What if someone told you that you have 4 days to connect, inspire, and build trust?
“Mission impossible,” my inner skeptic says.
“Impossible is nothing!” screams the other, the half-full-glass side of me.
And here’s how the second wins, and I am on my way to Mainz for a contact making seminar “Connect, Inspire, Build trust”.
Logistically, easy task to handle. There are plenty of flights to take from Macedonia to Germany. But, then again, Germany is big, so it’s nice to fly somewhere close to Mainz, not to a 6-hour-away-by-train airport. I flew to Dortmund in the early morning hours, right on time to have breakfast and to break all the stereotypes of Dortmund claimed to be one of the most boring cities in Germany. Is it really? Who said so? For sure not a football fan. 12th September was a game day, so Dortmund was black and yellow. I have seen whole families and friends’ groups walking proudly in the colors of the local club, Borussia. For me, as Polish it’s a big thing, Borussia is still the closest to my heart thanks to Lewandowski-Błaszczykowski-Piszczek trio once writing a history there.
Second thing, Dortmunder U. A tower where on different floors I found exhibitions, galleries, interactive rooms, and simply enjoyed the aesthetic of the building. Very far from boring.
I only needed a few hours to feel the heartbeat of Dortmund, so how could I doubt that a few days won’t be enough to connect with youth workers from different organisations?
This contact making seminar was not just another project. It was an experience, an adventure, an exchange of energies and simply: a good time.
Jugendhaus Don Bosco that was our accommodation for those few days stood out among many different accommodations. It is my eco-friendly spirit now feeling an urge to have at least a paragraph about it, but the space we work in is indeed important. The building itself, because of its eco-friendly design, was awarded multiple times. The combination of wood and glass creates a warm and cosy atmosphere that can only boost creativity and inspiration. Perfect place for youth workers to plan their future projects together.
In this kind of place, I was reminded once more, why sustainability matters, especially in our nowadays busy, instant lifestyle. I keep with me the warm and soft light coming through the wooden planks to the dining room, where those very few breakfasts, lunches and dinners we had together were full of discussions. As we never stopped working, even when leaving the activity room. But again, that kind of work is a delight.
On Sunday 13th, the activity room was our safe space where we got to know each other. IBG, our host, presented their activities, where the core is sustainability and providing equal opportunities. The workcamps they organize host young people from Europe and far beyond, where they can do practical work together making our world better, be it by reconstructing an important site or doing forestry or gardening chores.
Showcasing more youth workers and the amazing work they do will continue now, but I feel like each and every one of them deserves at least a line in this article. Let me take you to Bosnia and Herzegovina. In a city you might hear about for the first time, Brčko, a group of young people now carry on the mission of organisation Svitac, created in 1998. Svitac means a firefly and their activities are focused on education and arts carried out in a multi-ethnic community. We are moving now to Tuzla to meet KLIK, an energetic group who supports development of young people with a focus on youth participation, sustainability and mental health. Serbia is our next stop, and specifically we are going to Požarevac. There, a very young organisation Novotarium (founded in 2024), creates space for young people to learn, connect, contribute with their own ideas and be part of the local community. Rilindja Gjelbër, Green Renaissance, from Prishtina, Kosovo is a community-based environmental organisation. Through environmental education, advocating for reinforcement of environmental policies and promoting a circular economy, they want a vision of “clean and green Kosovo” to come true. We will pass through Macedonia for a moment too to say “hi” to the organisation Bright that we, from VCS, can call a neighbor. Bright just like us and mentioned above and below supports the development of youth, and again (what a surprise!) the key word is sustainability. We have three stops in Romania now. Shall we start from Bucharest? BeeHave association brought permaculture closer to us. The enthusiasm we felt by hearing the stories of community gardens they built in the heart of the big city made me feel like grabbing a shovel myself to do some gardening back in Skopje. Moving on to the smaller city, Craiova, we meet Tinerii 3D. The 3D from their name stands for Education, Culture and Sport. Literally, a trip to a different dimension, where youth reigns. Maybe the next small town on our way won’t tell you much, but Transylvania sure will. Cristuru Secuiesc is a home of youth association ATA, and as they say: “We show Transylvania to Europe and Europe to Transylvania!”. The trip is almost finished… We are in Istanbul now to greet the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations. It represents national organisations which promote intercultural education, understanding and peace through voluntary service. With 43 members so far and still counting… From the south we are taking a leap to Vilnius, Lithuania. There, Tavo Europa is definitely a right choice for youth and for people working with youth seeking for opportunities to upskill. Miracles are just behind the corner…
I could write separate books about each, from the conversations we had, the stories we exchanged and anecdotes we shared. Thank you truly for being an inspiration. And now I need to get back to Monday 14th.
We are back in Mainz. Precisely in the remote area. It took us a bus and a walk through the forest to get there. I am amazed. Jan, in charge of Ober-Olmer Wald Forest Nature Conservation Centre, is giving us a tour. We are getting to know the activities that they offer to the locals—they can literally touch nature here and take part in workshops. The educational garden, which was built with the help of international volunteers, offers to people living in the city to see different herbs and plants, and what their purpose is. The children can get excited about two donkeys living there, and see an insect house—fascinating, isn’t it? Our group meets international young people, who are on the volunteering team. They are building a wooden stove here. A black dog that looks more like a sheep is walking around with us. Jan says that it’s apparently a breed called Croatian sheepdog.
Today, I am touching the grass more than ever in the past few weeks.
Indoor and outdoor. The perfect balance we kept during this seminar is the reason why it was a good time. After the presentations, networking and activity room scenery, we changed to forests and a glimpse into workcamps activities. I can say that I left Germany with a bag full of good memories, stories, new friends and partners, and a charged battery to continue my duty as a youth worker. Thank you, IBG, for having us!
Ewelina Chańska
