Rise: Design for emergent futures was a study session organised in cooperation with the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg and the Council of Europe and its Youth Department. It took place in November 2023 and a few participants took the mic' to tell us more.
Thank you Beatrice, Lina, Immanuel, Víctor, Pablo, Marieke, Marica, Keith, Simon and Gal for your words and Rafael for filming and editing.

The first activity of the project "Young Pilgrims of Hope" titled "Cultural Routes for Intercultural Dialogue" took place from 25th to 28th April  2024, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, on the Camino de Santiago. This event is part of an Erasmus+ small-scale partnership project under Key Action 2, which begins in spring 2024 and will conclude in late 2025, aligning with the end of the "Pilgrims of Hope" Jubilee in 2025. There were present 28 participants form Austria, Belgium, France, Malta, Spain and Italy.
The activity along the Camino de Santiago aims to leverage the route's rich historical and cultural setting to enhance intercultural education and understanding among participants. It focuses on developing personal autonomy and critical thinking as participants engage with various cultures and histories. The pilgrimage fosters a sense of belonging and respect for diversity by connecting people from different backgrounds. Emphasizing experiential learning, it teaches that the journey is as crucial as the destination, offering participants insights through both physical and reflective experiences. As the first activity of the project, it sets the tone and dynamics for future activities, building a foundation for ongoing learning and interaction. Overall, the activity is crafted not just as a physical journey, but as an educational and transformative experience that supports the project's wider goals of cultural exchange and personal development.
There are testimonies of the young pilgrims who experienced and fully lived the first activity of the project “Young Pilgrims of Hope”.

Rani Mein, 22 years old, Bosco Base, Belgium: I’m going home with a warm feeling. Meeting new people from different countries is always scary in the beginning. But it is difficult to describe how a warm and familiar feeling you instantly get from being in a group of Don Bosco volunteers. Sharing the same values but on the other hand having respect and even admiration for the differences in cultures.
A feeling of joy from being together as a group. But also a feeling of sadness (but in a good way) during the Camino and the reflection.
A quote I will never forget: “The Camino doesn't give what you expect, but what you need”. This for me also a representation of life and something that I needed to be reminded with.
I’m grateful for the opportunity I got for participating in this seminar. Having more knowledge about different cultures. But mostly of all the experience of walking the last part of the Camino, with all the reflection and self-knowledge that comes with it.

​Maria Pia, 25 years old, Salesiani per il Sociale, Italy: After participating in the intercultural project "Young Pilgrims of Hope" in Santiago De Compostela, I feel profoundly transformed. It's an experience filled with moments of reflection and meaningful encounters that I will carry with me forever. During the pilgrimage, I experienced a wide range of emotions. At first, I was filled with a sense of excitement mixed with anxiety, not knowing exactly what to expect. As the hours passed, and sharing paths with people from different cultures, I experienced a deep sense of communion and mutual respect. This helped me overcome my initial apprehensions and fully immerse myself in the experience.
One of the strongest sensations was that of inner peace. Walking through serene landscapes and discussing profound themes with fellow pilgrims created an environment of reflection rarely found in everyday life. This peace then became a sort of inner guide, which I now strive to maintain in my daily life.
What I would like to share with others is the beauty of listening. Listening to stories and perspectives so different from my own has greatly expanded my horizons, teaching me the value of diversity and dialogue. The understanding and acceptance that result are powerful tools for building bridges, not only between religions but in every aspect of human relationships.
I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have met extraordinary people who freely shared their beliefs and hopes. These encounters have enriched me, leaving me with a renewed confidence in humanity's ability to find common ground. I am also grateful for the physical and spiritual challenges I faced along the way, which taught me a lot about myself and my ability to overcome obstacles.
In conclusion, I bring home not only unforgettable memories but also a renewed commitment to promoting dialogue and unity. I hope to transmit this passion to others, inspiring them to seek and value the richness hidden in our differences.

