Something Here is Missing
The Something Here is Missing training course brought together 40 participants from 15 European countries in Buzău, Romania. The Erasmus+ project focused on project visibility, dissemination and exploitation of results and on how youth workers can increase the long-term impact of international projects. Through practical activities, participants explored how to design an Erasmus+ project, create a dissemination plan and use different methods of non-formal education. The training also helped them understand why working with project results should continue long after the activity itself has ended.
At the beginning of August, we travelled to Buzău, Romania, for a ten-day training course focused on one of the most important, yet sometimes overlooked, parts of Erasmus+ projects – what happens to their results after the project itself is over.
One of the main aims of the training was to show that dissemination is not simply a formal requirement. It is an opportunity to share newly gained knowledge, skills and methods with others and therefore increase the overall impact of a project.
During the programme, we designed our own Erasmus+ project, developed a dissemination plan and became more familiar with terminology related to project work. We also tried out several methods of non-formal education and youth work, including World Café and the creative Fish Market method, where participants presented a topic as if they were selling products at a market.
A large part of the course focused on three key concepts:
Project visualisation and visibility – using visible elements such as T-shirts, mugs, name tags and other promotional materials to create a project identity and help participants remember the experience after it ends.
Dissemination – sharing project results with others through both offline and online activities. These can include workshops, lectures, theatre performances, social media content or online seminars. Effective dissemination increases the impact of a project while also encouraging participants to reflect on what they have learned.
Exploitation of results – making project methods, materials and outcomes accessible and useful to a wider audience, including other youth workers. This can include practical resources such as booklets, methodologies or educational tools like Forum Theatre.
Of course, the training course was not only about project management and learning. International evenings gave us the opportunity to discover different cultures, taste food from across Europe and learn traditional dances. We also went on a trip to a nearby UNESCO Geopark, visited local vineyards and enjoyed a Romanian evening with a barbecue.
Besides new knowledge and practical methods, we returned home with new professional contacts, friendships and plenty of inspiration for our future work with young people.
A big thank you goes to the hosting organisation ODEN Association