THE GIFT OF LEARNING

2024_06 AZERBAIJAN, BAKU STUDY VISIT yOUTH@work SOCIAL ENTREPENEURS

WOW Go Amsterdam joined an inspiring and informative Study Visit on Youth Social Entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan. The visit took place from 28 May – 2 June 2024 and the following countries were involved: Azerbaijan, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and Turkyie.

Youth social entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for addressing societal challenges while fostering innovation and leadership among young individuals. By engaging in social entrepreneurship, young people not only develop valuable entrepreneurial skills but also contribute to building more sustainable and inclusive communities. 

It was a valuable learning experience for everyone, as we explored new ways to integrate social entrepreneurship into our daily youth work practices. 

Through site visits, workshops and discussions, we gained insights into successful social entrepreneurship models, learned about available resources and support networks, and exchanged best practices with colleagues from different countries. 

We are thankful for visiting this beautiful country, to discover the cultural heritage, to meet the people and to explore the youth-led initiatives that has brough positive social change to the communities.

 This visit has led to new collaborations and networking opportunities for future youth initiatives to empower young changemakers to drive positive community transformation.

The project was funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

2024_03 ROMANIA, Busteni training Make a difference

Teachers, educators and youth workers from 12 different countries came together in Busteni Romania in the period of 16-23 March 2024. The training course “Be sustainable, Make a difference” focused on sustainable development of young people and their organizations. We exchanged knowledge, values and issues on how we can play an active responsible role in society. The interaction was a great opportunity of experiental learning among colleagues in the youth sector, to get motivated and prepared both on individual level as well as in our schools, organizations and practices.

The project was funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

2023_12 food4thoughts 

An initiative with youth Resto Van Harte brought together youngsters to share and prepare meals, while promoting volunteering and community involvement

The visit is part of a broader effort to combat loneliness, and encourage positive engagement among the different cultures in our city. Upon arrival, our group of enthusiastic youngsters from Amsterdam and surrounding cities like Haarlem and Alkmaar were welcomed warmly by the van Harte team.  

The purpose of our visit was not only to enjoy a meal but also to roll up our sleeves and get involved. It became very exciting from the moment we stepped into the kitchen. Under the guidance of the experienced chefs and staff, the young participants helped prepare the meal for the evening, chopping vegetables, and preparing the dishes— it was a hands-on experience that offered insight into how food can be a powerful tool for community-building.

By the end of the night, the young people left not only with full stomachs but also with more sense of responsibility and engagement. This experience was a meaningful reminder that volunteering enriches our lives. It was a day that reinforced the value of volunteer work and the impact it can have on creating a caring society.  Thank you for this great learning experience! 

2023_09 worldhouse storytelling 

As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering understanding and unity among young people, a group of volunteers from WOW GO visited the Wereldhuis in Amsterdam for a day filled with cultural exchange and storytelling. The Wereldhuis, a community center focused on supporting migrants and refugees, offered us the perfect setting to connect, learn, and share with individuals from various backgrounds. Young people from Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar, and other towns across North Holland gathered at the Wereldhuis to explore this unique space and its important mission.

We learned about the various activities and services they offer— ranging from language lessons to social support for newcomers to the city. The passion and dedication of the staff were truly inspiring, as they work to provide a safe place for those in need. Through storytelling, we uncovered narratives about the different continents and generations, giving us new perspectives on what it means to belong, to struggle, and to find a place in a new community.  This visit was a true reflection of bringing young people together to learn from one another, build bridges across cultures, and contribute to a more better society.

2023_07 kwaku cultural exchange

This year, WOW GO had the privilege of participating in the Kwaku Summer Festival on Moluccan Day, where we were invited to present and celebrate the different cultures. Our young volunteers eagerly took part in this vibrant event, showcasing traditional dances that left a lasting impression on the audience. For the first time, our group collaborated to perform powerful cultural dances: the graceful Menari dance, led by the girls, and the energetic cakalele dance, a traditional warrior dance from the Moluccas. The festival provided a wonderful opportunity for our youth to connect with their cultural roots and work together as a team, bringing these traditions to life. It was an incredible experience to share Moluccan culture with the wider community, and we look forward to future collaborations.

2022-2023 REFLECTING PANDEMIC AND MEDIA AWARENESS

Over the past few months, we organized a series of workshops with young people from different parts of the country, including Amsterdam, Tilburg, Ede, and Arnhem. The workshops focused on helping youth reflect on their experiences during the pandemic, while also addressing critical topics such as youth participation, media usage, and the safe handling of their data.

