The Queer Youth Space

The Queer Youth Space was a two-stage Youth Exchange designed  for queer youth and allies to come together . Our aim was to provide a safe and supportive space for young people who identify as LGBTQ+ to explore and express their identities, as well as to connect with others who shared similar experiences. Many queer youth faced discrimination and marginalization in their daily lives, which often led to feelings of isolation and disconnection. The international youth exchange provided a safe and supportive environment where they could connect with others who shared similar experiences, helping them to feel a sense of belonging and validation. 

The first stage of the youth exchange took place in the International Scout Center in Rustavi, Georgia, bringing together a total of 37 participants from seven different EU and EECA countries: Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, Spain, Poland, Slovenia, and Armenia. It  was designed to provide participants with useful information and skills, as well as to create a safe space for them to explore and open up about themselves and their sexuality. During this stage, young participants developed gender-sensitive skills and gained further knowledge about gender theories, human rights, and the issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community worldwide, while practicing modern and creative methods of non-formal learning. The project invited them to explore the challenges and stereotypes faced by the LGBTQ+ community and supported young people in exploring themselves and their communities.

The second stage of the youth exchange took place Scout Environmental Education Center Kapraluv Mlyn, bringing the same group of participants together (with a few exceptions, based on different urgent matters).
During the second stage, we focused mainly on creative and art activities. These activities provided a fun and engaging way for participants to express themselves and raise awareness about LGBTQ+ and gender equality issues. By combining creativity with critical thinking, participants built a deeper understanding of these important topics and developed their skills as advocates and allies for the LGBTQ+ community. Art was also used as a tool for communication and storytelling, allowing participants to share their experiences and perspectives with others.

The main organizing team included Ketevan Midelashvili, Viktorie Stastna, Laura Vos, Ana Pilauri and Nono together with our dearest partners, leaders and ESC volunteers from Hnízdo and ICPI.

The success of QYS was made possible through the collaboration of this organizing team and several partner organizations, including:  Hnízdo - association for community education,INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR PEACE AND INTEGRATION NON-ENTREPRENEURIAL (ICPI), SE.MI - SEEDS FOR MORE INTERCULTURE APS, DRUSTVO DIH - ENAKOPRAVNI POD MAVRICO , Brisa Intercultural , Stowarzyzenie YoWo Poland, FUTURE IN OUR HANDS NGO.

The project is fully supported by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union!