Educational-Leisure Centre for Youth SPAJALICA was the destination of the team of most active attendees of the KOĹ NICA training – strengthening youth female leaders in youth organisations after the six-day study visit to the German city of Koeln.
The variety in study visit programme introduced the girls to the system, institutional mechanisms and structures according to which the youth, children and family office of the city of Koeln functions. The organised visits to youth centres and mobile teams focusing on youth work, conducting youth programmes and handling issues of women and girls in this, fourth by size city in Germany, were an abundant source of information and success in practice. We visited, amongst other, the impressive sports hall in Kalk, the AWO Youth Centre in Koeln, the international house for women and girls in Troisdorf, Koelnkickt sports tolerance centre in Rheinflanke, Mobile youth work centre in Erftstadt and the Bauwagenproject mobile youth-work-with-youth centre. Mr. Bernd Seifert, the representative of youth, children and family office introduced us to the youth position, their engagement and other youth-related processes. The programme was also fulfilled by team meetings in which we exchanged experiences and impressions.
The girls had plenty of free time to socialize after the programme, to walk and introduce themselves with Koeln.
We evaluate the study visit as successful based on the positively evaluated components and representative factors provided by the participating girls. In one of the evaluations it is stated:
“My impression is “well-made”. I expected to have fun – and I did. But to see such a remarkable approach to presenting and system functioning, youth care, was unexpected in my opinion. Thank you for providing me the opportunity. The experience I acquired is more of a narrative character and I believe that now we are well-equipped with knowledge and ideas on how to, at least in theory, begin something in our local community. This might not be a statement suitable for public, but I truly believe that to see all this was truly motivating for activism in our own community. For we have identical, if not bigger problems and needs for impovement.”
Our bees brought new knowledge, skills, acquaintaces and experiences from their journey that will be applied in the future inat their youth centres and local communities.
A picture is worth a thousand words, as can be seen from the following example: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.247656701938556.56828.117629174941310&saved.
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