Category Archives: European Mobility Programme ERASMUS+

Conflict is a Chance

“Conflict is a Chance” is an Erasmus+ project, supported by the German National Agency JUGEND FÜR EUROPA.

This project has been a bilateral cooperation between Elisson gUG (Germany) and Filoxenia Association (Greece).
The partner organisation Filoxenia managed the seminar in Kryoneri Korinthias, Greece, 11-20.11.2022 (Culture centre Polykentro).
Elisson gUG took on the overall project management role and has been responsible to organize the second seminar in Berlin 01-10.03.2023 (Klubhaus Spandau).

The topics
The most relevant topics addressed by our project revolved around conflict resolution and prevention, as well as the development of key competencies essential for effective youth work. Through our training seminars, we focused on equipping youth workers with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to address conflicts in a civilized and peaceful manner, promoting successful intercultural interactions in youth exchanges.

The project placed particular emphasis on the prevention of conflicts and post-conflict rehabilitation, recognizing the importance of proactive measures in fostering positive relationships and resolving disputes constructively. Additionally, we prioritized the development of key competencies among youth workers, empowering them with the tools and techniques needed to navigate diverse cultural landscapes and facilitate meaningful interactions among young Europeans.

The trainers
Nikolaos Ftiakas, an experienced psychologist, trainer on human rights issues and youth advisor, took on the responsibility of leading both seminars in Germany and in Greece, due to his extensive experience in conflict resolution. In Greece he has been assisted by Giorgos Kelegkouridis, a social worker and psychotherapist. The trainer has been involved in planning the project as he had prior experience delivering similar types of training for youth and social workers. Additionally, he was familiar with the Erasmus+ programme, proficient in English, and had expertise in non-formal education activities.

The participants
The participants selected for this project primarily consist of youth workers, youth leaders, and social workers actively involved in supporting vulnerable youth populations.
Many of these youth workers from Germany and Greece are actively engaged in working with marginalized or disadvantaged young people, including individuals from minority backgrounds, those residing in geographically isolated areas, and those facing various barriers to social inclusion.

The participants involved in these activities were diverse, including youth workers, trainers, and young people from various backgrounds. The total number of participants engaged in these workshops was 40 (20 for each seminar), with profiles ranging from experienced professionals to those new to conflict resolution techniques.

The project objectives
a. Providing youth workers with the skills to address deep-seated conflicts.
b. Equipping European youth workers and trainers to engage marginalized youth, fostering critical thinking and emotional intelligence.
c. Promoting diversity, intercultural dialogue, and common values of freedom and tolerance.
d. Supporting participants in understanding conflict dynamics.
e. Facilitating the exchange of experiences on conflict mechanisms.
f. Developing participants’ social competence and conflict resolution skills.
g. Enhancing participants’ ability to empathize with others in conflict.
h. Developing participants’ emotional competence and assertiveness in conflict situations.

The results
The project offered methods and tools to youth workers to effectively address conflict situations in international youth exchanges and beyond. The impact of the project was significant, as attendees gained valuable knowledge and practical skills that directly influenced their work with young people. Youth workers often encounter conflict situations in their daily interactions with youngsters, whether it be in school, family, work, or personal relations. Therefore, acquiring effective conflict resolution methods is essential for the successful implementation of youth activities and overall youth work.

Conflict resolution becomes even more critical in international youth meetings, where cultural differences among participants are common. The mediation skills of youth workers play a crucial role in ensuring the success of such exchanges. Conflict resolution is fundamental to both national and international youth work, serving as a vital tool for implementing social, cultural, and political initiatives with young people.

In Greece, the training sessions focused on understanding conflict, adopting a win/win approach, fostering empathy, practicing appropriate assertiveness, harnessing cooperative power, and managing emotions. Each session provided valuable insights and tools that directly addressed the identified objectives, empowering youth workers to handle conflicts effectively in diverse youth work settings.

Similarly, in Germany, the training sessions covered topics such as willingness to resolve conflict, mapping conflict, designing options, negotiation skills, introduction to mediation, and broadening perspectives. These sessions equipped participants with essential conflict resolution techniques and principles, enhancing their capacity to address conflicts constructively.

