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Activities of the organization
Adastra Ljubljana is a non-governmental organization that focuses on three main areas of its activity: building an equal civil society, education and enabling young people and others to realize their goals and ideas. Our institute is created to serve as an educational organization that brings together trainers, youth workers, social workers, experts, young people and volunteers with different levels of competence to create and actively engage in social activities. The establishment of the institute was the result of recognizing the needs of youth workers and young people with whom we actively cooperate, as the needs outgrew individual actions and the establishment of the institute was the only logical way to achieve and realize the set goals and ideas.
Members of the institute actively cooperate with the surrounding elementary schools (Oskar Kovačič Elementary School, Livada Elementary School, Danile Kumar Elementary School, Mladinski dom Jarše Elementary School), the production school of Mladinski dom Jarše, the faculties of the University of Ljubljana (AGRFT, Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy) and foreign organizations throughout Europe. Our members participate in several Erasmus+ activities as participants and also as organizers of these (youth exchanges, mobility of youth workers, international conferences, sports projects, cooperative partnerships, solidarity projects,...). But now we have decided to carry out the activities within our institute and thus achieve the set goals through integration.
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All members of our institute have in common that we want to improve the lives of everyone we work with and realize ideas and visions together with them.
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To support young people and others in difficult transitional periods.
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We believe that it is important to listen to people, to understand their needs and to find solutions together in an open and innovative approach.
Our mission, philosophy and goals
Adastra provides a supportive environment that enables young people and others to develop their talents and skills. It provides them with support in finding suitable education and/or employment in the desired field, as well as in the development of ideas and projects. An important goal is to encourage actions and activities that will encourage young people to lead a better life for themselves and their peers, and enable them to acquire skills through informal work methods. We raise awareness of important youth issues, develop partnerships between youth organizations around the world and continuously involve young people with fewer opportunities in international mobility and other projects. In accordance with our philosophy, we always place people at the center of all our activities: with the young people we meet, to make them aware, "successful", satisfied and happy citizens; in the case of our colleagues, to be successful and motivated in their work and the development of their ideas. We believe that it is important to listen to people, to understand their needs and to find solutions together in an open and innovative approach. Therefore, our work has always been based on many approaches and activities: sports, music, theater, dance, art, performances, outdoor experiences (in nature and with a focus on sustainability), digital skills, IT literacy and personal support and a personal approach. In doing so, we often cooperate with local, national and also international organizations (in several youth exchanges, research studies, visits,...). Goals of the institute: - accepting diversity and preventing hate speech; - promote the values of diversity and inclusion of young people; - fight against stereotypes and xenophobia; - to strengthen the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary for the full acceptance, support and promotion of differences in society; - involving people with fewer opportunities in international projects; - support and encourage local initiatives and projects; - transition to green energy; - sustainable self-sufficiency and sustainable construction; - to support and encourage the involvement of young people in voluntary work for the benefit of the community; - cooperate and fight against racism, discrimination and corruption; - education of youth workers and other interested parties; - development of ideas for a better future for young people and others; - intergenerational cooperation; - connecting with other organizations and institutions.
Adastra targets young people
Our goal is to support young people in difficult transitional periods. By joining forces with schools and various educational institutions, we have decided to develop our ideas in the organized form of an institute, thus enabling various institutions to find common solutions to help young people.
Adastra educates
In our work, we use innovative co-designed workshops and methods that provide focus and actionable solutions that will have a real impact on young people and that can be applied beyond the community of the organizations involved. We also educate youth workers on how to use different work methods, and we especially emphasize the importance of sports and artistic activities for the successful development of young people.
Adastra projects
With the help of various Erasmus+ projects and supporters, we realize our mission.
