iLast year we have tried to offer an attractive program to ALL through European youth exchange activities.
The EU-youth program (YOUTH) was used many times from the youth club Perg because it is very attractive for the youngsters of our town.
These youth exchange program are sponsored by the European Union and support the idea of a European citizen. The youngsters (and also their parents) like to accept this offer because it is inexpensive, instructional and opens the own horizon.
The efforts of the organization are going toward the acquirement of knowledge outside of school. The possibility to get to know other countries, cultures and their people is something which should be an opportunity to everybody. That’s why the youthclub always tries to find a group mixed with all kind of youngsters (students, workers, pupils, migrants…). We always meet quite a lot of times before the trips so that they all can get into close contact and define themselves as a group of Austria from our town Perg, but also as a group of the youth club which we have to represent. That creates friends among themselves and also binds them more to the club. Another aspect is that they see themselves as Austrians (maybe with different backgrounds and roots).
The social contacts are in the front – it is not important for them where they are from, which background or which social level they have. Once they are friends they stay as friends and this creates sustainable dialogue which should lead to discussions about experiences, wishes, dreams and problems.
We are very keen to prepare and apply for such projects, although this takes a lot of time, but we are convinced about this idea and the success of these projects.
Another action of the youth program which we push is the EVS program – European Voluntary Service. We will have the second time a young person from Europe (partner country) who will do a voluntary service in our youth club. The first 6 months of 2006 Hakan, a student of Ankara, was helping us in the youth club and in October 2006 Erhan will support us this time.