Search for European Projects

Intercultural Learning Across Borders
Start date: Jan 1, 2016, End date: Dec 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Inter-cultural Learning Across BordersEurope is continually evolving and expanding culturally and faces new economic and financial challenges that were not so apparent in the past. This project is a joint undertaking of YFU Flanders (Belgium) and JugendLeben UG (Germany) which primarily aims to instill inter-cultural learning among young Europeans, a necessity to ensure a harmonious Europe. The project also intends to develop the skills and capabilities of young people via non-formal learning/experience in order to increase possibilities for employment and in order for them to build their careers. Through the Cultural Games and Student Exchange Program, young people from 4-30 years old are informed through experiential and non-formal ways to learn, appreciate and understand cultural diversity while honing their skills and capacities. Specifically, Cultural Games introduces children and the youth about diversities in culture, recognition of similarities and appreciation of the differences through fun and interactive games – thereby addressing issues of discrimination and stereotyping. YFU offers Cultural Games for free to all youth organizations including day-care centers and playground groups in the entire region of Flanders. It is organized and held every school vacation – namely Fall, Christmas, Spring, Easter and summer vacations. Student Exchange, on the other hand, is the core program of YFU Flanders and provides opportunities for young students to experience a new culture while living in host family and studying in a local school. By going on exchange, the student not only learns a new culture or language but develops their self-confidence to face new challenges, ability to build new relationships, and become more responsible young adults. YFU offers various programs in more than 50 countries. For this project, the participant is Malina Kopischke who hails from Germany and has several years experience with exchanges, different cultures and voluntarism. Malina is very motivated and continues to learn new teaching techniques in her spare time. She is also an environmental educator that gives new dimensions to her capabilities. She hopes to expand her knowledge by learning about children from different countries. Malina will be involved in both programs but more extensively in Cultural Games where she will gain experience learning about the games and lifestyles of children in other countries. As multicultural nation, majority of the games sessions are played with children whose families come from another culture. Malina will thus have personal experience engaging with children of other cultures. In general, the project activities include: planning, coordinating and conducting the cultural games and school visits; developing new cultural games and/or improving current games; recruiting game leaders or other volunteers (periodic); participating in local fairs and festivals (occasionally); participating in activities with foreign exchange students; evaluation and analysis; and undertaking a personal projectAt the end of the project, more than 200 cultural games (approx 20 children per game) will have been accomplished whereby the organizations would continue to engage in the coming years. In doing so, children will become more and more aware of cultural diversity. The expected outcome for student exchange is that we will be able to reach 100-120 schools in a year and inspiring students to experience another culture. Malina will have gained extensive experience of conducting cultural games as a form of non-formal education and developed various communication, learning and cultural competencies and have had several occasions to present in public regarding other countries and will have expanded her social network, an added advantage for her future career. In the long term, we foresee more participants engaging in our project and would have increased and continued interest to learn about other cultures and countries. As such, learning and understanding across borders continues, we would have contributed to a society that appreciate cultural diversity where less discrimination, stereotyping and prejudice occur.
Up2Europe Ads

Coordinator

Details

1 Partners Participants