Ágora Bracarense prepara novo Projecto Internacional

A Ágora Bracarense apresentará em breve a sua candidatura a um novo projecto internacional, desta feita relacionado com a temática do ambiente e das energias sustentáveis.

O projecto entitular-se-á: IEE Intelligent Energy for Europe – Youth Training Project.

Sumary of the project: The main aim of the project will be to train and educate youngsters (aged between 15-18 years old) in the participating countries (one class of around 20-25 youngsters for each country) on themes concerning energy savings and renewable energies. This training and education activities will use formal and informal education means to teach youngster about energy problems of the planet and more practically of their country, region and even home. They will also aim at providing youngsters with, and stimulating them to find themselves solutions which they could implement to solve such problems. Moreover, the teaching methodology will fully and actively involve the youngsters directly, since they will become also teachers during the exchanges (i.e. the hosting classes will teach the foreign classes concerning the renewable energy source and technologies used in their local areas). The project will favour a behavioural change in the youngsters involved but also on other youngsters by spreading the teaching methodologies used during the project. Moreover, the project will provide the participating youngsters with specific knowledge and skills which will significantly increase their job opportunities and career prospects.
The activities of the project will include:
-training on a local scale (i.e. youngsters in their home towns and local school managers and policy makers) -e-learning activities (training youngsters on the utilisation of e-learning tools, putting youngsters from different countries in touch among each other and carrying out common activities by using ICTs –i.e. information technologies such as pcs and internet)
- youth exchanges (with youngsters travelling to the countries involved in the project to meet and implement activities together).

Este projecto conta com os seguintes parceiros: Green Energy (Italy), Province of Brescia (Italy) Municipality of Alcalà La Real (Spain), Regional Environmental Centre-tbc (Slovenia), Municipality of Istanbul -tbc (Turkey).

Projecto em Ankara: Let's play with strings ans balls - Maio 2008

Através da Associação Onda Jovem, recebemos o seguinte convite para participação num projecto:

Divulgação de projecto em Ankara na Turquia.
Datas: 4-11 de Maio de 2008
Local: Ankara, Turquia
Título do Projecto: LET'S PLAY WITH STRINGS and BALLS
Preço: 150€ com viagem desde Lisboa ou Porto, alojamento e alimentação incluídos (visto não incluído)
Participantes: 4 portugueses *

Inscrições:
enviar ficha de inscrição em actividade
pagamento das quotas em dia
enviar cópia do passaporte
enviar código de conduta assinado

+ informações e programa serão enviados brevemente
* podem participar cidadãos da UE desde que residam em Portugal

Testemunho de participação - Krasi e Jana

Hello, we are Krasi and Jana.

Foundation “New Beginning” is a Bulgarian youth non-governmental organisation. We are working in the fields of HIV/AIDS prevention, drugs prevention, first aid, ecology, youth exchanges, intercultural activities, youth lidership, “peer to peer” education, unformal education and a lot of others. The biggest goal of the volunteers of “New beginning” is to help young people in solving their problems and making their way in life.

We can definitely say that international projects gave us the taste of other people’s culture and way of life… We recommend to everybody to try – it is an amazing adventure :)

Krasi and Jana (Bulgaria)

Yes Project - Final Conference

A reunião final do Yes Project decorrerá nos próximos dias 17, 18, 19 e 20 de Janeiro em Brescia. Mais dois representantes da nossa associação irão deslocar-se a esta localidade para fazer o balanço final deste projecto, bem como para lançar as bases para um novo projecto.

A Ágora Bracarense preparará a sua participação em mais um evento internacional onde terá a oportunidade de divulgar o trabalho realizado até agora, bem como para recolher mais algumas ideias dos seus parceiros internacionais.

Testemunho de participação - Custodio López

Hola, soy Custodio López, trabajo en las Áreas de Juventud y Deportes del Ayuntamiento de Alcalá la Real en Andalucía (España). En una de las visitas que he hecho a Brescia conocí a tres amigos Portugueses al los cual me une una muy buena amistad, (Jorge, Marta Ferreira y Tiago Mourao). Ellos también participaban dentro del programa Yes Project. Un programa financiado por la Unión Europea y que coordina nuestros compañeros de Brescia (Italia)

El Yes Project, nos ha servido como una herramienta de contacto, comunicación y de cooperación entre jóvenes de diferentes nacionalidades. A Brescia hemos acudido ya en dos ocasiones, allí hemos conocido las inquietudes, problemas, demandas, y culturas que tienen los jóvenes en los diferentes sitios de Europa. Hay que destacar que lo que más les preocupa en general a los jóvenes europeos, son el trabajo, la vivienda, y los temas relacionados con el consumo de sustancias perjudiciales para la salud y las actividades de Ocio y Tiempo libre. También nos ha servido de mucho, el saber como afrontan y que medidas toman los distintos estamentos juveniles de la Unión Europea, llámense, asociaciones juveniles, corporaciones locales y responsables de políticas de juventud de los distintos países.