One of the main goals was to raise awareness about the potential dangers and benefits of social media. Through interactive discussions and activities, we empowered the participants with essential life skills to help them navigate the digital world more consciously. From understanding media manipulation to recognizing the importance of data privacy, these sessions gave the youth practical tools to engage with media responsibly and effectively. These workshops not only offered the young participants the chance to share their thoughts and experiences but also equip them with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions in a media-influenced world. We are proud of the steps they have taken towards becoming more mindful and empowered digital citizens. This long term project was made possible by local funds Amsterdam Noord, Oranjefonds and Zonnige Jeugd.

2022_04 fall forward program Amplifying Youth Voices

For a special podcast series we interviewed young people. The goal was to give these young adults a platform to share their personal stories and experiences, and it turned out to be an inspiring project. It started a year ago with our Talkpowder Radio. Led by our mentor and a peer group leader, the podcasts captured raw stories of resilience and growth. Some of the podcasts were being interviewed not shown on screen; as those youngsters came from our mentor program and requested only for their voices to be heard, allowing their stories to be told without putting them in the spotlight. Other podcasts were being produced by volunteers and (former) participants of our youth exchanges Europe and those attending the local youth activities in Amsterdam. Michael and Zefanja are our mentor and peer group leader who facilitated these powerful conversations. This project is supporting our ongoing existing mentor program and allowed us to create meaningful episodes so that voices of youth in our community are being heard. You can listen to one of the interviews here.

2020_2021 SPAIN, Madrid Cooperation Partnerships Narrative Construction

In the years 2020-2021 WOW Go Amsterdam was part of a cooperation of partnership that allows organisations to increase the quality and relevance of their activities, develop and reinforce their networks of partners, and to increase their capacity to operate jointly and through exchanging or developing new practices and methods as well as sharing and confronting ideas.

CiudadEscuela Muchachos (CEMU), which translates to Town-School for Boys and Girls, was founded in 1970. The ultimate goal was to integrate children who have had rough childhoods into society so that they too can serve as functioning members of their communities. These children tend to be labeled as “at risk”. However, the founder Tío Alberto believes that by instilling in them a personal sense of responsibility and power of change, they can become critically engaged citizens and shed themselves of society’s label. CEMU have built a community called called “Juego Ciudadano“ in which all opinions are valued, where all contributions are deemed meaningful, and where every child has a real voice.

During the 2 years of cooperation youngsters from Spain, Italy, Greece and the Netherlands were working in their national teams. The program has been developed by the consortium and was specifically designed to aid adolescents living in cultural communities during the construction of their narrative identity. It is specifically tailored to their needs in the context of youth work and non-formal education.

A number of Transnational Meetings were held in Spain, Cyprus and Belgium where partners from European organizations came together. They cooperated in the Erasmus+ program of the European Union for supporting the identity’s development of European youngsters.

WOW Go Amsterdam was represented by J. Theil (Belgium and Cyprus) and C.Liesdek (in Cyprus), and Michael and Manuela van Leeuwen (in Spain).

A final meeting was held with selected youngsters of each organization. WOW Go Amsterdam shared their experience on digital media during covid, personal development and narrative practices with regards to cultural identity. Team WOW GO presented an outline of the unique narrative of 70 years moluccan history in the Netherlands through the eyes of the 3rd generation. The goals of the meeting is the promotion of empowerment of youngsters by offering a better understanding of narrative practice and cultural consumption, as well as their  influence in the development of youth identity. The meeting also seeks to enhance knowledge of their culture of reference and cultural roots.

The project was cofunded by Erasmus+ program of the European Union and conducted by CEMU Madrid, in cooperation with WOW Go Amsterdam Netherlands, Scambieuropei Italy, Social empowerment hub Greece, Voices of the World Belgium, Power citizens Cyprus, Freundeskreis Benposta Germany/Colombia and the Academic Advisory Teams of the University Autónoma of Madrid, Oslo Norway University, Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology, Salerno University of Italy.

Click on these photos to see more videos.

2019_07 ITALY, Rome Youth Exchange Citizens Europe

A youth exchange was held in Rome, Italy from 15-22 juli 2019. Netherlands, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy were participating in this youth project. Each country send a group of 6 youngsters in the age of  15-21 to discover how to become actively involved as European citizens.

The project was funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

2018_12 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam CME Pay it Forward

The very essence of YE projects is that these should be the projects BY the young people & FOR the young people & WITH the young people. Nevertheless, from our experience, Erasmus+: Youth in Action programme, is not so easy to understand for someone who is new to it. With this Contact making event “Pay It Forward Through a Youth Exchange” we wish to break the viscous circle and “give” youth exchanges back to young people – at least in our organizations! We are ready to provide them with all necessary support so that they can take over and become a new generation of youth workers in our organizations that is involving their peers in learning opportunities that they themselves were once given.

