Youth United in Sport

This summer just passed I went to Poland as part of an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange 'Youth United In Sport!' which was funded by Erasmus+: Youth in Action. The exchange was organised by myself, my sister, Amina, and a colleague, Azeez.  The exchange focused on education through sport and cultivating an inclusive and understanding society through sport. A total of 70 young people from 5 different countries - Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Hungary - took part in the exchange. The first half of the exchange took part in the mountains in Poronin, Poland and the second half took place at home, in Dublin City Centre. Amina and Azeez along with the help of Youth of Europe designed and implemented the workshops and activities showcasing Ireland's beautiful landscapes and the power of sport for social change.

 Anna Waldell, an inspiring and creative member of SARI's Hijabs and Hat-Tricks programme, writes about her time on the exchange in Poland:

Hello, my name is Ana and I will be talking about a trip I took to Poland with the organisation Sport Against Racism Ireland during the summer of 2017. This trip was kindly funded by the Erasmus+ project giving young people from around Europe the chance to meet and engage in activities revolving around culture, sport and teamwork.

I was attracted to join SARI’s women’s football team in Dublin as it was full of diversity and I wanted to meet new people from different cultures while fostering my interest in joining a team sport. As I developed my football skills, the team coaches approached me with the interest of bringing me on this trip. I was delighted and honoured to have been chosen. It was one of the first times I had travelled alone so, being honest, I was very nervous but I also looked forward to exploring a new place and meeting new people.

The trip lasted ten days and took place in the breath-taking mountains of Poronin. The night of arrival was very memorable as the Irish and some Polish bravely dived into the chilly, pool water for a midnight swim to freshen up after the long journey. The next morning was spent doing team-building activities and games as we got to know the other participants. There were 40 partakers in total from a mix of nationalities of Polish, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Hungarian and Irish.

One of my favourite aspects of the experience was the nature surrounding the hostel. One could gawk at the striking mountains while lounging by the poolside or take a stroll alongside sweet, hay meadows that were spread throughout the village. We got to further explore the area later in the week as we went hiking up the scenic but challenging mountain peaks and stopped for breaks by forests, thundering waterfalls and spectacular lakes.

Over the following ten days, we took part in a number of workshops and discussions, from meditation to constructive criticism. I really enjoyed listening to what other young people spoke about and shared, such as the difficulties in accepting feedback and being flexible. As the week was rooted in sport, we also did many games and introduced each other to our own cultural sports and activities. At first I was nervous due to my lack of phenomenal physical fitness, but the group was very open and accepting which I found reassuring. They made an effort to set a fair pace to include everyone. During this activity, we did games such as Gaelic football, running around with numbers on our foreheads and hiding in fear of being thrown in the mud.

The week was also broken up with a number of excursions to the cities of Krakow and Zakopane where some shopping and sightseeing was done. There was also a lot of dancing and parties every night when we had the chance to dress up, let down our hair and dance together.

 

Each evening, a culture night took place where the different teams of nationalities got up and taught the others about their own cultures and traditions. This included educational (and not so educational) videos, role plays, traditional dances and exotic food samples. This was both educational and fun as I got to learn about other cultures directly from the natives.

Overall, I think as a young person living in a multicultural society, it is of utmost importance that we educate ourselves on different beliefs and mind-sets that guide how different people conduct their lives today. We must be open-minded and accepting and not afraid to ask questions and gain understanding and people, I have learned, are more than happy to share their discoveries and beliefs. This trip allowed me to do just that as my mind was opened to new ideas and understandings while getting to know my fellow participants and it is an experience I am grateful to have had.