Pero lo que yo más destaco es los buenos lazos de amistad que se han creado en esta gran familia llamada Unión Europea y sobre todo el trabajo en equipo que podemos desarrollar entre todos. Fue en Brescia donde conocimos a unos amigos de Letonia (Latvia) Inga Drele y Guntars, con ellos hemos cerrado un programa participativo con jóvenes de 16 a 25 años (Investigation of the Furthest European Eastern Border) que se va a celebrar en Rezekne Letonia del 28 de Diciembre al 6 de Enero próximo. Un programa donde van a participar 12 jóvenes de Letonia, 12 de España, 12 de Italia y 12 de Polonia. Los objetivos y contenidos principales del programa están todos relacionados con la cultura juvenil, el ocio, y las demandas de los jóvenes desde la perspectiva de los países que se han incorporado hace poco tiempo a la Unión Europea como son Letonia y Polonia, y lo que opinan los jóvenes que van a participar de Italia y España dos naciones que llevan ya muchos años perteneciendo a la U.E.

Dentro de los proyectos que tiene que tiene el gobierno Europeo denominado “Juventud en Acción” También hemos participado en julio del 2.007 en otro programa con que se ha desarrollado en la ciudad alemana de Lofedhenl con jóvenes de la Republica Checa, Austria, Alemania y España. Han sido 9 días de convivencia juvenil inolvidables, donde se ha participado en actividades medio ambientales, cerámica, acuarelas, teatro, música etc...

En definitiva, creo que con nuestros amigos de Portugal tenemos que preparar algún que otro programa, a través de Agora Bracarense y Alcalá la Real. Tenemos los conocimientos, la U.E nos ofrece los recursos ¿A que esperamos amigos portugueses?
En muchos años de trabajo con la juventud, nunca había encontrado una actividad tan estimulante para los jóvenes ¡!!

Un abrazo
Custodio López
Jefe Negociado de Juventud y Deportes del Ayuntamiento de Alcalá la Real

Testemunho de participação - Nadja Rein

My dear friends,

Have you ever thought that while travelling around representing your organisation you can actually learn something which might totally change your life!

I am a traveller I was born in the Soviet Union and then when it collapsed I appeared to live in a new state, Kazakhstan. Due to several reasons my family immigrated to Germany (probably it is needed to say that I am also from Multicultural family, in general I can out it saying that I am Russian-German). In Germany I had to learn to live with a new culture and learn German asap in order to be able to solve very simple problems, such as shopping, making appointments etc. But moreover I needed German because I wanted to study. When I was already at the University I learnt about Exchange Programme as ERASMUS and that led me to the UK, where I live and work till this moment. In the UK I had to cope with some cultural differences as well. And what was the most amazing about the place I got in is the fact that it is a very diverse place! You can meet people from different cultural and faith background here. Sometime it is difficult to live with people who have completely different ideas about what is your concept of life, because their concepts are different. In the beginning I couldn’t make living with my house mates who as I thought could not appreciate my concept of ‘clearness’, ‘nice and disgusting smells’ etc. But one day I realised that actually it is not all about them, but a huge part of our misunderstanding was because of me. Then I tried to talk to them to learn about their habits, thoughts, tastes in music, food, movies, clothes etc. And surprisingly, though no one of us has change their concepts of life, we began to feel closer and to understand better each other.

Then one day, when I was finishing my first year at Loughborough University, my tutor who was also a chair at Charnwood Racial Equality Council asked me whether I would like to volunteer for one international project which was to take place in summer. I liked the idea to work with native speakers and decided to take an opportunity to improve my language skills. In the beginning I couldn’t understand what all that was about, mostly because I was working on the arrangements of facilities rather than with content of the project. I also took part in the project as a participants and though I got loads of information about the racial issues and the different work methods against racism in the UK from experts and trainers and about other European countries from the participants of the event I was still not completely sure about the Youth in Action Programme as such.

Being in touch as a volunteer with CREC during my second year at the University I was engaged in a number of local projects and also attended some international event in Moscow and in Turkey. That increased my knowledge about the Programme and its great possibilities for us, young people. The British young people are not really active in participation in different international projects, partly because they are not aware of them. While talking to my friends at the University and local young people I came across due to my work with CREC. My colleagues and I arranged some of them to go to Youth Exchanges in Poland, Turkey, Spain and some other European countries. They were amazed learning about different cultures and new people from all over the Europe. They build friendship and became more interested not only in international projects but also in local projects engaging people from different cultural backgrounds. As a result we applied for another project within Youth in Action Programme focusing on Intercultural learning. That was also due to the fact that my British friends while being abroad realised how few they know about their own culture, which they took for granted.

