Youth Training for youth workers:

“Youth Empowerment - road to success

for youth workers”

01st – 09th October 2022

Uzana, Gabrovo region, Bulgaria

Organized by:

EUROPE IN YOUR HAND

BULGARIA
Welcome to “Youth Empowerment - road to success for youth
workers” youth training!

Dear friends and partners,

In the following pages, we have summarized

the information you need to know about the
youth training “Youth Empowerment - road
to success for youth workers”.

We are very glad that you have decided to

participate in our project, and therefore we
will strive to offer a warm welcoming to you
in Bulgaria.

If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Enjoy exploring the practicalities!

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The Project is hosted by: “Europe in your hand”, Bulgaria

Who are we?

"Europe in your hand" is an organization of youth
leaders and volunteers, which was created to support
various public causes, and which implements a wide
range of activities and programs at local, national and
European level. The organization promotes the idea of
developing the potential and increasing the capacity of
young people, and in particular of its members, by
looking for ways to improve their competences, gain new
knowledge and experience in the non-governmental
sector. The organization is based on the idea of active citizenship, promotion of the European
values and the benefits of integration, non-formal education (for youths and adults) and
sustainable development.

One of the main principles of the NGO is the promotion of participation in national initiatives
and European projects of disadvantaged people and those with low social status. We wish to
provide equal opportunities for professional growth to all youth volunteers regardless of their
religious or racial affiliation.

"Europe in your hand" is a non-governmental organization for all active young people who are
looking for ways to develop themselves and to work for the benefit of society.
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Amongst our aims are:
• Promotion of active European citizenship and non-formal education among young people.

• Promotion of European values and the benefits of European integration.

• Stimulating intercultural dialogue and providing a platform for young leaders from different
countries to perform.

• Promotion of education through sports and outdoor activities.

• Encouraging the participation of young people in society, and supporting social integration
and personal fulfillment.

• Supporting and promoting European practices in the field of sustainable development and
ecology.

• Stimulating the development of culture, music and art among young people.

• Stimulating innovation in the youth sector.

• Promotion and work on the creation and implementation of initiatives in the economic,
social, cultural, ecological and civil aspects related to the development of the regions in
Bulgaria.

• Assisting central, local and regional authorities, non-governmental organizations and

businesses to define socially beneficial project ideas.

Information regarding the Youth Training

What is the project about?

"Youth Empowerment - road to success for youth workers" is a project which main goal is to
conduct additional training for youth workers who want to develop in the field of volunteering,
while increasing the capacity of partner organizations to work with volunteers.

Other goals we set with this project are:

1. To improve the level of key competences, skills and the building of lasting knowledge in the
field of volunteering of young workers, including those with fewer opportunities, as well as to
promote their participation in the democratic life of Europe and their active citizenship,
intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity.

2. Analyzing and assessing the challenges in the field of volunteering faced by youth workers,
including during COVID-19 in the last two years.

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3. Exchange of experience and good practices, information and news for the creation of
volunteer projects.

4. Acquisition of comprehensive knowledge of the management of volunteer projects and the

processes in their implementation, as well as the main figures in volunteering.

5. Building European self-awareness and values in the youth involved for justice, equality and
solidarity.

6. Contributing to the personal and career development of some of the participating young
people who have ambitions to work in the youth sector.

7. Building lasting partnerships between the participating organizations in the field of

volunteering and the youth sector.

How will we work?

Europe in Your Hand NGO will provide the opportunity for 9 days of training for 34 young
workers between the ages of 18 and 45, with the following profile:

- with zero or little experience in working with volunteers

- with high motivation and desire to participate in the training course
- with high motivation and desire to work in the youth sector
- beginners in the European Commission's volunteering programs

The training course will include discussions, simulations of various processes, in which
participants will have the opportunity to improve their competencies related to work in the field
of volunteering. The main activities of the project include: discussions, interactive
presentations, outdoor activities, games, and intercultural evenings. The working methods used
are selected entirely in the context of non-formal education and aim to develop creativity in the
participants, their communication, teamwork skills and awareness of personal potential for
expressing active citizenship.

