Many studies have shown that recycling isn’t enough since only 9 percent of all plastic waste on Earth has been recycled.

In fact, a lot of trash doesn’t even make it to the landfills, instead it stays on the sides of roads and floats in the waters. Thus, we must focus our efforts on reducing and reusing. By reducing what we need, we’re reducing what we will eventually throw out. For most advocates of the zero- and low-waste lifestyle around the world, the first and foremost principle is preventing waste from existing in the first place. If we reduce what we need, reuse as much as we can, and send little to be recycled, maybe in our lifetime we can see significant results in reducing the amount of waste on Earth and will become healthier and more fulfilled as people. In that regard, the Youth exchange ‘Let’s Go Zero Waste Together’ will be based on making a change together by involving participants in a zero-waste challenge for the duration of the mobility, plus one more week upon their return home from the project. Also, throughout the Youth exchange they will take part in many different workshops based on non-formal education for raising their awareness on zero waste lifestyle through enabling better understanding about the concept of reducing and reusing. As a result of the project, the participants will create a ZERO WASTE GUIDE FOR YOUTH PROJECTS which will provide innovative and digital tools for implementing zero waste projects available for download on the project’s website.

– to raise participant’s awareness about how human waste production affects the environment,

– to deepen participant’s knowledge about the benefits of reducing and reusing for waste minimization,

– to give information about the Circular Economy as an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources,

– to exchange, share and put in practice digital tools used for implementing youth projects promoting zero-waste approach,

– to open up dissuasion among young people from different parts of Europe about environmental pollution, waste generation, and human health,

– to encourage change in participant’s attitudes regarding adopting zero waste or low waste lifestyles,

– to promote the Erasmus+ Programme, non-formal education, Youthpass, and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) initiative.

• to support the mobility of young people and intercultural learning.

● Learning by doing method
● Ice-breakers and team building games to get to know each other.
● Workshops will leave room for guided but controversial discussions.
● Simulation games, practical work, brainstorming, interactive presentations etc.
PLEASE CHECK THE PLANNED ACTIVITIES HERE:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PjjsShkuxhZWjp1u6ficTL331YlYAtya/view

The criteria for selection will be the following:
● interest in the topic, which will be proven through an online questionnaire that all potential participants will have to fill in.
● basic or no experience in working on environmental issues. Experience is a plus but not a must to be a participant. We also want to give an opportunity to young people who are very interested in working on these issues but have still don’t have any experience.
● be aged 18 to 30 years old (there will be no age limit for the group leaders).
● participants must be citizens or residents of partner countries.
● all the participants need to fully attend the youth exchange and take part in all preparatory and follow-up tasks anticipated with this Youth exchange.
● preference will be given to young people who have fewer opportunities such as cultural differences, geographical obstacles, and economical obstacles.
Every group will include participants with fewer opportunities facing cultural differences and social, economic obstacles. It means young people who face unemployed, are coming from socially and economically challenging environments, and/or might face discrimination, stereotypes, and prejudices in their communities.
PROFILE OF GROUP LEADERS: Group leaders will be selected by each organization. The Group leader is expected to be a person with previous experience in youth work and Erasmus + Programme who is ready to take participation and during the project, facilitate the project activities and provide support to the participants during the whole project, especially during implementation phase abroad but also during preparation and follow up period. There is no age limit set for group leaders.

Struga is a town situated in the south-western region of North Macedonia, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. Struga has a population of approximately 15 000 inhabitants. There is one well-known saying: «There is no other place like Struga». Except the Ohrid lake in Struga there is a river called Crn Drim which flows gently through the town, as it does not want to disturb the visitors walking along its banks, thrilled by its crystal clear waters. In the evening when many lights are turned on, the river has even a better view by the reflection of light from its waters.

The participants will be lodged in the hotel “Solferino” in Struga in rooms for 2 or 3 people with private toilets and showers. The participants will be roommates with people from different countries, with the same gender, in order to straighten the intercultural dimension of the project and good team spirit. There is internet access in the hotel and in all rooms. The Hotel is property of the Red Cross organization of Skopje, and is a training centre specialised for Training Courses and Youth Exchanges.

Contact information of the hotel:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hotel-Solferino-Struga/252912894747771

The participants will have 3 meals per day and 2 coffee breaks.

Please, inform us in the application form about your food needs and preferences (fast, vegetarian, vegan, food allergies)!

Spain: 275€

If needed PCR TEST it will not be covered, it will be participants own cost.

The cost given is a limit in total PER PERSON, for both ways.

