ERASMUS+, Key action 1: training course
Dates: 26 March—1 April 2025
Venue: Chaves, Vila Real, Portugal
Czech team: 2 participants
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: Inspira!
Project report:
Imagine a place where you can enjoy the sea, mountains, vibrant culture, and delicious food all at once. Welcome to Portugal! This beautiful country offered us an unforgettable 7-day experience in Chaves during the Erasmus+ training course called Space for Youth!: Make Your Changemakers (March 26 – April 1, 2025). We met 20 youth workers from nine different countries there and spent an amazing time focusing on youth engagement and mobilization for civic participation.
The organizers, led by Renato, prepared incredible activities for us. We started with games to get to know each other. By the end of the first day, we knew each other’s names, nationalities and the stories that brought us to Chaves. As we got to know each other better, we discovered our strengths. The next day, we already knew about each other, who can draw well, who can speak publicly in front of people, who was responsible and who would keep the fun going. In the process of getting to know others, we often discover qualities of ourselves that we didn’t know before. For example, I found out about myself that while I may not have a talent for drawing, I can perform well in front of people. After getting familiar, it was clear to all of us that we were going to have a great time together in Chaves.
The following days were filled with activities that connected us with the local community. Together with local students, we collected rubbish in nature, which we then used to create pieces of art, showcasing our creativity and environmental awareness. We also worked in the student garden at the school. During these days we also focused on learning about foreign cultures. Each night, the different nations presented their typical foods they brought from home, their dances, music and much more. Juan, a local architecture student, took us on a guided tour of Chaves and shared its ancient history dating back to the Roman Empire.
The last days of the training course were spent creating our own Erasmus+ project proposals. In teams, we brainstormed topics for new courses inspired by our experiences in Chaves. We then developed activities to achieve the goals of our proposed project. I felt very proud of how we were able to create something completely new and collaborate with people we didn’t know a week ago on something beneficial. For me, this fulfilled the goal of the entire course on civic engagement.
I am taking inspiration from the project on how to motivate young people for civic engagement and how to create space for it. Additionally, I have gained valuable contacts with youth workers from other organizations across Europe.
I am grateful for this training course, and happy for the experiences we shared.
Martin B.
