EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
ECOPHOTO
youth exchange
INFO PACK
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Short Description
The youth exchange Eco Photo will connect 40 young people from 4
European Union (United Kingdom, Italy, Hungary and Czech Republic) and
4 EECA (Armenia, Georgia, Belarus and Moldova) countries with the aim
to provide space to discuss global environmental challenges, their local
impact and work together to create tools for raising awareness on those
issues in their communities.
The tool of YE is photography that will promote creativity among
participants, create an encouraging space for youth to freely express,
share opinions and learn from each other. Environment being universal will
be the platform for promoting peace building and active citizenship.
Participants will share experience, develop knowledge and skills on
environment, water and sustainable development issues. The project will
engage and empower them to advocate and participate in solving local
environmental issues. Methods used will include taking photos in
communities, creative presentations, simulation, discussions, workshops
on quality in photography, street photography, developing skills in ecocampaigns, event management, etc.
The project will culminate with outdoor exhibition in Yerevan where
selected photos will be shared with larger public - through photos
transferring concern and the message of participants to locals. Follow up
activities will be stressed on - organizing local exhibitions, online
exhibition, publications with photos, etc.
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Important Dates
Advance planning Visit: 2-4 May, 2014 in Stepanavan, Armenia
Arrival on 2 May morning
Departure on 4 May morning
1 group leader from each country (no age limitation)
Youth Exchange:
30 May – 7 June, 2014 in Stepanavan, Armenia
Arrival on 30 May morning
Departure on 7 June morning
4 participants (18-25 years old, exceptionally a few
participants up to 30 years old) + 1 group leader (any
age) from each country
Organizations
Host organization:
Stepanavan Youth Center, Armenia
Sending partners:
Youth and Environment, Europe, Czech Republic
TE IS Foundation, Hungary
SIQA, Georgia
Youth Generation, Moldova
Green Rope, Italy
Education without Borders, Belarus
Look East Wild Earth, United Kingdom
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Participants
Each organization will be presented by 4 participants and 1 leader during
the youth exchange. The participants are expected to be 18-25 years old
(a few exceptions 26-30 years old are possible, up to 20% of total
number of participants. In case of exceptions please contact us in
advance). Make sure the group is gender balanced as well.
We encourage you to recruit young people from minority groups,
unemployed youth, and young people from rural and urban areas of the
country. Participants should have interest/experience in environmental
issues, photography and video making. The project language is English, so
it is expected that the participants will be able to communicate in
English. There is no age limit for group leaders.
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Template for group details
COUNTRY
______________________
Organization
______________________
Contact person
______________________
Email and tel. number of the contact person
_____________________________
Name, Last
Date of
City and
Contact
name
Birth
country of
birth
Health/
Emergency
Contacts of
details (email, Dietary
contact person
emergency
phone, etc.)
(name, last
person (email,
name, relation
phone number)
needs
to the
participant)
Group leader
Participant 1
Participant 2
Participant 3
Participant 4
Alternate
Please send this information about the participants by 15th of April, 2014.
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Advance Planning Visit
An advance planning visit is planned 2-4 May, 2014 in Stepanavan,
Armenia. One group leader from each organization can participate in it.
See below for travel arrangements.
The questions to be discussed during the Advance planning visit include:
Organizations - Sharing experience/presenting organizations
Program aspects
 Participants (profile, contacts, emergency, health/dietary needs,
gender balance)
 Reviewing agenda
 Division of tasks among groups
 Responsibilities and roles of leaders
 Review and finalize activities (workshops, sites to visit,
presentations, etc.), materials needed
 Community project details
 Project logo
 Visibility of the project - activities and tasks
 Visit of sites and venues of the project
Logistics/Practical matters
 Venue/hotel/food
 Travel/pick up
 Safety and insurance
 Potential challenges and issues and possible solutions
 Financial matters/report
 Final list of things to prepare prior to the project, things to bring,
responsibilities of leaders and groups, updated agenda
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Travel Arrangements
According to Youth in Action rules (particularly of EACEA), participants
cannot stay in the country before or after the project (maximum is 2
days together - before and after the project - only in special cases) so
please try to find the best connections according to these rules.