Through the consultation system with young people before, during and after the CME we made sure that the youth exchange ideas are developed by&for young people. Many of the participants were themselves representing the group of young people (being youth leaders) and some other, who were not in the age group and were aiming to involve younger young people (teenagers), were acting as support persons that are going to be group leaders in the future, nevertheless, are also actively involving young people in the process.

Altogether 30 youth leaders, peer-to-peer educators and youth workers from 14 European countries (The Netherlands, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Poland, Romania and Spain.) met, established partnerships, gained the necessary skills and knowledge on Erasmus + youth exchanges (E+ YE) and developed 6 concrete youth exchange ideas to be implemented in the future.

Special thanks to CWC Church Amsterdam for making available the church buildings for our activities. Thank you as well to Stichting Acts 2 and cooking studio Delicious for your co-operation and the delicious meals.

The Contact Making Event took place in Amsterdam from 2-9 December 2018 was cofunded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

2018_10 NETHERLANDS, Ede Training Scouting Leaders Salvation Army

On October 27, Michael & Manuela van Leeuwen from WOW Go Amsterdam provided a wonderful coaching day “Non formal Learning” at the Salvation Army Belmont in Ede. There were 30 youth workers and scout leaders involved. The workers were made aware of their own qualities, input and motivation in Scouting and the Salvation Army youth work. They can further elaborate on the applicable tools in their future youth work.

Op 27 oktober hebben Michael&Manuela van Leeuwen van WOW Go Amsterdam een mooie coachingsdag “Onbewust Leren” verzorgd bij het Leger des Heils Belmont in Ede. Zij hebben 30 jongerenwerkers begeleid. De werkers werden bewust gemaakt van hun eigen kwaliteiten, inbreng en motivatie bij de Scouting en het jeugdwerk Leger des Heils. De toepasbare tools kunnen zij in hun toekomstige jeugdwerk verder voortborduren.

The project was sponsored by Salvation Army Netherlands.

2018_09 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam Pimp up your becak!

Doing something together creates a bond! What could be better than a colorful, cultural and creative makeover? With “Pimp up my becak!” we refurbished a becak (Indonesian bicycle taxi) with the youth in the neighborhood. The becak was a traditional vehicle from the Dutch East, but a lot of young people are not familiar with this history. The local initiative was an introduction to many about the historical background and cultural heritage.

After refurbishment the becak will be used for coffee and tea moments at local neighborhood activities for all local residents. We finalized the event with Indonesian snacks and local coffee or tea.

Samen iets opknappen schept een band! Wat is er mooier dan een kleurrijk, cultureel en creatief opknapbeurt? Met “Pimp up my becak!” willen we heel graag een becak (indonesische fietstaxi) opknappen met de buurtjongeren. De becak was een transportmiddel uit Nederlands Indie, niet voor alle jongeren is dit bekend. Het zal een eerste kennismaking zijn met de historische achtergrond als cultureel erfgoed.

 De becak zal na het oppimpen benut worden voor koffie-en thee momenten bij lokale buurtactiviteiten voor alle buurtbewoners. We sluiten af met een broodje saté en buurtbewoners zijn welkom om langs te komen voor een kopje koffie of thee om onze opgepimpte nieuwe buurtbecak te bewonderen.

The project was sponsored by Oranje Fonds

2018_09 HUNGARY, Budapest ATOQ Advanced Training on Quality

The ATOQ was held from 17 – 22 September 2018 in Budapest, Hungary, The training course is aimed at youth workers who want to raise the quality of their youth exchanges. The course focuses on improving the management of the project, the cooperation with partners, the programme of activities and their dissemination.

The ATOQ training course gave the participants the opportunities to reflect upon their previous international youth exchange experience(s) and the impact on young people, organisations and community.

Youth workers and educators from Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Romania, Greece, Hungary, France, Estonia, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands were part of this ATOQ meeting.

The project was funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

2018_07 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam Youth Exchange Focus your Vision

Focus Your Vision! was a 12-day youth exchange held in Amsterdam/Haarlem, Netherlands, in which 32 young people from 4 participated in.  The main themes explored during the youth exchange were upcycling and creativity.

 The 32 young people who came together from Netherlands, Malta, Italy and Latvia actively participated in discussing and exploring important issues, collecting upcycling material, building an artistic, upcycled piece, and organising an exposition showcasing their work.  Each piece was centred around themes, such as ‘education’ and ‘culture’ amongst others.  The creative minds of the young people who worked on each piece resulted in truly remarkable outcomes!

The young people also explored issues related to social media and bullying using performance theatre.  Furthermore, their creative minds were put to work at the beach where they created amazing sand sculptures.  In between working creatively, the young people had the opportunity to get to know the city of Haarlem through a scavenger hunt organised by a local youth organisation, and get an introduction to the city of Amsterdam through a photo hunt competition.