What we do and who we are
Adastra provides a supportive environment that enables young people and others to develop their talents and skills. It provides them with support in finding suitable education and/or employment in the desired field, as well as in the development of ideas and projects. An important goal is to encourage actions and activities that will encourage young people to lead a better life for themselves and their peers, and enable them to acquire skills through informal work methods. We raise awareness of important youth issues, develop partnerships between youth organizations around the world and continuously involve young people with fewer opportunities in international mobility and other projects. Together with experts, we build concrete teaching, learning and guidance materials based on this framework. Currently, together with our partners, we are developing alternative ways of working and teaching, where we try to act diagnostically as well as therapeutically on young people with the help of various activities. The strategies and methods created offer teachers, youth workers and counselors the tools to overcome loneliness and promote and strengthen a sense of belonging and other personal qualities. The material created is devoted to meaningful and effective interventions, activities and methods to combat problems with belonging, self-esteem, mental problems, hardships, etc.
The members of the institute, who will carry out activities in practice, are well trained in various topics, such as: empowerment, personal development, human rights education, conflict management, environmental awareness, active citizenship, social inclusion, integration, recruitment, organizational management, sports activities,..
Other Member Skills:
Management and organizational skills
Team management skills
Materials, tools, products and software
Cognitive and problem-solving skills
Social and communication skills and competences
Artistic and sports skills and competences
Business skills
Social, educational, psychological and medical assistance to people in socially endangered situations.
Promoting the rights of minors, women and families to independent information
In cooperation with health, social, educational services and other public bodies, enable and improve the decent quality of life of minors, young people and families in risky situations or social conflicts.
Guidance, counseling, information and education of minors, women and/or families on legal, economic, social, psychological, medical and ethical issues. Comprehensive help and support for minors, women and families facing physical, mental, sexual, social and institutional abuse.
Promote activity programs and implement services aimed at preventing possible situations of risk and/or social exclusion.
Solidarity projects
We provide space and support for young people to realize their ideas. We believe that the journey is more important than the destination. Our guiding principle in such projects is learning through the project process. We co-create projects together with young people, not instead of them.
Mobility projects
We enable young people and youth workers to gain experience at trainings, conferences, educations, youth exchanges, through internships in other countries and workplaces, etc.
Partnerships for Cooperation
Our members have been participating in Erasmus+ projects since 2004, and during this time they have created a large network of partner organizations, with which they realize their goals and connect in larger projects with the aim of innovation, alternative work methods, and by connecting different skills, they enable the realization of even large ideas.
Our projects and activities
Visit our Facebook and Instagram page and other channels, where you can read more about our projects and the institute's activities.
Adastra team
Professional Team
All the members of our institute have in common that we want to improve the lives of everyone we work with and realize ideas and visions together with them, and the following "among equals" are responsible for managing the institute and mentoring:
Tomi Martinjak
PROFESSIONALTomi Martinjak (youth worker) working for the Youth Center Jarše, where we deal with young people with emotional and behavioral problems. I focus most of my energy and time on alternative and new ways of teaching and methodologies on how to approach and influence young people. That is why I have been very active in the Erasmus+ program for many years, where I organized and carried out many youth exchanges, solidarity projects, international conferences and mobility of youth workers, where we learned about good practices in other countries, and hosted many volunteers and also sent our young people as volunteers. In addition, recent years I have participated and am still participating in several KA2 projects within the framework of Erasmus+. I believe in our projects, because I am convinced that with help of all this different projects comes changes that are necessary for successful work with young people, both in the field of education and personal goals. Young people need new ways of teaching, methods of work, etc. I belive in sport activities and use them as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.
Juan Sebastian Pulpeiro Olivera
PROFESSIONALI’m a really motivated and devoted person that has a lot of energy and love to take initiatives. I love sports and outdoor activities and I think I can say I’m a healthy person. I have an easy contact with youngsters as it seems they feel comfortable with me. About what I think I could bring to projects: My experience of several years in the scouts, where I organized different types of activities, like camps and socio- cultural activities, the experience I gained working through the years in the social sector of an Argentinian-Spanish NGO “Asociacion de Jovenes Descendientes de Españoles de la Republica Argentina” and a national NGO which counts more than 3000members, www.ajdera.org.ar or www.sijeargentina.org.ar (in which we organize exchange activities with other regions or projects of labour trainings and international cooperation projects for youngsters), my experience in organizing and participating to different projects and seminars on national and international level I think I can bring my experience to projects and that I can learn so much out of it.
