Erasmus+ has always signified exchange for me. In these projects I have found some source of sharing information and experiences with other young people from and around Europe. It is only fitting that for our festival I had the opportunity to attend an Erasmus+ Training course in Armenia.
What many people don’t know is that the Erasmus+ programme does not only offer opportunities to university students, but also finances youth exchanges, school projects and trainings for youth workers. Thanks to this framework I have already participated in 3 training courses, two in Armenia and one in Liverpool. Since I’m responsible for most of the graphic aspects of Scambi, I was immediately interested when I noticed the call by my friend Karina from Armenia who had organised one of the previous courses I attended. She wanted to let me know about a course focused on Infographics for youth work: a training that I finally decided to join by traveling to Stepanavan from the 9th to the 17th of June. Our team consisted of Latvian, Spanish, German, Ukrainian and Armenian participants from different fields. In the training we could build our graphical and design skills with a gamified approach, but we also focused on diversity and representation in graphics as well as outdoor activities. During the graphical sessions, I was able to focus on the design of the programme for Scambi festival and I’m really happy with the design I came up with (wait and see!).
An especially helpful aspect of the training for me was the exchange of creative exercises and inspiration with the other participants.
International projects for youth work like this one give the participants the powerful means to share solutions from different parts of the world, and to bring them back to their home country. Furthermore, they can develop their own personal skills and intercultural competences. In the specific case of Erasmus+ Training courses, those competences not only reach the participants, but also influence their communities and workplaces.
Exchange means to share your perspective and to learn from one another.
I can’t wait to share my experiences with the Scambi team, and possibly to pass them on to you in a workshop during the festival… the exchange continues!