​Ilaria, 27 years old, TGS Eurogroup, Italy: The first activity of the international project "Young Pilgrims of Hope: Cultural Routes for Intercultural Dialogue" has just concluded. This experience led us to traverse the ups and downs of the Camino, physically experiencing the metaphor of life, with its joys and struggles continuously alternating in a series of highs and lows. It was a personal and group journey that allowed me to reflect on important themes such as sharing, friendship, listening, and respect. We shared personal and collective stories that contributed to our personal growth as well as the growth of our associations. We encountered new friendships, rekindled old ones, and cherished timeless ones, with many faces and people who I will carry in my heart. We listened to ourselves and to others, respected each other's differences, habits, personal spaces, and communal spaces. These days, we experienced walking to build our future and contribute to the growth of our associations. As they say on the Camino, "you don't walk because you feel the need, it is the Camino itself that brings you close to the things and people you need." These, to me, are fellow travelers with whom to grow and share.

Nancy, 23 years old, Turismo Giovanile e Sociale APS, Italy: I was so excited to walk the Camino de Santiago: it has always been one of my desires, something to do at least once in a lifetime, and I think this opportunity has been magnificent, but it certainly won't be the only one.
The moment I found myself there, with the friends I knew and those I didn't, alongside people who shared my same excitement to participate in this challenging journey, it was truly a unique moment, and I would really love to do it again, in the same way, with the same friends, with the same enthusiasm.
At some point along the path, you'll realize there's nothing fundamentally different from the journey you've made in your own life, yet the difference lies in the fact that you recognize it, and only there do you have the opportunity to pause, catch your breath, to proceed more swiftly, faster, and together.

​Chiara, 26 years old, TGS Eurogroup, Italy: "Young Pilgrims of Hope: Cultural Routes for Intercultural Dialogue." The beginning of a new training journey, three intense days, and four words to describe my experience: discovery, harmony, journey, and diversity.
An enriching experience that led me to reflect on important themes not only regarding my personal growth but also the development of the association I am part of. Walking the final stretch of the Camino de Santiago, sharing both enthusiasm and challenges with the group, proved to be a valuable metaphor for the "journey" that TGS Eurogroup is also undertaking in these years with its members and volunteers: facing the ups and downs together, with the awareness of never being alone, we traverse the road and reach the goal!
I am grateful because this valuable experience has further stimulated my curiosity, the desire to travel, and to meet people, cultures, and horizons always new and different.

​Gabriele, 28 years old, Turismo Giovanile e Sociale APS, Italy: "Peace, Hope, Belonging. When looking back to this seminar and thinking what it meant for me these  three words are surely the first to pop up in my mind. Walking along the Camino, even if just a small part of it, both alone and with other participants, helped me to find some answers regarding my life and especially allowed me to peacefully feel reconnected with myself.
Spending these few days with so many young people from all over Europe, greeting old friends and getting to know new ones, sharing heartfelt laughter but also deep conversations about our lives, troubles, hopes and dreams, made me feel like at home throughout the whole seminar, a true Salesian spirit of unity and joy shared and made possible by everyone!
All in all I can say that this activity in Santiago de Compostela has been a great start and benchmark for the project, proving that we are indeed Young Pilgrims of Hope!"

​Jean Paul, 22 years old, Salesian Pastoral Youth Service SPYS, Malta: The DBYN workshop on the Camino de Santiago was truly a remarkable journey, made possible thanks to SPYS, Malta who provided me with the opportunity for such a wonderful experience. Meeting Salesians from different corners of Europe provided a fascinating insight into various cultures and realities. What stood out the most was the beautiful realization that despite our diverse backgrounds and ideologies, we all resonated on the same values. Walking a day on the Camino allowed us to appreciate its wonders and find moments for personal reflection. It was heartwarming to witness how our shared values and passions brought us together. The workshop was not just informative, but it was a joyful and fulfilling adventure.

​Lorenzo, Turismo Giovanile e Sociale APS, Italy: The first activity of the international project "Young Pilgrims of Hope: Cultural Routes for Intercultural Dialogue" has recently concluded. This marks my fourth experience with Don Bosco Youth - Net. Each type of project leaves a different mark. Reuniting with young people with whom I have shared different experiences over time was an important starting point, especially for a project that is only at its first of four stages. It was my first time experiencing, albeit in a greatly reduced manner, the Camino de Santiago. Sharing a stretch of the road with Gabriele was crucial for me, not only to compare our associative journey but also to deepen our friendship even further. The moments of silence, personal reflection, and solitary walking were also very important. A final applause to Don Bosco Youth Net (especially to Begoña) for organizing this seminar and to Confe Don Bosco for hosting us. TGS Nazionale is part of a large international network.