There was also the showcasing of aspects related to the culture of the different countries.  The young people organised a cultural dinners, followed by a night of fun traditional games, as well as mingling with the guests at the exposition and giving them information about their countries.

This project was another experience which gave the young people positive memories, the opportunity to push themselves to show their best sides, and the chance to meet other people from different cultures and backgrounds.

This project was held from 30 July – 10 August 2018 and funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

2018_06 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam apv Focus your Vision

The meeting topics covered the selection of participants, domestic and international travel, accommodation & food, the content of the programme, safety regulations, special needs, required paperwork, etc. We visited the venue in Haarlem and discussed the indoor and outdoor activities and the different topics during the youth exchange. We went together through a lot of points, to make sure that we will all be prepared for the forecoming youth exchange.

APV meeting involved national youth leaders from Netherlands, Malta, Italy and Latvia. We are looking forward to the project.

The project was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

2018_05 ITALY, Rome Training Non formal education to fight early school leaving

This Training Course is focusing specifically on how non formal education can support young people at risk of drop out. In particular with this Training we wish to equip youth workers, youth leaders and educators with tools and methodologies concerning career guidance and making responsible choices, that can stimulate the person to start a process of change. The training was held in Rome, Italy from 14-19 May 2018 and was funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

2018_03 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam Training Youth Workers Let’s go 4 games!

The training course “Let’s Go 4 Games!” took place from 5-13 March 2018 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It involves 14 partner organizations from the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Games don’t have to be just fun and entertaining way of spending the time. With the intention behind, the adequate structure and good skills of facilitation, games can also be used as an effective nonformal learning tool that promotes positive changes in the society.

With this training course “Let’s Go 4 Games!”, we want to promote the idea that games are not only a great tool for personal learning, but they could and should be more actively used also as a tool for promoting a social change and values. Within this training, we aim to promote the cultural diversity among young people in our communities by using the games as a tool. We will be focusing on a narrower scope – games that develop greater understanding and appreciation of the cultural diversity in society.

 This project was funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union..

2017_12 SPAIN, Gran Canaria Refugee Song Youth Exchange

The Refugees Song was a youth exchange project held in  Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Countries involved: The Netherlands, Croatia, Romania, France (Reunion Island), Slovak  Republic, Lithuania and Spain.

42 Participants in the age of 18-28 years and 7 country group leaders came together from 3-10 December 2017

The idea of this project is for each partner to prepare a work of their own (chosen by each country) and a common song before coming to the Canary Islands. The songs are related to mutual understanding, migration, the situation of refugees nowadays.

During the six days of activities in the Canary Islands there was some time for rehearsals, getting to know the environment and meetings with other choirs and local associations of youngsters. On the last day of the week of activities we will make a public representation of the songs of each partner and the common song.

The project was funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

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2017_11 austria, klaffer am hochflicht social media

Social media have reached everyday life to an extent that it seems to be impossible, that there was social life without media before. Internet opens up possibilities of interactivity and self-exposing to an extent that have never been reached before. Users of social media most often are not conscious about the mechanisms in the background. Most of the users are simply swamped with the necessary special knowledge.

The training “Performance on social media” was held from 5-12 November 2017 in Klaffer am Hochflicht, Austria.

The training is headed towards people who are involved in the pedagogic work with young people. During the training the EU participants discussed the use of social media, the biggest advantages, risks and disadvantages. The participants were exposed to different levels of theatre, stage and performance in both practical ways as with theoretical preferences.

Youth workers from the Netherlands, Greece, Finland, Romania, Poland, Latvia, Bulgaria and Austria gained great knowledge about the topic of the project. This training has been  successful as it has been a great benefit to further implement the learned outcomes into the local schools, institutions and European youth activities.

The project was funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union..

2017_07 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam Opening Office WOW Go

A grand opening of our new office in Amsterdam was an opportunity to involve our friends, family and team members to celebrate together. People from the neighborhood were also invited for this event. At the same time, one of WOW Go’s founders Michael celebrated his birthday. The feast offered a special cultural dance performance from Moluccan Indonesian menari group and youngsters who participated in our projects.

2017_07 ITALY, SARDEGNA ABBASANTA LIVE RIGHT BE BRIGHT!

The project brought together 32 young people, 8 group leaders and one accompanying person from 4 organisations namely Malta, Italy, Netherlands and Denmark. The mobility took place in Abbasanta, Sardinia between 22/07/2017 to 28/07/2017.

