Youth Exchange: East Or West – Outdoors is the Best

Location: Georgia

Dates: 4-13 June 2018

Number of participants: 35

Participating countries: United Kingdom, Georgia, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Ukraine, Armenia

Age: each country send 4 participants + 1 youth leader. Participants are aged 18-30 and youth leader has no age limit

Organizer: Abroadship.org

Apply here: application form

Your applications will be reviewed and you will be selected by sending organisation from your country, so if any particular question, please inquire at following emails:

Deadline to apply: 22 April 2018

Date of Selection: immediately, or latest 25 April 2018

Inquiries about this project: Justinas at hello@abroadship.org

Costs:

• 100% accommodation, food and program materials are covered by the grant from Erasmus+
• 80% traveling costs (only preapproved and the most economical – no first class, no taxi, no special seats, insurances, etc) are covered. Maximum traveling costs:
  • €620/participant for Portugal;
  • €400/participant for UK
  • €270/participant for Poland, Italy
  • €170/participant for Ukraine
  • €80/participant for Armenia
  • €20/participant for Georgia.
• For traveling reimbursement, it is mandatory to keep and bring all your tickets and invoices, boarding passes and receipts (originals). Without these documents, traveling costs cannot be reimbursed.
• Reimbursements will be sent via partner organisations after the project once (and if) participants take part in full duration of the programme, fill the evaluation forms, present all the traveling documents

East Or West – Outdoors is the Best #1 Georgia

Download here:East or West Outdoors is the Best – youth exchange – Georgia – abroadship.org

Click to access East-or-West-Outdoors-is-The-Best-Georgia-v3.pdf

Context

Nowadays youngsters spend more and more time indoors, which leads to a passive and what is a bigger concern – apathetic style of life. Contemporary youth is the first e-generation, which grew up in the environment of computers, i-pods, Internet, Facebook, playstations and can stay in front of the computer 12 hours non-stop. This generation avoids going out and having fun with simple things like hiking and camping in the nature.

With this project we would like to bring you outdoors, give a chance to re-discover, re-invent and be surprised by outdoor world of nature. We seek to address the importance of spending time outdoors: exploring the nature, to show that spending time and learning outdoors is a great way to keep fit both mentally and physically.

Based on long standing scouting experience, we designed a unique programme of outdoor experiential learning that enables and increases personal (me), social (we) and environmental (all) interactions, exchange of experiences and understanding among people of various backgrounds, nationalities or beliefs, beyond cultural and traditional barriers. This programme also promotes cultural diversity by involving European and non European participants.

Overall Focus

Project “East or West – Outdoors is the Best” is a multilateral 2 phased youth exchange project aimed to promote healthy behaviours, in particular through promotion of sports and outdoor activities as a mean to reach a healthy lifestyle.

• To uncover the main principles of outdoor education and to use the experience as a learning tool with the main focus on outdoor activities
• Through personal experience to increase motivation and involvement of youth in organising activities in the nature
• Promote healthy life style and sport activities
• To experience camping and living outdoors
• To increase multicultural competences among participants

Who Should Attend

The background of participants is 18-30 years old youth, who are motivated to look from indoors to outdoors perspective, change the lenses of inside camera, take an eagle approach, who are willing to challenge and (re)discover himself/herself and at the same time to incorporate the views of others (developing intercultural empathy) and acknowledge environmental responsibility. It is for youth that are open minded to explore sensitive topics via outdoor setting, who are eager to hike, camp and interact with other minds alike.

Programme of East or West – Outdoors is the Best

DAY 0: Arrival to Georgia

DAY 1: Welcome, team building and Camp Fire Construction

DAY 2: Indoor and Outdoor Educational Theories. Orientation in Nature. Compass, Mapping

DAY 3: Learning by doing. Orientation during the night. Night hike

DAY 4: Sports, Olympic Games & My country; Famous Athletes & National Sport competitions. Treasure Hunt

DAY 5: All Day Hike: Healthy and Physically Active Lifestyle

DAY 6-7: Outdoor practicals. Knots and Rope course. Sports. Olympic Games. Mix of Cultures

DAY 8: Evaluation, E+, Youthpass, Traditional Georgian Restaurant

DAY 9: Packing and leaving

Delivery Style

• “Learning by experience” – learning from experiencing different activities and putting them into practice;
• “Learning to play, playing to learn” – connected with learning through games, from actions and playful environment;
• “Learning through outdoor sports” – learning about sensitive topics while being outdoors, hiking and doing sports
• “Learning with nature” – being aware of the environment and its stimulus to brains, mental and physical condition

Methods Used

• Experiential learning through hiking
• Group dynamic processes, simulations and teamwork activities
• Inputs from experts through non-formal education lectures and facilitated processes
• Dynamic workshops and presentations
• Outdoor environmental work and assignments
• Intercultural sharings, learnings and reflections
• Learning by doing in a group setting or individual processes.

