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The Science of Boomerang – Estonia

By Nina Bianca Dohr 30. Oktober 2016

Once again we were lucky to send a team on an amazing project – Palmse (Estonia) it was this time. Wanna know how it was and what it was all about? Read Manuel’s impression 🙂

The Youth Exchange ‚The Science of Boomerang‘ was not my first Erasmus+ project, but it was my third project. It was the first time, though, that I participated in another country. We started our journey on 14th October and came back home on the 24th October.

First arrival was in Tallinn, where Pato, Elena, Julia and I met. We spent the first evening checking out the secrets of this town and enjoying the tasty medieval food. On the next day we met our last participant of the Austrian team, Manuel. And here’s our first group-picture: (left to right Pato, Julia, Manuel, Elena, Manuel)

At evening all 50 participants of the project gathered at a meeting point and we drove off to Palmse by bus. I remember me talking to myself: “Oh my god, who are all those people?”.

Everybody seemed very excited so we spend our first night with some drinks, talking and singing together. It was the beginning of some awesome nights with a lot of joy and activities prepared by the participants. Now, being back home, I would definitely call them friends.

The next day the first project session started, so I was curious and really wanted to know what the “Science of Boomerang” is. As in any of my attended projects so far we started with some icebreakers and group activities. Pretty soon everybody could feel the awesomeness of this group. I never learned 50 names that fast before!

During the project we learned lots about formal/informal/non-formal learning, Erasmus+ and EVS projects, intercultural learning (ICL) and of course about volunteering. But still I couldn’t see what the science of boomerang was… Coming to the end of the project we prepared some volunteering activities, which we were actually doing in Tallinn. 50 people separated in groups were walking with dogs or helping at an animal shelter. Some of us worked with kids like my group. We prepared some dances. At the end we found out, that some of them where awesome dancers. It was a mistake to think that we could teach them something new. After the dancing we all sat down in a circle and talked about our hobbies, dreams and of course about volunteering. Hearing those kids singing, dancing and talking about their dreams was very touching to me. I still think about that sometimes.

After this activity all 50 participants met again in Tallinn city center. It wasn’t planned by the facilitators but the participants organized another big event at the Old Town Square. We organized a flashmob where we danced together in the name of volunteering. We gave it the Hashtag #voluncare so check it out on Facebook and Instagram 🙂

So the YE came to an end after this event and I thought about the science of boomerang once again, but this time it hit me. I remembered how many people started to dance with us on the square. I remembered the smiles of the participants when I did some nice things for them. Mostly I remembered the kids we danced with. I knew that all this happiness didn’t come by accident. It acted like a boomerang that I threw away at the beginning of this project and it came back at the end but much more powerful than I expected.

A big thanks to everyone who made this project this amazing!

Yours, Manuel (without beard)

Curious to hear more and get to know wEUnite members? Stay up-to-date, like us on Facebook and follow our blog!

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What happened meanwhile..

By Nina Bianca Dohr 27. Mai 2016
In case you have been wondering why it was so unusually quiet on our blog as well as our Facebookpage … we worked on new projects and travelled to create new partnerships and get even more ideas to apply for even more projects for you 🙂

Right after our KeepCalm! training course in February we wrote the final report for it, worked on the budget and last but not least – made this amazing video. As you can see we had a great time!


As we got so much energy from the project we decided „Hey! Let’s write some more projects and apply!“ – once said, we directly started working on them. The first training course – that hopefully will be approved – is called „DesireToInspire“ and will be all about leadership. Why leadership? Well, in youth work it is a highly relevant to work with groups and in order to be even better at what we all do, we want to give you some more tools. Doesn’t that sound great?

But of course one project alone is never ever enough for us, and because of all the questions we got on our previous projects, we came up with „Project 101“, which will deal with project designing. Most of you have been on one or more youth exchanges or training courses or have heard about those cool things. The question you asked us was: how does it all work? What is going on behind the scenes? Does a project last for one week only? How do you prepare everything? Who actually pays for Erasmus+ projects and how can we get the money? The most important question for us, though, was „Can I do that as well?“ – yes, yes and yes! You all can – and this is why we applied with this project, to show and tell you everything you need to know about project designing in Erasmus+ – and of course many lovely new projects will be born on this training course 🙂


After we successfully submitted our applications, wEUnite went to Estonia!

