Year 2Â Catalonia
Community resilience
For the second time, 36 young people from Belgium, Catalonia and Italy came together for one week in an international exchange about resilience, this time in Olot (Catalonia). This project, promoted by Erasmus+ (European Union), challenged us to think critically about this concept and how it encompasses real life problems and solutions.
Being resilient is having the ability to adapt to a changing situation. On a personal level, this is about reacting to personal setbacks (losing a dear one, loneliness, friendships that end etc.). Not only people, but also communities and countries have to be resilient. This year the focus was on the latter theme.
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Wander through these pages to find out ...
Activities
In preparing the activities, the youngsters of the three countries each focused on another subtheme: economic, social and ecological resilience. Next to the activity each country prepared to give the others an intro in a subtheme of resilience, we were guided through the concept of resilience with the help of a workshop from the local youth organization (IDEAL), visits to social projects in Olot, working with bioconstruction material etc.
The gathered knowledge about the concept funneled into an action day on which we did a flashmob (performing a dance while singing a self-written song) and questionned the locals about how to make Olot a more resilient village.
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During the day and at night, we participated in various extra activities to get to know each other and to create a strong group atmosphere. We learned a traditional Catalan dance, we joined a yoga session, we went lasershooting at night, explored the Catalan nightlife, visited the Volcano etc. At last, our group really bonded by teaching each other songs and dances from each country .
Flashmob
Verse of the self-written song
"Don't you give up be resilient.
If we work all together, then we can be strong.
Resilience!"
"The exchange allowed me to make strong transnational connections, foster peer learning and get locally involved with a systemic view. It's a life experience everyone should have at least once in their life. It opens one's mind in an unimaginable way."
Agnes (Catalonia)
"When I'm having a hard time, resilience is the light that shows me a way out."
Oskar (Belgium)
"The exchange was very enriching. Not only have I learnt on a theoretical level in how many different areas the concept of resilience can be applied, but also experimented it through practical exercices. What’s more, the activities and free time gave the opportunity to create an international group of friends that became like a family by the end of the week."