Youth On Earth – Yes we (c)are

“Youth On Earth – Yes we (c)are”
What does it mean to follow my inner voice?
Discover Authenticity

ZEGG, Bad Belzig, Germany
25th August to 3rd September 2018

General information about the project

“Youth On Earth – yes we (c)are” is the eighth youth exchange of “Yes to Sustainability”, an international project that aims to bring together young people from different regions of Europe to make new experiences with sustainable lifestyles and practices by organizing youth exchanges in different ecovillages and rural projects, funded by Erasmus+.

WHEN
From 25th of August to 3rd of September 2018

• Arrival on the 25th of June, if possible between 15h-18h
• Departure on the 3rd of September in the afternoon

WHERE
The ZEGG is one of the oldest ecovillages in Germany, founded in the nineties, where 110 people are living in close partnership and cooperation with the land around them and with its beings. The ZEGG is an intentional community and seminar centre and sees itself as a research project exploring socially and ecologically sustainable ways of living. A particular focus is the field of human relationships, communication and the issues of love and sexuality. Their ecological work is guided by the principles of permaculture. A reason to live in a community is to get into contact with other people and most importantly with ourselves.
Experience this holistically sustainable surrounding exclusively in a safe container of our youth exchange.

Programme & Activities
This exchange is for people between 20-30 years old, who want to co-create with us a safe space of trust, authenticity, love, sensuality, mutual support, respect, where you can discover your authenticity and experience yourself in a group. By learning the basic techniques of communicating our feelings, needs and boundaries, we gain confidence and security in ourselfs, relationships and groups. We want to rise consciousness in the fields of social conditioning, love & sexuality, connection to ourselves, our bodies, nature and others through methods like Forum, Medicine Walk, Men-& Women Circle, Deep Ecology and Conscious Bodywork. This Youth Exchange takes place in an ecovillage to show us a new perspective of sustainable living. In the mornings we will help the community in the garden and kitchen.

This exchange at ZEGG provided an opportunity for in-depth reflection on the issue of social sustainability. How can I be connected to my needs and feelings? How can I connect with my environment? And finally, how can I make my life more coherent by listening to what I feel? To answer these questions, the days proposed several activities:
* a collective awakening, with songs, dances, sharing the indoor climate or short warm-up massages;
* community work time (in the garden, in landscaping and permaculture, in the kitchen or in the maintenance of the land);
*  afternoons dedicated to the issue of social sustainability: deep ecology exercises*, the discovery of the ZEGG Forum, the expression of feelings, non-violent communication or exercises in the forest;
* moments of sharing to anchor reflections, learning and questioning.

An original facilitation tool:  Forum – ZEGG
ZEGG’s purpose is to create a new common culture, in line with fundamental human needs: to be connected, to experience one’s own emotions, to feel safe, to love… Among the tools developed within ZEGG to establish this culture of life is the “Forum”. This tool strengthens the cohesion of the group by offering spaces for emotional transparency that create trust between people and contribute significantly to conflict prevention.
The forum invites participants to sit in a circle. Within a framework of trust and security, individuals can then explore personal issues and receive feedback from other participants. To this end, everyone can stand in the centre of the circle and be accompanied in his or her speech by the facilitator.