The Mindfulness Project
P.O.E.T.R.Y.
September 1, 2021
Challenge #1: RECYCLED PAPER WITH FLOWER SEEDS
October 18, 2023
Περιγραφή Σχεδίου:
Η Ανταλλαγή Νέων “The Mindfulness Project” ήταν μια πρωτοβουλία νέων από 7 διαφορετικές χώρες της Ευρώπης (Ελλάδα, Ισπανία, Ιταλία, Λετονία, Σουηδία, Πολωνία, Κροατία) που είχε ως στόχο να προωθήσει την Ενσυνειδητότητα (Mindfulness), να προβάλλει και να αναδείξει την ανάγκη απεξάρτησης από τις νέες τεχνολογίες και την επικέντρωση στην παρούσα, κάθε φορά, στιγμή.
Συνολικά υλοποιήσαμε 2 δραστηριότητες στους Νέους Πόρους Πιερίας: μια APV στις 30/07/2021-02/08/2021 και την κύρια Ανταλλαγή Νέων στις 07-15/09/2021 με 37 συμμετέχοντες συνολικά.
Μέσα από τη διαδικασία της Μη Τυπικής Μάθησης (NFL), η Ανταλλαγή είχε ως στόχο να εκθέσει τους συμμετέχοντες σε νέα ερεθίσματα, να τους δείξει μία διαφορετική προσέγγιση στην καθημερινότητά τους και να τους βοηθήσει να επανασυνδεθούν με τη φύση υιοθετώντας μία πιο ενσυνείδητη στάση προς τη ζωή.
Μέσα από συζητήσεις και ασκήσεις, καθώς και μέσα από πρακτικές δραστηριότητες, οι 37 συμμετέχοντες ενημερώθηκαν και ήρθαν σε επαφή με την έννοια της ενσυνειδητότητας και της παρουσίας στην στιγμή, της ενσυνείδητης επικοινωνίας, της παρατήρησης και επίγνωσης, τόσο του περιβάλλοντός τους, όσο και των συναισθημάτων – των δικών τους αλλά και των άλλων.
Βασικός στόχος του προγράμματος μας ήταν οι συμμετέχοντες νέοι, μέσα από ασκήσεις ενδοσκόπησης να προσεγγίσουν την έννοια της ενσυνειδητότητας, και να βιώσουν κάποια από τα οφέλη που μπορεί να τους προσφέρει (όπως βελτιωμένη επικοινωνία, συναισθηματική επίγνωση, καλύτερη αντίδραση σε στρεσογόνους παράγοντες, κλπ).
Επίσης, συλλογίστηκαν και αξιολόγησαν την σχέση τους με την τεχνολογία και τους περισπασμούς γενικότερα, ώστε μέσω της παρατήρησης και της επίγνωσης αυτής, να μπορούν να τους διαχειρίζονται καλύτερα, βελτιώνοντας έτσι την απόδοση, τη συγκέντρωση και την αποτελεσματικότητα τους, και συνακόλουθα την επαγγελματική τους απόδοση, και όχι μόνο.
Μετά το τέλος της κινητικότητας, δημιουργήσαμε τη δική μας καμπάνια ευαισθητοποίησης στα μέσα κοινωνικής δικτύωσης με τη συμβολή όλων των συμμετεχόντων, όπου και ξεκινήσαμε έναν ανοιχτό διάλογο με άλλους νέους σχετικά με αυτό το θέμα.
Βασική μας επιδίωξη ήταν η προσωπική, κοινωνική και εκπαιδευτική ανάπτυξη των νέων και η ενίσχυση της ενεργούς συμμετοχής τους, ιδιαίτερα αυτών που ανήκουν σε ευάλωτες κοινωνικές ομάδες καθώς και νέων με λιγότερες ευκαιρίες. Μέσω της βελτίωση των δεξιοτήτων τους και της προσωπικής τους ανάπτυξης, είναι σε θέση πλέον να ενεργούν αποτελεσματικά στον τομέα της νεολαίας, της κοινωνίας των πολιτών και της αγοράς εργασίας.
Παράλληλα, ένα βασικό χαρακτηριστικό του σχεδίου είναι η ενεργός δέσμευση των νέων στις τοπικές τους κοινωνίες, καθώς οι συμμετέχοντες οργάνωσαν τουλάχιστον μια δραστηριότητα διάδοσης, εμπνευσμένη από τις δραστηριότητες που υλοποιήθηκαν στην Ανταλλαγή Νέων, και μετέδωσαν στην περιοχή τους από όσα αποκόμισαν από την εμπλοκή τους στο σχέδιο.
