ERASMUS+, Key action 2: first meeting of a long-term project on the topic of collecting good practices of creativity and innovation in youth work
Dates: 16—20 January 2025
Venue: Sofia, Bulgaria
Czech team: 2 participants
Please read the info-pack and the booklet with the results of the 1st visit in Sofia, Bulgaria here. The report summarizes and consolidates the best practices observed during the visit. Each practice is presented with its objective, target audience, implementation steps, required materials, links to instructions and visual materials, and a link to the video recording of the session. Additionally, the report includes an evaluation of our work thus far.
Hosting organisation: CEGE Bulgaria
Project report:
The project’s name, “Minimal and Functional,” perfectly reflects the key themes we aimed to incorporate into our work with young people during our stay in Sofia, the picturesque capital of Bulgaria. This first meeting of a long-term project took place between the 16th and 20th of January, and with the support of the incredible Bulgarian NGO CEGE, we had the chance to explore and learn about various practices from other organizations in Bulgaria.
The meeting aimed to observe good and innovative practices of other organizations, youth groups, and people working with youth. Even though there were only 7 participants (two from the Czech Republic, two from Bulgaria, and three from Austria), we put in and achieved a lot. Everyone contributed creative ideas that we gathered during our visits to NGOs working with innovative tools not only during Erasmus+ projects.
We saw a little bit of everything. On the first day, we visited Scool Media, an organization focusing on young, passionate journalists who are achieving great success thanks to the support of their experienced colleagues. They showed us how important fact-checking is, what young individuals can accomplish with the support of their mentors, and what to watch out for when creating social media content. The next day was even busier, as we began with a public speech workshop led by Kristiyan Pashov. Everyone had the opportunity to create and present their own speech based on the rules of a TED Talk, and thanks to constructive criticism, we were able to improve our skills. Later that day, our colleagues from Walk Together presented two remarkable creations: a board game designed to boost financial literacy among youth and a 3D-printed incubator for hatching baby chicks, created and programmed with the help of university students from several countries. On our last day, we had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Vihren Mitev, who shared insights about his organization, the ManEco Foundation. During our time together, he introduced us to the concept of Climate Fresk, the activities of his organization, and also engaged us in a meaningful discussion about the importance of environmental conservation.
But don’t worry! These days weren’t just about work. During the breaks between meetings and planning our own activities, we had the chance to explore the charm of Sofia and its surroundings. Thanks to our hosts, Zara and Rado, we discovered its rich history, learned more about Bulgarian traditions, and visited Boyana Church and the National Museum.
We concluded our international meeting by brainstorming new ideas for workshops, which will be part of the main activity happening in Linz, Austria, this April. Before that, however, we’ll have the chance to observe more innovative practices in Brno, Czech Republic. We all look forward to the next steps in this exciting project and the opportunities it will bring for all of us!
Denisa
