“Bridges For Plastic – recycling plastic & environment” in France

“Bridges For Plastic”

Youth Exchange

17th – 31st August

Poussan, France

The “Bridges For Plastic”, it is a Youth Exchange, Co-funded by EU that was implemented on 17th – 31st August 2023 the Catfarm community in Poussan, France and that helped young people raise their awareness around the topic of plastic and plastic recycling while understanding the power of innovative technology and collaboration. Valparaiso’s association is the project holder.

PRAXIS is a partner Organisation with others from Romania, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, and France. Catfarm Education host the project in their community, the Catfarm, in France. The participants explore eco-living, by learning about other solutions for environmental issues and more sustainable lives. Within 15 days in France, they fostering 36 young adults by increasing their capacity for co-creation. The topics that shared by the All participants will be about recycling plastic and the environment, All the participants develop at least 1 workshop sharing about ecology and climate change solutions, a document shared where participants can write about the workshops they would like to host. Open spaces for participants to learn to share their knowledge and practices. The participants also be immersed in an eco-responsible community. PRAXIS participated in this Youth exchange project with 6 young people.

In August 2023 I spent two weeks in the catfarm in Poussan, France alongside 40 other people, participants and volunteers, from many different countries. Catfarm is an eco community that supports a sustainable and green lifestyle. In these two weeks I got familiar with the everyday life of the people in the community and participated in their regular activities, such as Eco building, cooking vegan meals etc.
I also got to know many unique people and their beautiful cultures and connect with them through multiple workshops focusing on human connection and communication. In addition, workshops about plastic, the different kinds of it, the recycle process and the issues it causes to the environment made me willing to face the problem and incorporate a different lifestyle for myself in order to be better and help save the planet. Visiting Catfarm was one of the greatest experiences, so different from anything else that I’ve done and I would recommend it to anyone who has a chance to experience it.

Katerina Tsamandani

Catfarm was life changing. I have to admit that in the beginning I didn’t want to go because I had a lot of my mind due to my University responsibilities but I’m really glad I went. Catfarm gave me the opportunity to open up to myself and have a better way of expressing and thinking with more positivity. Also I got a way better physical health, cause they fed us like five times a day, full of nutritions, so my body was so energized.
Of course I have to mention the friendships and the connections that I gained, that I think I will keep for the rest of my life. And thanks to the incredible workshops that helped us to get attached together, creating a strong bond of friendship. Thank you Catfarm for all these awesome memories.

Dionisia Nikolakopoulou

My experience in the program was very good, as I learned how to communicate better with people I don’t know and also other ways in which a community can coexist. I also learned a lot of useful information about how I can take advantage of plastics without polluting the environment. Finally I was fascinated by the way people lived on the Catfarm and I liked the way they tried to reduce their impact on the environment.

Theano Kourtidou

From 10-24 August I’ve participated in my second Erasmus+ project in Catfarm (Poussan, France). It was a unique experience that gave me the knowledge about all the problems stemming from plastics usage that we are facing and of course ways to overcome them. It also gave me the opportunity to improve my social skills and practice my English. I truly believe that Catfarm is a place that all of us have to visit at least once. It’s a special environment that drags you out of your comfort zone and helps you understand how you can live eco-friendly while at the same time makes it easy and fun to meet other people and become acquainted with new perspectives.

Anna Chatzigeorgiou

Bridges of plastic was one of the most interesting Erasmus+ experiences I’ve ever had. Not being your typical youth exchange, it challenged me at the beginning, but from the very first day Catfarm felt like a home. Two weeks in this parallel normality passed by so quickly, we hadn’t even realised how connected with that place we already were. I’m leaving this place fully satisfied knowing that every part of it will stay with me for years to come. I’m very greatful for the knowledge that I got, the people that I met and the memories we made together, but mostly I’m so happy I was given the chance to belong, even for a small amount of time, in such a community.

Xanthi Ntoufa

Once in a lifetime experience the relationship with other people was grate, nice to see how important is this way of life in catfarm, creative and fun work shops with the volunteers, a lot free spaces, beautiful trips with full freedom and finally the best vegan food with 5 times for eat (breakfast, break 1, lunch, break 2, dinner)

Philippos Foutzi