Our young ambassadors
The aim of our project
The European Solidarity Corps project of the Young Ambassadors has born from an innovative idea formerly foreseen to create a positive spirit and accompany the European Football championship which took place in France in 2016. The services of the State, via the prefecture of the Gironde, have requested our association to exercise activities aimed at public reflection in order to carry out an ambitious intercultural project of mobility and promotion of the European values throughout the territory of Bordeaux and Gironde.
The original idea was to receive a heterogeneous group of young volunteers and provide them with a two-month-long formation, thanks to the intervention of different collaborators from the University of Bordeaux and other professionals. The aim was to deploy them in the aforementioned areas in order to talk about Europe, multiculturalism, diversity, peace and respect, but also to animate linguistic workshops, radio shows and to intervene in big cultural or sport events.
A high number of structures have taken and might take advantage of the present dispositive: territorial collectives, associations, cultural, scientific or sportive institutions or even the European consulates present here in Bordeaux.
During the first season of ambassadors 2015-2016 we have received a heterogeneous group of 60 young people, being composed of 30 Europeans from 7 different countries (Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania) and 30 French carrying out their Civil Service. This project was the largest and longest project organized within the framework of the Euro 2016. Likewise, it was also the biggest project ever carried out by the MEBA since its foundation in 2009. The above would have not been possible without the active and constant support from the Bordeaux Metropolis and specially the UEFA 2016. At the national level this project has been remarked by the Youth and Sport Ministry as an example for future similar programmes in France. The project of young ambassadors has considerably transformed the activities of the MEBA turning it into an organisation working with roughly 100 partners every year.
Reception of our young ambassadors
Since 2015 volunteers are welcomed by the MEBA team in September. They receive initial training in September and October, led by MEBA in close collaboration with its main partners and providers. Before deployment in the field, they have work sessions with the professionals of the host structures (November). The first phase of deployments takes place from November until the Christmas holidays, followed by a second phase starting in the first semester of the following year. The MEBA team provides personalized support to each volunteer throughout the year to help them make the most of their mobility experience in Bordeaux, both personally and professionally. There is also ongoing dialogue with partner-beneficiaries. About thirty association volunteers assist in supervising this group and specifically provide French lessons.
The missions of the ambassadors: several major areas of activity are offered to participants throughout the year:
– Communication: The main objectives include intervening on the local media scene in collaboration with community radios by, for example, producing weekly broadcasts; also engaging with social media to ensure visibility of MEBA’s activities; maintaining its institutional website; and participating in the design of MEBA’s communication campaigns (flyers, posters, etc.).
– Raising awareness of interculturality: This includes deployments in schools, leisure centers, associations, etc.
– Promoting European mobility schemes, notably the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).
– Providing information on how European institutions work: For example, simulating the European Parliament.
– Event management: Organizing monthly on-site events (debate conferences, discovery evenings), the Europe Day celebrations, or participating in larger metropolitan events at the request of local authorities.
– Language learning: Expanding our linguistic cafes throughout the metropolis and the department.
– More targeted thematic actions: Sports and Olympic actions (from 2018 to 2024); eco-citizen actions (starting from 2024).