Project Summary

“Recycle yourself” is a project involving 25 youth workers from 5 partner organisations: Avadhuta (Croatia), The Lotus Trust (UK), Drustvo za duso (Slovenia), Nama Hatta Antwerpen (Belgium) and I.S.K.CON Firenze (Italy). All the organisations are active for many years in youth work, connected with areas of healthy lifestyles, education, ecology/self sustainability and social work. The partners expressed their mutual interest in creating a network based on strong partnerships aimed to connect more and exchange the good practices in relevant areas of their work.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GtRgAsZFUpQ

Project Objectives

1. Creating a platform for a European network of organisations active in the areas of youth work, healthy lifestyles and self-sustainability;
2. Professionalisation and development of key competences and skills for youth workers (become more goal-oriented, get new experience at inter-cultural learning, develop practical ICT skills etc.);
3. Improvement of managerial skills through exchange of good practices in their work, which will result in better quality and increased motivation of the staff for their activities in youth working area;
4. Learning of innovative and improved ways of operating towards target groups, by providing more modern and attractive programs created at the meetings, for young people, volunteers and young NEET’s in line with their needs and expectations;
5. Getting more experience and develop knowledge in area of EU/local project management and grant writing and in that way to find new financial resources for the projects (on local, regional and international level).

The project will last for 14 months, start on 1st of October 2014 and end on 1st of December 2015. It will involve 3 meetings/trainings of youth workers in Slovenia, Croatia and UK. The meetings will be based on different combinations of outdoor activities (organic gardening, field trips, cow milking, yoga), educational trainings (seminars, workshops on soft skills and innovative methods of youth work), learning opportunities of European instruments/certificates (Youthpass, Europass CV) and practical management education (fundraising for organisations on national and international level, grant writing, Erasmus+ opportunities presentations). During the partner meetings, photos and videos of activities will be taken and put into media forms which summarize the events and practical results attained. We will take photos and videos of educational activities, practical outdoor activities (ie planting the garden) and feedback from the youth from local communities who will attain the meetings. The conclusions of the meetings will be:

• Slovenia, – preparatory event (soft skills development, outreach for youth),
• Croatia, June 2015 – practical development event (European instruments, outdoor activities),
• UK, September 2015 – summarization of the gained experience (fundraising, entrepreneurship ideas for youth).

Dissemination Event

This was public event held at the Bhaktivedanta Manor on November 30, 2015, to the Radlett community and larger congregation of the Bhaktivedanta Manor as well as internal departments of the organization. The goal of this event was to share the work this project has done, and inspire other organisations and individuals (specifically youth) to look at the Erasmus+ funding opportunities and see the project goals in a larger framework.

The long term effect of the project would be seen through the newly formed network of organisations where the youth workers will have more opportunities for professionalisation, skills and experience development and to improve the implementation of their learned experiences in local communities and outreach their target groups more effectively.

Throughout the public open day at our sister organisation the Bhaktivedanta Manor, the Lotus Trust invited interested persons to a 25 min presentation in our Cowshed offices (just above the cow stable) about the Recycle Yourself project and generally the Erasmus+ programme. We had a great turn out with over 50 people in attendance throughout the day. That along with the hands on elements such as oxen rides and other Recycle Yourself initiatives, the project dissemination was a great success!