This winter we visited Polish mountains with organizations “Oriel” from Italy and “Ljudska Univerza Radovljica” Slovenia for project “Improvising Culture”. We shared what we love most about the place we come from through movement, improvisation and fun. Each day we had a work session dedicated to integration, sharing ideas, brainstorming and learning about culture. Aside from this we made many activities that showcase Polish culture: nature hikes, dog sledding and more. There was also some time for participants to relax and enjoy the beautiful winter in Poland.

Project aims to reach marginalized youth. We encouraged our youth to plan activities that have high educational value and let them learn outside of the classroom. Most participants would never be able to afford or organize such a trip on their own.

Our experience has shown that taking part in international projects, though difficult at first since it requires leaving their comfort zone, usually leads to a significant increase in self-esteem. Having trainer professionals – trainers, educators, psychologists – to their disposal during these trips gives them a much needed feeling of safety that allows them to explore new skills and talents.

In keeping with the objectives of the Erasmus+ Programme, this project will be a good setting for working on inclusion and diversity. Our youth have often voiced a concern that they feel stigmatised simply because they are living in foster care. This project will give them the opportunity to exchange experiences with youth their own age but in an entirely different cultural setting and using a medium that they feel very comfortable with.

During the mobility we:
– Took part in integration activities.
– Shared our cultures during international nights. Youth presented information about their local cultures.
– Learned about similarities and differences between our cultures through various fun Improv activities
– Got to know Poland through various fun activities outside (nature hikes, skating, dog sleighs, etc.)
– Took part in evaluation sessions. Everyone wrote a short summary of the skills they have worked on during the exchange.
– Had lots of fun learning English through doing!