Project Description:
“The Mindfulness Project” was an initiative of young people from 7 different European countries (Greece, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Sweden, Poland, Croatia) that aimed to promote Mindfulness and highlight the need to detach from new technologies and focus on the present moment.
In total we implemented 2 activities at the village of Neoi Poroi in Pieria, Greece: an APV between 30/07/2021 – 02/08/2021 and a Youth Exchange between 07-15/09/2021 with 37 participants.
Through the Non-Formal Learning (NFL) process, the Exchange aimed to expose participants to new stimuli, to show them a different approach to their daily lives, and to help them reconnect with nature by adopting a more mindful attitude towards life.
Through discussions and exercises, as well as through practical activities, the participants were informed and came in contact with the concept of Mindfulness and presence in the moment, mindful communication, observation and awareness, both of their environment and emotions (their own but also those of others).
The main goal of our program was the young participants, through introspection exercises, to approach the concept of mindfulness, and to experience some of the benefits it can offer (such as improved communication, emotional awareness, better response to stressors, etc.).
They also pondered and evaluated their relationship to technology and distractions in general, so that through observation and awareness, they can better manage them, thus improving their performance, concentration and efficiency, and consequently their professional performance. , and not only.
After the end of the mobility, we created our own social media awareness campaign with the participation of all participants, where we started an open dialogue with other young people on this topic.
Our main goal was the personal, social and educational development of young people and the strengthening of their active participation, especially those who belong to vulnerable social groups as well as young people with fewer opportunities. Through the improvement of their skills and personal development, they are now able to act effectively in the field of youth, civil society and the labor market.
At the same time, a key feature of the project is the active engagement of young people in their local communities, as the participants organized at least one dissemination activity, inspired by the activities carried out in the Youth Exchange, and transferred whatever they gained from their involvement in project to their area.
Project partners:
Greek Odysseuses – Greece
Fundacja Krok do Przodu – Poland
Ticket2Europe – Spain
ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE BEYOND BORDERS CORATO – Italy
POSITIVE YOUTH – Sweden
Attīstības platforma YOU+ – Latvia
P.O.I.N.T. Association – Croatia
6 Ways to Practice Mindful Eating
1) Let your body catch up to your brain – Slowing down and eating and stopping when your body says its full.
2) Know your body’s personal hunger signals – Are you responding to an emotional want or responding to your body’s needs?
3) Cultivate a mindful kitchen – Eating with others at set times and places
4) Understand your motivations – Eating foods that are nutritionally healthy
5) Connect more deeply with your food – Considering where food comes from
6) Attend to your plate – When eating, just eating
– No, Erasmus+ !
Our bodies have five senses: touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing.
But not to be overlooked are the senses of our souls: intuition, peace, foresight, trust, empathy.
The differences between people lie in their use of these senses; most people don’t know anything about the inner senses while a few people rely on them just as they rely on their physical senses, and in fact probably even more.
C. JoyBell C.
Day 1 | 8 of September 🔥
Our first day started with a brief meditation session at the beach, then we had a very nice breakfast, thanks to Miss Mary. After that we went into the forest to do some activities: energizers and name games. Then we played speed dating in order to know the other components of the group. We had coffee break and finished our appointments. We had a big lunch, after which we were able to rest for a bit. We kinda had to.
Our afternoon began with some other activities: some more energizers to get our spirits up. Following that we constructed our social contract (which we all signed) and the explanation of the youthpass. After dinner we had our first Intercultural night with Greece, Croatia and Italy all presenting each other! Finally these countries all gave us tasty sweets and other treats.
Day 2 | 9 of September 🔥
The day started in the best way it could with a morning meditation session lead by Oskar.
After breakfast we listened to an introduction about Mindfulness, we brainstormed and discussed the meaning of mindfulness together.
After the coffee break we did some very interesting activities in the woods where we experienced our 5 senses with the guys from the Swedish group.
After lunch and little siesta we started our afternoon with a crazy energizer in the woods.
Than we were introduced more to mindfulnes. We lisened very interesting teory of rooms and it’s meaning acording mindfulnes teory.
We went through 2 of 5 rooms, starting with bedroom. We discused and discovered very interesting habits we have in bedroom, our routines and the most important the purpose of the rooms acording mindfulness teory.
Before coffe break we had short amazing meditation called ” 5 senses meditation”
After the coffe break we did second room ” bathroom” and again we discower it’s porpous acording mindfulness teory.
After last sesion before dinner, to the end of todays activities, we did first reflecton in little groups, for sumary this all very interesting day.
Day 3 | 10 of September 🔥
Today’s activities started at 10:00 with Italy leading the dressing room which is the 3rd room of the 5 rooms activity. Everyone dressed with what represents them the most and we shared the importance of mindfulness in the dressing room.