Katarina Fekonja
PROFESSIONALKatarina je učiteljica in predstavlja neposredno vez med OŠ in našo organizacijo.
Nina Barbič
PROFESSIONALShe has been a yoga teacher since 2015. She completed her yoga teacher training at the Agniyoga School in Ljubljana and specialized in yoga for teenagers at the Teen Yoga Foundation in England.
As a teacher of Spanish language she started gaining experience with teaching young people at ŠOLT language school in Ljubljana where her pupils were mostly highschool and university students.
As a mother of three boys she completed different trainings in nonviolent communication, mediation, and NLP and is an eager researcher of communication and connection with children and young people. She found yoga for teenagers to be an excellent tool for dealing with the challenges of this complex period of adolescence. She gives TeenYoga classes and strives for introducing yoga based techniques, breathing, mindfulness and meditation in the school environment and extracurricular activities for youth.
In her free time you can meet her with her family and a dog in the forest and on the meadow, as she is an enthusiastic forager of nature's gifts. She also enjoys spending her time in the vegetable garden, baking bread, preparing herbal teas, and cooking homemade jams. Evenings are often spent in the cinema or with a good book.
As a teacher of Spanish language she started gaining experience with teaching young people at ŠOLT language school in Ljubljana where her pupils were mostly highschool and university students.
As a mother of three boys she completed different trainings in nonviolent communication, mediation, and NLP and is an eager researcher of communication and connection with children and young people. She found yoga for teenagers to be an excellent tool for dealing with the challenges of this complex period of adolescence. She gives TeenYoga classes and strives for introducing yoga based techniques, breathing, mindfulness and meditation in the school environment and extracurricular activities for youth.
In her free time you can meet her with her family and a dog in the forest and on the meadow, as she is an enthusiastic forager of nature's gifts. She also enjoys spending her time in the vegetable garden, baking bread, preparing herbal teas, and cooking homemade jams. Evenings are often spent in the cinema or with a good book.
Other colleagues
Jelena Lugonja
SLOVENIAJelena Lugonja has a long-standing desire to bring yoga closer to young people, especially young people with fewer opportunities. Her children are
attended elementary school in Hawaii, USA, where yoga was practiced as part of the regular school curriculum. Not only is it school
staff noted better classroom behavior and aerobic capacity after incorporating yoga practices, but they were also better overall
concentration, memory and school performance. As a parent, she noticed that her children became less anxious these days and
scattered, instead they were more cheerful and collected as she watched them go about their daily activities. Obesity in
childhood, ADD/ADHD, trauma, stress, lack of physical activity, social isolation, poor mental hygiene are problems, with
which most adults in today's society did not have to deal with growing up. Jelena is aware of how useful they are
maybe yoga, breathing and meditation, especially for those who come from underprivileged or socially unstable families. All
wants to offer young people the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that will help them take care of their physical and psychological well-being
feeling.
Pragna Pranav
SLOVENIA/INDIAPragna Pranav is a certified yoga instructor from India. She has been living in Ljubljana for almost ten years. She will lead project (Joga in our lives) and yoga courses and prepared contents and methodologies, and connect people with each other, she will also take care of the correct execution of processes,
exercises. She is specialized in working with children and youth. Her life desire is to pass on her knowledge and life principles of yoga to young people and thus help them in their lives.
David Choporchino
SPAINI come from Barcelona (Spain). I love board’s enough for a brief introduction, let’ my favorite colour is green and my favorite animal is the Octopus.
