A good example of European collaboration: "Bien en vie, bien en vue, bien en VIEWS" 2005
Within the framework of the Youth for Europe programs, partners from different countries all over Europe may apply for projects in order to run activities with and for young people. Under the Action 1-Youth Exchange programme, various governmental and not-for-profit organizations from Belgium, France, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and the UK, combined efforts and applied, by the beginning of 2005, for a project called "Bien en vie, bien en vue, bien en VIEWS". Aiming at promoting social inclusion and equal chances, through autonomy and independence, the project was developed with and for youth with and without visual disabilities. It is a continuation of some fruitful initiatives taken and coordinated by VIEWS (Visually Impaired's Educational World Support) Belgium, since 2002. For instance, in 2004 with the financial support of Youth for Europe programs, a summer camp for youth with and without visual disabilities was organised in Louvain la Neuve, Belgium.
The beneficiaries of the multicultural exchange organised in 2005 were 28 youth, aged 18-25 from the applicant countries. They had the opportunity to meet each other in a summer camp that took place between 18 July and 8 August 2005 in Louvain la Neuve, Belgium. The theme of the camp was "Self-fulfilment". In order to promote and facilitate the sharing of a variety of experiences and social contacts, each national group was composed of three youth with visual impairments and one without visual impairment. During the activities, the youth benefited from the support of a group of specialists such as orientation and mobility trainers, activity of daily living facilitators, psychologists and a sport teacher. Two youth from Romania, within the European Voluntary Service (another dimension of Youth for Europe programs) and four youth from "Chantiers Interriationaux" programs were actively and efficiently involved in the organisation of the summer camp.
During these three weeks, the youth participated in different types of activities, some of them compulsory (for instance language classes, English and French) and some optional. One of the activities involved a presentation about the country the group came from. By using adapted materials (raised diagrams, tactile maps, etc) the youth shared information and answered questions about their country (its history, geography, language, traditions). In the evening, a national meal accompanied with traditional music completed the country presentation. During the afternoon the youth were able to choose from optional sport activities (such as swimming, jogging, climbing, etc) and artistic activities (singing, sculpture, etc).
Many of the summer camp activities were suggested by the national groups of youth, who were also responsible for planning and organising some of the activities, with the support of the project staff. For instance, they were involved in activities for ice-breaking and getting to know each other ("Which are my talents!"); group discussions ("Me and the others", for sharing experiences about societal attitudes toward visual disability, "Sexual and affective life of persons with or without visual disability"); practical activities for enhancing personal abilities ("Reading tactile support"); and debates on the professional life. There were also organised visits to the European Parliament and a guided tour of Bruxelles.
In the evenings the participants were able to choose other optional activities, such as Tibetan style meditation, society games adapted for persons with visual disabilities, Indian head massage, Shiatsu, audio-visio films, painting T-shirts, music show from different countries, etc. During the weekends visits were organised to the countryside (Village Museum, Forest Museum) and an archeological site, combining leisure activities, fun and relaxation.
We hope that this brief presentation of a process that took place over a year (in terms of its preparation, writing, organising the summer camp and evaluation) offer an example of how different countries can collaborate and involve youth in exchange programs that prove to be beneficial in terms of personal growth, creation of a network of youth that keep in touch over the years, and facilitate the development of further projects.
Laura Runceanu (2005)
Babeş Bolyai University
Cluj Napoca, Romania
Reference:
Title: A Good Example of European Collaboration: "Bien en vie, bien en vue, bien en VIEWS" 2005
Author: Runceanu, L
Date: 2005
Link: http://www.eenet.org.uk/resources/docs/europe%20summer%20camp.php