After a coffee break we continued with the dining room lead by Maria where we separated into two groups and discussed mindful habits and our eating habits in general.
Today was a very fruitful day! In the afternoon after making delicious pirogi we started on the last room of the 5 room theory, the workplace. This is a very varied room as it takes into account many aspects of life. This was very well demonstrated by our facilitator Oskar who provided a very insightful Ikigai workshop.
Ikigai roughly translates to the reason for being. It is intended to help one find their life purpose. Ikigai takes into account: what we love, what we are good at, what the world needs, and what we can be paid for. This can allow us to find our working career. Then, after a fun game of the island of wiki, we discussed our values in life. This is very important as you mindfully look at what’s important to you in life. After a mindful dinner of sovlaki and pirogi, we all enjoyed Poland and Spain’s intercultural night full of quizzes, dances, food, and fun.
Day 4 | 11 of September 🔥
The day started with a free morning, so almost everyone grabbed the chance to sleep a bit more and enjoy an easy morning!
Afterwards, we spend the first half of the day at the beach, swimming and playing together. These relaxing vibes helped a bit more in team building and getting to know each other better.
The afternoon activities began with the “thieves” activity, a game that teaches us that sometimes some negative things that happen are nobody’s fault and sometimes it is everyone’s fault. It is easy to start blaming others, but this doesn’t mean it is the best way to behave.
After that, the Polish team introduced us to the Johari window and helped us getting to know our selves better, both by working on this theory individually and in teams. 🥰
The Croatian team organized an activity on active/ empathetic listening, which created an emotional atmosphere, and really allowed us to open up a bit more. 🥰
The day ended for most of us, with a visit to nearby village Platamonas, with the fun train. There, we got to explore the city for a while, and we were involved in several interesting conversations, while a few of us were instructed by Fei-Zhifei Zhang to sing Acapella, and created a mini “human orchestra” 😇🤣
The ones that stayed at the hotel had also a very nice time, chilling with a movie and relaxing on our working room!❤️
Day 5 | 12 of September 🔥
The group started the day with a name game using bed sheets and a lot of joy! Then, we boosted our Mindful Listening skills in addition to the Active Listening ones that we developed yesterday. In pairs we discussed about self-development while we identified our emotions, and practiced our skills of non reactiveness.
Theeeen it was time for a long anticipated “Treasure Hunt” in the village of Neoi Poroi and we came closer to each other as the poem of Ithaca was presented to us piece by piece !! Using the app Actionbound, we completed our tasks and found our way back to the hotel, where our “Mindfulness Project” T-shirts were waiting for us 😇 💪
After our lunch break, we met in our forest, and we shared some beautiful moments, as we expressed our gratitude to each other, by giving thanks 🙏😊 Then, we formed groups to organize the digital dissemination of the project, and worked for a bit on our designs.
The last activity of the day was an incredibly interesting World Cafe session, which took place on the beach ⛱️ and in which we took part in a lot of different conversations, on topics that really interested us.
After dinner it was eventually time for our last intercultural night 🌌. It was time for the presentations of Latvia 🇱🇻 and Sweden 🇸🇪
We learned a lot through Kahoot quizzes, we learned a Latvian “party”-dance and we tasted a lot of different food and sweets 🇸🇪🇱🇻
The night ended with an awesome karaoke and Just Dance session on our workroom
Day 6 | 13th of September 🔥
Today we had a much needed free evening. We spent this evening together but apart on different adventures. Some walked to Platamona, some went shopping for souvenirs and most went for coffee at Mikel at some point during the evening.
Much like us, the jelly fish popped up along the beach and we respected their territory by staying away – which forced some bold people into the cold pool of Eden. For the people who stuck around at the beach the evening ended up either on the trampolines of Neoi Poroi or on the swinging ship of the city’s amusement park. However, a handful of newbies tried gyros for the first time and decided it was best to stay steady on land – not in the air. Either way, we all had great fun.
Day 7 |14th September 🔥
Our morning started with a meditation on a beach, using simple breathing techniques and paying attention to our senses.
The first session of the day was about youth pass building. We were divided into groups of two and were asked to start working on our youth passes.
The second session was called “Fears and expectations”, where we got to look back to how we felt when we first arrived to the project. We were asked to find our pieces of papers with one fear and one expectation and evaluate those. For good memories we practiced gratitude and for bad ones – simply letting go.
The next activity was about gratitude expression. Each person was asked to put a piece of paper on their backs for others to write on as a way to communicate their feelings and wishes for each other.
Then we wrote a letter to our future self that will be sent to us in a year. The aim is to be able to reflect how you feel in the moment, what are your hopes and wishes for the future.
After this we had Summer Santa exchange with gifts that people brought from their home country
