My House In Europe, Our Country In Europe

Exercise TitleMy House In EuropeOur Country In Europe
PurposeRaise awareness about the EU policy agenda, its priorities and values EP elections, their importance and how does it all affect young people.
DescriptionPart 1:
 Each participant gets some paper sheets, glues and markers to BUILD their own house. They can decide on the architecture of the house. In this way, their building and drawing of the house (crooked or futuristic, strong etc) can also represent their ideas on Europe. Additional ‘extensions to the house’, as well as the environment the house stands in or the ‘surrounding weather conditions’ (sunny, stormy etc) can with other associations be integrated into the picture. 

Participants should draw in their house:

– Foundations (values)
– Roof (safeties)
– Windows (vision)
– Door (opportunities)
– …
For each part, they should write
– according to with their perspective of Europe
– their: values, safeties, vision, opportunities …

Brief presentation/share moment of the work done. Overall round.

 Part 2:
 Participants are divided by groups according to with their nationality. – Each group should have access to the internet to check their country. information. 
Participants BUILD  with paper a “country” (map and connections+buildings and infrastructures)  They can decide on the organization of the country/community. 
 Their buildings and drawings represent their ideas in Europe. Additional infrastructures, as well as the environment the house stands in or the ‘surrounding weather conditions’ (sunny, stormy etc) can with other associations be integrated into “country”. 

(Maybe) They can receive some template with suggestions of infrastructures. 

Countries should have represented:

– population (urban + rural areas)
– numbers
– public main institutions
– system, government
– voters/abstaining percentage in 2014 elections 
– voters/abstaining percentage in 2014 elections among young people
– main issues on public agenda
– current political struggles 
– perception about EU- …
– where do young people fit in? 

A facilitator is assigned to each group to do regular check-ups, feedback and support.
Tools usedRoom, Tables, Flipchart papers, Post its, Markers