What is STAR?
The STAR: Story Tours Alternative Roots project, is a collaborative initiative involving six associations over a period of 30 months. The primary objectives are to enhance organizational and management skills, foster meaningful collaborations between participating countries, create impactful youth programs, and teach participants crucial skills such as budget control, time management, and effective project execution.
The motivation behind STAR stems from the lack of opportunities for young people to engage meaningfully with different cultures and environments. By promoting social inclusion, the program aims to help participants develop leadership skills, understand diverse cultures, and prepare for their future roles. The project enhances partnerships and NGO capacity for impactful youth programs using a digital, inclusive, and sustainable approach. It focuses on developing project management skills, fostering collaboration among partner organizations, researching educational walking tours as a youth development tool, and advocating for policy change.
The associations participating in this project include SCI Italia, SCI Catalunya, Space for Sustainable Development from Jordan, Projekte Vullnetare Nderkombetare from Albania, Center For Intercultural Dialogue Association from North Macedonia, and Volonterski Centar Vojvodine from Serbia.
STAR is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme and supported by Agenzia Nazionale per i Giovani
Mohammad’s Experience
Mohammad Ahmaro, a volunteer from Jordan, recently spent 20 days in North Macedonia as part of a job-shadowing program under the STAR project. From September 3 to 22, he participated in Macedonian local culture and youth work, gaining valuable insights and experiences.
“This was my first time in North Macedonia and my second time in the Balkans. This experience helped me understand the Balkans’ history, culture, languages, and relationships better. It opened up new perspectives for me and I learned things I didn’t know before. When I arrived, my first challenge was understanding the context of the Balkans; reading about something can feel very different from when you experience it in person. This made me more curious, and more willing to ask questions and search for answers. Being an outsider helped me understand the dynamics and relationships between people. It was wonderful to spend time with young people, hear their stories, and see how they navigate their lives. They showed me different areas of the city, how they spend their time and the challenges they face. I couldn’t have imagined it before. I felt welcomed there.
The job shadowing experience went great. I had several assignments, but I’d like to mention a forum theater and image theater training in one of the youth centers in Kumanovo. It was also my first time working with people under 18 – in Jordan, I usually work with those over 18. It was nice to see the different challenges and perspectives of the various age groups and to learn how to work with minors. Once we even organized a cultural night where we shared traditional dances, food, and cultures from Jordan, North Macedonia, and Albania. It was incredible!
During my stay, we wrote a concept for an Erasmus+ project. I learned about the entire process, including the differences between different types of projects and how to apply. While the proposal isn’t ready yet, I hope we can submit it by February 2025. I also attended leadership training in another city in North Macedonia, which was a great networking opportunity as I met many young people.
One of the biggest challenges of the project was time management because the young people we worked with had busy schedules. They went to two schools – one Macedonian and one Albanian – with different timetables and would come tired after a long day in class. For future projects, I’d suggest creating a detailed project calendar for each day while leaving room for flexibility. I love experiential learning but also structure. Another idea is to develop a guide to help new volunteers understand the context of the project better. Connecting with previous volunteers and hearing their experiences could also be useful for understanding the culture and community you’re going to.
Overall, I enjoyed the project and learned so much. I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’d love to return to the Balkans one day. I love their food! Burek and yogurt? I think It’s my favorite.”
