At the beginning of March, young people from Portugal, France, Romania, Lithuania, Greece, and Hungary had the opportunity to join the first blended mobility of #TheYouthCreativeAcademy project, on the topic of "Entrepreneurship in creative industries", in Braga, Portugal.
During the virtual component of the mobility, participants mapped best practices and brainstormed on the challenges and opportunities for cultural entrepreneurs in their own communities.
In the first part of the mobility in Braga, participants boosted their creativity through the methods of the CreativityMeter, exploring various ways of expressing their ideas and feelings. Thus, through storytelling, drawing, and rhythm & music, they not only connected to each other but also became more aware of their own cultural identity and the way they can create a meaningful intercultural dialogue, as well as broadened their perspective on what cultural entrepreneurship is. In teams, they have also reflected on and proposed the design for the online badges of these competencies.
In the second part of the week, youths worked on their business ideas, using the Design Thinking methodology. The intercultural teams have come up with some creative solutions to address the needs of their communities:
- an app targeting youths in Hungary, which offers both online (24/7 support and guidance for dealing with mental issues) and offline (cultural opportunities to understand themselves and connect with each other) help to tackle the rise of depression and loneliness among youths during the pandemics
- a series of workshops designed for 5-6th graders to empathize with physically disabled peers, using art and simulation as tools, in order to increase inclusivity
- a volunteering program to involve youth in working with the elderly in rural areas from Portugal and Romania, through communication and artistic activities, in order to give them a sense of belonging and tackle loneliness and isolation
- sports groups for young people in Lithuania to help them tackle depression through exercise, being part of a team, and creating meaningful connections
The group was grateful to receive to guest speakers:
- Joana Miranda, Braga Media Arts Executive Coordinator. Participants found out about the work behind Braga's application for the European Capital of Culture 2027 Braga'27.
- Human Power Hub Braga, where our activities were hosted. Youths got some very great insights into what social entrepreneurship means.
How did participants from GEYC Community experience this mobility? Take a look at what they've shared:
