ENGAGED YOU(TH)

ENGAGED YOU(TH)

Thanks to Erasmus+, we had the unforgettable opportunity to spend 2 weeks in Latvia, specifically in the capital city of Riga. This was my first experience with an Erasmus project, but I can already say that I'll be applying for the next one. A total of 8 incredible countries participated in this project: Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, and the host country, Latvia.

The theme of our project was Youth Engagement, or rather, what opportunities we young people have. I must say that I really enjoyed this topic, and it was truly enriching. One of the activities that stuck with me was the simulation of the European Parliament. Our task was to try and get a proposal accepted. Everyone held a certain role in the parliament and had to fulfill their function accordingly. As always, there were two sides: one for the proposal and one against it. It was only during the simulation that I realized how complex the process of adopting proposals is. We also learned more about the European Union through a Kahoot quiz we played.

We also learned more about digital platforms and social media in general, and how we can use them effectively to spread important information. One of our activities involved using these social media platforms to spread an idea, our message, which we were tasked with developing, for example, how not to judge others but to accept everyone as they are, or creating a video about what an Erasmus project looks like. After developing our topics, we shared them on Instagram, TikTok, etc.

Overall, I am very grateful for this experience. I met many amazing people, learned more about them and their home countries, and most importantly, I stepped out of my comfort zone and made new friends. The multicultural evening was also great, allowing us to get to know the typical dishes of different countries and discover interesting facts about other nations.

Throughout the project, we also played interesting games, called “energizers,” to get to know each other better and have fun. Overall, our program was packed, so we were never bored, and entertainment was always provided. 🙂

I think it's great that the EU offers such an opportunity for young people to explore the world, meet new people, and learn new things at the same time.

Thanks also go to the Youthfully Yours organization, which enabled us to experience this amazing project.