The main result we expect to achieve is a well-developed team of active young European
citizens who will develop their knowledge, skills and competences in the field of volunteering.
The project will have an effect on two levels: at the individual level (for youth workers) and at
the global level (organizations, beneficiaries, stakeholders, local communities and society as a
whole). The project will contribute to the establishment of long-term partnerships between
youth workers, organizations and their representatives working in the field of volunteering,
providing an opportunity to exchange experiences, good practices, training methodologies, and
to create and implement project proposals in the future. The multiplication of the effect of the
training will be done through the direct work of 9 youth organizations involved in the project,
34 youth workers (excluding trainers) who will participate in it, as well as local communities
that will reach the results and effects of the project.

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Who will participate?
Participants & Partner Organizations
The youth training will consist of 38 participants from 6 countries:

Country Number of participants Partner organizations

Bulgaria 6 Europe in your hand
The Czech Republic 4 Evropske Centrum Mladeze Breclav –
European Youth Centre Breclav z.s
Italy 4 EURO SUD
North Macedonia 4 INNOVA LAB Bitola
Serbia 4 Erasmus studentska mreza Beograd
Lebanon 4 Lebanese Development Network (LDN)
Greece 4 CET Greece
Jordan 4 JORDAN YOUTH INNOVATION FORUM
SOCIETY
Croatia 4 CET Croatia
Participant number per country: 3 participants (age: 18-45) + 1 group leader (no age limit)

ESN BelUpgrade Serbia Innova Lab Bitola CET Greece

European Youth Center Breclav Eurosud,Italy

Czech Republic
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Lebanese Development Network (LDN) JORDAN YOUTH INNOVATION
FORUM SOCIETY

CET Croatia

When will the project take place?

Participants' Arrival day: 01st October 2022 before 17:00 (PM) in Sofia.
Start of the program: 01st October 2022 at 21:00 in Uzana.
End of the program: 08th October 2022 at 22.00 in Uzana.
Departure day: 09th October 2022.

We will provide group transportation by bus from Sofia to Uzana on day of arrival and
from Uzana to Sofia on day of departure !!!

If you plan to arrive earlier or leave later, and you need to find an accommodation, let us
know, so that we can support you. Your expenses out of the days of the training will not be
reimbursed by the organizers.

It is possible to extend your stay for a maximum of 2 days in total (1 before, 1 after, or 2
before/after). In case your stay exceeds the 2 day limit we cannot reimburse your travel
expenses. Any additional expenses (accommodation/food/ other personal expenses) which
occur over the course of these “extra-days” have to be covered by yourself.

Important Note: ALL participants must travel from their home country to Bulgaria and back.
This is the new rule we have from National Agency and Erasmus+ Programme. We cannot host
people who come from different country than the Sending Organization’s country.

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Financial and practical conditions

First of all, there is NO participation fee for this project! ☺

Travel reimbursement & Insurances

Board and lodging will be provided and paid by the Organizers of the Training Course. There
will be travel reimbursement according to the Erasmus + regulations (see the table below).

Please pay attention to the figures and conditions.

Country MAX. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

PER PERSON

The Czech Republic 275€

Italy 275€

Serbia 180€

North Macedonia 180€

Croatia 275€

Greece 180€

Jordan 275€

Lebanon 275€

***Above amount is for travel costs from home to the venue of the project and return.

Very important!!!
Your tickets are an essential part of the accounting of the project that we must keep and present
to the Erasmus + National Agency, the main funders of the training.

Therefore, if you cannot provide your original tickets, boarding cards, receipts, insurance
and invoices clearly stating the travel agency, your name and the exact costs of the tickets,
we will not be able to reimburse you.

Please DO NOT BUY any tickets before approval of the organizers !

Please note if you bought your ticket in your local currency which might be different than EUR,
we will calculate your travel costs according to the exchange rates from the official European
Central Bank web-site:
https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/ht
ml/index.en.html

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Travel expenses
The travel expenses (from your home town till the venue of the course and return) are
reimbursed on presentation of the relevant receipts up to the maximum amount listed in the
table above. In the frames of the project the reimbursement will be done only for travel
expenses incurred according to the rules given below:
• Travel expenses will be reimbursed only upon presentation of documentary evidence of
the sum actually paid: original invoice or/and a copy of credit card slip. The documents
must have the date, price, name of the traveler, destinations of the travel and the bill has to
be completely clear.

