Disabled snowman

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• #1

  Jakub Pięta (Tuesday, 21 January 2014 00:17)

  Youth exchange called Disabled Snowman took place in Lviv, Ukraine between 13th to 21st of December 2013. It was 44 trainers, young leaders and members from six countries in Lviv. We had participants from Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, Italy, Greece and Georgia. The main purpose was to gain knowledge about immigration, immigrants life and connections between immigrations and poverty. During this week I had also opportunity to get a lot of information about Human Rights and position of youth unemployment. Most of the trainings were conducted in non formal education. So we had got simulations, brainstorming, role – playing, discussions and work in groups. But for me, maybe because it was my first youth exchange, most important thing on this project was possibility to share opinions and experiences with participants from other countries especially from these outside the European Union.
  Disabled Snowman training course gave me experience I will never forget. I hope I would have possibility to expand my knowledge about emigration topic and meet people from exchange once again.
  

• #2

  Natasza Nowakowska (Tuesday, 21 January 2014 00:18)

  A week before the holiday madness 13th December Turkish organization TUFAK with the help of the Ukrainian NGO decided to organize a youth exchange with an intriguing name "Disabled Snowman " . The term was chosen rather not accidentally – obviously Christmas is the perfect time for reflection and showing empathy not only for the closest people.
  
  The project took place near one of the most beautiful Ukrainian cities - Lviv. From 13th to 21st December, along with more than 40 participants we have been discussing the subject of discrimination using tools of non-formal education. Together with the participants from Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia and Italy we had to search and create solutions that would help us and young people to spread the ideas of tolerance and acceptance in the future.
  
  By taking part in this youth exchange I was minutely introduced to topics related to disabled people everyday life, issues which are neglected or even ignored by many people. However, during the project we have been discussing also issues more generally, thinking about human rights or social exclusion and discrimination.
  
  Varied workshops encouraged discussion and talks on topics related to discrimination and exclusion . Each national group was tasked to create a workshop before coming to Ukraine. Some participants coped with the task professionally, the less experienced conducted activities with a sense of humor and a big commitment, but all workshops familiarized us main problems concerning themes of the project. Moreover, taking part in the process of creating workshop helped me and other participants be involved in the project more actively. Filming and editing videos related to topics of discrimination, human rights or cultural diversity was the highlight part of “Disabled Snowman. During the last day we had a chance to see the results of our work and analyze it. Another distinctive element of the evening was to organize games and activities that have helped integrate participants in a more informal way .
  
  A visit to a primary school for children and young people with different degrees of disability was an interesting and educational part of the project. With our own eyes we had an opportunity to see how to work in this environment – how to overcome difficulties, but also the positive aspects of working with such children. It was a perfect sum up to what we had learned during project.
  

• #3

  Agnieszka Kusek (Tuesday, 21 January 2014 00:22)

  Youth Exchange "Disabled Snowman",during the week 13-21 December 2013, was a nice opportunity to learn something not only obout our cultures and traditions,but also human rights and migration issues of such coutries as Turkey, Ukraine, Greece,Georgia, Italy and Poland. We had a chance to share our knowledge by preparing activities, for other participants, So we had a opportunity not only to learn but also teach by non-formal education methods.
  All of us had a chance to face something new and lear a lesson for future,which is the most impostant knowledge.

• #4

  Magdalena Strzodka (Tuesday, 21 January 2014 00:23)

  From 13th to 21th of December 2013 I’ve participated in Youth in Action project ‘Disable Snowman’ organized by Turkish organization ‘TUFAK – Tourism Folklore Research Center’ in Lviv. During one-week long project participants from six different countries (Italy, Greece, Poland, Turkey, Georgia and Ukraine) had possibility to share their knowledge, ideas and experiences related to Human Rights, immigration and difficulties faced by people with lower opportunities. Public forums, discussions, workshops and other activities have broaden my knowledge and improved my intercultural and communication skills. Thanks to energizers and ice-breakers integration between participants run very quickly. For sure one of the most unifying events were intercultural nights during which each national team presented their traditional cuisine, drinks and music. Beyond the activities strongly connected with projects we had also opportunity to discover amazing Lviv. For me participation in ‘Disable Snowman’ project was a week full of great activities with amazing people in beautiful place.

• #5

  Kuba Cwetler (Tuesday, 21 January 2014 00:23)

  Youth exchange ''Disabled Snowman” which took place from 13th to 21st december in Lviv is considered to have been really successful. Turkish coordinating organiation TUFAK made efforts that all participants could have spent those 8 days in a fantastic atmosphere. We should also thank to the hosting organization Institute of Ukrainian Studies. The coodtinators were always helpful and willing to solve any kind of problems if any appeared. TUFAK took care that each participant used that time as constructively as possible and it means in the ambience distinctive for „Youth in Action” programme: hard working, satisfaction with implementing entrusted tasks, preparating workshops. What is more, all of those activities were fulfilled with fantastic integration with youngsters not only from Europe. The topic that the project refered to is close and well-known to everybody and especially nowadays discussion on it is so important because it lets us think about this issue with common sense without referring to harmful stereotypes. Migration is a burning matter in contemporary Europe so this knowledge is particulary needed. Schedule of the exchange was constructed to activate all participants as much possible by intrusting them individual workshops. Each nationality had a task of preparation a workshop connected to the problem of immigrants and tolerance with using Compass manual. As far as I am able to judge, it was an excellent idea because it gave an opportunity for less experienced participants, firstly to get to know with examples of actions provided for the nonformal education but furthermore it let some of us to overcome stress accompanying to public speeches. Our creativity and engagement became the most visible during formation of movies which we were asked to do. All of them have been created in a very short time, each of us were working laboriously to make such thing that would be useful for their successors -trainers, activist, liders interested in this field. What is important, we did not forget about an humouristic aspect that is why we were all treated this task as a great pleasure. We are satisfied with all the results and a lot of us are willing to cooperate in the future on following projects.

• #6

  Mateusz Cwetler (Saturday, 25 January 2014 15:00)

  I have to admit that youth exchange “Disabled snowman” which took place in Lviv, Ukraine between 13-21 December 2013 was very valuable experience that enabled me to understand better meaning of word “different”, that different doesn't mean worse at all. Project was also an occasion to meet some of old friends and to meet new interesting and great people from Georgia, Greece, Italy, Turkey and Ukraine.
  Issues of minorities in many meanings and from different perspectives were raised during whole week. All activities designed and prepared by organisers and each national group were tackling topics of national, cultural and ethnic minorities together with disability. Our hosts from Ukraine and organizers form Turkey did all they best to ensure right conditions and environment to freely discus above issues. But the most touching moment for me was visit in kinder garden and primary school for disabled kids on st. Nicolas day when we were involved in giving gifts. Witnessing their happiness and being part of event was priceless.
  Being in Lviv just before Christmas, during political turmoil gave us also possibility to discover how close Poland and Ukraine are bonded in tradition, cuisine and art. I would love to see Ukraine without borders one day, both physical and mental as well.