HAPPINESS OF NATURE
HAPPINESS OF NATURE: YOUTH EXCHANGE, 8-14 June 2021
EKO has successfully participated in a Youth Exchange in Croatia, it has been one of the first projects after the Covid19. The ERASMUS + KA1 Youth Exchange Project ”Happiness of Nature” took place in Samobor, Croatia and it was organised by our new partner Pozitiva Samobor! The project involved 4 different countries (Croatia, Greece, Portugal and Romania) and 24 participants, team leaders included.
The main aim of this project was to reconnect youth with nature by developing their personal competences
and practical skills through meaningful outdoor experiences. The project supported participants in
finding and setting their own boundaries, using nature as a resource to start new ideas, increasing their
motivation as well as building physical and mental strength.
During the first day, the participants had the chance to create a team-building experience, in order to get to know each other and to cooperate in the nature.
All the activities undertaken during the week mostly related with connecting with nature, getting back to the roots.
Furthermore, every team had the chance to develop a workshop within the framework of nature.
On the fifth day (12th of June), the Greek team presented the following workshop: “How Nature Affects Society in the Past and in the Present”.
The scheme followed was:
- Introduction on how nature influenced society, i.e. how different climates and geographical location affected the development of different society;
- An active brainstorming on how the other participants see the connection between nature and society, through a spider web;
- Eventually, all the countries had to represent in the own and creative way how nature and society were connected in their own countries, both in the past and in the present.
In addition, all the participants challenged themselves with how to use compass and how to develop survival skills (e.g. first aid kit, how to build a shelter, etc.)
The most exciting part came at night, when the intercultural evening took place. Everyone was very intrigues by tasting Greek specialties.
The Greek team introduced firstly a video about Greek’s beauties playing and singing Greek songs. Then they proposed a game, Kahoot, to give more fun facts about Greece.
Lastly, they played the scene from Zorba the Greek, engaging every other participants into dancing all together.
All in all, during the Youth Exchange “Happiness of Nature” project the young participants had the chance to grow personally, socially and professionaly; change the way they see the world, as a more inviting and exciting place full of great people in their relationship with nature and environment, as well as the way they see themselves in the world, as more motivated, solidary and proactive components of the European community!
Special thanks to
Thank you Pozitiva Samobor team for making this project happen and offering our participants an amazing educational experience and lots of wonderful memories!
And of course, thank you Sofia, Stratos, Evangelos, Stefano, Giorgos, and Athina, members of team Greece, for being so collaborative, creative, open-minded and spirited participants, making this project richer with your presence!