About the project partners
Don Bosco Youth-Net (DBYN), based in Belgium, is the lead partner and coordinator of this project. It is the network of European Salesian youth organisations. Its own working group on Volunteering has made this project possible.
Salesianer Don Boscos, based in Vienna, Austria, is a non-governmental organisation that works for and with young people from all over Austria to spend their spare time and develop projects that help to empower the youth and promote their ideas.
Bosco Base, based in Heverlee, Belgium, is a non-governmental organisation offering participation in youth-led events and youth participation activities, providing activities in the field of non-formal education, training of youth leaders and voluntary service.
Association Don Bosco Jeunes, based in Paris, France, is a non-profit association whose purpose is to organize and support socio-educational activities for young people, such as sporting and cultural events,
Volunteering experiences, gatherings of young people, training of animators, and much more.
Turismo Giovanile e Sociale, based in Rome, Italy, is a network of groups and associations actively promoting youth and social tourism all over Italy.
Salesiani per il Sociale (SxS), based in Rome, Italy, is a network of more than 100 organisations engaged in the protection and support of minors and young people throughout Italy.
Salesian Pastoral Youth Service, based in Balzan, Malta, accompanies young people to discover authentic life values through local and international volunteering and training activities.
Confe Don Bosco, based in Spain, is a youth organisation that works to defend and promote children and young people, offering volunteering experiences, training opportunities and international camps.
TGS Eurogroup, based in Mogliano V.to / Venice, Italy, combines youth training activities in its home country as well as abroad with a concept of active, social and sustainable tourism.

This is the summary of the participants’ evaluation of DBYN’s training course Youth Guardians: Integrating Mental Health and Safeguarding in Youth Work. This training course took place 23-29/03/2024 at Domaine de Farnières in Belgium. This summary shows the evaluation as well as the educational impact of the individual participants, based on an online survey.

Auberie, staff member of DBYN, has also participated in this training course. Here's her testimony.
I have had the pleasure to participate in this training course organised by Friends of Don Bosco in Malta with participants from various different paths, all interested in the topic of mentoring and wanting to improve their skills for a better accompaniment of young people.
I liked how the training was organised: we have been given a lot of theoritical background but also space to reflect on both the learning and past experiences in our work or volunteering. The diversity of the participants was also something that was enriching. We could build on all of our collective experiences and learn from each other. Some had already some mentoring experience, we had participants active in youth work, others in teaching, some in policy and we were all there to improve and know more for the benefit of the young people we are with.
The trainers and experts gave us a lot of input on trauma, attachment theory but also the position of the mentor. We reflected a lot on the qualities of a good mentor. We also got tools to reflect on our personal life that we can also use with our mentees.
I was very happy to be there and am grateful for the knowledge this gives me.

The year 2023 is drawing to a close and it can certainly be said that it has been a year full of exciting international events for our members and volunteers from all over Europe. Highly formative experiences that represent important opportunities for reflection and intercultural exchange for all our young people!
 
And it is just in the last few days, from 26 November to 2 December 2023, that the last international activity of this year took place: the training course "Rise: Design for emerging futures", organised by Don Bosco Youth-Net, in cooperation with the Council of Europe's Youth Department, and hosted at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg (France).
We will know have the testimonies of three Italian participants, who represented our member TGS Nazionale:Beatrice from the local TGS group Macerata (Macerata), Nancy from the FMA Institute "Maria Ausiliatrice" (Catania) and Gabriele from the TGS Don Bosco group Salerno (Salerno) took part in it.

"When I was given the opportunity to participate in this study session in Strasbourg I thought what many people would think: 'I"ll try, if they won't accept/pick me, at least I will have tried'.
This choice to try was made on the basis of personal curiosity: having studied pedagogy and having read the general programme, I thought it would be an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Indeed it was.
The topics we covered, the way they were presented, the interactions with the trainers and the other volunteers was something that left me with so much.
On a professional level, I assimilated new methodologies for tackling problems and finding solutions, I internalised new methods that can be used in training and beyond, I delved into human rights and the contexts in which they must be applied.
On a human level, I made friends with truly wonderful people with whom I shared unique moments, "High Level" moments, to borrow one of the most used aphorisms of this beautiful week. "
Nancy, Catania

"​My participation in the project "The Future is Europe" as Italian representative of Salesiani per il Sociale APS is an inestimable gift and a privilege for me. Being part of Don Bosco’s big family means not stopping in the usual context, but exploring the world, embracing new points of view, not staying in the comfort zone. Don Bosco challenges us and wants us to be brave!

