Calendar - October 09

Dear reader,
the first autumn issue of Calendar has just arrived your postbox. This time we are not as rich with the activities offers, as many of us are probably busy with preparing activities for next year rather then doing additional activities after a summer full of projects. Anyhow, we from IYNF still want to invite you to apply for our seminar on International Youth exchanges InTouch. Especially places for applicants from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary and Poland are free!

We would also like to introduce you to the changes in the Editorial team of Calendar. This issue is done by Lucie and Vanessa, next issue will be completely in the hands of our new EVS-team Vanessa and Anna. We hope that this fresh wind will be an improvement for the Calendar and hope that you will enjoy it as much as before!

We wish you a colourful October!

Lucie and Vanessa, Calendar Editorial team :)

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IYNF activities

InTouch – training workshop on youth exchange project management

3-8 November 2009, Germany
An excellent opportunity for all local groups to work in an international environment!

• Do you want to learn more about international youth exchanges?
• Are you interested in knowing how to bring them to success and use them for development of your own group?
• Do you want to find potential partners for your project?
• Do you want to use the IYNF support framework for youth exchanges?
  

Then join InTouch 2009 - a training on youth exchanges organised by IYNF within its networking program.
InTouch will offer a program focused on:

• what exactly is a youth exchange – why is it more than just a youth camp
• grant application writing: what are the most important things you have to take care of if you want to write a successful application
• intercultural cooperation: how can the differences of participants coming from different countries be used as a great learning opportunity
  

During the workshop you can also meet and make friends with people from other countries, find new contacts, possible partners for future cooperation, and simply experience a nice intercultural activity. IYNF website is the place to read more and apply.

We are still seeking for participants from Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary and Poland. If you are interested please apply as soon as possible.

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Activities and offers of member organisations

IV International Seminar on Mountain Tourism

This seminar will be held in Kudowa Zdrój (Poland) from 22 till 25 October.
The topic of the seminar is MOUNTAIN TOURISM IN NATURA 2000 AREAS - Conflict or Opportunity? The Seminar is organised by International Friends of Nature, Polish Tourist Country Lovers’ Society (PTTK) – Krakow Academic Section, Institute of Tourism and Recreation, Academy of Physical Education in Krakow, in co-operation with Góry Stołowe National Park (The Sudetes). Participants will focus on the use of Natura 2000 areas for tourism and recreation and the role of NGOs and local communities in preparing management plans for them.
Participants/Audience: The organisers invite participation from all people with an involvement or interest in mountain tourism – natural as well as cultural – including: Natura 2000, parks and biosphere reserves managers responsible for tourism and environmental education, activists and managers of societies interested in mountain tourism, mountain guides, tour leaders, interpreters, rangers, scientists, writers and journalists interested in mountain issues from all over the world. Registration is possible until 5th October 2009.

For more specific information in English click here.
For registration process please contact Piotr Dabrowski ( dabrowski[at]eko-tourist.krakow.pl)or Christian Baumgartner (christian.baumgartner[at]nfi.at)

Training on participation in decision making processes by Youth Forum

About European Youth Forum (YFJ): YFJ is an independent democratic, youth-led platform, representing 99 National Youth Councils and International Youth Organisations from across Europe. The YFJ works to empower young people to participate actively in society to improve their own lives, by representing and advocating their needs and interests and those of their organisations towards the European Institutions, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. IYNF is one of the member organisations of YFJ.

About the training: YFJ is organising training on participation in order to support its Member Organisations in implementing a participation project at local or regional level, aimed at improving the involvement of young people in decision making processes. The training will be an initial opportunity to discuss concept ideas or develop existing projects further.
In order to be realistic and useful, the training will be based on case studies and not on abstract processes. Member organisations (which means IYNF and involved people from national member organisation) will commit for an 8-month implementation period in their organisations. Ideally, two people per organisation should attend this training in order to ensure the multiplier effect towards other organisations.

taking place:23-25 October 2009, Brussels
Travel, accommodation and meals: the European Youth Forum will fully reimburse travel costs upon receipt of documentation of expenses, according to existing financial guidelines. Accommodation and food during the meeting will be provided.
deadline for applications: 4th October 2009, you need a nomination letter from IYNF to apply successfully! for further information please contact Magdalena Kurz - the YFJ Policy Officer for Participation (Magdalena.kurz[at]youthforum.org, +3222869422)

ATB International Alpine Training for youngsters (16-25) in 2010

ATB - Belgium Naturefriends encourages you to already think one year ahead about…one whole week of camping amidst towering mountains, of sleeping in huts above vast glaciers, getting a through-out initiation in high-alpine techniques such as glacier-walking, orienteering, scrambling on high rocks and touch the clouds at almost 4000 m ! Go climb that mountain! Apply now!
Dates:10-18 July 2010
Place: Les Ecrins(French Alps), Base-camp (tents): Ailefroide (F)
Conditions for participation:

