Six youths from Sisak (Croatia) participated in a workshop on social entrepreneurship as part of the project “SWIS-YO: The Road to Integrity and Personal Development of People with Disabilities” from 15 to 23 February 2020 in Kuceve, Albania financed through Erasmus Plus Programme The project leader is Albanian organization Social Help for Women Householders (Albania) and the partners are Local Democracy Agency Sisak (LDA Sisak), Young Volunteers (Bosnia and Herzegovina), IUVENTA (Serbia), Polo Europeo della Conoscenza – IC Bosco Chiesanuova (Italy)
Together with participants from Italy, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, our Tea, Klementina and Katarina from Sisak Gymnasium High School, Michael and Karl, students of economics, Ivo from the Association of the Blind of Sisak-Moslavina County and Dinko and Matej, young volunteers of Local Democracy Agency Sisak spent several unforgettable days learning about non-formal education and methods of involving young people with disabilities in community work. Young people learned new skills through interactive work, role-playing games, simulations, brainstorming and teamwork. At the workshop, they also designed activities that they will carry out in local communities and share new experiences with other peers.
Upon returning from the exchange, our participants did not hide their enthusiasm, pointing out that the new experience enriched them, but also all the people they met, and, in particular, Albanian culture and humor, as they say. One of the participants, Dinko Kovacic, enthusiastically stated: “Yes, we went to Albania without much expectation and with different perceptions of what will be there for us. In the end, we convinced ourselves that it was more than we thought before. Forty young people from different parts of the world. We all met for one noble aim. Learn more about social entrepreneurship.”
These same young people eager for new knowledge this time broke through their boundaries of fear and broke down walls they had no courage to tear down before. This is what made them stronger. Get to know a new culture, share ideas and thoughts, connect with people you might never meet before – all in just eight days in Albania! All the participants had the opportunity to visit the Municipality of Kucove with the warm hospitality of the Mayor and representatives of the Unit for European Municipality Integration. They discussed openly with the Mayor local and national youth policies, youth employment and entrepreneurship in Albania, local measures for the employment and integration of young people with disabilities.
Upon returning from the workshop from Albania, the youths from Sisak agree and tell to other young people: “To anyone who wants to experience something that they will only experience once, and that will carry with them throughout their lives – have the courage and experience it. It would be a shame to have the opportunity to travel, meet others and share, but don’t take advantage of it! “.
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This text reflects the views only of the Local Democracy Agency Sisak, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