Financial Costs

• 100% accommodation, food and program materials are covered by the grant from Erasmus+
• 80% traveling costs (only preapproved and the most economical – no first class, no taxi, no special seats, insurances, etc) are covered. Maximum traveling costs:
  • €620/participant for Portugal;
  • €400/participant for UK
  • €270/participant for Poland, Italy
  • €170/participant for Ukraine
  • €80/participant for Armenia
  • €20/participant for Georgia.
• For traveling reimbursement, it is mandatory to keep and bring all your tickets and invoices, boarding passes and receipts (originals). Without these documents, traveling costs cannot be reimbursed.
• Reimbursements will be sent via partner organisations after the project once (and if) participants take part in full duration of the programme, fill the evaluation forms, present all the traveling documents

Where

We will stay 3 nights in International Scout Centre Rustavi and 6 nights in Pona campsite, which is situated in the mountainous region of Kakheti in eastern part of Georgia. Campsite offers all the necessary facilities for living and working. Participants will be living in tents shared by 2-3 people depending on tent size. Organizers will provide tents, but participants should bring their own sleeping bags:

• Rustavi Scouting Centre
• Pona camping

How to Get There

• We will send the traveling information once you are accepted to participate.
• Fly to stunning capital of Georgia – Tbilisi or arrive via third largest town Kutaisi airports using skyscanner.net and azair.com to get the cheapest flight.
• We will arrange the traveling from Tbilisi to Rustavi. Or will inform if there are any changes.
• Travel will be reimbursed only for the most economical means of transportation (see fin conditions).
• Traveling options must be confirmed at hello@abroadship.org prior to the purchase of tickets.

When to Get There

Arrival Day: 4th June

Programme: 5-11 June, in total 8 full days

Departure Day: 13th June

Days allowed to stay in Georgia: This is a great time to explore the country and its beautiful capital Tbilisi. You are allowed to come max 4 days before the YE or leave after max 4 days after the YE, but the total amount of the days that are not part of the programme is max 4 days. If you decide to stay more than 4 days longer than the official programme, you will have to cover the traveling expenses yourself. During these extra days, you have to find your own accommodation and no other expenses are covered.

Practicals – What to Bring!

• Towels
• Your personal things, sport clothes, warm clothes for the evenings, swimwear, raincoat, sunny clothing for warm days. Usually June is very sunny and hot
• Comfortable shoes for hiking trips
• Sleeping bag
• Sun cream
• Head lamp-torch
• Anti-mosquito spray
• Your national/typical food and drinks for the intercultural dinner
•  Cameras, laptops and other equipment making life and work easier
• The national music or music that you like
• Information about your country (books, brochures, posters, postcards, video, presentation, music, etc.)
• Information about the organization you come from (brochures, presentation, video, etc.)
• Insurance – this is critical! Please arrange insurance, because we do not provide and are not liable for any incidents
• Good spirit and positive attitude!

Weather

In June temperature in Georgia ranges from 16 to 28 degrees – pretty hot to bring protection from the sun. Expect to take a swim, melt from the sun with positive Georgian cultural wibes

Check the weather forecast here.

Medicine, Allergies and Diet

If you have illness, physical limitations and/or use medicine we need to know about, please inform us. If you are vegetarian or have special diet, let us know, indicating what you can and cannot eat, so that we can arrange the suitable food.

How to Apply?

Fill this application form: https://goo.gl/forms/TJXBkXbJMdJG3d2J2

In order to apply for East or West – Outdoors is the Best project, you must be over 18-30 years old (except for group leaders) and a citizen of one of the partner countries.  Contact the partner organisation from the list below if you need any support.

Follow up

There is an option to join the next youth exchange or training course, organized by us, as a group leader. Check Abroadship.org.

Contact

For information about practical matters, accommodation or how to get to the place, please contact Abroadship.org at hello@abroadship.org