• be between 16 and 25 years old
• be a member of one of the IYNF MOs
• love the outdoors and be in good physical condition
• like international encounters and speak good English
• lack of vertigo and have basic skills in rock-climbing (no alpine experience required)
• pay participation fee (´full board´) according to IYNF standards (Belgians pay 500 Euro, others pay less - or more - according to IYNF scales)
  

For more information + application please contact directly Wilfried Meulenbergs (wilfried.meulenbergs[at]nfi.at)

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IYNF News

Meet the freak celebrated fifth birthday

From the 11th till the 26th of August 2009 about 50 participants from 9 different countries met in the town of Szalka in Hungary. During the more than two weeks different art fields were explored. The first week consisted of the so called art groups with topics such as juggling, music, dance, theatre, media and visual arts. During the second week participants could propose their own projects which had great outcomes. Besides all this there were presentations of IYNF and IFU –the hosting organization-, an international breakfast, a music quiz and a very big and successful Final event at the lake were lot of villagers came to see the outcomes. Meet the freak celebrated the fifth anniversary with a big cake and an exhibition.

IYNF Planning weekend 2009 is over

From 24th until 27th October 2009 the yearly Planning Weekend of IYNF took part in Nachod (Czech Republic) hosted by the local group Modra Strelka of our Czech member organisation Duha. Representatives and Volunteers of our Member Organisations from 10 different European countries as well as Presidium and staff members of IYNF came together to plan the IYNF activities for 2010. Most of the program was facilitated by the method of Open Space which resulted in many interesting topics coming up discussions in smaller groups. Some examples are the IYNF core principles, the new workplan for 2010, but also smaller issues like promotion and finances. Saturday afternoon Activity Planning was carried out with many great results! Finally the successful weekend was closed on Sunday with the official council where the Draft budget forecast 2010 and the workplan 2010 were discussed and agreed upon.

2nd phase of LTTC Xperience, 4-10 October, Chotěboř (CZ)

After half a year has turned the 2nd phase of X-perience long-term training course on Experiential and Intercultural Education is going to take place. About twenty participants and five team members will meet again, this time in the Czech Republic. The program of the course is still rather secret even for participants. What can we already expect? Coming back to what has been opened during the first phase in Belgium, checking their Personal Development plan and homework connected to it. They were as well promised that the 2nd phase will be less demanding, still going even deeper into their experience and competencies as trainers in experiential education field. Let's hope for nice autumn weather and reunion of everybody again, the venue is promising - this time a training centre of Czech Outward Bound branch- Vacation school Lipnice. You can already think of profit by hiring one of the newbie trainers for your up-coming activities, they will all be Xperienced.

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News from member organisations

IYNF at NIVON congress

On Saturday the 19th of September a congress of Nivon, the Dutch member organisation of IYNF, took part. Our networking coordinator Martijn van den Berg was invited to come in order to see where NivonJong and IYNF can cooperate more on the international level. The congress was held in Rotterdam and organized to get more clarity on different topics in Nivon. These topics were connected to the promotion, the youth department NivonJong, cooperation with other partners and the Dutch Naturefriends houses. During the congress there were several elevator speeches in different fields. The well known Open Space methodology was used to work in smaller groups on the 4 different topics. The new board of Nivon will make a plan from all the ideas that came up. The congress was important for IYNF to meet new people and see where we can improve our cooperation with NivonJong. This can be for example with the ambition of JUMP -a department of NivonJong- to organise an international Teencamp in the Netherlands in 2010 in the first Networkingprogram of IYNF. Astrid Molenveld is a new member of the board, responsible for international cooperation and took part at our Planning Weekend in Nachod together with another Nivon board member Martine van der Veen. Joeri de Valenca was present on behalf of JUMP. It was long time ago that there were 5 Dutch people present at an IYNF activity. We hope it stays like this and we are looking forward to a good cooperation!

Photo exhibition about Duha workcamps

Like every year our Czech Member Organisation Duha organised during the summer a lot of workcamps. All in all 160 volunteers travelled all over Europe and worked for a good cause. On the 24 September Duha organised a photo exhibition as a final event for this workcamp season. The volunteers were meant to send their selected pictures and after a pre-selection the volunteers of the office of Duha set up the exhibition. The purpose was to get together the volunteers sharing their experiences with volunteering in foreign countries. About 30 volunteers were coming, plus some nice visits from Spain, France and Brazil, which makes a nice number of 60 visitors. Also some local bands supported this great event! Pictures can be seen here.

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