Seven residents from Fejda and Jeanne Antide Homes participated in a youth exchange held in Wales, between the 18th and 25th July 2015. The theme chosen was that of nature. The Maltese participants were amongst 32 other young people from different parts of the United Kingdom, from Denmark and from Sardinia, who all met in the idyllic setting of Waunifor, a calm and serene setting in Carmarthenshire, to explore and foster a respect for nature.
Many outdoor activities took place in different natural settings, such as the river, the forest, and the beach. The activities included mountain biking, kayaking, rafting, abseiling, rock climbing, a river swim, mountain biking and a hike in the forest. We also had the opportunity to visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rhossili Beach.
The young people also had workshops on active citizenship, adulthood and about the perfection of nature. A young Spanish woman also visited one afternoon to share her experience doing European Voluntary Service (EVS) – an Erasmus+ initiative that supports young people to do voluntary services in Europe, which serves as a significant life experience.
An international night was hosted by each participating country on several nights. The Maltese participants had been preparing for it weeks in advance, and had practised it one evening by hosting a Maltese night at the Homes.
The Maltese participants integrated very well with the other young people, despite any language barriers and cultural differences. The youth exchange was an experience that opened their minds to different cultures, ways of life, and gave them the opportunity to challenge themselves in different ways, such as voicing their thoughts and opinions in a group and taking the initiative to participate in the different activities and sessions.
The Maltese participants were commended on the initiative and responsibility taken by them in the duties each young person had every day and how they looked out for each The overall image they portrayed was an extremely positive one, and each leaders of the other organisations expressed the wish to collaborate on other projects together in the future.
This experience helped the youngsters challenge themselves in different areas. Their feedback about the whole experience is a very positive one. Almost all the girls are still in contact with other participants from different countries and plan to keep contact through social media.