“Art of Creative Thinking”
14-21 August, 2021
Info pack for participants
Art of creative thinking /ACT/ is a Mobility of youth workers (TC) that will deal with one of the most valued skills of the future-creative thinking and how it is born and developed in the young people as this is one of the new skills employers are looking for and it is hardly created by the formal educational system.
Duration: 7 full working days activities, 1 travel days in the period 14-21 August 2021, Sofia, Bulgaria. The countries involved in the project are: Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Slovakia in total 35 participants (5 youth workers per country + 2 trainers – BUL and BIH + 1 facilitator – BUL).
The TC will follow the NFE approach: a combination of different creative and interactive methods: theoretical inputs, round table, Compass/Salto sessions, individual/group activities, exercises, work on examples in a small group, case studies, real attempts and using Sport as an educational tool for acquiring skills and knowledge.
As robots increasingly take on manual labour in so-called Industrial revolution 4.0, we will need to foster what differentiates human from machine (at least for now): creativity. Evidence that psychological and physical well-being is paramount to creative thinking will turn the historic exchange of human health for economic growth on its head. As Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum writes, “I am convinced of one thing—that in the future, talent, more than capital, will represent the critical factor of production.” Creative humans, rather than fusion of technologies, is driving the 4th Industrial Revolution. Advancement in technology and their effective fusion is not the major driving force of this revolution — that is a result. Creativity is the major driving force behind this “industrial revolution.” While it is true that AI, super computers and robot manufacturing have already started reshaping workforces and economies, it is the creative workforce at companies such as Google, Tesla, SpaceX, and other notables who are helping engineer our future. At the same time, 40% of employers cannot find people with the right skills to fill their vacancies, and too few people have the preparation, mind-sets and competences to set up their own businesses or look for new opportunities. At the same time, 65% of school students in the moment will work on professions that do not exist yet. Education and training in Europe is the competence of Member States. National and regional labour markets and education systems are faced with their own specific challenges but Member States face similar problems and opportunities. That is why European initiatives for skills aim to mobilise all EU stakeholders along the following lines of action: Understanding Skills; Developing skills; Showing skills. In line with the Europe 2020 strategy, country specific recommendations related to skills development are addressed to a high number of Member States each year to guide their national policymaking. Support for developing National Skills Strategies in conjunction with the OECD is available to help Member States design concrete policy responses, while EU funding (the European Social Fund, Erasmus+, Youth Employment Initiative, EGF, Horizon2020, EaSI, EFSI, COSME) helps to put policy designs into practice. This process has to be horizontal and needs to be used in all the available fields to be able to ensure proper implementation of innovative educational methodologies and to prepare young people for the future challenges.
This project have the following main objectives:
* Getting youth workers familiar with the skills and knowledge of the future with a specific focus on creative thinking;
* Deep understanding on how creative thinking is created and further developed in young people;
* Understanding EU policies and priorities in the field of empowering young people in their personal and professional development;
* Discuss and find possible answers of the current situation and future scenarios of the equipping young people with the needed skills and knowledge for the Industrial revolution 4.0.
* Raise knowledge and gain new experiences on how will our world looks like in the forthcoming years and be ready for the challenges and opportunities;
* Increase understanding on EU policies in the field of sport and physical activity and how sport can contribute to the development of creative thinking;
* Empower young people to be more aware on EU policies;
* Create a network of professionals from different countries, that understand and implement in their daily life the EU values;
* Develop the potential for young people within education and employment.
Participants profile:
* Youth workers/sport coaches/social workers/educators active within their community;
* Motivated to develop their competences in creative thinking and skills and knowledge for the future;
* Committed to attend for the full duration of the exchange;
* Aged preferably 25+;
* Competently able to work in English.
Art of Creative Thinking webpage: https://think-creative.org/
Art of Creative Thinking promo video: https://youtu.be/g61iNSyuBxo
The training course will take place in Sofia:
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. It’s in the west of the country, below Vitosha Mountain. The city’s landmarks reflect more than 2,000 years of history, including Greek, Roman, Ottoman and Soviet occupation. Medieval Boyana Church has 13th-century frescoes. Built by the Romans in the 4th century, St. George Rotunda Church has medieval and Ottoman decoration dating to the 10th century.
