International Youth Exchange
“UpCycle the World”
Here is the personal impression of Galyana Koleva from Veliko Tarnovo:
“On 19th August we arrived in the camp and the host welcomed us warmly. We played a lot of getting to know each other games and in the evening we gathered around a campfire. On 20th August we were devided into teams and given a map of Godollo. Our task was to reach certain places. After that we traveled to Budapest where we saw the Parliament building. In the evening there was a fireworks display for Hungary National day which contibued around thirty minutes. We slept in Green Peace. One of the following days was spent hiking 10km in the forest and canoeing along Danube river from Slovakia to Hungary. It was a unique experience. We had the chance to swim in lake Balaton, to travel to Tihani by a tiny ship and to walk there. At the end we went back to Godollo by train and bus. In the last evening we celebrated one of the participants’ birthday, dancing and having fun all night. On the last day everybody left Godollo crying. The most unforgettable twelve days of the summer.”
Project Summary:
The project was implemented in Gödöllő, a small town near Budapest (capitol of Hungary), from 19 to 28 August 2016, for 10 days of activities.
The main theme of the camp was sustainable development, ecological agriculture and food, upcycling (value-added recycling) and innovative community solutions to global environmental and social problems. Through sharing, interactive activities, practices and games, the project focused on successful and sustainable initiatives, non-governmental organizations, and also youth citizen-ship and awareness.
Based on the characteristics of a youth exchange, the nature of the program was informal. Discovering each other’s culture, making friendships and visiting the main attractions of the area (including Budapest, world heritage baths, castles, etc.) were as important as the “professional goals” and learning activities.
Through the application of outdoor and experiential education, visits to local examples (startups, NGOs, etc) and the sharing of best practices, the project stimulated young people’s cooperation, teamwork, sense of initiative, and also destroyed barriers and fostered a more inclusive and environmental-friendly society.
Organizations involved:
- “The Change is in You” Association – Bulgaria;
- The Magonc Foundation – Hungary;
- Asociatia de Turism si Ecologie Caltun-Club UNESCO – Romania;
- Sakiu “Varpo” mokykla – Lithuania;
- Associazione Interculturale NUR – Italy.
Accommodation:
The camp was located at Gödöllő town about 30 kilometers from Budapest (capital of Hungary). Gödöllő lies in a clean, green and panoramic area surrounded by forests. The town is also reputed for a typical touristic castle, which was established in the 18th century. Participants were hosted in a school building on mattresses. Rooms were grouped by gender with the supervision of at least one adult group leader. The school had large rooms, a nice yard, a sport hall and was located close to historical parks of the Hapsburg dynasty. More information about Gödöllő town can be found here!
Food:
We had traditional and modern Hungarian and European food during the camp. Several dishes included multiple types of meat. Some of them were consumed in the camp venue (school building), but we also visited some of the best restaurants of the recent gastro-revolution in Budapest.
What we needed to bring with us?
- Appropriate clothing for 10 days including pullovers, raincoat and waterproof shoes.
- Swimming short / swimsuit
- Gym shoes and clothing for the sport activities
- Slippers
- National student card (obligatory for travel during the programme)
- National ID card
- EU health insurance card
- Flashlight / headlight with batteries
- Shower stuff (towel, etc)
- Smaller backpack for the daily program
- Regular medications (if any)
- Brochures of your country or your organization because we are going to present them.
- Smartphone (if you have one)
- Pocket money (optional)
- Board games, playing cards, etc (optional)
- Our smiles and positive attitude: we are going to have a lot of fun
Financial support:
Project was supported by program of European Union ERASMUS+. Accommodation, meals, program and travel cost (based on distance) were covered from the grant. There was no participation fee.
Travel cost reimbursement:
100% of the participants‘ travel costs were reimbursed within the valid budget sums calculated according to the official rules of Erasmus+ programme. The reimbursement limit was 180€ per participant from Bulgaria.
YouthPass:
Every participant was individually entitled to receive a Youthpass Certificate, which confirmed participation and
validates the non-formal learning (NFL) experience of Training course project. Validating the learning experiences of participants is important in itself and the document can be of benefit in terms of the educational or employment future of the participant. Through Youthpass the European Commission ensures the Training course activity is recognized as a non-formal learning experience.
(*For more information on Youthpass you may click on this page to check it online)
Български