Power to the people

ABCD Innovation Center

“ENCOURAGING SOCIAL ACTION OVER A CUP OF TEA”
21-27 October, 2017
Newland Park Academy, UK

A creative educational activity which uses tea as a medium to give children and young people a voice on the issues that matter to them.

My name is Julieta. I am a lecturer at YSU and History teacher at AYB school. It was my first time that I went to the UK to participate in Erasmus+ Project called “Time For Tea”. It was an international project, where 21 youth workers from 15 countries came together to learn how to set up and organize a Time for Tea activity with young people at the local or national level. 

At the beginning, I couldn’t really understand what is the purpose of this project that I came for. All that I have got is that this project will help to develop creativity among young people, but how? Soon I found out that Time for Tea is a creative, simple, fun and accessible educational activity. Children and young people of any age, background or ability can take part in, either through schools or in informal groups anywhere in the world.  It is an activity that requires only the lightest of input from hard-pressed teachers but is perfect for students themselves to lead.  The original inspiration comes from the story of the peace activist Satish Kumar, who also delivered packets of tea to world leaders 50 years ago.  In my opinion, this is an excellent project that allows the voices of youth to be heard and challenges them to take any issue they care about to relevant decision-makers by using the medium of a cup of tea. They design creative package, where they put a message inside. They convey it to target group/person, who they think should read that message and think about the problem, until he/she drinks the tea. This training programme allowed me to explore relevant issues that can influence a considerable number of individuals within society. I very much enjoyed being part of this project.

It is just unbelievable, how working together for common goal brings different people together and connects them. Energy and wish to work with young people, motivate and inspire them and wish to improve community – all that grows when you meet people who have same aims. There are so many new ideas, thoughts and approaches from this training… I wish everybody would have an opportunity  and wish to take part in international project/training and to change you own and other people’s lives.

There were many sessions during this project and the positive energy surrounding us all the time. The main one which I liked, when I worked in a team compained with the members of 4 different countries to find a common shared issues between our countries. What we found out while we had a tea together was that we all have similar problems.

During our training and the activities, we started to feel that we can craft some products in very short time periods. Time for Tea challenge was the best activity to see our last product of team work and creativity. Our main topic that gathered us to think of how we have to represent this issue and how to solve it. We planned, organized and worked on with full of team spirit.  We targeted for a clear and strong message, the inward significance in short. After the Time4Tea challenge, it was very clear that the importance and strength of this message fused with team’s creativity, which I believe innate for all human beings as long as it is fed.

“Time for Tea” training course, first of all, provoked my critical thinking and creativity. At the time of workshops and sessions lots of incredible ideas have been shared and interpreted in such an innovative and creative way later on. I met with interesting people who have inspired me in many ways. I met fantastic trainers, which introduced me to the Project and made me aware of the chances of non-formal education. I hope to be able to share this huge amount of knowledge and energy with the young people I work with in my country.    

THANK YOU, ABCD Innovation Center, FOR THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!!

Julieta Ktshanyan

​