Workshops
Workshop: "Kuža pazi - A Musical Journey"
Objective:To engage participants in the creative process of songwriting while fostering teamwork and artistic expression.
Workshop Overview:
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Energizer Activity
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Begin with an energizer to foster a lively atmosphere.
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Participants stand in a circle and pass a baseball cap from their head to the neighbor on their right as quickly as possible.
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When the presenter claps, participants must change direction and pass the cap to their left neighbor.
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This activity promotes movement, laughter, and camaraderie, setting a positive tone for the workshop.
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Introduction
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Welcome participants and introduce the theme of the workshop.
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Briefly explain the structure and goals of the session.
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Song Presentation
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Play the song "Kuža pazi," allowing participants to listen and absorb its melody and rhythm.
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Discuss the song’s background and significance in the cultural context.
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Translation and Meaning
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Provide a translation of the song’s lyrics, highlighting key themes and emotions.
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Engage participants in a discussion about their interpretations and feelings regarding the song.
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Lyric Writing Activity
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Split participants into groups of four.
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Assign each group to write new lyrics to the melody of "Kuža pazi," encouraging them to choose different themes for diversity.
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Circulate among groups to offer guidance and support as they brainstorm and compose their lyrics.
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Performance
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Invite each group to present their newly created lyrics.
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Each group will perform their version accompanied by the guitar, fostering a supportive atmosphere for sharing creativity.
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Reflection and Wrap-Up
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Gather participants for a reflection session.
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Discuss what they learned from the experience, the challenges they faced, and the joy of creating together.
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Encourage feedback on the workshop and suggestions for future sessions.
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Summary of Workshop Experience:
The "Creating New Melodies" workshop proved to be an engaging and enriching experience for all participants within a compact one-hour timeframe. The session kicked off with an energizer, where participants passed a baseball cap around the circle, fostering laughter and a sense of community. This fun activity set a positive tone for the workshop ahead.
Beginning with the presentation of the song "Kuža pazi," attendees were immersed in the music and its cultural significance. The translation exercise facilitated a deeper understanding, enabling participants to connect emotionally with the song.
Divided into small groups, participants enthusiastically tackled the challenge of writing their own lyrics. This collaborative effort not only sparked creativity but also enhanced team dynamics as they explored various themes. The performances showcased a remarkable range of interpretations, reflecting the unique voices of each group.
The workshop concluded with a reflective discussion, highlighting the importance of artistic collaboration and the joy of musical expression. Participants left feeling inspired and accomplished, eager for future creative endeavors. Overall, the workshop successfully met its objectives, fostering a sense of community and artistic exploration through music in a brief yet impactful session.
Youth Center “Bāze”
Hand of mental health
Hand of Mental Health encourages us to reflect and discuss our everyday choices and their impact on our mental health. How does sleep and rest, food, relationships and emotions affect our mental wellbeing?
Or what about exercise and mindfulness or creativity and hobbies and their impact on our mental health. What kind of choices we usually make and what kind of choices we could make? What role do values play on our mental health?
Step 1 ; Give out papers and markers. It is better if each has at least two colours of markers – one for drawing – other for colouring.
Step 2 ; Participants put their hand on the paper ( the dominant hand) and draw around it. (Dont forget that the wrist also should be in the picture)
Step 3 ; explain what this is for.
Step 4 ; slowly read questions about first finger. Wait for everyone colour it. Then the next finger and next.
Step 5 ; when all the hand is coloured make them to go to teams by 2-3 people and talk about the main problems they see by colouring the hand. The less its coloured the bigger the problem is. They can give each other a suggestion on how to make it better. If this activity is meant for a group you work for a longer time with then they can also help and motivate each other during weeks or months.
MENTAL HEALTH TRASHOLD (buckets)
This method can be used differently. Also for different periods of time.
Step 1 ; explain that the bucket is the person, the sunlight is the good feelings and the rain is the bad.
Step 2 ; they have to colour the first bucket as they feel right now – how much “rain” is there?
