Cyprus – Preparation Activities

Introduction

The Cyprus team actively participated in the preparation phase of the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange "Voices of Change: Empowering Youth Through Digital Storytelling (V.O.I.C.E.)". The project brings together young people to explore social change, diversity, digital skills, and inclusion through non-formal education and creative storytelling.

During the preparation period, participants from Cyprus worked on research, reflection, and creative content development. They explored important social issues affecting young people and society, while also learning how storytelling can be used as a tool for awareness, empathy, and positive change.

About the Preparation Activities in Cyprus

The preparation activities in Cyprus were designed to help participants:

  • understand the aims and topics of the youth exchange

  • explore important social issues in Cyprus

  • develop research and digital storytelling skills

  • prepare visual and educational materials

  • reflect on identity, inclusion, and youth voices

  • contribute actively to the common goals of the project

According to the project preparation plan, national groups were expected to organize meetings, discuss the project themes, prepare research on relevant topics, and create presentations and materials from their countries before the youth exchange.

What the Cyprus Team Worked On

The Cyprus participants focused on a combination of research, creative storytelling, and awareness-raising materials.

Their work included:

  • researching social issues affecting young people in Cyprus

  • preparing posters and visual storytelling materials

  • exploring how media influences social understanding

  • connecting personal stories with identity and inclusion

  • reflecting on social change through storytelling

  • learning how youth participation can be strengthened through Erasmus+ opportunities

These activities helped participants build confidence, improve communication, and prepare meaningful contributions for the international youth exchange.

Research Posters and Creative Outputs

1. Youth Unemployment in Cyprus

One of the main research topics prepared by the Cyprus team was youth unemployment in Cyprus.

This short study explains that many young people struggle to find stable work, even after finishing school or university. One major difficulty is that employers often ask for experience, while young people cannot gain experience unless someone first gives them an opportunity. The study also highlights that many young people find only temporary jobs, which creates insecurity and makes it harder to plan for the future or become financially independent.

The research also emphasizes that unemployment affects more than income. It can influence mental health, self-confidence, motivation, and future plans. Some young people begin to think about leaving Cyprus in search of better opportunities abroad, while others feel stuck and discouraged.

DOWNLOAD A sho...Vaso.pdf

The poster included youth unemployment figures for Cyprus:

  • 2022: 15.50%

  • 2023: 14.0%

  • 2024: 13.50%

  • 2025: 12.90%

Even though the numbers show a decrease, the issue remains serious for many young people.

The research also included the words of a young Cypriot describing the difficulty of sending many CVs, receiving few replies, and facing demands for experience that young people often do not yet have.

2. Media Representation of Marginalized Groups in Cyprus

Another important output from the Cyprus team focused on media representation of marginalized groups.

This poster explored how media can influence the way society sees migrants, minorities, and other groups that are often underrepresented or misrepresented. The material showed that positive representation can reduce stereotypes and promote empathy, while negative representation can create fear, prejudice, and misunderstanding.

The poster also explained that some media stories highlight success, contribution, and real human experiences, while others focus mainly on crime, crisis, or social problems. This can shape public attitudes in harmful ways.

A key message of the poster was that digital storytelling creates fairer voices, because it gives people the possibility to share their own stories directly through social media, blogs, podcasts, and video platforms. This supports more balanced and inclusive representation.

3. Creative Storytelling and Personal Identity

The Cyprus team also worked on the theme of creative storytelling and personal identity.

This research explained that personal stories are important because they help people express their experiences, emotions, values, and identity. Storytelling allows individuals to share who they are, where they come from, and what has shaped their lives. It also helps others understand different perspectives and creates opportunities for empathy and dialogue, especially in multicultural environments.

The material also highlighted the relationship between storytelling and well-being. By telling their stories, individuals can reflect on their experiences, better understand their feelings, and build confidence. Storytelling can help people feel heard, valued, and connected.