Having applied for many different seminars, Nina got chosen to take part in a seminar/study visit/training course, called „Formal-Non-Formal“, in Tartu/Estonia. Being there she met friends from previous projects – always a cool side-effect! getting to know people from everywhere and meeting them again – and also new partners. Moreover, she experienced the culture a little as well as the education system in Estonia, which is very different from what she was used to from Austria. Having spent 6 days in Tartu, another projects was being born – ENTERpreneurship, which will be applied at the next deadline. Until then, wEUnite, will work with its new partners from Estonia, Portugal, Turkey and Scottland to make this idea something real.





„Estonia is a really nice country! I didn’t have too much time for sight-seeing, but it was definitely worth the trip. (and I can imagine going back there to see a little more of the country) I have learnt many new things for my youth-work but also for my studies in those days. Not only did I get new ideas for projects and more knowledge about different educational systems, but also did I meet people from different countries and learnt about their countries, cultures and languages. While reflecting the intense days and writing the youthpass, I realized how much I improved myself in

certain aspects. Also, I met great people that I am looking forward to work with in the future! What I nearly forgot to mention – it was a really cool idea to create t-shirts about our NGOs instead of posters, as we can keep those as memory and even use them again for further projects.“ (Nina) 

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KeepCalm! – 10 days left :)

By Nina Bianca Dohr 26. JĂ€nner 2016
Wow, time passes really fast… Our next project, KeepCalm!, is starting in 10 days already! You surely want to know what kind of project it is and what it’s all about 🙂 
It’s going to be a  training course, based on conflict management in everyday life situations and even more on those appearing in youth work. The focus will be put on strategies and techniques for conflict resolution, but also on how to use language efficiently for mediation. Another part will focus on the roots of conflicts but also intercultural exchange. „KeepCalm!” has the goal to teach youth workers how to react to conflicts and how to resolve them in an efficient way. Moreover, the participants will learn how to pass on their new knowledge to their coworkers.

As the beginning of this great week comes closer, we are getting more and more excited. You are curious now who we are? Well, the team that worked the last months to make this possible… 


Alexander Tscharre, Austria, organizer
“I was introduced to the Erasmus+ projects by wEUnite and they gave me an amazing view over the field of youth work and all it varieties. I want to change something in this world, especially for the youth, all the young people who are forsaken by society should get another chance and I want to give it to them. All of the different tools I’ve learned on my TCs so far and the ones I’ll learn in future will support me and help me to do my work with youth. In addition I got a view behind the scenes of an Erasmus+ project and the opportunity to involve in the organization of projects and I love it, I always give 200% for and during a project so you can enjoy it and have a good time.”
Studies: Paedagogical and Educational Science
Hobbies: Spending leisure time with friends, Youth projects, making videos, Music, Reading, Traveling




Nina-Bianca Anranter, Austria, trainer and organizer
“Thanks to the possibility of witnessing the world through numerous youth exchanges and training courses that I took part in, I developed myself a lot and learnt things that no school or university could have offered. Two years ago my colleague Kerstin and I decided to pass on our knowledge and give young people the chance to become more active. Organizing projects and being a trainer makes me happy as I always see people having fun, learn and grow.”
Studies: Teacher training programme English/Catholic Religion
Hobbies: Reading, Sports, Youth projects






Krzysztof Bruzgul, Poland, trainer
“With formal education in the field of pedagogy and three years in the field of non-formal education as a project participant, group leader, trainer and coordinator, my passion lies in education.”
My studies directed towards language, English and its philology, I specialized towards teaching this language as a second language. So, I am an English teacher by my education.
         My hobbies are wide and broad, for I am interested in a lot of things, but above all I value great stories. Listening, watching, reading or living through them





Kerstin Ess, Austria, trainer

“Taking part in youth projects for five years now made me a better person who wants to share those experiences. I wish for everyone to create such memories and great mind opening happenings. Cultural exchange opens not only your perception of others but also takes a great part in self-development.”
Studies: Meadia and Convergence Management

My hobbies are various, but what I prefer to do is travelling as it usually combines all my favorite activities.






Like our facebook page and follow our blog to stay up-to-date during the training course 🙂
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Work hard, play hard!