Step 3 ; in the middle of activity do it again
Step 4 ; at the very, very end do the last one
CALMNESS CIRCLE
For this you need a toy or whatever it can be that you pass around and only the person with it in hands can talk so no one else is talking.
In the middle it can be a fire, little lamps, a little box or whatever.
Each of participants should get something to hold, for example a button, pearl, flower or whatever.
Everyone on by one says what they are giving out to the people and puts the “pearl” in the box in the middle. Or for example paper in the fire.
Thats it, thank you!
The participants really liked these methods and said its in good balance. They liked to receive suggestions for their situation, while sharing their hands. Participants enjoyed “the bucket” method, so they can visually see how their feelings are changing throughout the time.
Problem - unhealthy habits, as in drug abuse, vaping, drinking underage. Underage vaping has become a significant concern in Lithuania, with recent studies highlighting its prevalence among the youth. The 2019 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) revealed that approximately 65% of Lithuanian students aged 15-16 had tried electronic cigarettes at least once, surpassing the 54% who had experimented with traditional cigarettes (lifv.lt). Furthermore, a 2023 survey indicated that 19.2% of individuals aged 15-24 believed e-cigarettes were non-addictive, and 25.9% thought they posed no harm to others. In response to these alarming statistics, Lithuania implemented a ban on flavored electronic cigarettes on July 1, 2022, aiming to reduce their appeal to younger populations (lrt.lt). Despite these measures, the misconception that vaping is harmless persists among many young Lithuanians. Illegal drug use among Lithuanian youth remains a pressing concern. According to the 2019 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), 19% of 15-16-year-old Lithuanian students reported having tried illicit substances at least once, with a higher prevalence among boys (21%) compared to girls (18%). Cannabis was the most commonly used drug, with 18.1% of students indicating lifetime use, slightly above the ESPAD average of 15.1%. Other substances reported included ecstasy (3%), LSD or other hallucinogens (2.6%), amphetamines (2.3%), and cocaine (2.2%) (ntakd.lrv.lt ). Underage drinking in Lithuania has seen a notable decline in recent years. According to the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), the prevalence of monthly alcohol use among 15-16-year-old Lithuanian students decreased from 78.3% in boys and 75.9% in girls in 2003 to 32.4% in boys and 35.6% in girls in 2015 (bmjopen.bmj.com).Additionally, the proportion of 15-16-year-olds who reported never consuming alcohol increased from 13% in 2015 to 21% in 2019 (movendi.ngo). This positive trend is attributed to stricter alcohol control policies, including raising the minimum legal drinking age from 18 to 20 in 2017 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Despite these improvements, continued efforts in education and policy enforcement are essential to further reduce underage drinking, use of e-cigarretes, illegal drug use and its associated risks.
Tools: prevention program exercises we use in Lithuania with youth.
1. Energizer - portraits
Everyone gets 10 papers and a marker. Find a partner and when ready start counting
to 5 out loud. In these 5 seconds both have to paint each other on a paper while
maintaining eye contact and not peaking into your drawing. After you have drawn a
portrait, write a question for the person you have drawn. Give the paper to the person.
Like this collect 10 portraits of yourself.
Select your favourite portrait and in a circle present it, answer the given question on
the portrait.
2. Experiment
Explanation and process:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=7ztJtn-gZcf4_k_r&v=1-U6QTRTZSc&feature=yo
utu.be
Discussion: What were your thoughts when everyone said the wrong answer? How did you feel? Why is it important to talk about peer pressure and how to build resilience ? How does one become resilient?
3. Energizer
- Head, shoulders, knees, toes, PEN! 2 teams: 2 lines one in front of the other. Each pair gets a marker in the middle. Instructions: HEAD - put your hands on the head. SHOULDERS - put your hands on your shoulders. KNEES - put your hands on your knees.