● Please remember that according to Erasmus+ rules money for travel will be reimbursed according to the real cost you spend, up to the amount given above per country, but not more (which means that if you spend less – you will be reimbursed the money you actually spent or if you spend more – you will get only limit)
● Before buying your ticket, please remember your cost limits, EVERYTHING THAT WILL BE MORE THAN THE LIMIT WILL BE YOUR OWN COST.
● Before booking the flight, please, make travel arrangements CONFIRMATION with us!
● PCR test if needed will not be covered by the organiser.

How to get to North Macedonia?
By plane: You can check the flights to Skopje, with the closest and most comfortable airport to arrive which is 21km to the city http://skp.airports.com.mk/
By bus: There are busses running several times per day from Skopje (the capital city) to Struga. You can find the schedule here
Please note that only public transport is subject to reimbursement. If you travel by airplane only economy class, taxi is not covered. Please consult us!
We need you to buy round trip tickets and send us a copy by email before arriving here, so our accountant knows and adjusts the budget.
We advise you to buy your tickets as soon as possible so that it fits in our limited budget for 100% reimbursement.
We kindly ask you to save all documents (Original tickets, boarding passes, invoices or bills with the ticket price) which are related to your travel, since the documentation background is obligatory for reimbursement.
We kindly please you to buy all travel tickets for both directions – return tickets (plane tickets, train tickets, bus tickets and etc.), because we will be able to reimburse only REAL EXPENSES.
IMPORTANT: We cannot refund any travel costs done by taxi. Reimbursement of travel costs will be done AFTER SENDING your tickets and boarding cards.

Please note if you buy your tickets in a currency other than EUROs, we will convert to EUROs according to the exchange rates from the official European Commission web-site: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/inforeuro/index.cfm?Language=en
Participants must travel from the country of the sending organization, and back. Following the guidelines of the Erasmus+ programme the travel back must be realized by the participants in a direct way within a maximum of 2 days. Contact us and we will assist you or prolong this where needed, only in special cases.
(You have the possibility to arrive in North Macedonia up to 2 days in advance and leave up to 2 days later. The stay for any additional days is not covered from the projects’ budget, and it can be characterized as tourist travel and we will not be able to reimburse your tickets)
IMPORTANT! We reimburse the transport money ONLY if the participant will ACTIVELY take part during the whole project. This is an international project with non-formal education that is granted from European fund. Participants should be aware that they are not on holidays!
Don’t buy your travel tickets before getting our confirmation!
The accommodation is covered in Hotel Solferino, Struga only for the days of the activity. In case of longer stays or indirect travelling (holiday travel etc.) there is no chance of reimbursement of travel costs. You are not allowed to arrive after this date, or leave earlier than the date of the departure day. Please keep in mind when booking the tickets. For any other questions consult with the group Leaders form sending ngo.
IMPORTANT: Traveling sometimes requires an additional day for catching a flight and staying for an additional night at the city where the airport is situated. We are aware of such situations, but organizers can not cover these costs, participants should cover themselves.
For this reason, we recommend you to use hostels (http://www.hostelworld.com/) or friends https://www.couchsurfing.org/)

● Passport or ID
● Travel insurance or European health card
● Please bring clothes according to the weather forecast and swim suit
● Please bring some nice clothes as well and check the weather channels before arriving
● Personal care products: shampoo, toothpaste etc
● Slippers or flip flops
● Camera, laptop etc.
● Pills and medicines
● Positive attitude

Health and travel insurance

We kindly invite you to make health insurance, especially the participants who aren’t EU citizens. The health insurance is not provided and will not be reimbursed by the hosting organization.

Money exchange

In North Macedonia, official currency is Macedonian denar. 1 € = 61.5 MKD. There are several exchange offices and ATM machines where you can withdraw money. Credit cards are not everywhere accepted as a way of payment.

Participants’ Task: You must care for the scheduled time, be kind, respect, be positive, destroy the borders, have maximum fun, be cheerful and try to be part of the solution. Be on Time in the meeting Room always, be respectful and friendly to the other participants. To see a problem and to criticize something is so easy. So do the difficult one and tolerate people always, be a positive example for others.
Team Leaders Task: You must collect and manage your team, share their problems with us kindly, and try to be part of solutions. You are responsible for facilitating at least 2 workshops, to collect and organize travel tickets of the participants, as well as their travel insurances, and to upload to the google drive.
To publish an article about the project on your organization web page. To collect all the boarding passes and send it to us by post.
To prepare at least 3 energizers. To make sure the project aims and objectives are fulfilled, and change the programme if needed according to the learning needs of the participants.

Intercultural evening – Participants are expected to create interesting, interactive and creative intercultural evenings. The intercultural evening gives us a unique opportunity in a creative way to promote your country and culture. Show us what you eat, drink, what are your traditions, music, culture, stereotypes … so prepare yourself to surprise us.
Be aware that there are no kitchen facilities available (don’t bring food that requires cooking).
Bring food, drink, promotional materials and whatever else you want to present.