The final seminar of our international circus project ‘Suitcase Circus SCREAM’ is taking place from the 31st August to the 5th September.
To follow the seminar, visit : http://www.suitcasecircus.eu/
This project is funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

This week, our british group was all around the media to promote Olympic Legacy and the Youth Exchange in Rio.

BBC York Radio:

York Press

We would like to inform you that our office will be temporally closed between the 1st August and the 9th September. Our team will be away working on our international projects.

As the countdown to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games is now a few months, the website of our Olympic Legacy project has just been launched. Click here to discover it.

The Olympic Legacy is an international project bringing together youth and public organisations in the UK, Brazil and Hungary to build on the legacy of the Olympic Games. This project will collect & share non-formal youth education developed through the Olympic games legacies and will build on the commitment of host country government, to ensure the Olympic games brings benefits to young people (particularly those with fewer opportunities).

Everything is Possible (United Kingdom) and two other youth organisations, Gold de Letra (Brazil), and Polgár Foundation (Hungary) will cooperate during this 2 year project with the objective to ride on the wings of the Olympic Games and work for the recognition of sport as a methodology for non-formal education.

Clair Brown, co-founder of Everything is Possible, said:

“There is a little recognition of the significant impact on young people’s educational development. Many young people on the edges of mainstream society (having failed in school, experienced homelessness, drug and alcohol misuse or contact with the criminal justice system) can be easily engaged through the diverse mediums delivered through sports education.”

As part of ‘Olympic Legacy’, 30 young people will flock to Brazil to volunteer during the Rio 2016 Olympic/Paralympic Games. They will be in charge of promoting recycling and support disabled and older people accessing the Games. Our british participants have already started their training and managed to raised more than £2000 for the project.

The three organisations are all based in a country which has hosted or will host Olympic activities: London 2012, Rio 2016 and the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2017 in Hungary. This European funded project is therefore aiming at building capacity and developing good practice giving sport the visibility and legitimacy it deserves as an educational methodology. The ‘Olympic Legacy’ project will start in November in the United Kingdom where youth educators will have the opportunity to visit legacy projects in London in order to inspire the creation of local community sports education projects in Hungary and Brazil.

Everything is Possible has 2 new EVS volunteering opportunities available in Brazil.

This is a 8-12 month European Voluntary Service (EVS) project starting from April 2016. During their project, volunteers will have the chance to be involved in sport training activities and communications development in a famous non-for-profit organisation based in Sao Paulo. This organisation support young people from socially vulnerable communities through programs that complement school education and develop the community.

This a unique experience during which you will be able to develop personal and professional skills. You will also have the chance to be involved in some activities linked to the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio.

This project is funded (Erasmus+). This means that international and local travel, insurance, accommodation and food will be covered.

In order to participate in this project, volunteers need to be 18-30 years old and live in the UK.
Although you can only do one EVS activity, if the only activity you have done so far is a short-term project, then you can still participate.

If you are interested in this project please send your CV and a motivation letter to Godfrey: godfrey@everythingispossible.eu by 22nd March.

Info sheet:

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Helen Murphy, teacher at ProCoNW Ltd went with her student to support them in their VET project in Aruba:

“The impact of taking our learners abroad has been profound: Our learners have learned how big the world is, and have begun to look outside of their immediate area for opportunities and careers.
They have gained confidence both in the classroom and in their lives outside college. I see a difference in the classroom where previously quiet learners have more confidence when expressing opinions and exploring ideas.
The learners have experienced independence, often for the first time. They have learned to cope with homesickness, overcome feelings, and face up to the days’ work ahead. They have learned to share responsibility and resources, and work as a team to support each other.
Learners have gained valuable practical skills, and alternative ways to achieve similar goals. They have learned the impact of a different environment on the welfare and husbandry of animals. They have seen first-hand what can happen when there is less effective animal welfare legislation.
They were inspired by the fortitude of our host in her ongoing battle to ensure the welfare of the donkeys at the sanctuary.
Perhaps most importantly, they have learned to believe that amazing things can and do happen in life.”

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Paul Cooper-Jones, Timber trades lecturer at Kirklees College

“I believe it’s very important to see the world and different cultures, it lets us open our minds to new things and we get to experience life in exiting different ways. I believe I am a better and more well-rounded individual for going on this experience, and feel all the more well-informed about another segment of our world. From a professional standpoint, this Sweden trip experience has given me the opportunity to travel, interact with, learn from, and grow closer to tremendously talented, intelligent, and driven individuals who have helped me grow in my professional life.
Travelling to Sweden gave Kirklees College students the opportunity to disconnect from their regular life and studies. Travelling increased their knowledge and widened their perspective on life, new customs and different ways of living. It gave them a new perspective about life especially their own life. It helped them change some of their habits it even created new ones. New experiences increased their resourcefulness by living situations they would never have encountered at home. This was a great experience for them and I and they could not stop talking about it even when they came back to their college routine”.

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Sharon Sheppard, Director of Animal Management at Askham Bryan College.

“The Go Further Reach Higher Project has had such a positive impact on my students and College as it has provided unique opportunities for our students studying Animal Management programmes to gain real-life work experience and a fantastic insight into working and living abroad.  The Everything is Possible team as well as the main host providers are a pleasure to work with – they are so helpful and supportive and are very passionate and enthusiastic about what they do.