As I was already quite experienced in these kinds of projects I was a project director for that one. The event had great success and I was approached by people from the Charnwood Racial Equality Council offering me to apply for a post of Community Cohesion Officer. I still needed to submit my application and went through Interview, but those knowledge I gained while working as a volunteer with Youth in Action projects made me the best candidate for that post.

Now I work for the CREC and still work with Youth in Action Programmes giving other young people in Charnwood an opportunity to gain experiences which can benefit them on a personal level but also be a good start for their future careers. All that is without mentioning the fact, that Youth in Action Programme gave me also an opportunity to travel and see the world.
I hope to meet you very soon on one or another project based in the UK or other countries.

Best wishes

Nadja Rein

Community Cohesion Officer at Charnwood Racial Equality Council & Programme Director at Youth Across Frontiers (YAF), UK, Loughborough

Workshop de Projectos Internacionais Ágora Bracarense

A Ágora Bracarense vai promover algumas sessões/workshops relacionados com os Projectos Internacionais em que tem vindo a participar.
Estas sessões terão como objectivos principais:
- A divulgação do trabalho realizado pela Ágora Bracarense;
- A promoção de Programas Europeus e Internacionais para Associações;
- A formação de jovens para participar em Programas Internacionais.

Nestes workshops, de forma informal, os jovens participantes aprenderão mais sobre programas como o “Programa Juventude em Acção”, e conhecerão todas as potencialidades e virtudes de participar neste tipo de eventos em que a Ágora Bracarense se encontra envolvida.

Estes eventos são uma forma única dos jovens bracarenses ingressarem no “admirável mundo novo” do movimento associativo dos jovens europeus.

Mais informações podem ser encontradas em: http://www.agorabracarense-internationalprojects.blogspot.com/
Para esclarecimento de dúvidas: agorabracarense@gmail.com

Euro-Mediterranean Youth Platform Invitation

After a long period of absence, the Euro-Med Youth Platform's magazine is finally back. The Magazine is one of the Platform's networking tools, working to raise awareness on what is being done in the youth sector in the Euro-Mediterranean region. This will be published by the end of November 2007. If you would like to receive a printed copy of this issue, please fill in the online subscription form here, even if you have already done so in the past: http://www. euromedp.org/en/mag.asp . The magazine will also be available online through our website www. euromedp.org .

Earlier in the year, the Euro-Mediterranean Youth Platform launched an initiative to encourage the establishment of National Youth Federations of NGO's in the Mediterranean. The main aim behind this National Youth Federation initiative is to build upon national capabilities in the Mediterranean, and to create networks of National Youth Federations where none already exist. The main thrust for the establishment of this Federation will come from the NGO's themselves, with the support of the Euro-Med Youth Platform.
From the 13th-16th December 2007, the Euro-Med Youth Platform will hold a meeting in Alexandria, Egypt for youth who demonstrate an interest in this initiative and can contribute positively to this process. During this meeting we shall be able to take stock of what has been achieved to date, what are the obstacles encountered, and how these networks can support each other. The meeting will be based on peer education with expert assistance. European youth councils, especially those who still conserve the memory of their creation because they are not old, will be invited to share their experience and resources.
Applications to participate in this meeting are now open, and you are invited to apply through the following link: http://www.euromedp .org/en/egypt.asp?lang=en . Please note that the deadline for applications is 20th November 2007.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.
Kind regards,


Sharon Attard
Projects Officer
Euro-Mediterranean Youth Platform
36 Old Mint Street, Valletta VLT 1514, Malta
Tel +356 25586149, Fax +356 25586139
info@ euromedp.org
http://www. euromedp.org

Testemunho de participação - Susan Spagy

Hi to everybody!I am Susy, I am 23 years old and I am Italian.

I decided to write you about my experience in theme of international projects to share a grandiose and formative experience with the hope that I will give you the correct motivations to start.

From 5 months I live in a small village in Uk named Loughborough where I have known some members of a local association (YAF) and I begun as voluntary to collaborate in their projects. From that moment it is initiated a new, grandiose experience of life for me. I have met people coming from every part of the world, shared with them experiences, learned new ways of live to think... travel...

Today I'm in contact with a lot of people met during the seminar I participated and I have with them personal and professional relationships. Particularly the members of Agora Bracarense, Tiago and Margarida, two special people, that in more than an occasion show me availability and seriousness in our projects and in the affective relationships.I hope that my words also serve to you, because we don't often realize how much possibility we have to improve our days, live with some objectives, grow and to compare us with the others.... and there is no experience better than this, believe me!