No ticket should be bought before 1st of March!
Travel arrangements for the Advance Planning Visit
Arrival should be on 2nd of May, 2014 in the morning and departure should
be planned in the morning of 4th of May.
Zvartnots airport in Yerevan: arrival 2 May, 2014 early morning (most
flights to Armenia arrive from 3 to 5am). SYC will organize a pick up
from the airport. Stepanavan is 2.30 hours drive from the airport.
Tbilisi airport: It is possible to also consider the airport in Tbilisi,
Stepanavan is 3 hours away from the airport. For those who arrive to
Tbilisi, 7am there is a direct minibus from Tbilisi Ortachala Bus Station
to Stepanavan.
Departure should be on 4 May early morning from Yerevan Zvartnots
airport and 4 May late afternoon or evening from Tbilisi airport.
Travel Arrangements for the Youth Exchange
Your groups can either fly to Zvartnots airport in Yerevan or to the
airport in Tbilisi. Both are in similar distance from Stepanavan around
160km. In case of choosing the airport in Tbilisi, you can take the 7am
minibus from bus station to Stepanavan. If you arrive to Yerevan airport,
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
we will organize pick up and travel to Stepanavan (approximately 3 hours).
In case the groups want to arrive or leave the country later than the
project, let us confirm before you buy the tickets to avoid any
complications with funding organization and travel reimbursement.
Visa: Armenia has visa free regime with all the participating countries.
If your participants have different citizenship than their country of
residence, contact us to clarify if they need visa or not.
Travel Reimbursement
In the chart below you can see how much money we have in the budget
for each country.
Country
Limits in budget
Limits in budget for
for travel costs
travel costs for
for APV (100%)
Youth Exchange
(100%)
Georgia
1 person x 50 €
5 person x 50 €
Moldova
1 person x 500 €
5 person x 500 €
Belarus
1 person x 550 €
5 person x 550 €
United Kingdom
1 person x 680 €
5 person x 680 €
Italy
1 person x 700 €
5 person x 700 €
Czech Republic
1 person x 520 €
5 person x 520 €
Hungary
1 person x 610 €
5 person x 610 €
The project covers 100% of the travel cost for the advance planning visit
within the limit of the budget of the program.
The project covers 70% of travel costs for the youth exchange within
the limit of the budget. Which means if the amount mentioned in the
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
chart is 600 EUR - 100%, your ticket can cost up to 600 EUR and we will
pay you back 70% of the actual amount you paid for the ticket -maximum
420 EUR.
Please note that if your tickets are more expensive, you are responsible
for covering the difference (unless someone buys cheaper tickets). Be
sure you collect all necessary documents for reimbursement: original
invoices of payment, electronic plane ticket or paper ticket, boarding
passes, train tickets, bus tickets, etc.
SYC will prefer to do reimbursement by bank transfer (one account for
each country) after the YE as soon as we receive all the necessary
documents. Georgian and Belarusian participants will be reimbursed in
cash during the YE upon presentation of all necessary documents. If you
prefer it to be done otherwise, please let us know as soon as possible.
If your group is planning to arrive early or depart later, consult with us
prior to booking the tickets to make sure it is in the limits of the funder
requirements, otherwise we might not be able to provide full
reimbursement!
Insurance
It is not obligatory to have travel insurance for traveling to Armenia.
Participants can get travel insurance on their own cost and benefit.
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Accommodation
The APV and YE will take place in Lori Resort Area in the outskirts of
Stepanavan near the forest and mountain. The participants will share
rooms with 3-4 other participants of same gender.
The hotel provides towels and bed linen. There are toilets and bathrooms
in each room. Organisers will provide participants with three times food
per day and two coffee breaks.