• Electronic tickets will only be reimbursed on receipt proof of payment (invoice, paper of
booking/purchase printed from internet, copy of credit card-slip showing the transfer of the
money for the ticket, payment confirmation from internet) and on presentation of the
boarding pass for the outward journey.

• Kindly note, that the booking paper alone is not enough to prove your travel expenses.
You should present as well the boarding passes, a bill, a slip of payment and print-out
from your bank account to confirm the sum paid for your ticket.

• Keep all travel documents you get during your trip, in order to receive the reimbursement
for transportation: boarding passes, bills, slips, tickets etc., because we absolutely need
them! We strongly suggest you make scanned copies just in case – and you can send us
your documents, or part of them at any moment to [email protected]

• Taxi fares cannot be reimbursed.

• We are strongly recommending you to have insurance while you are in Bulgaria. Each
participant will be in charge of purchasing one, because no private insurance will be
reimbursed.

• For Jordan and Lebanon – if visas for Bulgaria are required – we will communicate addi-
tionally via email in regard to the costs, details, and eventual invitation letters.

Organisers will reimburse 100% of eligible travel costs up to the limit.

50% of travel cost will be reimbursed after participants provide their original tickets.
Remaining 50% of travel cost will be reimbursed after approval of project report. If travel
costs are less than 100 Euro we will reimburse 100% during the project activities in Uzana.

Reimbursement will be done by bank transfer after approval of project report and upon
completion of the participant’s report in Mobility Tool+ (considered mandatory under the
Erasmus+ Programme, further info will be provided on spot during project).

Note that, only participants attending the entire training course can be reimbursed. The
Commission solely reimburses public transport costs.

Please note that the organizers will be in touch with each participant for the organization of the
participant’s travel. Participants MUST inform the hosting organization of their intended travel
reservations – dates of arrival/departure and travel costs – and the hosting organization will

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PRE-APPROVE and CONFIRM that these arrangements meet the project’s requirements so
that the participant can continue with the payment/booking of these travel services.

ANY TRAVEL COSTS DONE BY THE PARTICIPANT/S WITHOUT THE HOSTING OR-
GANIZATION’S EXPLICIT APPROVAL AND/OR IN EXCESS OF THE ABOVE MEN-
TIONED AMOUNTS WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED.

Personal health
It is very important that you notify us of any health risk or possibly necessary medicines (if you
did not note it yet in your application form, please let the team know about it as soon as
possible via e-mail).
The information you provided on any special needs does not remove your own personal
responsibility for ensuring your own health.

What to bring?
• Clothes and shoes suitable for sports and walking / hiking.
• Your original tickets for the entire trip, the invoice of the travel agency (the price
clearly indicated on the ticket), the boarding passes.
• Your travel insurance contract and a legible copy of it.
• Your ID/passport.
• Your own medication.
• Your willingness to reflect on your own skills, knowledge and attitudes.
• Your motivation, inspiration and energy for an exciting project week.
• Your spirit to share your experience, questions and doubts.

Important: There will be intercultural nights!!!

Please be prepared to present your own country and culture in the most creative and interactive
way. You can make PowerPoint presentations, show videos and use multimedia.

Please bring:
• Something typical about your country such as food, drinks, music, traditional objects,
promotional materials and whatever else you want to present to share with all partici-
pants.

• Materials about your organization.

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Where will the project take place?

=> Uzana – the region of Gabrovo

People say that home is where the heart is.

The heart of many Bulgarians and foreigners belongs to

a dream Uzana - the Heart of the Balkan. Uzana
(Bulgarian: Узана) is a summer-winter resort and also
the geographic center of Bulgaria.

Once you set a foot on its ends, you can not help falling into her enchantment. The mighty
embrace of the mountain has preserved this unique place where one can recharge with energy
from its grandeur and beauty.
Far from the urban vanity you will find abundance of colors and shades, serenity and peace of
mind.

Uzana is located at the foot of Ispolin peak at

1,420 m above sea level, near the Bulgarka
Nature Park in the Stara Planina. It consists of
large meadows surrounded by forest. The aver-
age altitude is1300m.
Here the warbling of the birds and the whisper
of wild grasslands will put a spell on you
forever. Uzana is a home of rare floral species
included in the Red Book of Endangered
Species.

