BULGARIAN TEAM

The DIGEM Digital Empathy Project consisted of an 8- Day training in which 38 youth workers from 10 countries of the European Union took part. The project was held in Pissouri / Cyprus/ where through workshops, lectures and different tasks participants had the chance to boost their personal and professional skills connected with digital empathy and settings.

Participants cultivated their empathic skills and now they could easily apply them in real life environment. All participants had the opportunity to take full advantage of the possibilities for personal and professional development and learning. This was assured in a safe environment which respected and protected the rights of all people, their physical and emotional integrity, their mental health and wellbeing. Living in this multicultural environment, we had the chance to gain some knowledge about the other nations around the globe. Dealing with people from all over the world on a daily basis eliminated some of the myths about other countries and hopefully any preconceptions we had about different cultures. Dealing with several cultures helped us to become more tolerant and understanding. One of the benefits of Erasmus is exactly that: learn how to be open-minded towards other people. Moreover during our stay in Cyprus we had the opportunity make some friendships that could last a lifetime. We met people in the same situation: alone in the unknown and out of their comfort zone. People in such situations tend to rely on each other create strong bonds and most likely find friendships for life. This experience abroad helped us use in practice and develop further all the strengths that we had already acquired during our studies and identify skills that need to be improved. We tried to learn from our mentor and colleagues, ask questions and don't be afraid to suggest new ideas! All participants had the chance to develop interpersonal skills. We learnt how to effectively build professional relationships with people at all levels and get to know what team work is and learn how to analyze new, complex problems. Whether it's public speaking, presentations or just suggesting new ideas, internships abroad will undoubtedly help you develop self-confidence and improve your language skills. During the project we had the opportunity to work actively and acquire new skills that will give us a significant advantage in the competitive labor market.

To promote this great experience, in which we took part, our Bulgarian team decided to organize a meeting in "Vasil Levski Secondary School" in Troyan /small town in Bulgaria/. During this meeting 15 students from 12th grade had the chance to broaden their knowledge about Digital Empathy by attending a lecture prepared by us. We decided to use the opportunity to make one school class (one lesson is 40 minutes) more interesting, practical and useful than usual by sharing our experience and learned information with them. They were all really interested in the topic and are now motivated to take part in similar activities one day. What is interesting, is that some of them haven't heard of Erasmus+ opportunities before, so now they know more about Erasmus, NGOs and Digital Empathy.

Links to the posts on social media:

What our participants told us about the project

Zhan: My experience in the Digital Empathy (DIGEM) project was focused on learning how digital transformation can be achieved through humanitarian values, and how empathy plays a crucial role in this process. I participated in seminars and workshops that emphasized the importance of empathy in digital enterprise and how it helps in understanding the needs of customers, students, or surroundings. I learned about digital competences through exercises, innovative ideas, competitions, exhibitions, and fun-based activities, and discovered that digital transformation starts with digital enterprise through empathetic abilities.

Gabriela: This project has helped me improve my digital competences and expand my knowledges about using different digital tools in my personal and professional life. I have learned that one topic can unite people with different mindset, cultures or religions. I have also realised the importance of certain things and how to seize every moment.

Petya: I am third year medical student in Bulgaria and honestly doing an Erasmus has never been a part of my studying plan. I genuinely still don't really know how I got involved in this amazing experience. I guess it was some sort of fate, and I feel so privileged to have grabbed hold of this opportunity with both my hands! This Erasmus project has opened many doors for me, as I believe now I have the ability to understand and share feelings in a digital setting. This project provided me with the cognitive and emotional ability to be reflective and socially responsible while strategically using digital media. Going abroad for me was a huge boost for my mind, spirit and self-confidence.

Stela: DIGEM was truly one of the best experiences I have ever had. The project was so well organized and professionally made, yet it was so entertaining, pleasant, and fun. The location and accommodation made the project even more unforgettable. What I loved the most was the mindful activities that we had. We also had many productive tasks connected to the topic of digital empathy that were very useful and as a whole, I left the project more educated and motivated.

BULGARIAN TEAM

Links to the posts on social media:

What our participants told us about the project

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