview can be significantly dangerous limitation. Sometimes our thinking is preferring the easiest way of explanation, our brain can be stab burn, so that is why project like this one is very important. Our heads were also overwhelmed by the heat, so at afternoon we went to local swimming pool. We enjoyed this refreshment.
Next day we did two interesting activities, Abigail and Bunker. Probably many of you know the Abigail story but during this project every team has own additional description of the character. That’s why there were created several totally different ladders of the worst and best person. This story is showing the layers of cultural ballast that is covering us even though we are not aware of that. There is also importance of our social and educational background. For example, for Greek people the role of mother as an advisor even in older age of the children is very important much more than in other countries. Very similar but much more to real simulation, was the activity called bunker, when every person had own virtual character. Only five of ten people could stay in bunker and this group should decide who will be. It was so difficult decision but good exercise on group dynamic.
On fifth day we really need to relax, so we went to Granada to visit Alhambra, historical complex of palaces. Next day we created in teams the ideal alien, the imaginary person with high sense of equality and global awareness. It was interesting to see as every team differently approached to definition of this personality. During the session Iceberg, we connected to aspect of importance of nonvisible threads in relations and society. All sessions were super intensive, so the last day we focused more on Erasmus sessions in order to relax our brains little bit.
This project was amazingly prepared from all the aspects and sent to us many tidings. We realized how the power of message, the word and attitude is strong. It is up to us how we creatively are able to perceive what you see even if it is hardly visible. As to say: Que no se ve no significa que no existe.
Vít Votroubek