This project was supported by the Erasmus+Youth in Action Programme of the European Union through the German National Agency “Jugend für Europa”

European Mobility Programme ERASMUS+

Erasmus+ Project CULTURE FOR ALL! – Living cultural diversity, successfully implemented

The aim of the Erasmus+ European project “CULTURE FOR ALL! Living Cultural Diversity” was to give access to cultural youth education measures to all interested young people. With this project the social context should changed in such a way, that everyone can participate, regardless of restrictions, individual peculiarities, social background, gender, religion or different skin color. In our sense of a broad inclusive understanding of diverse society, it is normal to be different.

As people with less opportunities and disabilities still have too little access to international projects with heterogeneous youth groups outside of school, our goal was to open-up concrete opportunities.

There are many reasons for this: project managers and youth workers have doubts or fears about responsibilities in an area that is unknown to them. Or the young people are confronted with barriers that prevent them from participating in a project, as they don’t feel addressed, so that the offer is not relevant for them. The aim of our project and its challenge was to design inclusive and attractive offers for everyone, based on the adaptation of methods, structures, technical standards and accessibility.

The development of inclusive culture makes an important contribution to the innovative change in our European society, which enriches us all and expands the diversity in our cultural landscape. Culture for All! means unhindered access to cultural youth education and openness for all interested people – also for people with disabilities, special needs or fewer opportunities.

This Inclusive, well-established European youth project offered the chance to convey common worlds of experience.

The focus of our inclusive project was on culture (music, art). During our project young people dealed with diversity, respect and solidarity. The project specifically promoted social commitment and assumption of social responsibility, supporting European cultural diversity by reflecting the opinions of the participants themselves.

The first leg of the project was the Advance Planing Meeting, which took place 29-30.5.201 online, due to the Covid19 pandemic. We discussed about the preparation of youth exchange programme with the leaders of the participating organisations, the topics and the specific target group, as well as their needs and wishes.

The youth exchange project took place in Kryoneri Korinthia, Greece, during the period 6-12.6.2021 with young participants from Germany, Greece and Czech Republic. Young people from a wide range of social backgrounds (including marginalized and handicapped youngsters) worked together in the project, dealing with the medium of music, by constructing their own Kalimbas (an indigenous music instrument from Africa, nicknamed a “thumb piano”). It is a compact, portable instrument and the playing is so easy, that everyone can learn how to play. The participants acquired technical skills by constructing their own Kalimba under supervision of the specialized trainer and played it in ensemble with all young participants during the final event in Kryoneri’s amphitheatre, on July 10, 2021.

The objectives of the programme were to dissolve barriers among the participants, created opportunities for experience and learning about topics of inclusion and cultural diversity.

Participants developed communication skills, creativity and innovation, experienced cultural diversity, and learnt new skills as a team, to express their personality.

A training seminar in Berlin followed the youth exchange during the period 21-24.10.2021.

It was aimed at practitioners, youth workers, project managers and educators in the field of international youth work. Visiting also youth structures such as the Municipal Youth Centre “Wildwuchs” in Spandau and discussing with the youth workers working with marginalized youngsters and young refugees has been a highlight of the seminar.

Conceptual and methodological requirements for inclusive international youth projects were presented. The focus was on planning attractive cultural offers taking into account the requirements for special forms of handicapped people and accessibility issues as well. Youth work professionals from Germany, Greece and Czech Republic have been provided with skills and methods aimed at gaining a better understanding of their inclusive work and capacity building possibilities.

The project has been realised in cooperation between the coordinator Elisson gUG (Berlin) and Filoxenia Association (Kryoneri-Korinthia, Greece) and For Family.cz (Bystrice nad Pernstejnem, Czech Republic) as partners.

It has been supported by the European Erasmus+ Programme through the German National Agency Jugend für Europa.

European Mobility Programme ERASMUS+

MUSIC- Cultural Heritage, 22-29 July 2019, Kryoneri

written by participant from Hungary.

My experience with the international seminar on music, hosted by Filoxenia organisation, supported by Erasmus+ program, in the beautiful, rustic village of Kryoneri in Greece, was beyond all my expectations. It was a week rich in making new international connections, both on professional and private level, and developing my own skills in singing and music theory, as well. The lectures were helpful and inspiring, the afternoon ensembles were real fun and triggered my ability to implement all that I had learnt about music in my life so far, as well as apply the new insights on music, that I had learned during the workshops. The board and accommodation was excellent, too. The kindness and care that the participants were honored to receive by the members of the hosting organization was outstanding. The program was thoroughly prepared and organized, including the community-building day off at the historical sights and beautiful nature of the region. I am grateful to have been part of this initiative and fully support the continuity of the programs like these in future.