Following a lot of postponing, due to the pandemic situation, the consortium of three partners (KDG Turkey, LLN Morth Macedonia and ABT Romania) decided to organize the main activity of the Ball for All project, the youth exchange, off-line. The reason was related to the fact that some of the participants were disabled, visually impaired or blind and some were with fewer opportunities, without access to the Internet or to necessary equipment for on-line activities. However, the most important reason for having the activity face-to-face, was that many of the activities of the youth exchange were related to sport, goal ball, and other outdoor activities, used as tools for inclusion.
Another challenge appeared when one of the partners, LLN North Macedonia, was not successful in finding suitable participants, fully vaccinated. As a result the consortium decided to replace the North Macedonian participants with participants from Turkey and Romania.
As a result, the youth exchange started on August 11, 2021, with a total of 33 participants, 16 from Turkey and 17 from Romania:
- Turkey
- 6 visually impaired/blind youngsters, age 15-30;
- 6 non-disabled youngsters age 15-30;
- 3 youth leaders, age 18+;
- 1 accompanying person, age18+;
- Romania:
- 6 visually impaired/blind youngsters, age 15-30;
- 6 non-disabled youngsters age 15-30;
- 3 youth leaders, age 18+;
- 2 accompanying person, age18+.
Below you can find some of the most relevant and beloved activities.
Every day there were energizers and team-building games that made the participants enjoy each other, laugh, and feel good. These were led in an inclusive way, adapted to the needs of all participants, with and without impairement.
Speed Dating was an activity that get the participants to know each other even better in an interactive and spontaneous way.
One of the favorite activities of the participants was the preparation of a meal blindfolded. The activity developed their sense of coordination, cooperation, and the ability to work in a team. We will not forget the smiles brought by the activity.
At the end, participants could decide if they eat the great sandwich they prepared. All were happy to taste it and one of the participants declared that it was the best sandwich ever.
The VIP Square workshop tested the patience, communication skills, and coordination of the participants while working in blindfolded teams. Thus, they developed trust in each other and learned to rely on other senses and strategies other than the visual.
There can be no youth exchange without an intercultural night that everyone is waiting for. On this occasion, we realize the beauty of cultures. The participants had an unforgettable evening with traditions, music, dance, and, last but not least, traditional food of the participating countries.
The main activity of the youth exchange was the game called “Goal Ball”, a sports game for the blind and visually impaired. The participants played in mixed teams, blindfolded, and at the end, they had a tournament. Everybody had a lot of fun and agreed to repeat such an event every year.
During an intercultural study visit to the historical center of the treasure city of Cluj-Napoca, including a treasure hunt, we took some “official photos”.
As a result, participants to the youth exchange created a video slideshow containing images taken during the activities: