You have some information about Barja. However, you will need more information to be able to continue the game.
Develop Barja’s character by using a mind map.
List, write and, if needed, draw information about Barja on the map:
What kind of information do you think is missing about Barja? For example, where does s/he live? How old is s/he? How does s/he live? Who are the other people in Barja’s life? In other words, give her/him more substance.
Once you have completed exercise 1, you can move on to exercise 2.
Examine the below list of character traits, too. Select traits that you think Barja will need to achieve her/his dreams and to overcome her/his challenges. Select at least two traits that you think will support Barja’s journey.
creative
calm
tense
funny
curious
enthusiastic
hardworking
energetic
empathetic
decisive
trustworthy
sensitive
dreamy
lively
vain
responsible
understanding
easy-going
reflective
positive
spirited
suspicious
vivacious
talkative
unsure
Once you have discussed dreams and selected Barja’s traits, s/he is ready to start her/his journey and exercise 3.
Next Barja has to face some challenges in her/his everyday life. Your task is to help Barja overcome the challenges as well as possible.
Barja belongs to the student council of her/his upper secondary school. They have been planning a project to encourage studies. There are 400 pupils at Barja’s school and there are 10 members in the student council. The council has applied for funding from the Erasmus+ programme, among other things, and has managed to gather a total of 3,000 euros. The student council must now decide how and when to use the money so that it best supports studies.
There is a lot to consider for the student council. Will the money be used to benefit all students? Or will they purchase equipment that will only benefit some of the students? Should the money be used for a study trip and to collect information? They must also decide a schedule for the use of the money.
1. Familiarise yourselves as a team with the following value of the Youth Strategy:
#8 Quality learning
Background: Education remains a key for active citizenship, inclusive society and employability. That is why we need to enlarge our vision about education for the 21st century, focusing more on transferable skills, student-centred learning and non-formal education to achieve a truly equal and universal access to quality learning. Goal: To integrate and improve different forms of learning, equipping young people for the challenges of an ever-changing life in the 21st century.
2. Then act as the student council. Hold a short meeting to decide on issues. One of you is Barja. You selected some traits for her/him in the previous exercise. They may become useful in this exercise.
Once you have tackled exercise 3, you can move on to exercise 4.
There are still things to do before achieving the dream.
Barja faces prejudices, for example, because of her/his age. Some have criticised her/his enthusiasm to make a difference. Some also question her/his dream to become a political decision-maker at European level.
1. Familiarise yourselves as a team with the following value of the Youth Strategy:
#1 Connecting EU with Youth
Background: An increasing number of young people lack trust in the EU, have difficulties in understanding its principles, values, and how it functions. Democratic deficits in EU processes have also been identified as one of the reasons for rising Euroscepticism among young people.
Goal: To foster the sense of youth belonging to the European project and build a bridge between the EU and young people to regain trust and increase participation.
2. Plan Barja’s path to politics.
If s/he is underage now, what can she do to participate in decision-making?
How do her/his plans progress?
What stages does s/he need to go through to reach her/his dream?
Select the 3 most important stages that you think Barja needs to reach to fulfil her/his dream.
What is the first step s/he could already take to reach the first stage?
After completing exercise 4, you can move on to exercise 5 or the wild card exercise.
If you have the time, you can do the wild card exercise instead of this one.
Barja has now overcome her/his challenges and is heading to the future and her/his dreams. Your journey with Barja is nearing its end.
The value #11 Youth organisations and European programmes of the EU Youth Strategy focuses on the significance of European youth organisations and programmes in building the European society and providing opportunities for the future of young people. European programmes include programmes such as the Erasmus+: Youth and the European Solidarity Corps.
How does Barja’s life continue from now on?
What advice would you give Barja on her/his journey?
How do you feel about Barja’s chances on her/his journey?
Could Barja benefit from the Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps programmes?
If you wish, you could have a look at what the programmes cover.
Be prepared to give a 1-minute elevator pitch to present Barja and her/his journey to the other participants.
So, there is only one minute to give the presentation.
Do this exercise after exercise 4, if you have the time.
If you choose the wild card exercise, you don’t need to do exercise 5.
Barja has been doing great and her/his journey towards her/his dreams has become clearer! You are almost done! Is there still something else you could offer Barja to help her/him get closer to her/his dreams or to make them more achievable?
The value #11 Youth organisations and European programmes of the EU Youth Strategy focuses on the significance of European youth organisations and programmes in building the European society and providing opportunities for the future of young people. European programmes include programmes such as the Erasmus+: Youth and the European Solidarity Corps.
The wild card exercise allows you 5 minutes to plan a project that would offer Barja opportunities on her/his path towards her/his dreams.
The project can offer Barja something new, too.
Choose one of your first ideas and be brave developing your project.
Be prepared to give a 1-minute elevator pitch to present Barja and your project to the other teams.
So, there is only one minute to give the presentation.
After the exercise, teams come together to present their projects. All teams will comment on each other’s projects.
