Youth Exchange: Empathic Step #1: Isle of Wight

Location: Isle of Wight, United Kingdom

Dates: 25 February – 5 March 2020

Number of participants: 35

Participating countries: United Kingdom, Lithuania, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey

Organizer: Abroadship.org

Apply here: application form

Deadline to apply: 24 February 2020 

Date of Selection: immediately, if you are right candidate

Inquiries about this training course: Justinas at hello@abroadship.org

Costs:

• 100% accommodation, food and program materials are covered by the grant from Erasmus+
• 80% traveling costs (only the most economical and agreed before hand at hello@abroadship.org) are covered. Maximum traveling expenses are up to:
  • €20/participant for UK
  • €275/participant for Lithuania, Italy, Iceland, Spain
  • €360/participant for Greece
  • €530/participant for Turkey
• 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.
• There is no fee for the youth exchange.
• For traveling reimbursement, it is mandatory:
  • online tickets: forward emails with e-tickets, boarding passes and invoices, it has to contain price and date
  • offline tickets: bring original receipts (originals), copies will not be accepted.
• Reimbursements will be sent 1 December 2020, once (and if) participants take part in full duration of the programme fill the evaluation forms present all the traveling documents

Empathic Step #1: Isle of Wight

Download here: Empahic Step 1 – swimming in Isle of Wight – United Kingdom – Erasmus plus – youth exchange – Abroadship.org

Click to access Empahic-Step-1.pdf

Context

We invite you to literally step in the shoes of other people and “SWIM” (indirectly) in Isle of Wight, RUN in Northern Ireland and HIKE in Iceland, imagining nowadays realities, whereas a lot of refugees had to swim, walk or run over mountains, cross the sea and borders to reach peace in Europe.

During swim, run and hike (outdoor element) and other types of physical activities (sports element) through non-formal education methods you will explore sensitive topics and particularly EMPATHY.

Empathic Step is a 3-phased empathy developing project to step in variety of different shoes through our KING methodology: Knowledge, Involvement, Nature, Growth.

Overall Focus

To develop personally, which helps to understand ourselves and reflect on own behavior and behavior of others

Challenge the perception of the structures within our society that undermine social inclusion or foster discrimination

Overcoming the stereotypes of different religions

To raise awareness on the topic of discrimination

To build a broader understanding of what an inclusive attitude means and to start inter cultural and inter- religious dialogue

To understand the connections between culture and sport and to understand the inter cultural aspects of sport

To raise the sense of empathy towards other people

Who Should Attend

The background of participants is youth (18-30 years) that are willing to develop empathy in order to be more inclusive and tolerant. Youth that are ready to address or perhaps face(d) themselves racial and religious discrimination. Youth that are open minded, care about nearby neighbourhood, local, regional, national and international communities and are sensitive to human right issues.

Programme of Step In Their Shoes

DAY 0:

ARRIVAL: Unpacking, Getting to know each other

DAY 1-8:

COOPERATION: Morning pilates, Team building, Fight stereotypes, Welcome night

CULTURES: Team Building and Open Badges, Culture and Refugees, Forum Theater, Intercultural Night

VALUES: Morning pilates, preparation for the hike, the hike and 100 my dream.

HEALTH: Reflection after the hike, Olympic games, Empathy/mental health, Healthy Diet, Evening Yoga

CHALLENGE: Erasmus+ and NGO Fair, Open space, Preparation for the hike, Night Hike

BALANCE: Rest and Reflection after the hike. Video making, Meditation

ALL IN: Learning what you want, Achieve your goals, Youthpass, last evaluation, Goodbye evening.

DAY 9:

DEPARTURE: Packing and leaving

* The programme is subject to change

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 with hiking and sports
• Group dynamic processes, simulations and teamwork activities
• Inputs from experts through non-formal education lectures and facilitated processes
• Theater sketches
• 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 the most economical and agreed before hand at hello@abroadship.org) are covered. Maximum traveling expenses are up to:
  • €20/participant for UK
  • €275/participant for Lithuania, Italy, Iceland, Spain
  • €360/participant for Greece
  • €530/participant for Turkey
• 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.
• There is no fee for the youth exchange.
• For traveling reimbursement, it is mandatory:
  • online tickets: forward emails with e-tickets, boarding passes and invoices, it has to contain price and date
  • offline tickets: bring original receipts (originals), copies will not be accepted.
• Reimbursements will be sent 1 December 2020, once (and if) participants take part in full duration of the programme fill the evaluation forms present all the traveling documents

Where

Place of arrival: Hurst Hill, Totland Bay PO39 0HD, UK

Arrival instructions: Detailed instructions of arrival will be provided after confirmation of participation.

Use azair.com to find flights to United Kingdom.

It will take 6-7 hours to arrive with buses and ferries from London airports.

Travel will be reimbursed 80%, up to the limits (see Financial costs slide)

Traveling options must be confirmed at hello@abroadship.org prior to the purchase of tickets.

Space

Youth Exchange will happen in YHA Isle of Wight Totland hostel, a large, Edwardian house with a seaside location close to downland cliffs and beaches, ideal for quiet country walks. Hostel is 50 minutes away from famous Needles, where Italian inventor established the world’s first radio in 1896. You will stay in rooms of 2-6 persons, sharing with others toilets and showers.

During your stay you will be asked to support with household duties.

When to Get There

Arrival Day: 25 February 2020 any time

Programme: 25 February – 4 March, in total 8 full days

Departure Day: 5 March, early morning

Days allowed to stay in UK: This is a great time to explore Isle of Wight and England (London?). You will not have free time during the programme, thus if you want to discover country, please arrange extra days. You are allowed to come max 6 days before the Youth Exchange or leave max 6 days after the YE, but the total amount of the days that are not part of the programme is max 6 days. If you decide to stay more than 6 days longer than the official programme, you will have to cover the traveling expenses yourself. During all extra days off the programme, you have to find your own accommodation and no other expenses are covered (we just cover flights on different days).

Practicals – What to Bring!

• In Isle of Wight could rain a lot, thus please bring sturdy comfortable waterproof footwear for hiking (walking boots), waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, hat, clothes to layer, to keep warm (cotton/wool)
• Water bottle
• A large backpack for hiking
• Bring Passport or ID card
• Medicines
• Any “stuff” for intercultural evenings
• Insurance – this is critical! Please bring European Health Card and Insure in other ways, because we do not provide and are not liable for any incidents;
• Prepare for currency exchange losses! Get Revolut card – this will save you tons on money conversions from local currencies to GBP and back
• Bring best photo camera, video recorder you have, and of course lots of memory storage and UK electricity adapter!

Weather

In March temperature in Isle of Wight ranges from 5 to 10 degrees, daylight lasts about 11 hours and of course of course of course (not so) beautiful rain is a constant friend and a mandatory discussion subject in all conversations (rains 10 days per month)

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://forms.gle/UMZtPBNQSBTXHroa9

In order to apply for Empathic Step project, you must be over 18-30 years old (except for leaders, who can be of any age 18+) 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