I have…studied Physical Education and Sport Science in the INEFC (National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia), so my academic background comes from the sport sector, but I have never worked in the sports field professionaly.
I am actively contributing during activities and Erasmus + Projects organised by European NGOs in various areas, including Human Rights, Inclusion, Sports, Self Developement & Growth...
I have…studied Physical Education and Sport Science in the INEFC (National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia), so my academic background comes from the sport sector, but I have never worked in the sports field professionaly.
I am actively contributing during activities and Erasmus + Projects organised by European NGOs in various areas, including Human Rights, Inclusion, Sports, Self Developement & Growth...
Partners in EUROPE
With various Erasmus+ projects, we cooperate with many organizations in Europe and the world. The most important thing for any successful project is a team of like-minded, energetic and reliable people. Over the years, we have established a network of trusted partners.
Stefan Lukić
SERBIAI work as a social worker at Center for protection of infants, children and youth. The center provides care and support for children aged 7 to 26 without parental care.I fell in love with sports from an early age, so I played football, volleyball and athletics as an amateur. After that, I found myself in basketball, and played professionally until I was 18. Nowadays I play teniss and basketball as a hobby, and run half marathon races.This opportunity to climb the Triglav is a challenge for me as well as a new experience in mountain climbing and project that we applied. Moreover, I see it as a opportunity to move and set new limits in the sporting sense. In my opinion the working in nature, in a dynamic environment, exchanging experiences and hiking is an excellent way for my additional professional development. I also think that I can apply that whole experience in my daily work.
Ana Patricia Castro
GERMANY-MEXICOI was born in Mexico City. I have been living in Berlin for almost 17 years. Moving to a country without knowing the language or having any family support network was a life changing experience for me. I studied psychology in Potsdam and did a specialization in systemic therapy for children and adolescents. I have been working with adolescents for 10 years and I am really lucky to have found my dream job. My goal is to empower youths and help them to understand that even if they have been victims of difficult situations in their lifes does not mean that they have to live as victims of circumstances forever. I have been working for 7 years in a shelter for girls and what I enjoy the most are the daily events full of energy and fun. Part of my work is being there for them in the hard times and in those moments I realize why I chose this profession!!! Working with teenagers is having to be prepared for unexpected events and constant changes and still find the best possible way to go through them.
Hugo
SPAINI am the local facilitator, I live in Gran Canaria, the neighboring island of Tenerife.
I am a professional educator and I love sports, leisure in nature and travel.
I have participated in various types of erasmus projects during the last 5 years.
I am a professional educator and I love sports, leisure in nature and travel.
I have participated in various types of erasmus projects during the last 5 years.
Laura Vos
GEORGIA/GRUZIJALaura Vos is project manager, educator and social worker. Laura is from Belgium and joined the team in 2019 through her
ESC project in ICPI. She grew up in the field of youth work as a Scouting member, from 2010-2016 she was involved in the
organization as a youth worker. She has degrees in Orthopedagogy (Remedial Education) and Social & Cultural Work. From
2012-2021 she did multiple internships, jobs and volunteered in organizations and institutions in Belgium and Suriname,
mainly working with children/youth from 3-21 years old, with a special focus on those with Social, Emotional & Behavioural
Difficulties, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities & fewer opportunities. Her main responsibilities included creating
educational programs, facilitating workshops and educational activities, youth residential care, organizational management
& communication, project management, arts & cultural education. Since 2021 she has been involved full-time in ICPI.
Kosta Gajič
SERBIAI work as a social worker at Center for protection of infants, children and youth. The center provides care and support for children aged 7 to 26 without parental care.I fell in love with sports from an early age, so I played football, volleyball and athletics as an amateur. After that, I found myself in basketball, and played professionally until I was 18. Nowadays I play teniss and basketball as a hobby, and run half marathon races.This opportunity to climb the Triglav is a challenge for me as well as a new experience in mountain climbing and project that we applied. Moreover, I see it as a opportunity to move and set new limits in the sporting sense. In my opinion the working in nature, in a dynamic environment, exchanging experiences and hiking is an excellent way for my additional professional development. I also think that I can apply that whole experience in my daily work.