Communication
Internet Access: There will be internet available in the hotel through
wireless network. Sim cards/mobile phones: it is possible to purchase a
sim-card with 1-2eur. With certain operators it is possible to make
international calls with a rate of 20 euro cents.
Weather
The weather in May-June can be chilly at night and warmer during the
day in Stepanavan (0C-25C’) and warm in Yerevan (up to 20C-35C’). Make
sure you take warm clothes. You can check the forecast following this
link: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/maps/currentweather/armenia#.
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
Armenia
Time zone: 4 hours +GMT/UTC
Useful link
www.armeniainfo.am
This web site provides information
about Armenia, history, culture,
communication, transportation,
sights to visit, hotels, bed &
breakfast options and much more.
Money
The Armenian Currency is called
ARMENIAN DRAM (AMD).
If you want to see the specimens
of banknotes and coins access the
web site: http://www.cba.am
Approximate exchange rate is:
1 USD = 420 AMD
1 EUR = 530 AMD
In Yerevan it is common to use debit/credit cards for making payments.
In Stepanavan you can use only cash for making payments, but there it is
possible to exchange money or use ATM.
Contact Info
Stepanavan Youth Center
Arsen Simonyan
+374 91232563, +374 77077292 (mobile) [email protected]
Lilit Simonyan
[email protected]
EcoPhoto Youth Exchange
Stepanavan, Armenia
30 May – 7 June, 2014
DAILY PROGRAM OF THE YOUTH EXCHANGE
30 May
Knowing each
Other
1 June
Quality in
photography and
video making
Arrival of the
Participants
Daily program
Official
welcoming
City discovery
game
Workshops on
photography and
video making
organized by
participants
Coffee Break
Workshops
continued
13:00
15:00
2 June
Environmental issues in our
countries
3 June
Environmental
Campaign
through photos
and videos
4 June
Preparation for
the exhibition
5 June
Exhibition in
Yerevan
6 June
Wrapping up/
Follow up
7 June
Departure
BREAKFAST
9:00
10:00
31 May
Building a
team/Homework
Share the results
Practical
of city discovery
experience in
game
photography and
Name games,
Environmental
video making
Ice breaking
photography/
games
Coffee Break
participating
countries
Team Building
Coffee Break
Sharing results
Activities
Select photos for
exhibition
Reflection
Reflection groups
groups
19:00
DINNER
DINNER
21:00?
Welcoming
Evening
Intercultural
Evening: Czech R.
and Georgia
DINNER
Intercultural
Evening:
Moldova and UK
Environmental issues in
our countries:
Preparation and
presentation
Coffee Break
Visit to Lori Berd
Organize water
monitoring test in
Dzoraget river
Environmental
Taking photos
campaigns: sharing in Stepanavan
tools and
and nearby
experiences
villages
Coffee break
Environmental
issues on media:
TV, newspapers,
social media
Lunch
Simulation on
Create teams for
environmental issues
preparing for
Coffee Break
exhibition
Depart to
Yerevan
Final
preparations
at place
Packed lunch
Team
preparation
for the
exhibition
Discussion on
Coffee break
Coffee Break
environmental issues and
choice of topics
Sharing
Initial
participants want to
results of all
preparation, roles,
stress during the
teams, Final
timeline, action
exhibition
check point
plan
before
Daily Evaluation
Reflection groups
exhibition day
Working with
media, giving
invitations in
the street,
etc.
Exhibition
organized
Video making group
finalize the editing
Evaluation of
Exhibition
Visibility of the
project –
development of
materials, follow up
Final
evaluation/Youthpa
ss
Coffee Break
Meeting of leaders
Making food for
the farewell party
DINNER
DINNER
DINNER
DINNER
7:30 FAREWELL
DINNER
Intercultural Evening:
Belarus and Italy
Intercultural
Evening: Armenia
and Hungary
Free Evening
Dinner in
Yerevan
Farewell party!
Departure