This project has allowed my students to experience an inspirational and educational journey where they have developed their knowledge and skills whilst caring for and working with a diverse set of animal species.   The students also gained a broad insight into different cultures, the local wildlife and their habitats as well as enhancing their personal development and employability skills.

From working with the local animal sanctuaries and veterinary practices to carrying out beach patrols to help conserve sea turtles, this project has provided my students with a diverse experience that they could not have experienced in the UK and this will give them a competitive advantage when looking at potential careers.

My biggest job satisfaction is being able to combine my love for animals with teaching and learning.  The Go Further Reach Higher Project has allowed me to continue to share my enthusiasm, knowledge and experience with my students whilst enabling them to develop and gain vital skills to broaden their horizons and explore their future career options”.

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Jo Hill, Senior Animal Care Technician and Part-time Lecturer at Kirklees College.

“My name is Jo Hill, I work as Senior Animal Care Technician and Part-time Lecturer at Kirklees College. I work with the learners on a daily basis, supporting them in classes, on work placements and teaching them at our animal care centre in Huddersfield.

I took a group of three learners to Aruba in June to work at The donkey sanctuary and the local veterinary surgery. The students thoroughly enjoyed the work and the experience as a whole. The Go Further Reach Higher project gave the learners the opportunity to travel and undertake this exciting experience, they got to see animals in their natural habitat, animals we only keep in captivity in the U.K.  They also underpinned the knowledge they have gained at college and had the opportunity to put into practise. The learners also got see first-hand how animal care, welfare and cultural views differ from the U.K. The learners enjoyed interacting with the local community and animal care professionals.

Most importantly learners realised that there are real opportunities for them abroad, the experience has seen them all grow in confidence and realise their potential, it also helped clarify their future career paths, which before the trip they were unsure of.

The learners have shared their stories and knowledge from the trip with other learners at the college who have shown great interest. The overall experience has been such a positive one, for the learners, myself and the college”.

Discover our comic book in which participants of our Empowered From Within project tell you a bit more about their Leonardo project supported by the Lifelong Learning programme of the EU.

Click here to discover the first edition of our Suitcase Circus SCREAM NEWSLETTER.

Once again, Everything is Possible and its fantastic young volunteers from all around Europe managed to salvaged enough equipment to support activities of around 35 local community organisations.

More than 30 young people passionate by recycling and music flocked to the Yorkshire to play their part in efforts to keep this year’s Tribfest and Leeds Festival environmentally friendly. They came from Italy, Spain, Estonia, Sweden, Germany and Poland, for a two week volunteering project organised by Everything is Possible and supported by the British Council and the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. As part of their project they promoted recycling at both festivals by collecting cans, plastic bottles and by encouraging festival goers to do the same. When the bands stopped playing at Leeds Festival and festival goers left Bramham Park, they started salvaging abandoned camping equipment left in a good or reusable condition. In return, volunteers received a free ticket to the festival and the chance to discover the British culture.

Clair Brown, co-founder of Everything is Possible, said:
‘’This is a fantastic opportunity to give to young people who couldn’t normally access this kind of event the chance to see their favourite bands while helping the local community and environment. A lot of local organisations working with young people and the homeless, for example, have really made use of this equipment in previous years.”

Around 265 tents, 220 sleeping bags, 300 mats, 200 camping chairs, 110 pairs of wellies and other equipment have been recovered in just one day, despite the rain – much of it in near brand new condition.

Every year thousands of pieces of camping equipment are left behind by festival goers and are collected by the organisation at Leeds Festival. This is becoming an event well known by local community organisations around Yorkshire, and they are now using the expression ‘’Happy Salvage Day’’.

Bob McDougall, volunteer mentor: ‘’We only collect camping equipment in perfect condition to be reused. Many people buy a tent just for the festival and then leave it all there’’

This equipment has been passed on to 36 local community organisations supporting minority groups, scouts, refugees. This year again we asked organisations interested in getting camping equipment to send us their ‘wish list’ of material that volunteers collected. On the Tuesday 1st September they came from all around Yorkshire and even Lancashire to pick up their material. We already received some positive feedback on social media.

Thank you @eispossible for all the fab camping gear! Now we can take 20 disabled young people away on an adventure! pic.twitter.com/pJc1A6RjN5

— ibk initiatives (@ibkinitiatives) September 2, 2015

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South Parade Baptist Church, Leeds – “I’d like to say a huge thank you for running the salvage operation at Leeds Fest. The camping equipment we received from you has already ben used on our church youth camp over. We had a fabulous time”
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Derbyshire Autism Services Group – “We’re absolutely delighted with the salvaged equipment that you and your volunteers were able to source for us.  We are a small charity working with children and adults with autism in Derbyshire, many of whom find it very difficult to go on ‘traditional’ holidays so they and their families don’t often get to experience ‘normal’ family fun times together.  Situated as we are, in Derbyshire, there’s endless opportunity for short camping breaks right on our doorstep so being able to offer our families the loan of this equipment, at short notice and for free, could mean the only chance they get for a holiday together, without spending a lot of money on a traditional week away that might end in disaster and in them having to come home unexpectedly when things don’t go as planned.”
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Mama Africa Rotherham – “I would like to say  a massive thank you to Everything is Possible for getting us the camping gear. The gear will go a long way to help in a project in Africa. Much much appreciated”

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The project was supported by the British Council, the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, Festival Republic, and Tribfest.