“I truly experienced the power of purpose”

Two weeks ago, we had the chance to hold two workshops at the International Session of the European Youth Parliament in Laax: the so called “Forum Event” with a World Café for 300 young people from all over Europe and a 2 hours imp!act workshop with 30 participants. Moreover, we presented our programs at the “Ideas, Opportunity, Impact Fair (IOIF)”, together with other NGOs and organizations. Mahaut was part of the amazing organizing team and shares her personal insights on this 2-days-journey we did together.

I joined Laax 2016, because every time I thought about this International Session of EYP, my heart started beating faster. I deeply felt inside of me that I had to be part of this. That something in me was connected to it. With a mixture of chance, passion and will, I started working with euforia on the projects of the Forum Event, the IOIF and the imp!act Workshop.

I spent so many hours thinking about my personal purpose. I spent so many hours asking myself the question: Why do I want to put so much effort in it? I spent so many hours on skype, trying to link our purpose with the complicated reality.

One of my main goals for the event was to help participants answer the question: What do you truly care about?

During the imp!act workshop, we had the opportunity to think about our passions, our values and our strengths. We went deep into ourselves and discovered in each other much more than any of us thought was possible. I cannot express how privileged I feel for having shared a magical moment with all participants during that workshop.

When details get into the way of the things you truly believe in, everything seems impossible. But as we have seen at the imp!act workshop with the challenge “Mission Impossible” and as our head-organizer Nora cited Nelson Mandela during her beautiful speech: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

And for me, now it is done. The Forum Event went incredibly well. The IOIF was a success. The imp!act Workshop was a sublime moment.

It is difficult to express my feelings now, after the event. A mixture of pride, relief and incredulity. For the past weeks, I truly experienced the power of purpose. Of will. Of listening. Of finding what you truly care about and giving it all you have.

I hope that we all find our own purpose. That we take the time to reflect on the issues that deeply move us. That we dare to go beyond theoretical discussions and that we start acting.

Mahaut, 18, from Geneva

(r)evolution lab and The Unleash Project — New ways of empowering youth, young leaders and organizations

We believe that the world needs more people who come together to design bold solutions to address the challenges of this increasingly complex and rapidly changing world. We also believe that our current education system is outdated and does not provide us with the kind of skills and attitude required to assume leadership and create innovative solutions. We think it is high time to mainstream new ways of learning, working and innovating that are adapted to the challenges our economy, society and environment face in the 21st century.

(r)evolution lab and The Unleash Project tackle these challenges: two open source, transformative and experience­ driven education programmes provide a platform for young people, executives and organizations to collaborate across generations and sectors. (r)evolution lab empowers participants to acquire professional skills in order to lead an imp!act event where youths discover their potential to turn ideas and passions into real life projects. The Unleash Project, on the other hand, focuses on equipping young people to shape their own meaningful careers together with executives, companies and partner organizations.

Not sure which programme is the right one for you? — Let us explain them in a nutshell:

(r)evolution lab – organize your own imp!act event

(r)evolution lab is a training program for (un)reasonably motivated young pioneers. In this experiential learning journey you will learn, share and above all experiment a wide range of skills and knowledge highly valued in any professional context: team and project management, facilitation, leadership, training design and wellbeing strategies. Equipped with these tools and skills, you can lead your own imp!act event from building your team to facilitating the event, empowering youth in their city to embrace their changemaker potential.

>>> To join the (r)evolution lab, it is highly recommended that you have participated in an imp!act event and are willing to share this experience by co-organizing your own imp!act – including the organization, team management, recruitment of participants, funding and facilitation of the event.

The Unleash Project – from career to vocation

The Unleash Project is a transformative education program that empowers youth, executives and organizations to embrace the emerging era of digitalization, knowledge, innovation and purpose. It provides future and present decision­makers with the experience, tools and mindset it takes to move from careers to vocation: where they live their values, do what they are passionate about and use their key strengths to address needs they truly care about in the world.

You learn through experience how to co-­create trustful, open and empowering work environments and foster the emergence of purpose and innovation at your workplace. You will benefit from peer support and learning groups, coaching and inspiration by your peers, executives and leading experts in the area of the future of work

>>> To join The Unleash Project, you either have completed (r)evolution lab, the former “euforia training programme eTP” or already have experiences in Project Management and/or Facilitation and are ready to shape your own meaningful career.

Both projects start in November 2016. Applications are open now:
(r)evolution lab
The Unleash Project

We are in the blog of Impact Hub Zürich

Read Marietta's blogpost: The X-factors behind Generation Y transforming 21st century organizational cultures.

Annual evaluation for members 2016

“I met so many wonderful people and feel I’m part of something meaningful and world changing”

euforians spoke. 31 of our members answered (fully or partly) the annual evaluation for members questionnaire. And their answers will make you smile. The questionnaire focussed on four main areas: our volunteers’ satisfaction regarding their overall experience as a euforia member, their learnings and personal development through volunteering with euforia, their involvement in strategic questions, and communication.