Venue details:
Meeting venue will be Olympic school preparation center of the Ministry of Education and Science in Sofia, Bulgaria. The venue is providing facilities for accommodation in rooms with 2 and 3 beds, with private bathroom, digital TV and free WiFi that will host the participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Italy during their stay in Sofia. The base is suitable for training camps, for all participants in national and international educational Olympiads. All conditions for complete preparation and relaxation are provided, including huge conference center, restaurant and outdoor football pitches.
Address: 21, “Dragan Tzankov” blvd
How to reach Sofia
Sofia Airport (SOF) is the main international airport of Bulgaria. There are multiple airlines, flying to Sofia both regular and low-cost air suppliers. You can plan your trip by bus/train/car as well.
To reach the TC venue
The area of the meeting is located at an equal distance from the airport, center of the city, central railway and bus station in a quiet city area next to the biggest park of Sofia – Borissova garden. Closest metro line station /Joliot–Curie/ is situated just few meters from the meeting venue.
Ticket price is 1.60 BGN (0,80 euro) and you should check it on the check-in machines on the entrance of the metro station.
Link to downloadable Sofia metro maps: https://www.metrosofia.com/en/maps
Arrival/Departure information:
Arrival day will be 14th of August 2021, Sofia airport. Participants are asked to send their tickets to info@bulsport.bg and Bulgarian sports development association will provide information about transfers to the venue. Departure day will be 21st of August 2021. Participants are asked to vacate their rooms before 12:00.
Participants can enlarge their stay up to 2 days before/after the official TC dates. No costs for subsistence can be considered as eligible in the project framework.
COVID-19 regulations
During the event will be implemented all actual at the time of delivery safety measures. Please note that if PCR tests are needed, such can not be covered by project budget and are responsibility of each participant. All selected participants will be informed for the actual measures before the event itself.
Dietary requirements and disability:
If you have any dietary requirements, disability or special needs that the organisers should be aware of, please notify Yoanna Dochevska (info@bulsport.bg) before Friday 21st July 2021.
Photography:
Partner organisation staff will take video and photograph throughout the duration of the TC. Pictures will be shared on partner social network sites. Please advice us if you are aware of sharing pictures that you are on.
Weather:
The weather in Sofia is pretty warm in August, so be sure to pack comfortable clothes suitable for summer indoor and outdoor activities.
Clothes:
Please bring with you sport equipment for indoor and outdoor sports.
Agenda and Venue details:
Agenda will be sent to all approved participants with the approach of the training course.
Intercultural evening:
We are planning to hold NGO market and intercultural evening. This represents an opportunity for you to share elements of your culture and reality with the others, and also, share information about your organization.
Each country will have a certain amount of time to be on the red carpet and delight the rest of us with the beauty of its culture. Just a few examples of things you could prepare: food, drinks, dances, songs. We strongly recommend making this evening a very dynamic, interactive one, and not use of Power Point presentation.
Please note: There is no possibility for cooking in the hotel, so please consider this when choosing what to bring.
Training and organisational team:
Ismail Sehic – Trainer
Ivaylo Zdravkov – Reporter & Facilitator – Bulgaria
Yoanna Dochevska – Project coordinator – Bulgaria
Social media:
We created a FB page that you can join and get updates on project activities: https://www.facebook.com/ArtOfCreativeThinking
Partner organisations:
BULGARIAN SPORTS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (BUL) – ACT coordinator
BOSNIAN REPRESENTATIVE ASSOCIATION FOR VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES (BIH)
REMENYT A GYERMEKEKNEK KOZHASZNU EGYESULET (HUN)
KLUB ZA OSNAZIVANJE MLADIH 018 UDRUZENJE (SER)
A.D.E.L. – ASSOCIATION FOR DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND LABOUR (SVK)
ORGANISMOS KOINONIKIS POLITIKIS KAI DRASIS (CYP)
L ORMA SOCIETA SPORTIVA DILETTANTISTICA A RESPONSABILITA LIMITATA (ITA)
Funders:
With the support of the “Erasmus+” programme of the European Union.
Financial Aspects:
The training course will take place from 14th untill 21st of August 2021 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Financial support has been provided by the Bulgarian National Agency for the “Erasmus +” Program (Key Action 1).