Dilan Doğruyol
TURKEYCommunication&Social Media Expert, Project: She was graduated from Communication Design Department of Bahçeşehir University in 2019. She is professionalized as Social Media and Communication field. She is highly experienced about soft skill development (communicatin skills). She took part of several Erasmus+ projects. She especially has experience of dissemination part of projects. She worked as a facilitotor in 2 projects, a youth exchange and a training course in 2020.
Donatas Verseckas
LITHUANIAI started participating in various international educational projects and non-formal education activities in 2013. Since then, I have worked on various international teams led by outstanding NGOs, successful business operatives and prestigious educational institutions. 7 years of experience as a president of non-governmental organisations has equipped me with practical knowledge, gave me a platform to develop valuable skills and attitudes, and helped me find balance in cross-sectoral cooperation.I have expertise in conflict resolution and mediation, which come from my academic background in mediation, law and management. I am a team player with leadership skills. For the last couple of years, I have devoted my time to further grow with Erasmus+, Europe for citizens, NordPlus, Polish-Lithuanian exchange programmes. I have broad experience in strategic partnerships, structured dialogue, policy reform and capacity building projects. Activities that I focus on aim to bring attention to the biggest socio-economic problems of Europe (refugee crises, climate crisis, economic recovery and social integration of marginalised groups). I have guided the development of a strategy for our future work in various programmes.
Estrella Luna Muñoz
PORTUGALEstrella´s major aspiration is to inspire, empower, and support young people to lead the way towards a more inclusive, fair, resilient, and regenerative society.
As a Youth Worker and Coordinator and Project Manager of several projects focused on educational innovation, intercultural dialogue, art, and community social integration, she has intervened in Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Honduras, and Cape Verde.
With a Ph.D. in Education with Information and Communication Technology (ICT), she has been working as a Media and Information Literacy Professor in several educational institutions.
Seen as a specialist in using Media and ICT for youth empowerment and social integration, she has been invited to participate as a Speaker in several lectures in congresses, inclusive of some organized by UNESCO.
As a Youth Worker and Coordinator and Project Manager of several projects focused on educational innovation, intercultural dialogue, art, and community social integration, she has intervened in Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Honduras, and Cape Verde.
With a Ph.D. in Education with Information and Communication Technology (ICT), she has been working as a Media and Information Literacy Professor in several educational institutions.
Seen as a specialist in using Media and ICT for youth empowerment and social integration, she has been invited to participate as a Speaker in several lectures in congresses, inclusive of some organized by UNESCO.
Benedetto Campione
ITALYMy organization promotes social and cultural emancipation and human growth and integration of fragile people keeping the person as whole being in the centre of its educational action.
Main Activities: sport, dance, music, theatre, digital fabrication, arts&craft&DIY, school homework support, fieldtrips – carried out within the several youth centres managed in the city and in the province of Parma; hyppotherapy and pet-therapy; daily occupational lab for disable people; outreach education projects; with and in-school projects; kids and adult training on digital skills, transversal skills, sustainability, self-awareness and self-empowerment; support to schools and families building projects for their kids.
Main Activities: sport, dance, music, theatre, digital fabrication, arts&craft&DIY, school homework support, fieldtrips – carried out within the several youth centres managed in the city and in the province of Parma; hyppotherapy and pet-therapy; daily occupational lab for disable people; outreach education projects; with and in-school projects; kids and adult training on digital skills, transversal skills, sustainability, self-awareness and self-empowerment; support to schools and families building projects for their kids.
Maja Milačić
SERBIAPhilologist, project manager, gestalt therapist under supervision, gestalt coach and consultant, intuitive and success coach, developing her skills in the field of gestalt therapy and coaching. Experienced in work in the field of social care with children and youth, and in developing innovative approach in creating services for them in local community.
