Making Music; helping people , Spain 2020

From the 23rd of February to the 1st of March, our volunteers alongside with youths from Spain, Ukraine, Italy, France and Georgia took part in an International Youth Exchange program in Spain.
The Youth Exchange aimed to improve the level of attitudes and competencies of young people and also the intercultural dialogue, the social inclusion and the solidarity amongst them.
In the following lines, you can explore the experiences that our volunteers gained through their participation.

This exchange has been more than just an exchange or a project for me. I managed to contribute to the society and those in pain, by playing alongside with other musicians, who by the end of the project became my family. I grew not only as a musician but also as a person, seeing the passion and determination each and every one of us had to make this possible, and then seeing people’s faces light up when we all played together. Even outside of rehearsals, to pick up my guitar at night and just jam with my friends, or do fun activities, has given me so many happy memories that will stay with me forever. I believe that all of us achieved the goal of the project and created some bonds with one another that will last forever. Last but not least, the accommodation was great, and the food was exquisite and I’m grateful to Greek Youth Mobility and the Spanish team for taking care of us and making all of this possible!

~ Jerry Pylarinos ~

At first glance I really felt this program was for me as soon as I saw the post on Facebook. “Making music; Helping people” was a phrase that captured me emotionally because I always believed that music, can improve people’s mood, their way of thinking and their attitude. Although I had never been involved
in any Erasmus+ programs before, I had my doubts about what my experience would be, but it turned out to be, once in a lifetime experience. Our final destination was San Javier, Spain. From the moment we met up with the Greek team in Madrid, I knew I was going to have a fantastic time for the next seven days. After a four-hour train trip and a bus ride we finally reached San Javier.
After the first day, we spent a lot of time together (rehearsing, at the sports camp and the conservatory and performing together in many places).
Throughout the program, I had the opportunity to meet new people from other countries, meet new cultures and share experiences with them. Apart from this, I had the chance to practice my English language skills too.
I couldn’t be more grateful for the things I learned, and the new friends I got during this program. I’d really hope that everyone has this chance to attend such an experience at least once in his life! Overall, I’m thankful to “Greek Youth Mobility” for having given me this life changing opportunity!

~ Christina G. ~

Such an intense and unique experience . When you mix together an Erasmus program, music and many emotions its an explosive unforgettable mixture. A unique journey, with a goal to help others , especially elderly, through music. I think we achieved it, but not only this. We helped ourselves to explore, learn new things, make new friends, connect, feel. People can do wonderful things inside a music team. Thank you Greek Youth Mobility for this amazing opportunity. Thank you for everything. Looking forward to start a new experience with you in the future.

~ Katerina Chatzovoulou ~

This project was my first Erasmus experience and I have to say that everything felt so familiar. Having people from all around Europe in a place where music is our common way of expression could only make words seem so weak. I personally feel so lucky for meeting every single talented musician in this project and providing together music and positive energy to other people.

~ Thanasis ~

“Making music; Helping people” was a really wonderful project. A really wonderful experience that I will remember for a lifetime.
In this project, through music, we didn’t only help others (people in hospital and in nursing home) but also ourselves. We discovered a new us. We became more real.
This was my first time as a team leader in an erasmus project. The experience was unique. It made me realise how important it is to contribute as much as possible to make beautiful things happen. I would definitely do it again.

~ Elena Drenou ~

Dissemination of “Volunteerism vs Voluntourism”

📣 Another wonderful initiative from Asociatia Oden Nehoiu as a dissemination of the “Volunteerism vs. Voluntourism” Youth Exchange in Romania! More than 40 participants from 8 European countries analyzed the topic through non-formal education for 9 days! 🌍👏

📍 Here you can find the link of the Official Magazine for the “Volunteerism vs. Voluntourism” project!

📍 You can also find the calendar of the project here !

The power of Human Rights , Belgium 2019

From the 15th to the 20th of October, our volunteers alongside with youths from Lithuania, Spain , Finland, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Portugal, Germany, Slovakia and North Macedonia took part in an International Training Course program in Belgium.
The Training Course aimed to promote Human Rights through a non-formal way.
In the following lines, you can explore the experiences that our volunteers gained through their participation.

Erasmus 2019!
Such an unique experience to be among young people from 11 countries and together discussing, raise awareness about interesting information that broaden our horizons of knowledge.
Many activities, workshops, expeditions that really changed our minds and fill our heart with positivity and love. Have been such greatful for being chosen from Greek Youth Mobility. Hope you share more amazing projects like that.

~ Anastasia ~

#HumanRightsAreLikePotatoes

We had the opportunity to look for new practices in developing initiatives and policies for the Human being and its needs. We drew up new political and social activities and actions and we met each other by exchanging practices that have been developed nationally and locally to strengthen the Agenda of Human Rights.
Participants with vision and appetite from Belgium (host country), Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, Finland, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania and Northern Macedonia, we gave the present to a radical educational meeting and training. A meeting which offered us an important joint into a non formal-educative research for the potential of our countries (both national and transnational) to find those potentials that can, through a vast of projects, activities and initiatives to create the groundwork for civil society policy.
During the 5 days of the Training Program, the Greek delegation had the opportunity to listen to and be informed about the practices adopted by the other participatory countries. Throughout the days of the meeting, we sought the potentials to create networks of initiatives on a vast of issues. Under the microscope of the Research and the group dialogue, were the: Poverty, Unemployment, Peace, Domestic violence, Legal abuses and the general malpractice of Regulations against Vulnerable Social Groups. Moreover we had the chance to focus on the most boiling topics hence the mistreatment of Migrants, Refugees and foreigners or Asylum Seekers, the Increased Crimes against women and children, the childhood labor and the war conflicts between states.
On the occasion of a guided tour on the German soldiers’ cemetery and via the stories about the lives of the deceased and the circumstances of their deaths, the debate expanded and extended to the issues of war, hatred, anti-Semitism, collective national genocide (Jews and Poles). From that time the threat led to the nowadays Kurdish and Syrian Genocides and the hordes of migrants and refugees who are fleeing to European countries for a better though unsure and insecure thus unsafe “tomorrow”.
The visit to the refugee and immigrant premises in the province of Limburg, the Belgian Red Cross, was a big surprise for all the participants, on behalf of the Solidarity Corps European Team, a partner of the European host Organization in Belgium. At the Belgian Red Cross premises we had the chance to meet and talk in private to the beneficiaries, as well as the visit of a major Holocaust survivor who shared his life experience and the difficulties he faced in his life through his personal narrative back to us as a multicultural audience.
Finally, divided into multinational mixed Action Groups created collectively by the countries that participated in the Education module of the Program, we touched on specific Human Rights’ issues. Issues and topics challenged and endangered by far-right policies and the increasing radicalization with the up-rise of far-right and fascism in Europe. None of these wonderful training days that the Greek delegation had had would have taken place without the coordination of the GYM (Greek Youth Mobility) Group, which we thank for the continued support and the team building preparation.
Indeed, the Human Rights are like Potatoes. Potatoes all same under their own skin, but they differ so much on their external characteristics… Just like humans! We are all the same if we only peel out the layers that concern our external characteristics, nationality, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, our habits and customs, our disability, our work, our social status and so many other characteristics that differentiate us…

~ Alexandros ~