Looking at the results, the first striking figure tells us quite something on the level of engagement of our community: for nearly 70% of our volunteers euforia occupies a significant place in their lives. What’s more, euforians are really happy with their engagement, as shown by a 84% satisfaction rate. 80% of volunteers feel their engagement and commitment is recognised, and 75% are proud at how we live euforia values on a daily basis and at how their euforia experience contributes to fully unleashing their potential. Finally, 90% consider themselves free to decide on their engagement and 80% see their euforia volunteering supporting their wellbeing.

At euforia we consider personal development as a crucial component of the volunteering experience we offer. Therefore we asked our volunteers how happy they are with the skills they developed through organising one of our events (imp!act and STEP into action) and/or training and coaching our volunteers as part of the eTP (euforia Training Programme). euforians are simply staggered by how much they’ve learnt in terms of teamwork and project management; they’ve also developed sound facilitation skills and say that through euforia they’ve grown more aware of what contributes to their well-being – and it’d be hard to question how important this is in our fast-paced and ever-changing society.

As euforia aims to be a volunteer-driven organisation, we asked our euforic community how they would like to be involved in strategic questions. It emerged quite clearly that volunteers feel little involved in strategic issues. However they’d be willing to enhance their engagement through participating in temporary task-forces and workshops tackling specific issues, and during a one-day annual or biannual gathering in which euforians bring up issues to tackle with other euforians. They also value being updated on the progress on euforia’s annual objectives and on what the community is working on.
Euforians like how we spread euforic news, especially our engagement opportunities newsletter exclusive to our members, and the general newsletter. Though, writing belongs to the past – more visuals and videos would bring our communication to the next level.

Finally, ideas are plentiful as to how to get euforia even closer to be the one organisation everyone should get engaged with. Here are some of them: an online competence centre in which euforians outline their expertise, so that we know where to get help and can support each other best; social gatherings that bring our beautiful community together; and becoming aware of the contribution we’re making to changing the world for the better.

As talking is good, but walking the talk is better, we’re currently thinking at how to integrate euforians’ feedback and comments so as to boost our volunteers’ experience to the next level. Do you want to get involved to enhance our volunteer’s experience? Get in touch with massimiliano@euforia.ch.

Latvian youth workers and euforians share expertise

The “Agency for International Programs for Youth of Latvia” and euforia collaborate to organize a four days hands-on study trip in Switzerland. 26 Latvian youth center representatives will learn from and with other Swiss organizations and youth. The aim is to exchange experiences and good practices.

The exchange will take place in the French-speaking part of Switzerland from October 17th to 20th. It includes many activities, among others a World Café to get inspired by existing youth initiatives in Switzerland, and to have a picture of the Swiss social work structure. Furthermore, a learning exchange session with local youth centers and social workers in Crissier and Renens will make the participants experience field work with outdoor activities and give a safe space to brainstorm how some ideas could be adapted for Latvia. In addition, a “euforic programs fair” will make the participants experience our activities and unconventional methodologies, such as Radical Collaboration or Wellbeing workshops. An interactive rally will provide them with the opportunity to visit and discover organizations in Geneva and harvest the best practices, exchanging with locals and learning by experimenting.

Our program developer Natalia, explains, „we will use very inclusive, interactive and non-formal educational methods to create a unique learning experience for everyone so that the participants get to know and learn from the Swiss youth sector. Our common vision is to inspire and to motivate through Swiss initiatives while sharing experience and expertise.”

The study trip is part of the Latvian-Swiss cooperation program “Support for the Development of Youth Initiatives in Peripheral or Disadvantaged Regions”, funded by the Swiss Government. The program aims at providing personal and professional perspectives to young people living in peripheral and disadvantaged regions of Latvia. So far, 26 multi-functional youth initiative centers have been created in Latvia and more than 160 seminars for young people and persons involved in youth work have been organized. “We are thankful to the Swiss Government for funding this program. The study visit is important to see and to adopt Swiss youth center good practices in our 26 youth centers in Latvia”, says Vladislava Skele, head of the International Cooperation and Support Division of Agency for International Programs for Youth of Latvia.

The Latvian-Swiss cooperation program “Support for the Development of Youth Initiatives in Peripheral or Disadvantaged Regions” involves two components. Within the framework of the first component, 26 multi-functional youth initiative centers shall be created in different self-governmental bodies of the Republic of Latvia. The second component involves training and events for the youth and the executives working with the youth, as well as development of metodological educational materials.

In order to make this learning exchange a great success, the Agency for International Programs for Youth of Latvia and euforia collaborate with a variety of local partners, such as Unités d'action communautaire (UAC), Point Info, Pré en bulle, la Maison de Quartier Plainpalais, Villa Freundler, ACAB and Be You Network.

