Malta acted as host country for another Youth in Action programme, a multilateral youth exchange, that was organised at the Salesian Oratory in Sliema recently. Twenty-five young people and four leaders, from Malta, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Belgium got together to exchange ideas on the problem of unemployment in Europe. The objective of this youth exchange, entitled “Hire and Higher”, was to give young people the sort of skills which will help them do better when seeking employment.
As part of this project, an Advance Planning Visit (APV) took place on the last weekend of April 2013 at the live-an area at the Salesian Oratory in Sliema. The APV was a huge contribution to a well-planned project as the group leaders together with a participant from each country discussed ideas and practical issues, at the actual location of the implementation of this project.
The first day was a real kick off with a great team building session organised by the Lithuanian group. This was organised in an informal way and was a great contribution for the participants to get to know each other better. This greatly helped to create healthy dynamics in the group from the very start. The programme was a great mix of sessions on how young people can be motivated to gain skills to help them out in employment. The youth shared differences and commonalities of systems from each country. Participants shared experiences of how to be an entrepreneur, as although it was stated as a great challenge, they encouraged the rest of the participants to open their own business. ETC in Malta also provided information for local and foreign participants. Mark Galea, a local entrepreneur, also facilitated another session and motivated the participants through his own positive experience on how to be creative in ideas and gain the right skills to be able to solve problems encountered on the way. He determined the key competencies of what an entrepreneur really is and needs. Another speaker shared her experience on how her voluntary experience as a young person, motivated her to seek a career on social work and helped her to find employment. Although all the participants could understand the English language, most of them had difficulty to communicate, however they were encourage to challenge all facilitators whenever necessary.
Participants visited Valletta and Mdina and Gozo where they toured the Citadella and the beautiful and picturesque site of Dwejra. Meanwhile indicating the problems of unemployment in Gozo faces and how stakeholders should help out the young Gozitans.
The Salesian Oratory wants to thank all of the young people involved, especially the Maltese participants: Luke Attard, Elinore Falzon, Mattea Galea, David Camilleri, Valerie and Veronica Vella, who were willing to take time off from their work to involve themselves in such a big project and also for their great voluntary belief they possess within the Salesian Organisation.