Month: March 2016
Waking up hope in rural areas
We all came here excited about a possibility of trying something new, of going outside of daily life boxes. For some the adventure had started already Kahramanmaras in March 2015, exactly one year ago. For most its threshold had been crossed together with recruitment process of partner organizations. Here is Lake Park Hotel near Pogradec, Albania, and the adventure – a Training Course which is a beginning of a Capacity Building initiative prepared in an Erasmus+ framework.
We are participants who believe that raising awareness about Human Rights in the rural areas of our home countries is incredibly important for the sustainable development (locally, regionally, internationally). Nonetheless, our motivation differs as it is impossible to secure unanimous voice among so many young people, coming from various parts of Europe. Those personal incentives included the topic itself, self-development, Albania as a host and a continuation of previously started cooperation.
As it was mentioned above, the event is a Capacity Building project and not a regular mobility which means that eventually the whole meeting will last much longer. Why is that? Here in Pogradec we are learning about Action Research & Social Campaigning and its importance for youth initiatives tackling issues near their roots.
The impact of this event is on shoulders of all of us. And we are a colorful bunch, the emphasis during choosing partners was put on Balkans which were and still are contrasted in our dialogue with guests from Central Europe and Turkey. Although the mentioned contrasts lead to small tensions it was very easy to discover common ground and clear similarities when we focused on rural areas and the Human Rights.
During group workshops we decided to fight with different problems, focusing on: youth mobility, unemployment, gender equality, freedom of expression, etc. The process benefited from mixed methods characteristic for non-formal education which helped us to think outside of the box and boosted the group’s creativity and planning.
This event is definitely an enjoyable way for building international cooperation and waking up hope in those who are coming from rural areas. Moreover, participants were learning and developing competencies crucial on the contemporary job market.
Burak, Turkey & Luca, Poland
Impressions of participants: Clara-Georgeta Tirca
Why did you decide to joint this training course?
I did not know very much about human rights and how we can promote and defend them. It means that the topic was very interesting for me.
What did you learn so far?
I gain a lot of new information about human rights, about planning a campaign, new games, exercises and of course I discovered new intercultural aspects about each participant’s country: historical element elements, cultural ones and political too.
What do you think about hosting county of this project – Albania?
Albania reminds me my country – Romania, almost the same political situation. About people here I can say that I respect religious tolerance of people in Albania: Orthodox Christians and Muslims living together in a world that points out the differences and problems most of the time not solutions and good practices.
How do you plan to use this experience in your future?
I will organize more campaigns reflecting the human rights in the school where I teach and in the organization where I am active from 2005. Now I know more about campaigning and also I know new games that I will try with my students and volunteers.
What do you think about the campaign that you will organize in your country? What can be the challenges?
It will be hard because it will be for first time for me to organize it but I cannot wait to explore this field and be creative
Sharing impressions: Ageda, Albania
What are you studying?
I am studying Economical Informatics at UET.
Is this your first training course?
Yes, this is my first time that I take part in a training course and I found about it during presentation at my university.
Why did you decided to take part in this project?
I want to take part in this project because I like to get more information about Human Rights and the education of rural youth all over the world. Also, because I think that we can do more about rural youth. We can help them get motivated to study not only in their village, but also in other countries as well. Another reason is that I could share experience with the participants from other countries and why not to cooperate with them.
Do you have previous experience in Action Research and Campaigning?
I have participated in a school project about minorities with the support of IRCA, Institute of Romani Culture in Albania. Another experience was when I took part in the Conference of ACEEEO in cooperation with KQZ about the importance of voting. Also, I have participated in a campaign of Red Cross Albania, about the importance of traffic rules.
Why do you think that people should be part at training courses like this?
They can learn to build partnerships with each other, to cooperate and also they can gain more knowledge.
How is the project going so far?
It is really good and I am learning lots of new things.
What do you expect from the remaining days?
I expect to use in practice information that I have gained these days and also to learn how to create good campaigns.
Impressions of participants: Elisabeta Pacuraru
What was your motivation to come for this training course?
My motivation was based on lack of knowledge in area of human rights and huge interest for it (since long time ago). In my village we faced many problems with discrimination of Roma community, with environment aspects. We are going to deal with them but first of all I have to learn more and to be more familiar with the Action Research and Advocacy.
What did you learn until now?
First of all I understood that I have a lot of stereotypes and prejudices and this training course was a good opportunity to face them. Secondly, I found many nice and interesting people who work in NGOs and who to useful and wonderful things. I discovered amazing persons who volunteer in their countries to have a better society and better future. Each moment (formal and informal) gave me another opportunity for learning. And also through meeting Albanian team I also learnt about Albanian culture.
Impressions of participants: Mateusz, Poland and Michaela, Czech Republic
Can you shortly introduce yourself?
Mateusz: I am PhD student. I am here to learn about Erasmus+ projects, NGOs in the Balkans and good practices that already exist in the Balkan.
Michaela: I am studying marketing and PR. I came here because I was thinking that it will be interesting to work and cooperate with youth from other sectors and also I wanted to get new experiences.
How experiences gained through this project can help you in the future?
Mateusz: I teach students so the project can help me to learn about organizations in Balkan region.
Michaela: I would need this practice to continue to work in organization in Prague. Also, I will share this experience with my friends.
