Erasmus+.
What is Erasmus+?
Erasmus+ is a European Union program that includes all European and international programs and initiatives of the European Union in the field of education, training, youth and sports.
This program is aimed at strengthening skills, knowledge and employability as well as improving the education, training and work of European citizens.
Youth
Erasmus+ particularly seeks to strengthen the quality of work with young people as well as to strengthen non-formal education for young people in Europe. Through its program, it offers young people mobility in order to develop their interpersonal skills, as well as increase employability through various forms of cooperation, training and networking inside and outside Europe.
Argonauta and Erasmus+
Argonauta hosted the first youth exchange as a part of the former Youth in Action program in 2011 and has continued to host young people from the European Union and beyond once a year, in spring or autumn. During the stay on Murter, we cover topics important for young people as well as for Argonauta; from nature and environmental protection, to building the competencies of young people for employment, promoting volunteerism and strengthening the creative skills and talents of young people.
Our association occasionally sends volunteers, ie a group of young people from Croatia to a abroad for 6 to 9 days for an exchange in order to actively participate and experience the multiple benefits of non-formal education within the Erasmus+ program. So far, we have sent and hosted young people from countries such as Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Spain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Serbia, Greece…
In general, being a volunteer means to offer your time for community service and the common good. In addition to helping the community, volunteers meet new people, often from very different countries, gain new knowledge and skills, shape their own careers through learning about their own preferences, learn or improve foreign language skills, and of coourse, have a good time doing it.
The non-formal education that volunteers have the opportunity to gain in this way usually results in broadening perspectives, leaving their comfort zone, cultural exchange. All that in a safe and friendly environment for sharing knowledge, experiences, skills and perspectives of young people from very different countries and cultures.
On the other hand, our association, working with numerous volunteers, has gathered valuable experience in coordinating large groups (30 – 45 participants) of young people in group work in time period of 8 days. Working on such projects, our team honed the skills of working in international teams of group leaders and facilitating the process and logistics of such events, which can very often be demanding and challenging.
Erasmus+ is a program of multiple importance for all who participate in it; both for the volunteers themselves and for the organizations that implement it. There is a great value that remains after such an experience, and the best way to check it, if you haven’t already, is to try out an Erasmus+ adventure yourself. Isn´t it?
For more information visit https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/node_en
