According to our research, young people in Opolskie Voivodeship, for the most part, do not engage in any civic activities, due to lack of knowledge about NGOs and their work, and a lack of trust in their own abilities. They also lack a sense of solidarity with their community and civic responsibility.
We have prepared and conducted workshops for members of the community aged 15 to 25 from Opolskie Voivodeship. The workshops allowed to develop their social and civic competences, such as active listening, clear communication and understanding of one’s own and others’ boundaries and needs. Additionally, we have conducted workshops using the Horse Assisted Education method, helping young participants learn skills such as communication, patience, intuition, relationship building, creativity, and leadership. We have also organized meetings for the youth with representatives from three NGOs operating in Opolskie Voivodeship: Otwarte Klatki, Młodzieżowy Strajk Klimatyczny oraz Stowarzyszenie “Europa Iuvenis.” It allowed them about inner workings of these organizations and meet inspiring individuals who work for the common good. The participants implemented four small projects of their own to benefit their school communities. Finally, we have convened two conferences that summarized all our project accomplishments.
During the implementation of the project, we noticed many of the participants went through a transformation. Young people were opening up, looking for new ideas, and checking their own abilities. We also saw their willingness to engage increase. They also learned to self-organize, created a Facebook group, where we continue being in touch, even after the conclusion of the project.