USE+FUL | The good practices met abroad with regard the youth employment

Solomon Petkov is telling us more about the good practices he has met abroad and would like to see in Bulgaria with regard to the youth employment

Youth employment is a big issue globally, but even bigger in Bulgaria. One of the things

I’ve found difficult in my country is that it is very hard for young people to get a good start in

life and gain the experience they need. I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the world, and I have seen some amazing practices and opportunities that help young people to be more integrated in society and to receive a head start in life. Here I will share a couple with you.

One of the things I like a lot is the fact that a lot of countries provide young people, as young as 16 years old, with the possibility to begin working a real job, legally. I think it is great for young people to begin to carry responsibility as young as possible. This not only helps them and teaches them to be more independent, but it helps them to have a better perspective on life. It helps them to appreciate the value of things. I think this would be great if it gets implemented in Bulgaria, because it will show that young people have a lot to bring to the table. That being said, believe that the ability to carry responsibility unlocks potential and helps people to grow and get better at what they do!

Another great practice is volunteering. I’ve been to a few countries who offer their youth amazing opportunities to get plugged in and start volunteering in various projects. I think that this is an awesome chance for young people to gain work experience and learn skills hands on. I’ve seen different humanitarian, socio-economic, sports, educational and many other types of projects that young people could become part of with the only requirement being their desire to take part. I feel like the government could provide more options for young people to volunteer and do community service that not only expands them and their horizons but helps to build a stronger and better society!

by Solomon Petkov

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USE+FUL | Why should you apply for an Erasmus+ project

What better way is there to gather knowledge than by traveling. One of life’s greatest joys is exploring the world and learning more about its treasures, cultures and inhabitants. It is a gift like no other that expands one’s horizons both intellectually and spiritually. That is the reason why the Erasmus+ programme is so important to modern society: it provides young people with the opportunity to travel and therefore overcome borders, gain professional experience and build friendships along the way. My experience with Erasmus+ left a lasting impression on me that will stay with me forever and it continues, to this day, to inspire me. I applied to the project with hesitation, but left with a love for the unknown and curiosity for what more it has to offer. I took part in the “Media Movement Starts” project, based in Kirklareli, Turkey - a small town near the Bulgarian border with seemingly little to offer. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong as it soon became my second home and very beloved place. The project exceeded my expectations by a milestone. Thanks to the responsible tasks I was given I gained important new skills that will be useful in various situations and mainly in the professional world. The tasks heavily required teamwork as well as communications skills, which not only improved my English, but also helped me learn a vast amount of other foreign phrases. During the cultural evening I enjoyed both Turkish and Romanian drinks, sweets and interesting stories I was also able to learn a lot from other people, which helped me build a team-mindset and overcome problems with the help of other participants in a friendly group setting. I also had the chance to travel to the beautiful cities of Edirne and Luleburgaz, eat traditional Turkish cuisine and visit famous landmarks and museums. One of the days we went on the most wonderful walk in the snowy mountains of Kirklareli, exploring the local flora with an amazing guide. We relied on each other to overcome difficulties such as building paths over rivers where there were none.

The energizers were more fun each morning and the tasks were creative and non-tiring. I had the most wonderful time during all of the different activities. Still, my favorite part of my stay was getting to know people from different cultures. It is a great privilege to call these strangers I had never seen before my friends. The bonds we share now are ones that will withstand the test of time and distance. There is no greater feeling than the feeling of unity between us representatives of different countries. A more pleasant time does not exist than the late nights spent with other participants performing traditional dances together, teaching one another, each of us open to learn and acquire something new from his fellows. These people accepted my culture and were curious to find out more, the same way as I wanted to be closer to them and indulge in their world. These nights I will never forget, and my mind will always wander off to the distant but vivid memories of us dancing and singing, enjoying our company under the domes of astonishing mosques, and moreover sharing everything together like brothers. Now that I have found the beauty that hides behind each and every county I am eager to explore it even more and meet more young open-minded people, who will show me more of the wonders of the world. Erasmus+ changed my life and I will be forever grateful for the experience it gave me. I think it is a great opportunity for young people to see the world, find like-minded people and learn new skills. If you want to embark on an adventure, Erasmus+ is surely something you should consider and not regret.

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USE+FUL | NEW SLAVE OF THE 21ST CENTURY

ADEFIS INTERNATIONAL YOUTH: There will be a seminar that will take place in Las Rozas de Madrid from 18th to 25th of August, 2019. It will be about the new slavery of the XXI century subsidized by the European Commission through the ERASMUS + Program. The project activity will be carried out through non-formal education and a total of 28 expert workers from 13 organizations from different Euro-Mediterranean areas involved and interested in the subject will participate. The main language to be used will be the English.

El International Seminar "NEW FORMS OF YOUTH SLAVERY OF THE 21ST CENTURY" arises from the need to respond and denounce a new form of juvenile slavery that is appearing in the current world in a covert manner and under favorable environments. It is framed within the Europe 2020 Strategy; whose objective is to promote safe European societies in a context of unprecedented transformations and growing interdependence in the face of global threats, as well as the strengthening of the European culture of freedom and justice.

Currently and according to the International Labor Organization, more than 46 million people in the world are suffering from some form of slavery and the freedom, dignity, physical and emotional integrity of people is being violated.

OVERALL OBJECTIVE:

Develop new competences and collaborative strategies aimed at eradicating or abolishing all types of juvenile slavery in the world, creating new collaborative synergies through interactive learning, commitment, knowledge for the construction of an active, supportive and responsible citizenship.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

• Create secure European societies in which the citizens live in peace, harmony and respect for different cultures, avoiding economic interests over people.

• Learn new skills and competences through biographical methods and narrative experiences focused on creative and innovative design, exploring knowledge from reflective and independent positions respecting Human Rights.

• Search for best practices for the creation of new projects aimed at preventing all forms of juvenile slavery in the world.

The methodology will be evaluating, integrating and participatory that will seek and explore knowledge from reflective and independent positions with biographical methods and narrative experiences.

We want this seminar to serve as a reflection and inflection point so that it can provide guidelines and reliable answers in the different countries, bringing to the table the appearance of a new form of slavery in young people, inculcating a culture of peace, eradicating all forms of slavery in the world; because it is an abuse of power and we should not naturalize the error.

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