The project used non formal methods of learning to bring together a group of young people for a mobility experience that sought to underline their capabilities, improve their skills and competences and to ultimately break away from the daily hardships, emotional challenges and exclusion faced by these young people. The main objectives of the youth exchange were to offer a unique opportunity to marginalised young people to break barriers and feel they have a role to play in society. We used creative methods to help participants express themselves and expose them to different opportunities.

Cultural nights were planned to provide an opportunity for every country to display their cultural norms and how even though we belong to different nationalities we can still bring them and share them together.

Voluntary work with the elderly were organised by the young people – these gave them a sense of responsibility and made them realise how they can contribute, build a bridge to another generation and give something back to society. Interactive discussions were held on topics dealing with technology, employment, healthy lifestyles and what opportunities exist in the field of education and employment.

The project also served as a platform for the start of long lasting friendships among the participants from the different countries. The youth exchange exposed young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to the necessary skills needed to interact with people from different backgrounds, which in turn provided them with a sense of achievement when they managed to form positive relationships – for some this was a first in their lives.

Many young people were inspired to participate in more youth exchanges and explore what other opportunities for personal growth were available to them. 

Special thanks to Police Acadamy Sardegna and Municipality of Abbasanta. This project was cofunded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.. 

2017_06 AMSTERDAM APV AND PREPARATION LIVE RIGHT BE BRIGHT!

In the authoritative report issued by the European Commission ‘Youth Social Exclusion and Lessons from Youth Work’, it is widely recognised that social exclusion produces deep and long-term damage to the living conditions, social and economic participation, emotional life, and health status of young people.

A preparatory visit (APV) was held in Abbasanta, Sardegna Italy with national group leaders from Italy (public body municipality), Malta (Youth in Care), Netherlands (Youth organization)and Denmark (Local School). The meeting took place from 19-22 June and was a starting point for upcoming summer Youth Exchange to be held in Sardegna in the month of July.

The meeting gave us the opportunity to visit the police academy in Sardegna who sponsored our project by allowing us to stay with them for the entire week. Our youngsters will be accommodated at the local police academy, sharing rooms with 2 participants. We were welcomed by the chief police commander and discussed all relevant topics to make the stay for our youngsters as smooth as possible, while at the same time making sure everyone will be following the rules and regulations at the police property.

We also visited the local townhall who contributed to this project. Creative sessions will be held with our youngsters this summer. They will create an mural to be displayed in the main meeting hall of the Abbasanta local council. The meetings were a great start to discuss all the different points to prepare us for this summer’s youth exchange.

Right after the APV, we had an introduction and preparation day on national level. Each country prepared their youngsters. We organized a preparation weekend for our national Dutch youngsters who were selected for the project. Most of them never met each other before. It was a good opportunity to get to know each other and learn about the ins- and outs of the exchange. 

2017_04 SPAIN, Villafranca del Penedes Barcelona Creative Europe

..During the week of exchange (10-18 April 2017), the participants were offered the opportunity to share artistic expressions. The project allows the participants to approach cultural aspects in the first person, through debates and activities designed among all partner entities beforehand.

The participants in the project were between 18 and 30 years old and came from differentiated social and cultural contexts. Likewise, since it is a project aimed at Catalan popular culture, dance and audiovisuals, most of the participants already had some experience in this field. Thanks to the young people and their artistic interests, we also added new artistic disciplines not contemplated in the initial proposal, such as graffiti, theater and music percussion and acoustics.

In general the objectives aim to create knowledge among cultural expressions that are meaningful to each of the countries and regions, and to propose new initiaves that can multiply the project.

The final performance was developed for more than two hours throughout the morning of the last day of the exchange, where they gave way to the rest of the artistic disciplines, represented by the different work commissions of theater graffiti and dance.

Partner countries and participants involved: Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, France, Hungary and Sweden. This project was funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union..

2017_03 estonia, tallin youth workers training

In March 2017 a youth workers training was held in Tallinn, Estonia to support the professional development of youth workers and the development of qualitative non formal educational youth work. 24 youth workers were given the opportunity to take part in the 7 days training and to contribute in high quality individual practice, outdoor learning and active youth work participation in their organisations.

This project was funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union..

2016_10 SPAIN, Madrid Seminar iCandidate

The project brings together 30 youth workers from 15 different European organizations in Madrid, Spain with the aim to improve youth workers’ competencies in relation with educational activities. Youth workers improved their competences in youth information related with employment and entrepreneurship.

The needs that were identified refer to an improved training and labour system knowledge for youth workers. Although the partners encourage their staff to be actively engaged in personal and professional development opportunities, including through non-formal education activities and trainings,

There is still the need of a unified approach that would allow youth workers to be involved in an efficient training and educational process meant to improve competencies required for raising the impact of their youth activities and overcoming the various differences existent at national levels.

