Youth Going Back to Nature - Engage, Connect, Empower
The project Youth Going Back to Nature - Engage, Connect, Empower /YGBN/ aims to pave the way of the young people with fewer opportunities to return to nature through environmentally sustainable outdoor activities. Together with our partners we will Connect, Engage, and Empower the youth community.
The project was created by our organization - Paint and Quarter Horse Foundation Bulgaria and is executed in partnership with LIETUVOS JURU MUZIEJUS - LSM /Lithuania/, AssociazioneSportiva Dilettantistica Trekkify - Trekkify /Italy/, Equilibre MTÜ /Estonia/, ODRŽIVA ALTERNATIVA ZAJEDNICI - OAZA /Croatia/, and Quality Education in Europe for Sustainable Social Transformation - QUEST /Belgium/.
All organizations will become the first members of the European Youth Outdoor Network.
As part of the project in 2023 and 2024 we will be organizing 3 learning exchange events for the partners. Together we will author and spread documentaries and toolkits to help us and others engage the disadvantaged youth in outdoor activities. This and other resources will become available on the Youth Outdoor Portal which will be developing very soon.
In 2025 the youth community will be invited to the first International Online Youth Outdoor Conference and the first in Europe Youth Outdoor Festival. In all 6 countries partnes will be organizing interactive dissemination events to reach broader audience on a local level.
The YGBN project is possible thanks to the support of the Erasmus+ Program and the European Commission.
In May 2023 we had our project kick off meeting that marked the begining of the YGBN venture. It was a pleasure to discuss with all partners all project activities in details, answer administrative questions and set dates for events and meetings that are coming up. Everyone was excited to start working and brainstorm ideas for the first tasks.
Our organization hosted an inspiring Learning Exchange Event in September 2023. 13 participants from all 6 project partners worked on field to develop innovative environmentally sustainable outdoor activities. Our team and our colleagues from LSM, QUEST, Equilibre, OAZA, and Trekkify went to the mountains just outside of Sofia at the horse ranch, home of PQHFB. The main beneficiaries we designed the activities for are young women. Very often they are in need of tools to live up to their potential, feel confident, and equal. Nature makes that process easy and pleasant.
We are proud to announce that in September 2023 the European Youth Outdoor Network was officially found in Sofia,Bulgaria. The founding members of the EYON are Paint and Quarter Horse Foundation /Bulgaria/, the Lithuanian Sea Museum /Lithuania/, AssociazioneSportiva Dilettantistica Trekkify - /Italy/, Equilibre MTÜ /Estonia/, ODRŽIVA ALTERNATIVA ZAJEDNICI - OAZA /Croatia/, and Quality Education in Europe for Sustainable Social Transformation - QUEST /Belgium/.
The main goal of the EYON is to connect different entities dedicated to youth and outdoor activities. The network will facilitate exchanging knowledge, practical tools and materials; connecting professionals and the youth community; creating partnerships to advocate to environmentally sustainable activities.
The development of a set of environmentally sustainable outdoor activities for young women was captured in the 1st YGBN Documentary. The goal is to create tools to help young women gain confidence in their strength and abilities, help them cope with difficult situations and challenges. Whatch the full documentary below.
As a result of the good practices shared the partners created the The Toolkit ‘’Young Women Going Back to Nature’’ . The Toolkit is intended to offer a thoughtful and impactful approach in working with young women within the realm of nature and outdoor activities involving a well-structured progression.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. Project: YGBN - Youth Going Back to Nature - Engage, Connect, Empower. Nr. 2022-2-BG01-KA220-YOU-000098776.