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Gam wrth gam tuag at wirfoddoli ewropeaidd
Start date: Apr 1, 2016, End date: Dec 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

“Gam wrth gam tuag at wirfoddoli ewropeaidd” will widen participation in international volunteering to include 19 young people with fewer opportunities from Wales on projects in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany and Spain. All of the activities involve groups of young people from other countries, formed in response to local need. The young people live, work and spend their freetime together, enabling an intensive exchange of cultures and life experiences. This provides a safe, structured and supportive environment for all participants, one in which the wellbeing of our young people is assured.The project will provide group volunteering activities for young people who face one or more of the seven Erasmus+ Inclusion & Diversity strategy obstacles, and will also have in common a lack of family support and low levels of self-confidence. The issues they face have a significant impact on their (in)abilities to see opportunities as being within their reach so the potential gains of participation are huge. With careful and structured support a young person who completes a period of volunteering abroad will achieve an accelerated personal development that raises their sense of self-worth and confidence. The activities in which the young people will participate are structured to respond to the needs, interests and strengths of those who take part. The volunteering is central to all the activities and enables the group to achieve visible results with a high level of accomplishment. The work will be led by local workers, and will be accessible to anyone, regardless of previous experience. It will include manual, environmental, social and creative activities – all with and for the benefit of the local population. The work is also a vehicle for the positive interactions between the participants. The living conditions are simple but adequate, so all participants share the responsibilities to make it succeed – shopping, cooking, cleaning and planning freetime. This ‘simplicity’ and group experience can be liberating and empowering for young people who (may) have few, if any, similarly positive experiences.We will deliver the project through existing strong partnerships in Wales and internationally. A network of local partners in Wales enables us to reach young people, and to provide two layers of support especially in the preparatory and follow-up phases. We have selected our seven strongest European partners who, from experience, we know to approach youth inclusion in the same way as UNA Exchange and whom we can trust to fully support our young people. These partners also prioritise the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities and are being invited to send their young people to our activities in Wales through a parallel project (“Gam wrth gam i Gymru”). These relationships involve strong mechanisms (preparation, training, mentoring, follow-up) which enable the young people to achieve their goals.Participation in the project will involve young people contributing to and taking active roles in ways which they may not yet have experienced; decision making; expressing opinions and being listened to; having a purpose/goals; enjoyment and achievement; meeting & overcoming challenges and self-management. This will enable them to develop their skills and experiences in teamwork; intercultural communication; problem solving and dealing with conflict; expressing ideas; influencing others; practical working skills; language awareness; planning and preparation. These experiences will lead to enhanced maturity and resilience: a ‘can-do’ approach; increased self-belief and motivation; abilities to build new relationships; empathy with and understanding of others and an appreciation of diversity. This experiential form of learning is especially well suited to our target group.As a result of the project, participants will have widened their base of skills and experiences, and have increased confidence. They will make more active and positive contributions to their home communities (eg. work, training, participation). We expect further involvement from approximately half the group, continuing their roles as active citizens. It is part of a long-term process that over 2-3 years of involvement in positive activities at home and abroad, with sustained support from workers and UNA Exchange, young people with fewer opportunities can gain a stability and sense of purpose that enables them to move forward in their lives.The intercultural nature of the project will positively impact on participants attitudes to diversity in their home communities. The evaluation/follow-up phases build on their experiences to challenge perceptions of difference and diversity, with the aim of creating ever more positive attitudes and behaviours. This will help to challenge intolerance and discrimination, and contribute to a fairer and more equal society.

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