The seminar shows tools and job search strategies and promotes personal online branding in Europe to support the employment of young people for their professional career.

As a result, a catalog of best practices was created, – through analysis and experience – that helps workers in the field of youth to receive information on employment in Europe.. This project was funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union..

2016_07 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam youth exchange make a change

The “Make a Change” Exchange will gather 25 youngsters, age 13-17, from 5 different countries in Amsterdam. The MaC Exchange will be held from 27 July – 4 August 2016.

The project is build around the theme MaC “Make a Change”. What do we have in common, how can we get the best out of ourselves, and what changes can I make in my community? These and other questions will come across in the activities.

The young people explored their social and cultural differences and similarities and receive the unique opportunity to experience significant mutual learning situations, to develop their skills and to strengthen their identity. The exchange has had a positive impact on personal growth and development. The youngsters were greatly encouraged to share experiences and make new friends. With this exchange the participants learned new skills, such as working together in a group, expressing themselves, starting a dialogue, sharing new ideas and search for common goals.

During the project they explored Amsterdam City, and interviewed the locals. The youngsters worked together with different nationalities in one team. As a result they created 5 group videos about culture, religion, social impact, environment and education. We used tools in multimedia, such as sound, film and visualization that they present to each other.

We visited the Amsterdam film museum for the promotion of entrepeneurship in film and multimedia. We connected with a number of Youth organizations in Amsterdam such as Streetcorner and JIP to support youth work as a catalyst for the empowerment of young people. We also had dinner at the Worldhouse in Amsterdam where one of the employees shared his story how he used to live on the streets, came to belief and got actively involved in church and working with young people. The group was touched by hearing his testimony. On our final day we got an invitation from  Stichting Dockz and Youth Resto Amsterdam for a birthday party dinner with the owner. These visits were great opportunities to stimulating our youngsters, connect with the locals and learn about what youth work and non-formal learning can contribute. Youth work is recognised as a powerful means for equipping youth with key personal, professional and entrepreneurial competences and skills, and as a bridge into formal education, training or future labor market.

Special thanks to the local Scouts in Amsterdam for allowing us to use their recreation space,

This project was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union..

2016_05 netherlands amsterdam apv make a change

From 9-12 May 2016  an Advanced planning Visit took place amongst the EU Youth leaders from the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Slovak Republic and Poland. This visit was an introduction meeting for the upcoming youth exchange “Make a Change, a project funded by the Erasmus+. WOW Go Amsterdam is responsible for the coördination of the project.

The visit has been a good start for a successfull co-operation. The youth exchange will be held this summer from 27. July – 4. August at campstay “Vliegenbos” in Amsterdam.

This project was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union..

2016_06 NETHERLANDS, Amsterdam PREPARE GROUP NL MAKE A CHANGE

WOW Go organized a preparation weekend for the selected youngsters for upcoming Youth Exchange Make a Change. The gathering brought our group together to discuss the different topics of the project, to prepare them for the exchange, to visit the venue, to learn outside their formal educational system and for some to meet the other members of the national team.

This project was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union..

2015_2016 central america, cooperation partnership Hope for the future

This mobility was a unique opportunity for our youth workers to become part of the work that God is doing in various parts of Latin America. An unforgettable journey of 6 months through Central America: Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua.

Each ministry location is home to distinct projects and initiatives that are bringing the hope of Christ to individuals and families in the area.

We got the chance to become part of a team of dedicated missionaries and volunteers as we were working together with local churches to help transform the lives of those in vulnerable communities.

We served in different ministries to bring hope to children living in slum communities by contributing in teaching ministry at the local Bible Schools.

The renacer (rebirth) homes are places that substance-addicted at risk street girls can come for rehabilitation. Most of them were oppressed by lover boys. The girls are being ministered through bible teaching about their true identity in Christ.

Our workers also came alongside medical/dental teams, serving the surrounding impoverished communities and going on rural outreaches in the largest slums of Central America to bring medical and spiritual hope to those who otherwise have no healthcare access. There were also feeding programs to those marginalized and addicted.

This journey was a great opportunity to impact and contribute to the ongoing efforts to make a difference. This trip was a life-changing experience that has left an indelible mark on our hearts.

The journey was sponsored by various churches, entities and private donations. The partnership was established in co-operation with Christ for the City USA, Hope for the Future Costa Rica, Roots4Mission Netherlands and WOW Go Amsterdam Netherlands.

2014_07 ITALY, SAN SALVO YOUTH EXCHANGE MUSIC IS CALLING

We had the great opportunity to be part of this special EU-project “Music is Calling” in San Salvo, Italy. 60 young musicians age 13 to 25 were brought together to play together in a youth orchestra. The musical event took place in San Salvo, Italy from July 6 to 16, 2014.

