On August 13, 2024, yEUth successfully held the Leaders’ Meeting for the KA1 Erasmus+ project Breaking Free from Modern Addictions (#BFMA). This meeting was a crucial step in ensuring the smooth implementation of the upcoming Youth Exchange, which will take place in Ommen, the Netherlands, in September 2024.

The online session brought together team leaders from our partner organizations Asociación Creamos Europa (Spain), Associazione Scienze Naturali Unite Aps (Italy), DARNOJE (Lithuania), Entrepreneurship and Social Economy Group (Greece)

The meeting covered all essential aspects to prepare for the Youth Exchange, including:

Agenda and Logistical Planning

We reviewed the agenda for the Youth Exchange, ensuring that all leaders are familiar with the daily schedule, activities, and expected outcomes. Special attention was given to ensuring smooth mobility and participation for all teams.

Intercultural Night

We discussed the organization of the Intercultural Night, where each national team will showcase their culture through food, music, or other creative presentations. Leaders were encouraged to help their teams prepare engaging activities (dances, games) that reflect their country’s unique traditions.

Responsibilities of Team Leaders

Each team leader has a crucial role in supporting their participants, ensuring their engagement, and facilitating activities. So we went through their responsibilities:

-Guide participants through the program and discussions.

-Ensure team members actively participate in activities.

-Mediate and provide support when needed.

-Assist in resolving any logistical or communication issues.

-Conduct an evaluation of their national teams each evening to reflect on the day’s activities, provide feedback, and address any concerns.

-Participate in the Leaders’ Meeting every evening, presenting updates on their team members and discussing any challenges or needs.

Increasing Active Participation – National Team-Led Sessions

With everyone’s agreement, we decided to make participation more dynamic by including a daily session facilitated by a different national team. Each team will be responsible for leading a session, ensuring engagement and diversity in learning experiences.

To support this, we provided guidance on how to facilitate activities effectively, ensuring that sessions remain interactive and inclusive. Leaders were assigned specific responsibilities in assisting with workshops, group reflections, and energizers.

Travel Arrangements and Assistance

A crucial part of the discussion was travelling arrangements. Leaders confirmed whether their teams had completed ticket bookings. Those who still required assistance with ticket reservations or clarification on local transportation were encouraged to reach out for support.

To ensure smooth and effective communication throughout the project, we created during the meeting, a WhatsApp group and included all team leaders. This will serve as a quick and efficient way to share updates, address questions, and provide support in real time.

With the Leaders’ Meeting successfully completed, we are confident that #BFMA will be an enriching and impactful project. We look forward to welcoming all teams in Ommen and working together to address modern addictions while fostering cultural exchange and personal growth.