Push Up Sports and Arts Balkan

Infopack
18-24 August 2022
Tutorial for participants
Push up Sports and Arts Balkan
Infopack Tutorial for the Erasmus Project “Push Up Sports and Arts Balkan”, with reference number 2021-2-EL02-KA152-YOU-000040526
Short summary of the project:
We invite you to participate in a youth mobility in 18-24 AUGUST 2022. We aim to strengthen the core of the BALKAN family. You and your friends, growing up in varied circumstances with different priorities and perspectives will have the opportunity to meet other young people across Europe.

THE CONCEPT
Through PUSH UP SPORTS AND ARTS BALKAN we aim to strengthen social community, to support cultural heritage & utilize arts & creativity as a median for social activism between countries of the Balkan Peninsula (Greece, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania). The Balkans, also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographic area in Southeast Europe with various definitions & meanings, geopolitical & historical. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the whole of Bulgaria from the Serbian–Bulgarian border to the Black Sea coast. The Balkan Peninsula is bordered by the Adriatic Sea in the northwest, the Ionian Sea in the southwest, the Aegean Sea in the south, the Turkish Straits in the east, & the Black Sea in the northeast. The northern border of the peninsula is variously defined. The Balkans was best known for minority problems. Today, the most bitter conflicts are between parties that appeal to majority ethnic communities. New generation playa a crucial role to the stability of Europe and to an optimistic future. Cultural heritage empowerment is essential for setting cities and human settlements in inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable frames & facilitates cultural and natural heritage" safeguard. Thus, the current project focuses in cultural identity & its importance for sociopolitical stability & moreover, personal development. By developing a strong core of our own cultural history & traditions we build a positive cultural identity for ourselves, gain a sense of belonging & facilitate our overall well-being. Thus, cultural identification facilitates the individual's social connections & a sense of belonging to the community; current communities are usually multi-diverse in European countries, BALKAN regions included. Having a positive sense of belonging helps youth to move between cultures with greater ease and confidence, increasing their engagement. In turn, belonging builds youngster’s self-esteem and resilience, & reduces the likelihood to experience depression or anxiety disorders. Fewer opportunity profiles are more evident to cultural minorities, pretty many in Balkan region. The identification of ourselves with our historical & geopolitical heritage is extremely significant to strengthen individualism and self-awareness. A defined cultural identity is important for our mental health & well-being. Cultural heritage plays a marginal role in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. THE PURPOSE Common values, customs and traditions, familiarities in sociocultural profiles and lifestyles co-define the Balkan core, resembling to mosaic. The approach of Balkan Cultural identification as it is conceptualized by our youth will be the main purpose of the project. The main aim of the project is the special identity & common values, customs and traditions, sociocultural profiles and lifestyles across Balkan countries by POPing UP BALKAN ARTS (that is how comes up the title of our project: (PUAB). The project facilitates “building on past experience & looking towards the future”. Through discussions about culture & society, customs & traditions, we promote the development and external policy objectives & principles, as national ownership, social cohesion, equity, proper geographical balance & diversity. Within partners, there are least developed countries as well as youth with fewer opportunities from poor socio-economic backgrounds & cultural minorities. Moreover, the project directly promotes non-formal learning & cooperation in the field of youth with Partner Countries

TOPICS: The current youth mobility, as an experience is also expected to be an antidepressing BOOSTER. This program provides a lot of practical work, simulation games and role-playing games; great interaction with the host area and youth groups, meetings with citizens.

All the participants will start on creating and making some art, as to develop competencies in this area. Almost all the activities will flow as a ROLE PLAYING process through Acting, Dancing, Painting, Singing, Writing & Playing Music.

A role-playing game (to RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting or through a process of structured decision making of character development. Actions taken within many games succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules & guidelines. There are several forms of RPG.

Participants:18-25 years old
Participants will be according to their geographical, cultural and social differences. We will promote participation of youth with a less opportunities profile. The accompanying persons will support any individual and exceptional learning difficulty. ALL of their expectations and out-coming conclusions shall be presented in a symposium concerning social, cultural and geographical inclusion / exclusion of participatory individuals.

Workshops and Activities:
Activities & Workshops
(i) tabletop role-playing game (TRPG);
(ii) live action role-playing games (LARP). In both of these forms
(iii) an arranger called a game master (GM) usually decides on the rules and setting to be used, acting as referee, while each of the other players plays the role of a single character.
(iv) Discussions
(v) group work
(vi) interactive workshops
(vii) Icebreakers,
(viii) energizers;
(ix) Name games & other getting know each other methods;
(x) Team building activities Intercultural learning activities;
(xi) Getting know the hosting partner by visiting and excursions;
(xii) Work on questions & answers Theatre methodology exercises;
(xiii) Methods of promoting youth inclusion;
(xiv) Introduction to Youthpass & Key competences recognition Presentation of the Erasmus + program & its opportunities for YOUTH Reflections, evaluation activities;
(xv) Self-assessments; Self‐confidence & personal growth activities;
(xvi) Coaching & self-directed learning methods; Team building activities;
(xvii) Presentations by youth organisations of partner countries.

Accommodation:
The accomodation has been arranged for thestay hostel (www.thestay.gr) inThessaloniki.

Main Activities’ Location:
Most of the activities will take place in the nearest park (Karatasou Park), but also to other parks of the Pavlos Melas Municipality and the wider region of Thessaloniki. The basis of the volunteer will be in the office of EERcomt, where will be PC, wifi and phone availability..

Transport:
Travel costs of arrival and departure are covered by the program. The youth group will get support by the NGO that it represents. There is proposed the most economic flight as not to over-limit the allowed budgetaccording to Erasmus+ Guide. The dates of travelling

Local transport and airport transfer:
Prefixed transportation within the program’s frameworks coveredby the program. Personal travel costs are not covered by the program. Below you can check the amount of travel costs that are covered:
Albania
Green Travel
210
Bosnia Herzegovina
Green Travel
320
Bulgaria
Green Travel
210
Croatia
Green Travel
320
Romania
Green Travel
210
Greece
Green Travel
50

Reimbursement:
Travel costs from the country of residence to the hosting country are reimbursed after assuring the papers' validity (original invoice with the name of the traveler; boarding cards). The reimbursement is completed after the verification of the documents, within 20-40 days after receiving all the necessary documents from participants.

Good to know / DOs / DON’Ts:
We suggest you to learn more about EER by visiting our websites https://esai.gr/eer; https://karatasoupark.org; https://artivia.grand joining our facebook #esai en roi
Weather details at: https://www.bbc.com/weather/734077
For Sightseeings and Local customs, get feedback from: https://thessaloniki.travel/en/