Together with 4 other countries (the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovakia and host country Italy) we put on a musical performance for 10 days. Each country send 15 young musical talents to San Salvo with the aim to make music together in a nonformal way. All participants had the opportunity to meet a network of all kinds of musicians from Europe and to share a great time. Some of the young participants never travelled before. It was their first experience to take a flight and travel outside their own country. The young people were accommodated in various host families of the participating young people in the project.

We were happy to be able to contribute to the development of young musicians and youth work even though it was not always easy to communicate in English or to adapt. It was a big challenge to discover similarities, to experience mutual interests, to explore issues related to cultural diversity and citizenship and to learn how to respect each other.

Some of the participants were part of the multi media team. We visited the local Italian television station where they could promote the concert and have a glimpse behind the scenes of a TV station.

For the 60 young people, this project was also a great opportunity to and increase their chances of building a career in an area considered one of the most difficult ones. They celebrated creativity and musical entrepreneurship through a musical project and were spreading the results to other young people and the local community;

The project involved young non-professional musicians, informal groups of orchestra members, non-profit organizations, government institutions, churches, music schools, associations and cultural institutions.

As a result of the rehearsals we had a wonderful Final Concert at San Salvo Marina conducted by Orchestra Director Mr Simone Genuine. Congratulations to all who have been working very hard to achieve this. Our youngsters had the chance to share this beautiful experience together and met new friends for lifetime.

Special warm regards for all host families in San Salvo/Vasto, thank you for your hospitality and for taking good care of our youngsters. We hope this project will be a start for future connections and look forward to see you again.

The project was cofunded by Erasmus+ Youth in Action Programme of the European Union.

Click below photos for more videos.

2014_06 netherlands, amsterdam prepare group MUSIC IS CALLING

The Dutch group of the Music is Calling project gave a preview of their music performance to the Dutch audience. Parents, family and friends were invited for the dress rehearsal on 5. July 2014. The young participants promoted their concert and people obtained a 5 euro entrance ticket to support them. The extra financial support gave us the opportunity to stay 2 additional nights in Rome and to enjoy some free time together after the exchange.

Special thanks to Hoop voor Noord Church in Amsterdam where we organized our concert one day before leaving for the Music is Calling Youth Exchange in Italy.

The project was cofunded by Erasmus+ Youth in Action Programme of the European Union.

2014_04 italy, san salvo apv meeting mUSIC IS CALLING

An APV (Advance Planning Visit) was held in San Salvo Italy in april 2024 to discuss the organization and co-ordination of our “Music is Calling” project. This project involves 60 young people from 4 EU countries; Netherlands, Italy, Ireland and Slovakia. Each country will be sending a group of 15 young people in the age of 13-25 years (and 2 supervisors) to San Salvo to make music together.

In recent days we have been very warmly welcomed by our Italian colleagues in San Salvo. What a hospitality! We met the host families for our young participants and we also visited the mayor of San Salvo and the Ministries of Culture and Tourism. The people in San Salvo are very involved. These coming months each group will have their musical rehearsals to prepare themselves for the exchange.

The music project will take place during this summer holiday, July 6-16, 2014 and is cofunded by Erasmus+ Youth in Action Programme of the European Union.

2014_05 TURKEY Bodrum Unesco International Dance (EVS)

Our project gathers together 30 young people from 30 different European countries in a beautiful touristic city located in western coast of Turkey, Bodrum. For already 15 years we have been organizing a great International Bodrum Dance Festival which hosts hundreds of dancers and groups from all over the world. This festival is in the list of Unesco cultural events and is provided for free to its visitors thank to support of local and national sponsors. Many dancers from all over the world meet in Bodrum, perform in an ancient Antic Theater and take part in several other cultural activities as well.  

International Bodrum Dance Festival is organized for 14 years and the last 4 years our festival had the title of The biggest celebration of World Dance Day.

By the decision of Festival Comitee, XV.International Bodrum Dance Festival will be organized during the last week of May, 2014 with attendance of 40 countries and 3000 dancers. We aim to reach 20.000 visitors.

The EVS volunteers will be working together and with us on organization and preparations of this festival, what is more they will also be actively taking part during the festival as performers. In 2013 our volunteers performed two choreographs, one of them prepared in co-operation with a professional choreographer from Latvia. Besides dancing and organizing our volunteers work on promotion of the festival by using new and traditional media such as press release, photography, short video, facebook profile, blogging and also actively with people – face to face by promotional stands in the city of Bodrum and surrounded villages.

This EVS activity started on 1st of May 2014 and ends on 1st of June 2014. The project was funded by E+YiA programme of the European Union.