4. Case analysis
Present the biopsychosocial model and explain how all factors are interrelated. Understanding these factors may help categorize and notice dangers and safeguards in your environment. Read the case and analyze them by following questions in groups:
What dangers do you see in her environment? (PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL factors)
What safeguards do you see in her environment? (PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL factors)
What could have led Ana to drug use?
Compare group answers and discuss.
5. Secret compliments Everyone sticks a paper to eachothers back and writes compliments to each other.
6. Reflection Using cards with drawings (can be dixit or any other kind). Pick a card that reflects how you feel. Share in a circle.
Disscuss: Which part of the workshop clicked with you? One idea or thought that sums up your experience?
Results The workshop participants were actively engaged throughout all activities. During the case analysis task, they were reminded of the harsh realities faced by Lithuanian youth, which sparked meaningful discussions. Many participants related to the issues presented and appreciated the balance between serious topics and engaging, interactive tools. They found the activities not only insightful but also valuable for their future work with young people.
As the Cyprus group, in our workshop; we included the risks and problems youths face in Cyprus. We started with an energiser and wanted them to play a game by standing up and using their hands, making them play all together. This way, we could hype them up a bit and made them ready for our presentation.
( NECI.pptx )
In the presentation, we started with informing them about the problems that the youths in Cyprus face; such as discriminations and phobias. Then we moved to explaining the participants how these problems can effect youths. In the last part of our presentation, we talked about what youth workers can do about these problems and we preferred to stick on ‘Communication’. For all the presentation, we tried to answer the questions from participants with some help of Renos.
After that stage, we did an activity, making them choose different vowels and say them. Then they did this all at the same time but coloring the letters in their own ways. Lastly they had to focus on one person that they choose and try to hear how they are saying the vowel while they were saying theirs at the same time, all together.
After that, we tried the last step one more time so they can listen the people who are quiter. Then we wanted them to tell us if they could catch their way of saying the letter and to imitate them.
With this activity; we aimed to take them out of their comfort zones, to make them try to find their own unique ways and be different from the others, to make them express themselfs freely and make them care about the quiet ones as well.
In our opinion, some of them were able to do these while some of them needed more time to get used to.
As a second activity, we put some papers on the floor with 6 main type of emotions writen on them. We asked them to try to express some sentences that we gave, acting like all the emotions we put on the floor, as volunteers. After some really nice tries, we made them into groups of two and added two subtitles to those 6 kind of emotions. We wanted them to try to express the sentences we sticked on the board with those emotions between each other, so they would be communicating and showing each other their not often shown sides; expressing themselfs by acting and try to be confident.
Then we asked them if they want to try to perform to the whole group. Yet many people didnt try, we think acting to the whole group in strong ways takes time; so we apprecite their effort and participation.
In our last activity, we played ‘’Martha’s Story’’ which is making them say a sentence starting with ‘I am a...’ one by one but their sentences needed to be related with the previous one. The important point was them having to be careful to not use the same word again with somebody previous.
The aim was to make them care about other’s words and not only focus on yourself but also on others as well.
We think there were some confusions with the game so it wasnt really successfull. We are still thankful to them for trying.
In conclusion, we wanted to show them how can communication effect to their feelings and statements and we think it was somehow successfull.
Workshop ( Macedonia team)
Problem- fast changing beauty standards creating a false sense of self in teenagers, losing a grip on personal identity
The use of social media excessively among young people- The rise of social media has undeniably reshaped how young people interact with the world, offering endless opportunities for connection, entertainment, and self-expression. However, there's growing concern over the impact of excessive social media use on youth. Many young people spend several hours a day scrolling through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, often to the detriment of their real-world relationships and mental health.
One of the main risks is the effect on attention spans. Constant notifications and the fastpaced nature of social media can make it difficult for youths to focus on tasks for extended periods. Studies have shown that social media use, especially when done excessively, can lead to an over-reliance on immediate gratification, which in turn affects their ability to engage in deeper, more meaningful activities.
