2025 aasta sügisel ja 2026. aasta kevadel toimus Erasmus+ noortevahetus “Nourish Your Soul”, mis tõi Saaremaa noored kahel korral rahvusvahelisse keskkonda – esmalt Sloveeniasse ning seejärel Gruusiasse. Projektis osalesid noored Eestist (Saaremaa), Gruusiast (Droni), Hispaaniast (Asociación Juvenil “Esto es Jauja”) ja Sloveeniast (Mladinski center Postojna). 

Projekti esimese osa keskmes oli stressiga toimetulek, vaimne heaolu ning erinevate kultuuride köögid. Sloveenias keskenduti loovusele ja eneseväljendusele – räägiti stressiga toimetuleku viisidest ning sellest, kuidas keerulistes ja pingelistes olukordades paremini hakkama saada. Rahvusvahelistes gruppides loodi ühiselt koomiksi peategelane ning arendati tema lugu, mis kujutas erinevaid stressirohkeid olukordi ja nendega toimetulekut. Lisaks katsetati grafitit kui loovat eneseväljenduse viisi. Päevadesse mahtusid ka väljasõidud Koperisse ja Pirani ning ühised kultuuriõhtud, kus tutvuti erinevate riikide traditsioonide ja maitsetega.

Gruusias oli fookuses toidukultuur ja loominguline koostöö. Iga riik valmistas oma kodumaad tutvustava menüü, mis koosnes eelroast, pearoast ja magustoidust ning mida ühiselt maitsti ja tutvustati. Nendest roogadest sündis ka rahvusvaheline kokaraamat, mille loomisel jagati noored erinevatesse rollidesse – kes tegeles foto- ja videomaterjaliga, kes kujundusega ning kes retseptide ja sisu kokkupanekuga. Lisaks toiduteemale said noored osa loomingulistest tegevustest nagu maalimine ja savivoolimine, mis pakkusid võimalust end väljendada ja samal ajal ka stressi leevendada läbi kunsti. Gruusia programmi kuulusid ka väljasõidud Batumisse ja Zugdidisse, kus noortel avanes võimalus külastada kohalikku kooli ja näha sealset igapäevaelu. Samuti said noored ise valmistada ja maitsta Gruusia üht tuntumat rooga – Adžaaria hatšapurit.

Saaremaa noored said projektist kaasa palju uusi kogemusi. Kasvas julgus suhelda inglise keeles, enesekindlus rahvusvahelises seltskonnas ning arusaam erinevatest kultuuridest. Samuti tekkisid uued sõprused ja kontaktid noorte vahel eri riikidest. Projekt andis võimaluse astuda välja oma mugavustsoonist ning kogeda päriselt, kuidas koos noortega erinevatest riikidest tegutsemine ja õppimine välja näeb. Paljude kogemuste väärtus ja mõju avaldub tõenäoliselt aja jooksul, kui neid igapäeva olukordades rakendama hakatakse.

Saaremaa Noorsootöö Keskus on siiralt tänulik Erasmus+ programmile ja partnerorganisatsioonidele selle võimaluse eest. Sellised projektid ei ole ainult reisid või tegevused, vaid kogemused, mis jäävad noortega kaasa pikaks ajaks. Need aitavad avardada maailmapilti, kasvatada enesekindlust ning luua tähenduslikke elamusi koos noortega üle Euroopa. Usume, et sellised kogemused on hindamatu väärtusega. Erasmus+ projektidest saadud seiklused, mälestused ja kogemused liiguvad noortega edasi nende igapäevaellu – koolidesse, kodudesse ja kogukondadesse. Need inspireerivad, õpetavad ja annavad julgust astuda vastu uutele võimalustele. Loodetavasti innustavad need ka teisi noori haarama kinni rahvusvahelistest projektidest ning kogema, kui palju üks selline võimalus tegelikult anda võib.

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English below:

In the autumn of 2025 and the spring of 2026, the Erasmus+ youth exchange “Nourish Your Soul” brought young people from Saaremaa into an international environment on two occasions – first in Slovenia and later in Georgia. The project involved participants from Estonia (Saaremaa), Georgia (Droni), Spain (Asociación Juvenil “Esto es Jauja”), and Slovenia (Mladinski center Postojna).

The focus of the first part of the project was stress management, mental well-being, and different cultures of cuisine. In Slovenia, the emphasis was on creativity and self-expression – discussions were held about coping with stress and how to better manage challenging and high-pressure situations. In international groups, participants jointly created a comic book character and developed their story, illustrating various stressful situations and ways of dealing with them. In addition, graffiti was explored as a creative form of self-expression. The programme also included excursions to Koper and Piran, as well as intercultural evenings where participants learned about different traditions and cuisines.

In Georgia, the focus shifted to food culture and creative collaboration. Each country prepared a menu representing its national cuisine, consisting of a starter, main course, and dessert, which was then shared and presented to others. These dishes were later compiled into an international cookbook, created through teamwork in different roles – including photography and videography, design, and recipe and content development. Alongside the culinary theme, participants took part in creative activities such as painting and working with clay, which provided additional opportunities for self-expression and stress relief through art. The Georgian programme also included excursions to Batumi and Zugdidi, where young people had the opportunity to visit a local school and gain insight into everyday life there. In addition, participants prepared and tasted one of Georgia’s most famous dishes – Adjarian khachapuri.

The Saaremaa participants gained a wide range of valuable experiences from the project. Their confidence in communicating in English increased, along with their self-assurance in international settings and their understanding of different cultures. New friendships and connections were formed between young people from different countries. The project offered an opportunity to step outside one’s comfort zone and experience firsthand what it is like to learn and collaborate with peers from across Europe. Many of these experiences are likely to reveal their full value over time, as they are applied in everyday situations.

Saaremaa Youth Work Centre is sincerely grateful to the Erasmus+ programme and its partner organisations for making this opportunity possible. Such projects are not merely trips or activities, but experiences that stay with young people for a long time. They help broaden worldviews, build confidence, and create meaningful experiences with peers across Europe. We believe that such opportunities are of invaluable importance. The adventures, memories, and experiences gained through Erasmus+ projects continue with young people into their daily lives – into schools, homes, and communities. They inspire, educate, and encourage young people to embrace new opportunities. Hopefully, they will also inspire others to take part in international projects and experience just how much such an opportunity can offer.