The region of Uzana provides a lot of opportunities for cultural

tourism. The nearest big city is Gabrovo, around 22 km away.
Internationally known as the center of humor and satire of Bulgar-
ia, Gabrovo offers many interesting places of historical importance
for its visitors. Near Gabrovo is situated the open-air ethnographic
museum Etara, where people can learn more about Bulgarian
crafts. Another landmark of the region - the Sokolski Monastery is
situated a few kilometers away from Uzana.

Accommodation and food

Participants will be accommodated in double and triple bed rooms in”Prima S” hotel in Uzana
area. Each room has a bathroom and all necessary facilities for a pleasant stay .
Accommodation and full board delicious meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are covered by the
hosting organization.

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The participants will receive a questionnaire where they will be able to share nutritional needs
in advance, before start of the project after approval of the participant’s application and as part
of the preparational activities for the project.

Once you arrive in Sofia:

Meeting point: Central bus Station Sofia

How to get to Central Bus Station Sofia

1. From Sofia Airport (Terminal 2) take the metro – the YELLOW line to metro station
Serdica and change there to metro line 2 – BLUE and then go out of the metro at Central Bus
and Train station Sofia. Link to digital map of the Sofia metro:

=> https://www.metrosofia.com/en/maps

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2. From Sofia Airport (Terminal 1 and 2) take buses 184 or 84 towards the center and get down
at bus station “Orlov Most” in English “Eagle’s Bridge” – there is a metro entrance – Sofia
University and again use the metro lines as described in point 1 above.

Public transport in Sofia is 1,60 BGN (leva) per ride.

1 Euro = 1.95583 BGN (Leva – local currency).

Practicalities

• European Health Insurance Card: The card is accepted in every country of the
European Union. If you do not possess the card, you can get it easily. You should go to
the office recharged with health affairs, and ask for your European Health Card. It's a
little blue plastic card, and you can get it for free. It is valid in every EU country for 1
year. Or any other insurance is welcome (organizers are not covering insurance costs);

• Insurance: Personal and medical insurance are the responsibility of the individual
participant. We will not be responsible for any loss of luggage, currency or personal
effects, or any medical costs. We recommend participants to have the European Health
Card;

• Currency: Bulgaria is still largely cash economy. Visitors should exchange cash at
banks or Change Bureaus. Some Change Bureaus charge commissions on both cash and
travellers’ check transactions that are not clearly posted. Old, dirty or very worn
denomination bank notes are often not accepted at banks or Change Bureaus. The
Bulgarian national monetary unit is the Lev (BGN), divided into 100 stotinki. At the
present rate of exchange 1 USD is approximately equal to 1,88BGN, and 1 EUR is
approximately equal to 1,95 BGN.

Note:

We strongly advise you to exchange currency ONLY IN BANKS or with the assistance of
one of our representatives at a recommended Change Bureau – please note that the normal
change bureaus exchange EUR at the rate of 1.95 and above. If you happen to be at a
change bureau that exchanges currency below 1.95 – then please do not exchange money
there.

Upon your arrival you will have the opportunity to visit in an organised manner Bulgarian
Bank and to exchange your currency.

The working hours of any bank in Bulgaria are every weekday from 8:00 to 17:00.

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Other Info:
• No certification or special skills are required (only good knowledge of English
language), just bring your enthusiasm and live the event in its proper and cheerful
mood! We encourage participants to be an active part of this project, embracing
responsibility and enjoy the cultural side of this experience!

• After any participant is approved and completes his travel organization he will be added
to a Facebook group of the project where we will be sharing useful info/reminders and
will be assisting participants with any issues/questions before, during and after the end
of the program.

• Please make sure to inform us about any special needs you have such as food
allergies/intolerances, vegetarian/vegan food, health problems, special diet. A
questionnaire will be sent to all participants before the start of the project.

Contact information:
If you need help, or need further information please do not hesitate to contact us:

“Europe in your hand”

8, Charles Darvin Str.

Sofia 1113, Bulgaria

e-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: +359 88 729 0538

Emergency numbers: SOS number Bulgaria: 112

We are looking forward to meeting you in Bulgaria for a wonderful youth

training!

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