What have you learned so far?
Mateusz: A lot of information about organizations in the Balkan and their activities. As well I learnt a lot about human rights.
Michaela: It is not easy to cooperate in international groups. Also I know more about human rights in the Balkans now.
Do you wish to go to another project like this in the future?
Mateusz: It depends if I will have free time because it is hard to work and at the same time to take part in the training course.
Michaela: Yes, of course. I want to go. This training course is new form of education for me. I do not have to sit in the class. Here, everybody can share information and it is great way of learning.
Impressions of participants: Andrei, Romania
Why did you decide to take part in this training course?
I am open-minded person who wants to know more about the topic of human rights and non-formal education and this training course was real challenge for me because I am like “newborn” in this kind of project.
What did you learn so far?
I learnt that all the countries have the same problems but in this project we explored them in different ways. I learnt how to make chance in my own country.
How you will use this experience?
I will use it firstly with my friends. I will try to transfer my experiences to them and change something. If I manage that I will go forward.
What you think about hosting country, about Albania?
People that I met are really sociable, interesting. I suppose Albania is right now developing but I did not have time to look closer to everything.
What can be a challenge for you?
I think real challenge could be people’s mentality.
Impressions of Participants: Irene, Greece and Kinga, Poland
Why did you decide to take part in the training course?
Kinga: I wanted it to improve my skills, my English and meet new people. I am also looking for ways to change something in my village.
Irene:
I wanted to learn more about human rights, have discussion with other people all over the Balkans and get to know the realities in other countries.
It passed six days in the project. So how was it so far?
Kinga: I learnt a lot of new things about human rights and I would like to continue practicing it and search for more when I come back to my community because people from rural areas are not open minded.
Irene: I met new people from all over the world. I am really happy about it. We had many activities and a lot of information about human rights. I liked very much intercultural night and also I like that we are making a lot of simulations to understand the things better.
Can you share three main things that you learnt?
Kinga: I learnt new things from more experienced participants that I found very useful for me. I develop myself. I explored new cultures and got to know new places.
Irene: I learnt about action research and campaigning. I worked with people who are experts in action research and that was for me the best chance to learn. I also learnt some Albanian.
How you want to use your new knowledge?
Irene: I will use my new knowledge that I gained to make own action research and by doing it I will also try to make impact in my community.
Kinga: I would like to use my knowledge to prepare campaign in my country and to start something in place where I live because I think that children from rural areas do not have the same chance like children from urban areas.
Sharing impressions: Marcela, Czech Republic and Kristian, Macedonia
Kristian comes from Macedonia. He lives in Skopje and studies English language and literature. His hobbies are books, music and TV-series.
He applied for this project because he wants to raise the awareness about human rights and also he wants to meet new people and their culture. Kristina thinks that this project can help change the situation in his country. In case of this training course he found interesting the methods of the training course and also he enjoys the diversity of the activities.
Kristian, Macedonia
(interviewed by Marcela, Czech Republic)
Marcela comes from the Czech Republic and she lives in a little town called Breclav. She is 21 years old and studies ecology. She described herself as very sport type of person, who loves playing lacrosse. Her favourites hobbies include playing sports, volunteering, reading books and listening music. She applied for this project because she is interesting in the topic of human rights and what’s happening in the world. Another reason is that she likes travel, explore new countries and meet new people. In this training course she founds interesting exploring realities in other countries because each situation in each country is different.
Marcela, Czech Republic
(interviewed by Kristian, Macedonia)
Sharing impressions: Gentjan, Albania
How do you feel here?
I am glad to be here because it’s my first time to participate in this kind of programme. It is good to be with different people from very different countries.
What have you learned?
I have learned a lot about human rights, respecting each-other, teamwork, collaborating, how to do an action research, good practices from other countries and other organizations, their experiences.
How can you use new knowledge in your organization back home?
Back home I will do action research on participation in decision-making in rural areas. I’ve learnt very much from this TC and I think this knowledge will be useful for me when I’ll be working in my community.
Gentjan, Albania
(interviewed by Alexander, Serbia)
Young people should be aware of the possibilities
What’s your name and where are you from?
My name is Todi Bozo and I was born in Lushnje, a small city near Tirana. But now I live in Tirana, Albania.
What have you studied for?
I have studied Law at Tirana University.
How did you found out about this traning course?
The project is organised by the NGO in which I am a volunteer.
Is this your first training course?
No, this is not my first time. I have been in several training courses from Erasmus +.
Why did you decided to take part in this project?
I am very interested in the topic. I want to learn more about Erasmus + and establish
a solid ground for future international cooperation.
Did you have previous experience in Action Research and Campaigning?
I have no previous experience, but I am very interested to learn more about campaigning because it could be very helpful for my job.
Why do you think that people should be part at training courses like this?
Because young people should be aware of the possibilities that they have and also to get to know more of realities in other countries.
How is the project going so far?
The project is running from 5 days now and I have learnt to prepare an Action Research and use it’s tools.
What do you expect from the remaining days?
I am looking forward to learn how to create a campaing for an issue that you want to advocate and also to built partnership with other NGO.
Todi, Albania
(interviewed by Ageda, Albania)
Human Rights Education For Rural Youth 