PARTICIPATION OF THE YOUTH – HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE TAKE INFLUENCE?
What
Trilateral Exchange – Armenia, Switzerland and Slovakia
When
Tsakhkadzor (Armenia), 31st July – 8th August 2011
We are
Meliora NGO -Armenia,
Emmen Youth Parliament -Switzerland,
NPO Young Leaders for Europe- Slovakia
DESCRIPTION OF DAILY TIMETABLE
31st July (Sunday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 06.00-10.00 | Arrival of participants | |||
| 10.00 – 12.00 | Opening of the exchange
Programme and Practical Information |
- To open offically the exchange,
- To inform participants about daily programme, - To provide information about practical issues in Armenia and safety measures, - To get to know other participants, |
At the beginning of the project, the participants will be welcomed after common lunch.
The supportive staff will prepare the information about the daily programme and also practical information and information about safety which is inevitable. During the first half-day of the project, the participants will be involved into activities which help them to get to know others, such as intercultural games or organisational gallery. |
Methods of non-formal learning – welcome activities, intercultural activities
Facilitation Methods – Getting information about expectations and worries |
| 13.00 – 15.00 | Organisational Gallery | - To introduce participating organizations to participants,
- To develop partnership between organizations, |
||
| 15.00 – 16.30
16.30 – 18.00 |
Intercultural Games / Ice-Breaking games | - To develop mutual understang among different cultures,
- To gain information about typical life of three different participating cultures. |
||
|
10.00 – 22.00 |
Welcome Evening
Getting to know each other, Expectations |
- To find out expectations and obstacles of the participants,
- To develop mutual understanding among different cultures and participants, |
The welcome evening provides an ideal possibility for participants to get to know others and for organizational staff to find out expectations and obstacles of participants. | |
1st August (Monday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 08.00- 12.00 | Presentation of Armenia, Slovakia and Switzerland
policy and how young people participate in national defence (compare the status of a young reservist in Switzerland / Armenia, what are the reasons for a young person to join the Slovakian Armed Forces)? |
- Get the basic geographic, historical and economic and information about Armenia, Slovakia and Switzerland,
- Beeing informed about the future development of the three countries with regard to the EU, - Describe the security policy of the three countries; how can young people participate on the national defence as a reservist? |
What are the advantages and drawbacks of a EU Membership
How can a reservist influence the security policy and what are the benefits for them – what are the reasons not to go to the army? |
Presentation of the facts by participants with following discussion in small groups |
| 13.00 – 18.00 | Visit of an old church | - Interreligious and intercultural dialogue
- Get an example how cultural heritage and how people who do not have a statehood are able to keep and transfer national, ethnic and cultural values |
Ancestral Armenians inhabited present day Echmiadzin as early as the 5th millennium BCE. The surrounding area is called “Armenia’s Cradle of Civilization” and it is well-known for its numerous mound excavations revealing fortified cities and advanced cultures going back to the 8th millennium BCE. | Excursion
Explications by a volunteer- guide Discussion |
| 19.00-22.00 | Swiss dinner and evening | - Come in contact with Swiss culture,
- develop mutual understanding among different cultures and participants, |
Traditional Swiss food and dinks
Cultural evening |
Cooking together as an intercultural exchange |
2nd August (Tuesday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 08.00-12.00 | Education | - Compare the different school systems,
- Recognise that ecducation is a key point in integration of young migrants, |
Describe and compare the bassic school, the professional training, universities (student fees, credits…)
Discuss how young migrants integrated into the school system? What is the situation of migration in your country |
Round tables with presentations and following discussions |
| 13.00 – 14.30 | Youth in Action Programme
Information |
- To inform participants about the Youth in Action programme,
- To develop European cooperation between different countries, |
As the project is funded by the European Union, we want to develop information of participants about the EU and the programme Youth in Action. | Facilitation Methods
Case Studies |
| 14.30 – 16.00 | Youth Participation – Does it matter? | - To define the needs of youth participation,
- To develop democracy learning of participants, |
Besides the discussions on the topics, the project focuses on the importance of youth participation. But why does it matter? The voice of youngsters is important and we would like to listen it. | |