Good luck

Susy

Testemunho de participação - Karin Peham-Strauss

My name is Karin and I am from Austria. I work in a youth club "Jugendzentrum Perg" with teenagers and young adults and we are going to EU projects with them. The young people like these projects a lot because there they can meet other young people from all over Europe and talk about their life, their ideas, wishes and their problems. Over all they have the possibility to see another country and have a lot of fun with young people.

Petra (22) and Besa (17) have seen already 4 countries and are also leading groups sometimes. "It is a perfect opportunity for us to learn more about the "idea Europe" and this projects also fill the term "EU" with life". "We have met many people and now we are having friends all over Europe AND the best is, that we can afford travelling because it is really good financially supported"

I myself have also met somebody from "Ágora Bracarense " and it was Tiago who is really hard working to make YOU to get this perfect experience too.

I hope to see you soon somewhere in Europe and ask Tiago or anybody else from " Ágora Bracarense" if you wish to get more information.

Bis bald! (This means: see you soon in German)

Karin Peham-Strauss - Jugendzentrum Perg (Austria)

Testemunho de participação - Tiago Mourão

A experiência de participar em projectos internacionais que envolvem diferentes associações europeias é, em todos os sentidos, única e fascinante, merecendo ser partilhada com todos.
Passar uns dias num ambiente completamente distinto daqueles que nos envolve na rotina diária, com pessoas vindas dos quatro cantos da Europa e que, apesar de nunca termos visto na vida, nos começam a ser familiares com o passar dos momentos, é algo que me marcou e que seguramente não irei esquecer.

Durante estes projectos temos a oportunidade de experienciar algo que, caso não saíssemos das nossas localidades, dificilmente conseguiríamos. A troca de ideias, a realização de trabalho em grupo, abordando temas de relevo para os jovens, e o poder partilhar métodos de trabalho num grupo onde reina a diversidade e a multiplicidade de culturas e nacionalidades enriquece-nos de forma surpreendente.

Participei em dois projectos e, cada um deles foi especial. Pelo que conheci, pelo que vivi nesses momentos, pelas pessoas com quem contactei, pelos temas abordados, pela troca cultural, pela oportunidade de comunicar em diferentes línguas e ultrapassar, muitas vezes com dificuldade e alguma originalidade as barreiras da linguagem… E depois, o poder dar o nosso contributo e deixar o nosso cunho pessoal num projecto global, que ultrapassa fronteiras e vai muito para além dos momentos vividos naquele local, transmite-nos um sentimento de realização enorme. Ainda, o facto de poder transmitir e divulgar a nossa associação, a nossa cidade, o nosso país, é algo que, acarretando alguma responsabilidade, nos permite desenvolver capacidades e competências importantes nos dias de hoje.

Aproveito para incentivar aqueles que ainda não tiveram a oportunidade de participar num evento destes, que procurem informação, que recorram à Ágora Bracarense (http://www.agorabracarense.blogspot.com/) que certamente lhes facilitará toda a informação e proporcionará a possibilidade de viver algo que eu já vivi e não me importava nada de repetir…

Tiago Mourão - Ágora Bracarense (Braga, Portugal)

Uma Ágora Internacional

A nossa Ágora é Bracarense, mas as suas ambições e campo de acção são internacionais e desde cedo ultrapassaram os limites da nossa região.
Enquanto jovens e europeus, os associados da Ágora Bracarense pretendem fazer parte daqueles que se preocupam e querem intervir na cena pública europeia.
Através dos projectos internacionais da Ágora Bracarense, os jovens que se associarem a nós têm a possibilidade de participar em Programas Europeus especialmente pensados para o movimento associativo dos jovens europeus.
O Programa Juventude em Acção, financiado pela União Europeia dá o mote para a nossa participação activa em intercâmbios, cursos de formação, encontros, seminários e serviço de voluntariado europeu.
A Ágora Bracarense pretende constituir-se como uma plataforma e interface de contacto entre os jovens dinâmicos bracarenses e diversas associações europeias. Através de uma crescente e sustentada rede de contactos, pretendemos propiciar e potenciar a participação de cada vez mais jovens em projectos de interacção com outros jovens europeus.
Estes projectos, desenvolvidos pelas mais diversas associações europeias são uma oportunidade única e exclusiva de conhecer realidades diferentes e comunicar com vários jovens associados a multiplas instituições jovens espalhadas pelos quatro cantos da Europa.
Todos os jovens bracarenses que sintam o apelo de fazer algo diferente e participar também eles na construção europeia e numa "network" de associações jovens internacionais estão convidados a participar nos nossos projectos.
Entrem em contacto conosco, participem, dêem o vosso contributo.
A Ágora Bracarense espera por vós. . .