Svitlana Khvostyk
UKRAINE/BELGIUMI have lived all my life in Ukraine (Kiev), but for the last months I have been living in Belgium becouse of the war. I like sports and outdoor activities, reading, drawing, learning new things and I love people (to uncover their essence, to see their depth and beautiful soul) .I believe that the road to self-awareness is a lifelong journey. And it is better if it starts as early as possible. I always felt interest to psychology, meditations, etc., I was brought up in an ordinary family from the former Soviet Union, where it was not accepted to talk about consciousness (and going to a psychologist meant something awful), we did not talk about the influence of emotions on us, and of course nobody taught me to distinguish and work with my feelings. I am an art historian/interior designer by education and that also gave me a good foundation to start diving into people's emotions, their experiences and expressing themselves through art (which is also a kind of meditation). I continue to study psychology, and of course meditation occupies a huge part of my life. I am practicing deeper methods of meditation, constantly looking for new methods and different tools to work with myself (such as nailing on the Sadhu board, which I have been practicing very actively for more than 1.5 years).
Yevhenii Luhanskyi
UKRAINEHe is actively involved in Street Workout Dnipro movement which regularly organizes sporting activities for those who wish to take part, including people with disabilities. The idea of our movement is that anybody can engage in sports. To do sports you don’t have to attend expensive gyms, you can play sports just in the street using simulators on sports grounds in the yards and outdoor parks and achieve a really good result.
Partners outside EUROPE
We have partners all over the world because we believe that we can improve world only all together.
Axel Dollin
GUADALUPE-FRANCEAxel Dollin: is a youth worker and teacher at a local school who deals with young people with social difficulties, who
confronted in the past with violence, exclusion, drugs, police, sexual violence. He is responsible for logistic help during
our activities in Guadalupe.
Lionel Lecurieux Lafferronnay
MARTINIQUE-FRANCEHe is a sport éducator, who work with young boys in social difficulties, young boys
with police survey. He use sport and sport projects to help find solutions for their future. Lionel is also a volley ball coach who
train young nationale Teams and is an active member in beach volley développement in thé island. He is responsible for
sport activities and hikes during our projects in Martinique.
Alaa Motawea:
EGYPT
(Head of Culture Exchange Office): Alaa was born in Italy, works as a Pharmacist in Chest Hospital, Kafr Alsheikh, Egypt. He is a Cultural Exchange and International Partnerships Specialist at Mediterranean Youth Foundation for Development, Giza, Egypt. In addition, he participated in Erasmus+ Youth Exchange projects in Turkey and Serbia, and was a volunteer with AIESEC in Azerbaijan as well. 27 / 86 Call 2023 Round 3 YOU KA153-YOU - Mobility of youth workers Form ID KA153-YOU-EFDF704E Deadline (Brussels Time) 04 Oct 2023 12:00:00 EN He was a rapporteur in Mediterranean Youth Academy- Second Edition project. He is a Virtual Exchange Dialogue Facilitator with Soliya Program, and among his most important personal and professional goals are civil society services.
Mesut Bayezit
St.MARTIN-NEDERLANDMesut, has been a youth worker and trainer for over 10 years experiences of EU funded youth projects including EVS, youth exchanges, and training courses. He took part in an EU funded job shadowing placement in Montserrat and St. Maarten, Caribbean islands to develop the Erasmus+ Caribbean network in the Overseas Countries and Territories. He volunteered in humanitarian aid activities provided after both of the hurricanes that hit the Caribbean recently in 2017. He supported and provided care for homeless and elderly people and organizing social activities (theatre, role-plays, games, sports events etc.) for disadvantaged kids in schools after the hurricanes. He acts in four key action; planning, organizing, leading and controlling.
(+386) 41 360 233
info@adastraljubljana.si
Baznikova 11b
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia