Organisation: Strážkyně přátelství (a scout group) 

Website: http://strazkyne.wakan.cz/

Dates: 26 June – 5 August 2014

Place: Heroltice, Czech Republic

Description of the activity:

An international youth exchange under the Erasmus+ programme set on 10 days in beautiful nature of the Czech Republic. Everyday we focused on one topic from nature that deserved our attention. During the morning we focused on it more theoretically (more or less, because usually it was by some experiments or practical trying) and in the afternoon we went out to discover such a phenomena in situ (so we experienced, what we have talked about before or simply try to live our morning decisions).

Main aim were leading participants to their responsibility for the nature as an important value, get them to know about their options of help to preserve the nature and  environment, personal understanding of responsibility for their surroundings of living and actively taking care of it and at last leading them with examples of eating and healthy life-style with some sport activities to their own change of life caused by this.

We did workshops about mountains, drinking water, biodiversity and also presentation and communication skills. Each was supported by a practical activity, as well as a visit and excursions to the nearest dam and power station. We had a presentation and practical training of rescuing and first aid from mountain-rescuers directly at the highest peak of Praded. And we had sport activities as well such as a horse riding, collective games or for example visiting the ski-acrobat-park. We gathered important information about the European Union and Youth in Action programme, especially about Youthpass, too. Everybody took a chance to choose his or her suitable way of digital presentation during the creating movie, picture slide-show or power-point presentation to use arts to serve the Y.E. purpose as well. Every country prepared a presentation about their national habits, food and other traditions for better understanding our differences and similarities. Participants met a local community during the traditional public event "Setkani na pomezi Cech a Moravy" - they were in charge of helping with a programme for a kids and young people (focused on project’s topic) as well as for digital recording the whole day.

What was the environmental problem:

We did it, because all participating groups were scouts. And as you probably know, scouts belong to the nature. They cherish it, take care of it and worship it as a treasure that gives us shelter, warmth and also food, if we need. So we wanted those young (future) leaders to understand that preserving nature and taking care of it is important and that it is not only separating garbage. That it can be one and million things. And it worth to do at least that small thing that you can do. Because that is what is important. To try and spread those small acts of good that make things change and the World better.

The result of the activity:

Our biggest impact was on those young scout leaders, who on daily basis work voluntarily with kids and other young people at their home scout centres at Croatia, Slovenia and Czech Republic. So they spread all we did, all those inputs, ideas, knowledge, but also approaches and skills among. But not only there. They also prepared presentations for their school classes and other classes, so they motivate also their friends and peers. We had a huge impact during the public event, where came around 150 people and it was a big fuzz around part of it over there.  And it all showed up in local medias as TV, newspapers, local radio and online magazines (thanks to it, but not only). We also shared our findings and some methods with other NGOs or youth workers individually.

Environmental challenge accepted - Public vote

Main page of the project