Looking over is sometimes the solution. It was the solution for me. I went little by little further and further, discovering that beyond my existence, there is a magnificent collective experience, which passes through the richness of those who are different from me... who are also surprisingly similar to me. As a group of young Salesians from 7 European countries, we made a journey together through important issues that lead us to ask ourselves about the future of local and international volunteering in our realities and abroad.

Traveling through Germany (Benediktbeuern), Belgium (Leuven) and Spain (El Campello), we covered the topics of digital transformation, solidarity and employment: we put ourselves at stake by bringing to the group our personal stories and experiences from our home countries. This gave us the opportunity to deepen interesting themes, finding practical solutions and new tools.

Our last experience in Spain focused on employment and recognition of skills acquired thanks to volunteering, through seminars and group activities, in the wonderful atmosphere of the Salesian house of El Campello (Alicante), just steps from the sea. "Reflection moments" on the beach, role playing activities, creative moments, the intercultural dinner, strong hugs, incredible synthony at first look and shiny eyes of those who understand and recognize themselves: these are memories that will always remain imprinted in my heart.

Only the last stage of this adventure remains… Venice will host the last round of the project  on the topic of sustainability from August 31st to September 3rd.  
I can’t wait to live this last trip with many international friends in my beautiful Italy!
Dear all, let yourselves be surprised by the wonderful encounter with diversity!
Go beyond your borders and embark on international experiences with Don Bosco Youth-Net!
Amazing friends are waiting for you!"

In August 2022, the participants from "Volunteers for digitalisation", the first seminar of "The Future is Europe: Voluntary service for social change" gathered in Benediktbeuern, Germany for a few days. Here are the outcomes.

Yout(h)echnology was a very interesting and nice experience. It was full of networking as well as sharing experiences on different paths of Technology.
Compared to previous DBYN activities such as school of animators the difference was that many people here were not animators but yet still had a different way of helping their youth organisations whether it comes to technical or technological stuff and were active volunteers for their organisations, together with everyone I have managed to share experiences, and learn new apps to use for our youth projects.
​Nua, Montenegro

As an international individual who left everything in her country and came to Italy to embark on an adventure, it was one of the most significant experiences I have had. It provided a comprehensive experience from various perspectives, particularly for young people.
Professionally, the Yout(h)echnology course was intriguing to me as it clarified the methods and models of technology, including the essential risk elements associated with using the internet in today's world. The course covered various topics such as social media, tools and skills for promoting and establishing personal organisations on mobile phones and computers, GDPR guidelines, photo and video editing, among others. This knowledge served as an excellent foundation for entering the modern market through the right channels. Additionally, the materials and activities we shared among ourselves enhanced our understanding and knowledge.
On the social side, we were fortunate to have encountered exceptional trainers and participants who were all part of the productive youth in the Salesian community. There was a sense of equality and respect among us and the trainers, which facilitated productive communication and provided a wonderful opportunity to learn about different cultures. Despite the language differences, we approached one another with respect, affection, and understanding, creating a comfortable atmosphere. The coordinators further encouraged and motivated us.
On a personal level, I cherish the beautiful memories and laughter we shared. I gained new vocabulary and knowledge that expanded my understanding. Moreover, I formed new friendships and found a sense of belonging within the DBYN community. The activities I engaged in during my time may even become part of my future career. I hope to have the opportunity to relive this experience again. Overall, this opportunity was a productive experience in all respects to build professional and social life.
​​Mireaf, Italy

We had a fantastic experience with Don Bosco Youth Network in their Yout(h)enology seminar in Benediktbeuern, Germany. We met amazing people from Europe, learning about their cultures and Salesian organisations. We got to learn what DBYN is, what they do and all the opportunities that they provide. The training itself was very informative and covered several subjects such as understanding what GDPR is, the advantages and risks that technology brings to the youth, and introduced to several new tools and skills to help us within our respective organisations. The Salesian spirit was radiant throughout the seminar which created amazing new friendships, a sense of belonging and everlasting memories. We cannot wait for the next opportunity!
​Owen, Joseph and Kyle, Malta