“Youth Power in Action!” expresses the willingness of the project partnership to get to know and explore cultures, knowledge and identities of the participating teenagers aged 15-19 years old living in Italy, Latvia, Macedonia & Romania.

The specific themes of this youth exchange are:
1) “Culture and Arts”
2) “Inclusion of marginalized people”
3) “Reception and integration of refugees and migrants”

We will hold a variety of workshops based on arts, dance, theatre, body awareness, juggling and outdoor activities aimed at building a peaceful atmosphere and a cooperative working group, to discover oneself, to discover others, to share our dreams. The evenings will be dedicated to each of the participating countries and to the people who will share traditional and typical games, music, theatre and dance.
We will also visit other local associations who support and host unaccompanied minors in Italy and target the local youth in a public event to share our international dimension, send out important messages to the community and explain what European opportunities are around us

Who can participate
The participants of the youth exchange “Youth Power in Action!” are 40 people from 4 associations in Italy, Latvia, Macedonia and Romania. More specifically, there are 8 group leaders (one man and one woman with no age limit for each of the 4 groups) and 32 boys and girls with fewer opportunities on an economic, geographical, social and cultural basis, aged between 15 and 19 years. These youngsters take part in their organizations’ life, in workshops and non-formal activities which have largely made up the international program of this project. Regarding the selection of participants, all the partners have followed the basic principle of composing balanced groups, giving priority for each group to 4 youngsters with fewer opportunities (from ethnic minorities and with cultural, social, geographical and economic disadvantage: Middle Eastern and African unaccompanied minors in Italy; Hungarian-Romanians in Romania; other Balkan ethnic groups in Macedonia; Russian minority in Latvia). We then opted for 4 other young people without disadvantages or particular problems in
order to foster open encounters and diversity.

Partner organizations
Italy – YMCA Parthenope ONLUS 10 (8+2)
Latvia-  Theater Studio Dobele 10 (8+2)
Macedonia-  Percipio 10 (8+2)
Romania – Federatia YMCA Romania 10 (8+2)

When
Dates of the intercultural youth exchange: 20th – 31st August 2022.
Arrival at Fragneto by 19.00 20/08/2022
The program starts at 10.00 21/08/2022
The program finishes at 23.00 30/08/2022
Departure from Fragneto by 11.00 31/08/2022

Where
The project will take place in Fragneto Monforte (Benevento), about 90km from Naples. The accommodation is a municipal old primary school turned into an artistic residence where balloon pilots live during the local festival in October. Rooms can host from 5 or 6 people and have bathrooms and showers in the corridors. The place has a big room where the group can work together. Part of the project starts from leading activities inside the structure and complete them outside in the town of Fragneto with the youngsters of the community.
Therefore we invite to consider this place as a home and cradle of our inspiration. The aim of “Youth Power in Action!” is to bring impact of an intercultural dimension intown and around the places we roam.

Financial conditions
Food, accommodation and project costs are fully covered and free for the participants.
As for the travel, we can reimburse up to 100% (maximum) of the costs below.
Country Max. travel reimbursement
Romania 320 €/person (green travel)

How to Apply
If you want to join us in this project, send your application form to YMCA Romania till  15th June 2022. – office@ymca.ro
More details in this info-letter Youth Power in Action! Info-letter

Application form:Youth Power in Action! Application Form