2016-3-NO02-KA105-000851

Project Duration 1/01/2017-31/10/2017

Key Action KA1 – Learning Mobility of Individuals

Action Type KA105 – Youth mobility

Beneficiary Organisation Leppe-Ganespalteforeningen i Norge

“Lets do it outside!” was a project contained of one advance planning visit (Bremen, Germany 27-28 May 2017) and two youth exchanges that will happen from 27th June – 6th of July 2017 in Berne, Germany and in Langfjord from 1st to 10th of August. Each exchange was with 48(Germany) and 46(Norway) youngsters from Norway, Germany, Croatia, Macedonia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The project activities were designed from the youngsters on “Wake up take action” and “Me. You. The world” youth exchanges.

As the name of the project “Lets do it outside!” clearly describes one of the main goals of the project – was the youngsters to do sport and outdoor activities, to connect with the nature and learn how to have fun in the nature and away from Ipods and computers and phones. And so we did. A lot of hiking, biking, camping and outdoor activities, regardless if it is in the fjords of Langfjord or along the Weser river in Bremen. The youngsters had totally connected with the nature, had fun and realized that they are not spending enough time outdoors.

The second objective was to address the growing levels of xenophobia, racism, and intolerance in terms of refugees, minority groups, people with different religious views that is growing in Europe in the aftermath of the refugees crisis, the Brexit and other happenings. We gave the youngsters the opportunity to meet, talk, share with the refugees and other marginalized groups such as the refugees in Germany or the Saami minority in Norway, to see from their perspective and to understand the differences between people and learn how to cherish them. We were promoting tolerance, peace, respect for different cultures and religions and understanding regardless of the differences and background that we all have.

The third objective was the youngsters to learn about each other cultures, to share this diversity in conversations, workshops, national evenings, during cooking meals or outdoor activities that they are going to have. They had international cooking school, they had many national evenings where they cooked, they tried all different kinds of food like Salmon and Kod fish (also fishing it themselves), Reindeer meat, different kinds of Bratwurst and cheeses in Germany.

We used a wide variety of non formal methods of education where and also the youngsters came out with many other games, ice-breakers and activities to addition to all of the debates, tasks forces, discussions, simulations, presentations and other non-formal education methods.

We sent a clear message to the public across our countries and whole Europe that the young people dont support xenophobia and racism and that they have vision for the future of Europe as place that is going to embrace all people regardless of their nationality, religious views, sexual orientation, and that we will promote integration and social inclusion of minorities and other marginalized groups such as refugees, people with disabilities and migration background people.