Three youth workers from different Ukrainian youth centers – Kremenchuk Informative-elucidative Educational Center “European Club,” Drohobych Youth Space, and NGO “Queer Space” – attended a four-day contact-making seminar on partnership building dedicated to Erasmus+ KA2 projects in Alicante, Spain, and shared how it went.
Anna:
“🌍New experience – new opportunities🇪🇸
I had a wonderful chance to join an international training in sunny Alicante, Spain. The event brought together youth workers from many different countries. It was a week full of learning, practice, new friends, and inspiration.
I learned how to create and manage youth projects within Erasmus+ (KA1, KA2) – how to plan, make a budget, organize activities, and work with participants. We worked in teams, shared ideas, created our own projects, and got useful feedback.
It was also a great chance to meet amazing people from all over the world and learn about their work, culture, and ideas about youth work.
The atmosphere was full of support, openness, and creativity🌞
I’m very thankful to Cazalla for this opportunity, for their warm welcome and great organization. Special thanks to our wonderful trainers for their professionalism, energy, and belief in each of us💫
This training was not only about learning – it was also about growing personally and professionally.
I’m coming back home with new knowledge, ideas, and motivation to make things happen💪”
Mariia:
“In an incredibly short time, we learned a lot of useful things about budgeting, project impact, visibility, risk management, and other important aspects. I liked that all participants could bring something from their own experience and share it with others. The interactive exercises, teamwork, and demonstration of examples helped us better understand the process of project writing (for example when we were shown the budget table in already implemented projects). I especially enjoyed the session where we shared the tools and methods we use in our own organizations – I had no idea there were so many of them! (:
I think all this knowledge will definitely be useful in my future work.
Another meaningful and enriching part for me was the communication with participants from different countries: we joked, laughed to tears, learned about each other’s cultures, and had a great time not only during the training sessions but also beyond them. Thanks to this connection, the exchange of ideas and experiences was as open and sincere as possible, and working in groups on projects was deep and engaging
The last day of the seminar was especially memorable for me – we presented our own projects and filmed the final video. Everyone had the opportunity to receive valuable feedback on their creation and share thoughts about others. There was a feeling of accomplishment in the air, and the jokes during filming created a warm, family-like atmosphere.
The seminar helped me realize that writing a project is not magic outside of Hogwarts, but a logical and structured process that can be successfully accomplished through teamwork.
Thank you to the hosting organization – “Cazalla Intercultural”and to the sending organisation – “European Club” for this opportunity and unique, unforgettable experience =) ❤️”
Dariia:
“This was my first trip within the Erasmus program.
My first visit to Spain.
And my first training where you had to learn and interact with the group exclusively in English.
The educational material was quite useful for me. I refreshed my knowledge of project management. Particularly valuable was the block with the calculation of risks and the inclusion of empathy as an approach to identifying needs.
Multinational group — is something!
I never expected that «yogurt» could be a dessert, a sauce, and a main course. It all depends on the nationality of the consumer =)
It is difficult, but extremely important, to convey Ukrainian realities to colleagues from Europe. Because when planning events, we need not only a backup plan, but also a plan C, D, E… etc.
After all, the risk for them may be that the participants will not like the food for breakfast
and for Ukraine, the risk — is when the coach may not come, because his train was hit by a rocket.
By the way, an interesting observation. In Ukrainian projects, we often use the word «beneficiaries». At the training in Alicante, most of the participants spoke «partisipants». Both terms mean the target audience of projects, but there is an important semantic difference.
Beneficiary — is someone who receives a profit, or advantage from something
and the participant — is the one who is included in the process and takes an active part.
In the future, I plan to use these terms more consciously in my work.
The training took place in a building that previously had a fortification purpose — interesting and innovative solution.
Living and studying in this building was especially pleasant.
Architecture and renovations — my little weakness.
Evening walks through the old city, which seemed to grow into a rock, helped fill the head not only with knowledge, but also with the incredible hedonistic experience of seaside Spain.
And a tile… How many tiles are there on the facades!
Was I scared? — Yes!
Am I satisfied with this educational adventure? — 100 %!”
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