This youth exchange was a follow-up to the previous two “Go Green Go Gardening'' youth exchanges we hosted at Catfarm in 2019 and 2020. It was inspired by input from several participants who wanted to experience a deeper correlation between permaculture and being grounded and connected to the Earth, as a purpose for this gardening/agriculture practice. Hence, this project focused on combining gardening and mindfulness practices to inspire future generations to lead a healthy lifestyle and be more conscious of the environment. In other words, we wanted to help young people be more connected with nature and themselves.
The Go Grounding Youth Exchange blended Mindfulness and Gardening smoothly, and participants were led on a journey of self-discovery and understanding of how these two topics are linked. Mindfulness was defined as the state of being conscious and aware, being in tune with the present moment, and awareness of one's current emotional and physical state. We all tended to ruminate, constantly having thoughts that went in every direction, so we were often either in the past or the future in our minds.
Gardening was used as a tool to develop this by, for example, being aware of how the soil felt below our feet, how our breath felt, and how the plants smelled. This all connected us to our senses, therefore, bringing us back into the present moment and allowing us to feel the connection between body, mind, and the environment. In the Youth Exchange, we explored ways to bring intentionality and presence to gardening, which increased mindfulness and overall well-being. Another example was weeding, which was also used as a mindfulness and stress-relieving practice, as a physical and visual metaphor for deliberately removing stressors.
This youth exchange was all about learning by doing. We went back to the roots, to where it all started, to the ground. Thus, with permaculture, we explored the soil aspect and learned how to make garden beds to start planting seeds and grow our own food, as well as learning how to build natural fences. Through mindfulness practices, we explored what it meant to be grounded and connected to oneself and the environment. Participants learned about many environmentally friendly solutions to climate change problems. Additionally, we opened dialogue and encouraged debate to enhance critical thinking, helping participants form their own opinions and draw their own conclusions.
Furthermore, we wanted to present the participants with alternative ways of living their lives while being inspired by the space where the project took place, the Catfarm Community. Participants also had the opportunity to learn about community values of sustainability and cooperation. With the “Cats”, the international volunteers created a safe and harmonious environment, leaving room for learning and creativity within an empathetic and supportive group.
The project had the following specific objectives:
Raise awareness of climate change, gardening, and health, and empower youngsters to develop critical thinking skills on this topic; Educate participants with mindfulness and grounding tools to foster connection with oneself, with others, and with nature; Immersion in an experimental way of life within an eco-place that offers creative solutions to current challenges; Promote social inclusion by sharing food cultures, exchanging international perspectives, developing intercultural competence, understanding different cultures, and appreciating diversity; Raise their intercultural awareness, inclusiveness, and cultural heritage in the meeting between participants, hosts, animators, and volunteers residing at Catfarm; Foster communication between youth and stakeholders; Strengthen cooperation and inspire future projects between the partner organisation and enhance the international dimension of their work; Develop a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, increase young people's social and civic engagement as eco-responsible citizens of Europe, and become more active in their communities; Raise awareness on the practices of policies and systems in matters of non-formal education of youth in the European Union.
Implementation
The primary focus of the activities centered on gardening and mindfulness, exploring the interrelation between these two areas and their connection to nature and self. By gaining a deeper understanding of oneself and the environment, one can make more informed life choices. Participants acquired fundamental techniques in these areas to apply in their daily lives and households.
Mindfulness: How to be more present and amplify our presence when moving around the world? How to become more mindful of our body, emotions, feelings, and needs? How to stay grounded? Mindfulness allowed us to bring more presence and awareness to various aspects of our being: The Body, Mind, our Heart, and our Soul, and to become more conscious of our actions and the products we consume, while fostering a healthier relationship with our bodies and the planet. The main methods used were meditation, yoga, journaling, drawing, painting, sharing circles, exploring the senses, group work, debates, movement, ecstatic dance, inclusive team building, and open spaces.
Gardening: What were the basics of permaculture? How could we grow our own food? How could we be and feel more connected with what we eat and consume? How did gardening enhance our mental and physical health and well-being? Gardening activities provided essential opportunities to connect with nature and care for it, while reducing feelings of tension, depression, and anger. The main methods used were permaculture, grounding and earthing, learning by doing, learning through experience, and group work.
Community Life activities: Participants were fully immersed in an eco-friendly setting, living together with the Cats and becoming part of the community; the Catfarm was their home. They witnessed and experienced what usually happened in the space and what was possible when collaboration was the norm. We shared about consent and boundaries, community work, cooking, holacracy, community meetings, greener ways of travelling, waste management, upcycling, food waste in markets, vegan diet, community life, being in nature, living with happy chickens and cats, non-violent communication, connecting with others on a deeper level, being in service and kind, taking care of nature and others.
There were 3 days outside of Catfarm where we hosted activities: 1- Visit the Village of Poussan; 2 - Trip to a Permaculture farm; 3- Trip to the Salagoon Lake
The project included 34 participants with the following profile:
Age between 18-30; Motivated to participate in the youth exchange; Have no or very little experience of participating in international youth exchanges; Interest in the topic of the youth exchange; Interested in developing competencies such as intercultural competence, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, and social and civic competencies; The group leaders and some participants have been actively involved in planning and organizing this youth exchange; Motivated to participate in all stages of the project, from the beginning to the end; Motivated to disseminate project results and get involved in future follow-up projects.
Results
Through that experience, we aimed to create an impact on participants at a deeper, long-term level. We led them through direct experiences of what it felt like to be one with nature and themselves, aiming to foster a kind culture towards their bodies, minds, and the environment. We showed them how it felt to pause, listen, appreciate, and connect within, and therefore inspired them to make wiser choices in their lives for their health and the health of the planet.
Pictures Drive - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h3tE244MISpw-shtgxMTCBSIRDczoGGa
Event + some posts: https://www.facebook.com/events/411413854246618/?active_tab=discussion
Social Media Posts on Adventures of the Valparaiso accounts: https://www.facebook.com/adventuresofthevalparaiso
Social Media posts on Catfarm accounts:
https://www.facebook.com/Catfarm.poussan
https://www.instagram.com/the.catfarm/
Open Source: Workshops, Games, Activities, Tools, Evaluations, and methodologies shared by participants and facilitators
https://catfarm.notion.site/Workshops-7ebffcf0dc294f76b7579730e45ae4ec
Open source Practical and Reusable Resources and Tools used at the Catfarm https://www.notion.so/catfarm/Development-and-Learning-247a0f9ea67e441fbaea50902a1becde
Coordinator: Stichting Adventures of the Valparaiso
• Start date 01-06-2022 • End date 31-05-2023
• ASOCIACION CULTURAL Y MEDIOAMBIENTAL PERMACULTURA CANTABRIA 🇪🇸 Spain • Association for Cultural and Educational Development YOUTH ON BOARD 🇲🇰 North Macedonia • Catfarm Education 🇫🇷 France • JOETZ vzw 🇧🇪 Belgium • KINONIKI SINETAIRISTIKI EPICHERISIELLINIKI SYMMETOCHI NEON 🇬🇷 Greece
2022-1-NL02-KA152-YOU-000051622