Motivation in Youth Exchange Activities by Húnaklúbburinn

Who is Elisa and Rasmus?

Hunaklub — 2018-10-30 14:50:53 UTC

“Give them the freedom to make their idea come true and support them during the process.”

Both Elisa and Rasmus feel that in order to help motivate youth in YE you must organize good team building activities and help them feel a part of the group. They use a few visual methods such as pictures and videos that help to inspire the youth to develop more the YE project

Who is Valeria?

Hunaklub — 2018-10-30 14:50:53 UTC

Valeria's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-10-30 14:50:53 UTC

Valeria uses a variety of different methods in order to engage the youth in YE activities. For example, she has found body percussion with an easy rhythm as a successful method to get them started in the start of the activity (an energizer activity). She begins with a beat and then invites the youth to make their own variation. This helps to ease the group into conversation on the activities topic

During the project to involve them during the activities she tells them stories and organize role play and they have to follow the story (for example the topic was about refugees and this activity was about to show them what the refugees went through)

She organizes also big role play to involve them more in the topic

Before the youth exchange: she organizes preparation meetings to offer an opportunity to talk together about the YE to help develop the project with details from the group.

Alberto's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-10-30 14:50:53 UTC

Alberto is from Proyecto Kieu, he works with youth from 13-17 years old. His group meets once a week from the start of the school year for about 1 hour to 1 ½ hours. The tools that Alberto has used for his youth that have proven to be successful are:

Create a comfort zone: A place to speak about topics that are important but may not have a chance to talk to others about because of safety or lack of support.
Give them ownership: Remind the youth that, “the youth exchange is yours, not mine.” Guide them to develop an awareness that they have skills to be successful and to not be afraid of failure.
Independence and Leadership: Acknowledge that the adolescents’ task is to “be out of the home” and become more independent. Guide the group. Start to talk about the overall project and bring them together as a cohesive group. Give them the tools and the opportunity to speak and to organize the project(s) that they want to have. “Have them to call the bus company to make arrangements.”

Example:

The youth group wanted to show how important that it is for them to have a youth center in their village. They sought out the mayor and had a discussion with him about the importance of a youth center. The mayor has not taken this into consideration and they are waiting for a decision.

Alberto has 7 years of experience with YE. He belevies in the saying, "if you make your neighbors happy, that neighbor will make others happy and after a time the whole village will be happy."

Who is Alberto?

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 21:23:10 UTC

Alberto has 7 years of experience with YE. He belevies in the saying, "if you make your neighbors happy, that neighbor will make others happy and after a time the whole village will be happy."

Who is Lindsay

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 21:47:20 UTC

"How far we travel in life matters far less than those we meet along way." Mark Twain.

Lindsay's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 21:47:44 UTC

She believes that you should give to the participants the responsibility to facilitate an activity during the Youth exchange and support them during the process. Foster the communication between all the participants between the project, give them some task to do in groups but not national group to encourage them to communication and start already to work together.

She founded the youth organization Colibri.

Who is Elli

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 21:55:01 UTC

Elli lives by the quote, "many small people, in small places, doing small things, can change the world."

Elli was part of a YE called, "ReThinking Media - Dare to Doubt," implemented in Pilismarót, Hungary, in August 2017. The project was born in the TC "Start a Change with Youth Exchange". It's been hosted by Tudatos Ifjúságért Alapítvány (Hungary) and also coordinated by Posterus Eesti Selts (Estonia), Youth Hope (Greece) and Associació MOVE (Spain). With the colaboration of Asociación Mundus (Spain) and Coyote Initiatives (UK).

Elli's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 21:59:42 UTC

Below is a description of how implemented a YE project:

National morning: before or after the breakfast: participant have the opportunity to lead a workshop (national workshop: 1 group /morning: workshop link to body movement)
National homework: ask the participants question about the national situation to work on
Participants has to take care of energizer during the YE
Create a chart with morning routine: participants can propose activities and lead them such as yoga, running, etc.
Tell the participant that at the end of the workshop we want to create a manual, so there are in charge of the content of the manual.

Elisa and Liam's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 22:06:04 UTC

Elisa is part of the national youth council in the Netherlands. We're there to give youth their own voice in the Netherlands and outside of it. 'living is showing courage. Lets do it'
I'm 22 years old, an applied psychologist and part of the trainerspool of the national youth council. I give the youth from 14 until 29 the opportunity to follow workshops and get the chance to develop their skills to give them a voice.

Liam and I are part of Achievement unlocked. An informal group that focusses on intercultural exchange.

Liam is a game development student that find his joy on adding his study knowledge to different youth exchanges.

Who is Riikka?

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 22:13:55 UTC

Riikka founded a youth group in 2012 for youth interested of internationality working with youth in Pori City and neighboring towns in Finnland.

Riikka's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 22:14:40 UTC

The tools that has proven successful include the youth in planning at every stage.

Create a safe space for creativity: Discuss things at the start of the project like, “what are you interested in?” And, “what do you want to do in your YE?”
Have a clear picture: It is important to have a clear picture of the entire process of the project. And that youth have to have an opportunity to build it. When youth suggest an activity they should lead it. They get the most motivated when they see their activities in the project.

Project: Get Inspired by Snow Fights and Winter Sports

The most successful experience they she has was when they had an exchange between Finland and Italy. The youth had a large roll in planning and facilitating the program. “They were so excited to be able to show the Italians something that was special to them, such as snow.” Her Finnish youth group took advantage of what they had that the other group didn’t in their own country. The Finnish youth group felt that they could show it off and it made them proud.

Jessica's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 22:48:49 UTC

The tools that have proven to be successful is photography. It was used as a way to get them talking about the things that were important to them and help them begin thinking about future projects and how they would like to develop their nature club.

Who is Jessica

Hunaklub — 2018-10-31 22:49:26 UTC

Jessica helped to starta youth nature club, Húnaklúbburinn, in 2016 for the youth of Húanþing vestra in the Northwest of Iceland.

Arpine's Story

Hunaklub — 2018-11-01 11:32:33 UTC

Sitting in the train going to Rotterdam I notticed everyone is just like me.

Who is Arpine?

Hunaklub — 2018-11-01 11:33:34 UTC

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