| 16.00-18.00 | Thematic Games and Simulations | - To involve participant into the theme through emphaty, | The discussions are the best possiblity for participants to realise cases of participant in different countries. However, we want to involve participants into the theme as much as possible. The thematic games and simulations can help us. | Ice-breaking Games
Thematic Games of Non-Formal Learning |
| 19.00-22.00 | Armenian Diner | Learn about Armenian culture
Create a common European spirit |
National kitchen and dances are an essential part of the cultural heritage. Every nation has its philosophic world. We will have a look on the Armenian culture (art, kitchen, music and dances) | Cooking together
Music, dances, drinks |
3rd August (Wednesday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 08.00-12.00 | How get young people a voice in Policy and how can they work as a volunteer in an NGO | - Know the political system in the three countries
- See the importance of NGO’s and volunteers in a modern society - Compare the situation of NGO’s in the three natin |
Young people are tomorrow’s leaders. They are an essential part of the society. Consequently they have the right to get a voice. How can they influence the policy and how can they act in NGO’s and youth groups? | Workshops and discussions, case studies |
| 13.00-18.00 | Visit of an Armenian monastery | - See the importance of monastries in the Armenian culture
- See the influence of Christianity on a state in the past, the present and the future |
Armenians is the first nation who adopted Christianity as state religion in 301. We will have a lection course in a monastery and will discuss the adoption of Christianity | Guided visit of a monastery
Discuss the influence of religion on the future development of nations |
| 19.00-22.00 | Slovakian evening |
4th August (Thursday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 08.00- 1800 | Day out to Lake Sevan | - Get an overview of the solutions to protect the environment in the Area of Lake Sevan,
- Discuss about ecological challenges of the furture generation, - What can young people do to protect the environment, |
The water in the Sevan Lake is drinkable fresh water. However, during the passed decades the ecological conditions in the Sevan area changed due to the several reasons such as a reduced water level and an increased eutrophication. | Case studies
Discussion Give an example to protect the environment |
| 19.00 – 22.00 | Evening out | Get into touch with young Armenians |
5th August (Friday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 08.00 – 12.00 | Economy
|
- Compare the three national economies – what are the most important products / services that are produced?
- Discuss the career of young people - Finding ways to reduce unemployment of young pople - Give examples of equality between men and women taking place in the reality |
Describe the economic situation of the country and what’s the role of young people. How is the situation for female employed? What are the furutre challenges to ensure equality in the economy (maternity leave)? | Presentation of the facts
Role play Discussion |
| 13.00-18.00 | Technology and economy in remote areas | - Study an example of modern technology and economic development of a rural area.
- See how young people from remote villages have a chance for a career |
Visit of the world’s longest ropeway that is in Armenia. | Excursion to Tatev
Discussion with local people Case studies |
| 19.00 – 22.00 | Orphanage and charity concert | - See an example how bridges between different parts of the society can be built by voluntary and youth work.
- Discuss how art can help to bring people together |
Youth is an active part of the society, children who live in orphanage are more isolated than others. these two parts of the society should live together in the future. | Excursion to an orphanage
Case studies Discussions |
6th August (Saturday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 08.00 – 09.30 | YouthPass and Evaluation | - To inform participants about the opportunities of the certificate YouthPass,
- To give participants the first part of theit YouthPass and inform them about following proceeding, - To find out the opinion of participants, - To implement common evaluation of the activity, |
YouthPass is not only another certificate. We want to explain it clearly.
The evaluation of the activity is one of the most important parts of the project. It’s necessary to find out if the expectations were fulfilled or not. |
Methods of non-formal learning – simultations, games
Presentation about YouthPass |
| 09.30 – 18.00 | everyday life of young people in Yerevan | Compare the everyday’s life of young people from the three different countries | There are formed small groups with participations from the three countries. They choose a topic like leisure, participation, health, sports, values they’re interested in. They go the Yerevan and make interviews with young people about their every day’s life.
In the evening they give a short presentation to the other participants. |
Interview
Group discussion Non- formal learning methods presentation |
| 19.00 – 22.00 | Farewell party |
7th August (Sunday)
| Time | Activity | Aims | Description | Methods |
| 9.00 – 10.30 | Departure of participants | |||
| 11.00 – 12.30 | ||||
