Ionut Barb from Romania is a young active citizen that wants to help the local community from Balan to develop among nature and his people needs. So, the problem that he wants to solve is to legalize the access with non-motorized boats on the gloss of the water for recreational purposes.

Ionut was selected for the project “European Youth at the frontlines of active citizenship: A Roadmap towards a collective South-North-East-West Momentum” organized by Volunteers Centre Skopje and supported by European Commission due to Erasmus + European Youth Together programme.

What is your project about?

– My main goal of the project is the legalization of the access with non-motorized boats and kayaks on the Mesteacanul lake from Balan for greater diversity of sports.

Why do you do this?

– I do this because I got the chance to participate in a European project that is about active citizenship and every participant got the mentorship needed and also a budget of 1.000 EUR, two elements very important for implementing of my specific project.

What is the purpose of your project?

– The purpose of the project is to legalize the access with non-motorized boats on the gloss of the water for recreational purposes.

What are the objectives of your project?

– The objective of the project is to create a policy that is addressed to the mayor’s office and to the local council related to the legalization of access with non-motorized boats such as kayaks and canoes for recreational purposes.

Do you see this as a challenge?

– Not exactly, because instead of a challenge I see this as an opportunity to grow and I am happy to have this chance to work with the local authorities from Balan and seeing my project catching wings.

Who is helping you to create the project and to implement it?

– I am happy you asked that because the persons that are helping me right now became more than a simple teacher or mentor, they became my friends and I am very grateful for that.

Do you feel stressed and if yes how do you manage it?

– No, because as I said before I see this as an opportunity to grow and I am happy to have the chance to implement my project, and with the support and mentorship from the Y.E.S (Young Europe Society) I don’t have any doubt that my project will not be a successful one!

What is the local community impact that you expect to see in a year after your project is implemented?

– After the legalization of the access on Mesteacanul lake near the town of Balan with non-motorized boats such as kayaks and canoes for recreational purposes, it will be a greater diversity of sports that can be practiced, increasing the tourist interest and attracting potential investors in the area.

Ionut Barb