Let’s Explore and Discover: Active Life, Active Future Youth Exchange Experience

The Active Life, Active Future project (Project No: 2023-3-AT01-KA152-YOU-000177084), implemented by FI Gesundheits- und Sportverein, was a Youth Exchange held from 02.05.2024 to 08.05.2024 in Klagenfurt, Austria. The project brought together young participants from Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Italy with the aim of promoting physical activity, intercultural learning, cultural heritage awareness, and active social participation while strengthening cooperation among young people from different countries.

Within the “Let’s Explore and Discover” activity, participants visited historical places in Klagenfurt and gained knowledge about the city’s settlement history and prehistoric cultures. Through guided excursions, storytelling, and question–answer interactions, they experienced cultural heritage directly in its natural environment. This activity helped participants develop awareness of cultural values while improving their observation, research, and critical thinking skills through non-formal learning approaches.

The “Share Your Art: Poster Edition” activity enabled participants to transform their learning outcomes into visual messages shared with the local community. Working in groups, they prepared posters that were displayed in public spaces to raise awareness about the project and its themes. Through modular learning, step-by-step understanding, and intercultural dialogue, participants improved their creativity, communication skills, and ability to express ideas visually. The activity also strengthened their confidence in interacting with local people and presenting their work in real-life contexts.

In the Youthpass Certificate Presentation Event, participants reflected on their learning journey and documented their acquired competencies using digital tools. They completed their Youthpass forms, received their certificates, and expressed their emotional transformation through visual storytelling. This process helped participants recognize their personal growth, understand their learning achievements, and gain awareness of their competencies in a structured and meaningful way. It also strengthened their digital skills and self-assessment abilities.

The project concluded with the Project Evaluation session, where participants reflected on the overall experience using digital tools such as Mentimeter. Through brainstorming, discussion, and analysis methods, they evaluated the quality of activities, cooperation among partners, and personal learning outcomes. This final stage supported critical reflection, open communication, and collective learning. As a result, participants enhanced their intercultural understanding, communication skills, creativity, and ability to actively participate in European youth projects.