Moreover, social media often promotes unrealistic standards of beauty, success, and lifestyle, creating feelings of inadequacy or insecurity among young people. The pressure to curate a perfect online image can be overwhelming, leading to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
Social media also has the potential to disrupt sleep patterns, as many youths stay up late scrolling through feeds or engaging with content. Poor sleep can affect cognitive function, mood, and overall well-being, contributing to a vicious cycle of stress and fatigue.
Lastly, excessive use of social media can contribute to a sense of isolation. Although it connects people virtually, it can replace face-to-face interactions, which are crucial for developing social skills and building genuine relationships. Young people may begin to prioritize virtual connections over real-life ones, leading to feelings of loneliness.
To address these issues, it's important for both parents and youths to find a balance between digital and offline lives. Encouraging time limits, promoting mindfulness, and fostering healthy social media habits can help mitigate the negative effects of overuse while still allowing young people to enjoy the benefits of social media.
1.Energizer
We divided a group of 12 people into two groups of 6 and sat in two rows of chairs on opposite sides. There was an object in the middle. Each of the two groups had a number from 1 to 6. When we said random number, the one who had the same number had to compete with the opposing group who had the same number to catch the object in the middle.
2. Video
This video explains how youth are addicted to social media and use it excessively. how they affect them and the problems they face because of it
3. Energizer
In a circle, all the participants danced to the music. One was in the middle and had a ball in his hand. While dancing, he threw the ball to whoever he wanted and asked a question. The one who received the ball answered quickly and stood in his place, and so on.
Results
The workshop participants were actively engaged throughout all activities. During the case analysis task, they were reminded of the harsh realities faced by Macedonian youth, which sparked meaningful discussions. Many participants related to the issues presented and appreciated the balance between serious topics and engaging, interactive tools. They found the activities not only insightful but also valuable for their future work with young people.
We participated in the project “Risks and Challenges the Youth Faces” in Paralimni, Cyprus. Alongside the Croatian participants, there were participants from North Macedonia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Romania. Each country presented the problems that young people face in their respective countries and the risks they are exposed to.
During our workshop, we presented the issue of gambling, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in Croatia. Betting advertisements are shown on television during the hours when most children and young people are watching, posing a significant risk of developing gambling addiction. We also displayed a map of central Zagreb, clearly showing more than ten betting shops within a one-kilometer radius, an area that includes several schools and educational institutions, as well as being the city center. We addressed the issue of politics, highlighting the fact that nothing is being done to tackle this problem, leaving young people vulnerable and exposed to addiction.
The next Issue we presented was the funding of sports. We provided examples from personal experience, illustrating the injustice in this area. Some athletes who professionally pursue a sport and achieve outstanding results do not receive the necessary financial support to compete internationally. As a result, they remain at the same level, unable to progress in their skills or strive for achievements beyond being the national champion in their respective sport and category.
The third issue we discussed, which was later tied into our creative workshop, was the challenges within the creative industry, particularly in film production and theater. Opportunities are not given equally to everyone. There is a problem of corruption and bribery in competitions and funding applications for creative projects. Talent is often overlooked in favor of connections, which puts pressure on young people and discourages them from continuing to work in the creative industry.
Creative Workshop – Speed Dating: Character Creation
Step 1 – Creating a comfortable atmosphere with an energizer (Samurai game, dancing, etc.).
Step 2 – Distributing paper and writing materials to all participants and explaining the task.
Step 3 – The task is to create a character by defining:
Name
Age
Place of origin
Basic physical characteristics (appearance, height)
Basic personality traits and motivations (character, something unique about them, desires, motivations)
Step 4 – The next step is to come up with a reason why this character (which participants didn’t know beforehand) is attending a speed dating event.
Step 5 – Collecting all the papers, shuffling them, and redistributing them randomly so that each participant receives someone else’s character.
Step 6 – Giving time for participants to familiarize themselves with their new characters and get into their roles.
Step 7 – Pairing participants randomly and encouraging them to act out a speed dating scene with their two characters in front of the group.
This exercise can be used to work with other people’s ideas and to learn how to accept others’ contributions to our own creative ideas.