WWF-Pandaction-Challenge - an imp!act event with a twist

From 20 to 23 October, WWF and euforia are organising a special imp!act together: the WWF-Pandaction-Challenge. As a special twist it`s focused on the topic “house of the future”. This is a chance to dive deep into the topic, get inputs from experts and inspiration from changemakers working in that field. It is also a chance for people as young as 14 years to discover their changemaker potential.

WWF is opening the doors of their Swiss headquarters for us and will be working in this great location. Additionally WWF experts from different departments as well as those from other organisations will give feedback and support to develop the projects.

We are looking for young people who want to invest their time and talent to tackle the global challenge of climate change. At the WWF-Pandaction-Challenge young people meet to imagine, invent and start their own projects or campaigns together. It`s a chance to try out something new, learn skills for future projects and have fun.

So you are between 14 and 25 years old? You want to fight climate change? Then we are looking for you!
Take part in this unique event and be part of the change! Sign up here.

Collaborating with Generation Y: Building 21st century organizational cultures

Globalisation and digitisation translate into new challenges for institutions in the 21st century: thriving in an increasingly complex world and keeping up with the pace of change, while being confronted with pressing environmental and sustainability issues.

At the same time a new generation of young people enters the job market and places new demands on employers. The generations Y and Z (today’s 16 to 32 year olds) values will represent 75% of the entire workforce by 2025. Their values and needs are different than those of older generations: flexible working conditions and purpose now rank higher than professional security and high salaries, and younger generations generally wish more participation, self-responsibility and cooperation in the workplace. This way of thinking and working culture usually don’t fit into existing management structures.

This questioning of the current leadership culture also bears a huge potential for institutions of all kinds to evolve and thrive while embracing today’s challenges, thus shaping a genuinely leadership culture. This requires new attitudes and skills, notably ability to unleash the potential of all, creating collaborative mindsets and innovating constantly.

As specialist in youth empowerment and changemaking, we have developed an innovative leadership and change-management programme called Leading with Impact (LWI) in collaboration with HEC Paris and Swisscom. It prepares leaders for the challenges of the 21st century and offers the tools, mindset and space for leaders and youth to co-experiment, co-reflect and co-create a human-centred leadership culture that fosters innovation, self-empowerment, collaboration and sustainability.

Does this speak to you? Come discover Leading with Impact and get a glimpse about the approach, methodology and mindset behind. We’ll be glad to have you on 2 November at the Impact Hub Zurich and on 9 November at the Impact Hub Geneva!

Register now on www.euforia.org/lwi-workshop and contact us at lwi@euforia.org for any questions. Limited seats available.

What wellbeing can learn from the tribe space…

On the very first "Share & Grow night" I brought in the topic of wellbeing as a collective focus for everybody who is engaged in euforia. "What makes me well?" is an important question to answer not just for the people working at euforia, but in particular for the volunteers who give their periodical full energy, heart and time into projects they really care about.

So how do we navigate in wellbeing? Where can we find methods that sustains the kind of wellbeing and that does not stay on the surface?

As i went through the Kaospilot training, part of the education was also go through a programme called the Council Guide Training. The Council Guide Training is a Native American teaching about tribal life tools, methods and protocols.

The training takes 3 years to conduct, and I learned a great deal about what makes the difference from learning things that stay on the surface to what it means (and takes) if we want to work with deeper and more profound layers of learning and wellbeing… Wellbeing in yourself, in your relations as well as in your community. I also learned that these ancient ways of understanding and being in the world holds pieces of wisdom that we can still greatly benefit from today.

So in the first "Share & Grow nigh" about wellbeing, this particular friday evening, I decided to bring in some of these tools, some of the atmosphere and some of the practises that I found valuable to share. I was curious about who was gonna show up, and how they would receive this slightly peculiar and strange approach.  

But when you work with euforians, you also know that you work with a bunch of openminded, openhearted and curious people, which makes it always a joy to bring in new things. Therefore the connection, the personal learning, the closeness and the density of care and trust just kept growing throughout the evening. It was in the end an evening where I learned as much as anyone else in the room.

I was blessed with having people around me open to learn and to explore what really matters to them. Each person learned something profound for him- and herself, and together we learned that one of the things what really matters in life, is for all of us to always and continuously refine that internal listening and interpretation system, that allows us to better understand the signals from our bodies, the impulses from our hearts, the energy of the spirit and the waves of our emotions. This is the way to make sense of our experiences, take authentic actions and respond truthfully to our surroundings.

The feeling from this evening and from this group has been preserved in me, and it still touches me to see that we human beings somehow belong to the circles, that we need a community to support and challenge us, and that we need go grow an ever deeper connection with ourselves if we want deep or powerful wellbeing to exist in our lives.

Our dear "booster" Sidsel organised the first "Share & Grow night" for our volunteers. The next one will probably take place in November 2016. We'll keep you informed!