Harmony in Diversity: Youth for Integration

Inclusive Youth Information Award category

Harmony in Diversity: Youth for Integration

Organisation

ETHOS MTÜ

Country

Estonia

WEBSITE

https://www.ethosmtu.com/

Project link

https://www.instagram.com/ethos.mtu/

General Overview

The main aim of the project was to create a space where youngsters with different backgrounds could come together, share their stories, learn, and ultimately understand each other better and feel more connected. The project was centred on promoting inclusivity and acceptance; addressing social inclusion by bringing together young people from various backgrounds; encouraging participants to share their experiences; empowering young people to take an active role in promoting inclusion in their communities; providing equal access to Erasmus+ opportunities for youngsters with fewer opportunities, including those from linguistic and cultural minorities; recognising the obstacles faced by young people with fewer opportunities and taking steps to create environments in which they can actively participate and be completely involved; fostering a sense of European citizenship; and contributing to the knowledge-sharing aspect of the Inclusion and Diversity Strategy by sharing insights and practices with organisations from all over Europe. In order to achieve this goal, we conducted various joint activities such as games, discussions, role-playing, immersive theatre, hikes, etc. In addition, each country had to prepare an activity on the topic of the project led by the participants. We also had a session on exploring EU opportunities and covering key competences; we discussed the opportunities that young people have (for example, we talked about how they can use the Eurodesk website to find mobility opportunities).

The project brought together 30 participants from Estonia, Lithuania, Türkiye, Spain, and Cyprus, aged 18-26, having different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The selection was not random but was based on an exchange of experiences from countries which all navigate complex situations involving cultural diversity and regional identities (e.g. Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia and Lithuania, autonomous regions in Spain, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities in Cyprus).

Thematic Category Correspondence

(50 points max)

How does this initiative (project, event, material) correspond to the thematic category

The Inclusive Youth Information category was chosen as the objectives of the project directly correspond to it. The aim of the youth exchange was to create an inclusive and safe space for young people from different communities in their countries that may be underrepresented. When selecting participants, the main consideration was their genuine concern about the topic, thus giving equal opportunities for participation to all interested. This is in line with the objective of the category to ensure that young people, especially those who are unfamiliar with Erasmus+, have the same access to participate in programmes that promote their development and inclusion.

The project recognised the challenges youngsters with fewer opportunities face and took steps to address them, which corresponds to the spirit of inclusive and accessible activities. Participants were fully engaged and welcomed to the project, regardless of their language or cultural background. Youngsters from various regional groups and different countries could work together, share experiences and ideas, and discuss possible challenges. All this together contributed to mutual understanding between young people. Collaborative activities (e.g. role play, immersive theatre) helped to engage participants in an inclusive environment, allowing them to experience and express the values of diversity in a real context. This is in line with the Inclusive Youth Information category, which focuses on providing a platform for all young people. It is worth noting that among the participants there were both people with extensive experience in Erasmus+ or European Solidarity Corps projects, and those for whom this exchange was one of the first. This allowed young people to share their experiences and inspire each other to further involvement in the projects. Additionally, the project encouraged young people to take an active role in promoting inclusion, reflecting the category’s emphasis on empowering young people to participate in wider European opportunities.

Impact

(30 points max)

How did your project impact young people / your community?

As the project aimed to deepen young people’s understanding of cultural diversity, empathy and tolerance, participants learnt to embrace diversity and realised the richness it brings to their communities. The project does have a lasting impact as it has influenced the participants’ outlook and attitudes towards diversity and inclusion throughout their lives. The project has helped young people to become more active, empathetic and responsible members of their communities and society as a whole. They also learnt to communicate in a multicultural environment, acquiring essential skills such as active listening, effective dialogue, and intercultural communication. Moreover, youngsters learnt about the difficulties and challenges of others, which helped to develop greater empathy in them. Sharing experiences and cross-cultural awareness made them more globally-minded and culturally sensitive individuals. Self-reflection during the project, in which participants explored their identity, led to a better understanding of themselves and their place in a multicultural society. In the future, this will help them address issues of identity and belonging, contributing to personal growth and self-awareness. Moreover, the self-reflection skills developed during the project had a positive impact on the participants’ lives as they can be used in different situations, for example, to make informed choices. The project participants also developed leadership, organisation and teamwork skills. These skills can be applied to future initiatives, enabling youngsters to be more effective advocates for social change and community development. Additionally, the project has contributed to the empowerment of young people at the national level: participants, on their return to their home countries, took part in activities to promote social togetherness and diversity. Partner organisations shared knowledge and experiences with each other, which led to fostering new ways and ideas on how to educate people about the importance of diversity.

Green Focus

(10 points max)

Did your project have any green focus and/or did you implement any eco-friendly measures when organising it?

Even though the project did not directly focus on the theme of ecology, we still promoted environmental practices among the participants. For example, we avoided using plastic utensils, as the venue had reusable utensils ready for participants; encouraged not wasting water and food (i.e., use only as much as needed), unplugging devices, and switching off lights when not in use. We also reused materials and old papers for project activities, noted the importance of eco-friendly habits at the beginning of the youth exchange, sorted rubbish (there were many bins on site, each for a specific type of waste), spent time outdoors, and promoted green travel among the participants.

Inclusive Youth Information Award category