Therefore, “Bulgarian sports development association” will offer the following conditions:
– The travel costs from your home town to the venue will be covered according to the rules of “Erasmus+” Program. According to the new rules within the Programme “Erasmus+” we will reimburse the travel costs on the basis of the cheapest possibilities, e.g. second class railway tickets, APEX-flights etc., accompanied by the receipt of complete and original tickets, invoices, bills, receipts, boarding cards etc. upon a certain “contribution to the travel costs of participants, from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return”. This contribution is “based on the travel distance per participant. Travel distances must be calculated using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission”.
– Board, lodging, local transports and all materials of the training course will be covered by the Organizer;
– The participants should arrange their own insurance for their travel and stay in Bulgaria;
Travel costs:
The travel costs will be 100% reimbursed in the limits of Erasmus+ rules. For the reimbursement please keep all the original tickets, invoices and boarding passes. The reimbursement will be done accordingly to the amount of the tickets, the maximum amount that can be reimburse for each country can be found in the table below. If the travel costs are bigger that the specified amount then, the extra amount is supported by the partner organization or by the participant.
| Partner country: | Maximum reimbursement amount: |
| Bulgaria | 0 euro |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 180 euro |
| Cyprus | 275 euro |
| Hungary | 275 euro |
| Italy | 275 euro |
| Serbia | 180 euro |
| Slovakia | 275 euro |
| Participants with fewer opportunities Youth workers facing social, economic and geographical situations themselves or based in such regions and working on daily basis with this target group of young people. | ||
| Cyprus | 2 persons | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 persons | |
| Serbia | 2 persons |
Reimbursement procedure:
You will be asked to complete a reimbursement form and keep:
ALL boarding passes, receipts, boarding passes and proof of purchases (originals ans scanned copies)
A proof of payment for everything should be presented, namely that the credit card numbers should be on the ticket or the receipts should be added for cash payments.
Original documents will be sent to Yoanna Dochevska by post: no later than 20th September 2021
Bulgarian sports development association – Yoanna Dochevska
5B, Triaditza str, floor 1
Sofia 1000
Bulgaria
And scanned copies will be sent to info@bulsport.bg
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
A. Travel
1. Regular air tickets must be accompanied:
• By the original invoice (signed and stamped)/receipt/pay order/proof of payment;
• The boarding pass (the small ticket stub you receive before boarding the plane);
• And the prices stated in the invoices, receipts etc. must coincide with the price on the ticket.
2. E-Tickets
• Must be printed out and include your name, the exact fare you paid, details of your flight on the same page;
• Be provided along with the credit card receipt for the payment or a copy of your bank statement (clearly showing the payment has been made)
• The boarding pass (the small ticket stub you receive before boarding the plane).
NOTE: Some airlines print „passenger receipt“ at the top of the cardboard ticket. It is not accepted as a receipt of proof of payment. Therefore, if you book your tickets online, please, make sure to print out the e-mail you receive from the airline company upon the payment, stating how much and how you paid.
3. Train/Bus tickets
• It is important that arrival and departure times as well as the price are visible
• Invoices (if available).
N.B.
• Arrival dates should be maximum one day prior the start of the event.
• Departure dates should be maximum +2 day.
B. Accommodation
❖ You will be hosted in same gender two/three bedrooms. Accommodation and meals are provided by Bulgarian sports development association.
C. Insurance and VISA
❖Issue yourself an insurance, ex. European Health Insurance Card.
❖If selected for participation and in need to get VISA in order to enter Bulgaria, we will support the process.
D. Must know
❖Currency – Bulgarian Lev. The Bulgarian Lev is pegged to the Euro. 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN. You may exchange money in banks and in any of the numerous exchange offices.
❖Time zone: GMT (London) + 2 hours
❖Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz
❖Prepare yourself for interactive workshops, outdoor activities, open discussions.
❖Every participant must attend the full duration of the activity. If a participant refuse to, Bulgarian sports development association will request to pay the the full organisational costs for your stay 53 euro/ per day per participant.
E. Bring with yourself
❖Comfortable clothes;
❖Information materials of your organisation – flyers, posters, business cards, etc.
❖Typical food/drinks/dance costumes/presentation/story/interesting facts that you could present your country with during the NGO fair and Intercultural evening!
❖Good mood! 🙂
think-creative.org 