2014_04 MALAYSIA Volunteering ESC (formerly EVS)

WOW Go Amsterdam is calling upon European volunteers. These projects are carried out by our partner in Malaysia and  will be exclusively executed and coordinated by WOW Go Amsterdam.

We are looking for passionate, motivated and interesting changemakers from Europe/Euromed countries (age 18-30years) to come and make a difference as Volunteer Worldwide!

The project outlines educational programs, believing that every underprivileged youth is entitled to a free and unique education which is provided throughout Southeast Asia, culminating in over 90 community centres in six countries. The volunteer will bring free English language and computer using education for youngsters and adults with fewer opportunities.  We are mostly working with people with social, economical and geographical obstacles, that are poor, with lack of education or they are coming from rural areas. As a volunteer, you will be part of our 100 committed volunteers to teach English, life skills and assume leadership roles throughout these community centres for one unforgettable year.

This is an ongoing opportunity for volunteering services (formerly EVS). If you are interested please contact our office WOW Go Amsterdam

2014_04 GHANA Accra Volunteering ESC (formerly EVS)

Our partner organization in Ghana was founded by a Dutch Organization from Groningen, the Netherlands by the idea to make a difference. Nowadays, the core team consist of a team, partly from Africa and Germany. We have the awareness that international and intercultural work is still characterized by unequal distribution of power and notions of superiority and inferiority. Our task is to support disadvantaged communities in Ghana sustainably through education, intercultural exchange and infrastructure development. In cooperation with local partners and active participation of the village community, we want to develop and realize sustainable projects, especially in the deprived regions. You will provide support in the field of Education, Health and Capacity Building.

This is an ongoing opportunity for volunteering services (formerly EVS). If you are interested please contact our office WOW Go Amsterdam

2013_11 GREECE Athens Youth workers mobility SOHO

By working intensively on the training, youth workers gained a better idea of the approach, the progress and the evaluation as SOHO organization (Sending Organisation Hosting Organisation) They have gained a better understanding of what they should pay attention to as a SOHO organization and what challenges they may encounter. Each participant learned how to properly prepare themselves for a presentation of their own organization and country and discover different points of view of other cultures and the diverse activities. The aim of the project was to increase the quality of EVS activities through the development of competencies and to support your local volunteer under the new Erasmus+ program in 2014.

The training was very much focused on the EVS volunteer and the benefits the volunteer can get from the program. It has become very clear that it is about the EVS volunteer and not about the organization. How to guide the EVS volunteer as best as possible so that the process and stay will be successful. This training took place from 18-22 November 2013.  

The project was funded by E+YiA programme of the European Union

2013-10 INDONESIA Project Warbal EVS Volunteering Service

Project Moluccan village Warbal: realization of sanitary facilities and renovation of house We are so touched by the fantastic cooperation of those who invested in the Warbal project. In mid-October it became a fact that a resident of the village of Warbal was greatly rejoiced. We were able to renovate her house with the cooperation of young people under the guidance of a professional construction worker. A toilet and shower facility has also been created, to the delight of the resident who has had his own sanitary facility for the first time. The preparations included mapping the job, who will do what, in what time and what costs it will entail. The space for the new sanitary facilities was previously a storage space, these items were moved to another space. We went to get cement and stones in another village, 1 hour there and 1 hour back. The young people are instructed to plaster the walls and repair cracks. We also got to work ourselves by sanding and painting doors, windows and frames. It was great fun to work with the young people to help a villager and to see her gain more and more self-esteem as the job progresses and to enjoy the enrichment of her life. By improving her facilities and refurbishing the appearance of her home. People watched with happy faces and amazement as we started making changes to the house. The villagers were enthusiastic and cheerful about the changes that their village was experiencing and they were co-owners of an beautification of their village face. They called the house a place of enlightenment. After all the work was completed, we held a joint festive meal to conclude a successful Warbal project. We believe that volunteering is a fundamental tool through which to involve young people in their communities and promote the development of new values. Volunteering introduces you to new people, cultures and skills while helping others. The international experience gained from volunteering abroad can also lead to career opportunities that will take you all over the world! We are grateful to enjoy the results of this project. This project was held in October 2013.The project was sponsored by WOW Go Amsterdam, Roots4Mission, local churches and private donations.

2013_02 nETHERLANDS NJI Newcomers Youth Mobilities YiA/E+

The Dutch National Agency Erasmus+  Nederlands Jeugdinstituut has developed a training for newscomers in the field of youth and offers starting points for taking concrete steps within an Erasmus+ project to achieve educational goals. The training was held in Soest, February 2013.

The project was funded by E+YiA programme of the European Union and Nederlands Jeugdinstituut.