MALTA RESCUE CORPS
Empowering the Next Generation
Project brief:
Malta Cadets aims to educate and offer opportunities to young people to integrate other peers coming from disadvantaged backgrounds including disability, economic and social obstacles, educational difficulties, geographicial barriers etc. This is strongly highlighted by the EU whereby it envisages that everyone should have the same opportunities. Targeting young people with fewer opportunities has long been a pillar of the European Union's work in the youth field, notably through project funding for organisations working in this area. As stated in the Erasmus+ legal basis: "when implementing the Programme, inter alia as regards the selection of participants[…], the Commission and the Member States shall ensure that particular efforts are made to promote social inclusion and the participation of people with special needs or with fewer opportunities". The Inclusion and Diversity Strategy sets out to embrace and celebrate diversity so that difference becomes a positive source for learning rather than the cause for negative competition and prejudice. Young people should be equipped with the necessary competences to manage and work with diversity. This will encourage positive interactions between people of all walks of life and ultimately improve the situation of young people with fewer opportunities.
The project will involve 40 youths, 7 accompanying persons and 4 group leaders from Malta, Turkey, Greece and Lithuania; aged between 16 and 26 ( age of group leaders and accompanying persons not included) , who will come together in Gozo to implement this youth exchange between 10th-17th December 2018 (including 2 travel days).An APV is set between 1st -3rd October 2018( including 2 travel days).
This exchange will bring together youths from EU and non-EU countries, thus we will be strongly promoting tolerance and understanding focusing on how to overcome social barriers and promote an inclusive culture towards young persons irrespective of ones cultural background. The general objective of our project "Living Together in Diversity" is to offer people with fewer opportunities and less able youths a chance to involve themselves more in society, and interact with one another despite each carrying a different cultural background. This exchange of experiences would result,in bringing a sense of independence, self confidence and tolerance.
The main objectives of this exchange are: -
The promotion of outdoor activities: Since most of the involved participants have some form of disability or come from a disadvantaged background, we have planned some activities centered on the theme of outdoor activities and the promotion of active lifestyle. This will create a dimension for social interaction besides getting to know each other better in a more enclosed environment.
-The respect of cultural diversity: we will not just learn about each others' way of doing things but we will also learn to respect and to be more tolerant towards each others' cultures.
- Promotion of social inclusion within society: This will be primarily done through a series of workshops and discussions to help us develop a sense of belonging in society. Having a group of mixed abilities, we will learn to increase motivation and a sense of belonging, and be made more aware of the importance of the promotion of equal opportunities.
-to understand better issues that surround healthy lifestyle and youth disability. This will be done through the multiple activities planned. This falls in line with one of the main priorities identified by the Erasmus + programme and the need to promote projects that try to tackle this issue, that promote healthy lifestyles. It is also a means by which important messages will be delivered on how these activities should be open to everyone irrespective of their social background. We believe that our project targets both the objectives of the Erasmus+ programme and national priorities. In fact above all, this project targets people with fewer opportunities as it will only involve young people with disability. Thus we strongly believe that this exchange falls under the Erasmus+ national priorities: - healthy lifestyles , disability and the well-being: by encouraging the participation in physical activity and recreational activities; - social inclusion by facilitating the access to participants with disadvantaged background and fewer opportunities compared to their peers; - volunteering:the youths will gain confidence, meet new people, be part of the community.