Objectives
- Raising participants’ awareness regarding a healthy lifestyle based on diet, physical exercise, socialization, prevention of different forms of addiction through deterrence and spending quality time together
- Prevention of social exclusion, obesity and sedentary life for the disadvantaged/ marginalized and financially weak young people, who live in the rural, poor areas and are at risk of school dropout
- Developing cultural, intercultural, linguistic, social, digital, transversal competences of the participants: creativity, collaboration, sense of initiative, autonomy
- Building cultural exchange between two European cultures, raising awareness with regard to European identity, overcoming cultural prejudices, misconceptions and stereotypes according to EU principles : fighting racism, respect for dignity, diversity, equal opportunities, gender equality
- Developing a spirit of tolerance, fighting discrimination practices, interest in cultural diversity, all of which being fundamentally necessary for living and working in a multicultural European space
- Improving the partner organisations’ ability to approach inclusive practices through a transfer of innovation, non formal methods and techniques between partners in order to provide quality educational services at European standards
The implementation of the activities led to personal and professional development, active citizenship, internationalization of the partners through cooperation, European openness and exchange of good practices, and managed to establish synergies between school and civil society.
By all the participants’ active involvement in all the activities, the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange "Challenge to change, Challenge to exchange-Alternative for a Healthy Inclusive Society" managed to support social inclusion for the young people with fewer possibilities or with health problems, to develop the participants’ native qualities and key competences for a better integration into the labour market, to encourage active citizenship and sharing common European values, to promote equality of chances, tolerance, non discrimination and cultural dialogue so that the participants should become agents of change in their own community.
It was also an excellent opportunity to exchange examples of good practices between the Romanian high school and the Spanish youth association regarding the methods and techniques specific to non formal education, in order to support the transfer of innovation in education and the increasing capacity of both partner organizations to implement Erasmus+ projects in the future.
While bringing real benefits for the young Spanish and Romanian participants regarding the knowledge acquired, skills improved and behavioral changes related to fighting stress, avoiding unhealthy habits and preventing eating disorders, the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange had a great impact in reinforcing partnership with local Romanian institutions such as Scoala Sanitara Postliceala "Vasile Alexandri" and Centrul Scolar Pentru Educatie Incluziva "Elena Doamna" .
This project will lay the fondation for future institutional cooperation which will help us increase the number of youth involved in European learning mobilities. It succeeded to provide the local community with a pattern of approaching Health Education in non formal contexts as an alternative to formal education, both for schools and associations or NGO’s involved in activities related to a healthy lifestyle and to prevention of nutrition diseases among young people.