By Nina Bianca Dohr 10. JĂ€nner 2016
wEUnite is a team of young Austrians that applies for projects and organizes them. Last year we managed to host one youth exchange and two training courses on which we had 90 participants. The main reason why we are able to make this work besides being a full-time student is because we are friends. When you spend your freetime with your friends all the work we have doesn’t feel like work anymore.
After our two training courses in August (SpeakUp!) and September (In ya face(book)) and writing another application for a TC in February (KeepCalm!) we celebrated a successful „wEUnite-year“ at our local christmas market 🙂 As you can see our group grew bigger and bigger as young people from Klagenfurt liked what we do so much that they decided to join this organization.

 As a pre-christmas present we got some letters from our team … read for yourself:

„I am happy to be part of wEUnite. Thanks to that I gained a lot of experience that I will never forget!“

„Great people and awesome trainings with really interesting topics, where you always meet new, amazing friends!“ 

„The founders of wEUnite, Tini and Nina, are always there for all 
members. On the projects they put a lot of effort in making the week great and memorable for the participants. You can feel that those two are passionate about wEUnite and stand up for it, which makes it something unique.“


„wEUnite – the chaotic group! We’re going into every project with lots of energy. Connecting cultures – open-minded – warm-hearted. Three strong characteristics to change the world into a better place!“

„Dear wEUnite-team, thanks a lot for letting me celebrate with you, nice people!“

„wEunite, unfortunately, due to various reasons, I couldn’t take part in the projects you hosted here in Austria. I had the chance to design the posters for them, though, and by doing that was part of wEUnite’s projects. I hope that this is going to change and I will be able to be a participants! Thanks for all the happiness & merry christmas!“

„A great year behind us. A new year full of new ideas and projects before us. wEUnite grows and it’s becoming something even more beautiful.“

„We are young, we are active, wEUnite!“

Those speak for themselves … and were the most beautiful present we could have ever dreamed about! A big,big thank you to every single one of you – we are happy that we can count on you 🙂 

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wEUnite in Ireland!

By Nina Bianca Dohr 17. November 2015
Tini, Manuel, Sarah and Daniel went on a project to Ireland for 9 days (29.10.-07.11.2015). There they learnt something about social media, the Irish culture but also they made new friends and had the chance to see parts of the country. 
To give you an impression about their time there,
keep on scrolling and reading 🙂

The reason for going there was a training course organized by „the traveller voice magazine“ under the topic „in yer face(book)“. This TC aimed to work on the proper use of social media and to create awareness about cyber-bullying, racism and slander in the web as well as policies of the most common social media platforms. „As I am very interested in any kind of social media due to my studies I decided to apply to participate“, said Sarah who participated in an Erasmus+ Project for the first time.
Manuel, who recently joined wEUnite said „The reason why I wanted to join the project in Ireland – besides seeing this wonderful country – was to gain new perspectives concerning Social Media nowadays and also to learn new techniques to work with people in a team“ – and after the project he told us that his expectations were met.

„I got the chance to meet new people and got to know my friends even better“
  â€žthe grass is so green it’s unbelieveable“ and „it looks like a golf court“ were sentences that were said quite often during their stay in this beautiful country.

Irish culture and traditions were explored during the 3 days-stay in Dublin and several excursions to famous ancient sights that are located in Meath and Lough, such as Newgrange, Drogheda and the seaside were made. „I got to know different kinds of cultural insights especially as some travellers joined our group and explained several aspects of their unique culture and traditions.“
They all say, that they’ve learnt a variety of new skills throughout this week. Daniel explained „the week in Newgrange met my expectations as I was able to develop new thoughts about inter-human exchange both online and offline in various discussions with peers from the other participating countries.“

The intercultural experiences they made included singing Irish songs about the “drunk lifestyle” as well as touching the boobs of the Molly Malone statue in the centre of Dublin for good luck. A whiskey tasting and twisting our tongues while trying to speak Polish were also parts of their trip and cultural exchange that they will definitely remember. „I enjoyed the intercultural night very much, as I learned various dances from other cultures“, stated Tini. The opportunity to try some new drinks from other cultures was also quite appreciated by our group.

All of them are keen on visiting Ireland again – for another project or to visit new-made friends.