DOWNLOAD Resea...ling.pdf

Another key point was that creative storytelling helps young people step out of their comfort zone. Through photography, writing, video, and other forms of expression, young people can discover new talents, strengthen communication skills, and grow personally. In youth work, this makes storytelling a strong tool for empowerment, participation, and inclusion.

4. Storytelling for Social Change

A central theme in the Cyprus preparation was storytelling for social change.

This research showed that storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to communicate social issues. While facts and statistics help explain that a problem exists, stories show how that problem affects real people. This emotional connection helps audiences understand issues more deeply and encourages empathy and action.

The material explained that storytelling can:

  • humanize difficult issues

  • build empathy and awareness

  • help people understand different experiences

  • amplify voices that are often ignored

  • inspire communities to take action

DOWNLOAD Socia...idou.pdf

The research also included the example of the #LikeAGirl campaign, which challenged gender stereotypes by changing the negative meaning often attached to the phrase "like a girl." The campaign showed how storytelling can transform public perception and spark global discussion.

5. Digital Storytelling

The Cyprus team also explored the concept of digital storytelling as an educational and social tool.

Their poster explained that digital storytelling is the use of digital tools such as videos, photos, audio recordings, and blogs to tell personal, social, or educational stories. It allows people to share experiences and ideas online using multimedia formats.

The material emphasized that digital storytelling is especially important for youth and social change because it:

  • gives young people a voice

  • raises awareness about social issues

  • helps people understand different perspectives

  • encourages creativity and digital media skills

The poster also provided examples such as Humans of New York and youth activism videos as ways storytelling can create strong public impact.

6. Erasmus+ Opportunities for Young People

As part of the preparation activities, participants also learned more about Erasmus+ opportunities for young people.

This research explained that Erasmus+ offers young people important opportunities to travel, learn, cooperate internationally, and develop personally. It described the value of:

  • youth exchanges

  • training courses

  • volunteering projects

DOWNLOAD erasm...ties.pdf

The material highlighted that youth exchanges help participants meet people from different countries, learn through non-formal education, and develop teamwork, communication, and intercultural skills. Training courses help young people become more active in youth work and social initiatives, while volunteering gives them the chance to support communities and gain meaningful experience.

The poster also underlined the importance of intercultural exchange and mobility in helping young people become more open-minded, confident, adaptable, and active citizens.

7. Cyberbullying and Social Media

Another awareness poster prepared by the Cyprus team focused on cyberbullying and social media.

This material explained that online harassment and exclusion on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are real and can continue beyond school life. It highlighted that cyberbullying can cause anxiety, low self-esteem, social isolation, and difficulties in school performance.

The poster also promoted the role of being an upstander rather than a silent observer. It encouraged young people to:

  • report abusive content

  • support the person being bullied

  • avoid sharing hurtful content

  • talk to a trusted adult

  • keep proof of harmful messages

  • take breaks from social media when needed

Its central message was simple and powerful:
"Kindness is digital. Start with you."

8. Environmental Awareness – SAVE & SHARE

The Cyprus team also included an environmental storytelling example through the SAVE & SHARE awareness campaign.

This poster presented SAVE & SHARE as an environmental awareness campaign by Graphic Stories Cyprus. It described the campaign as an example of how media and visual storytelling can be used to promote sustainability and environmental protection.

The poster explained that the campaign works well because it:

  • combines creativity with participation

  • actively involves youth and the local community

  • focuses on real-life environmental issues in Cyprus

  • encourages action, not just observation

It also drew practical lessons for others, such as the value of combining online and offline platforms, involving the community, and focusing on relevant local issues.

What the Participants Did

Research and Reflection

Participants from Cyprus carried out research on topics connected to the main themes of the project: social change, inclusion, media, identity, youth participation, and real-life youth challenges.

They collected information, reflected on how these issues appear in Cyprus, and transformed their findings into short educational texts and posters.

Poster Creation and Visual Communication

Participants created a series of visual posters to communicate their ideas in a clear and creative way. These posters combined text, statistics, examples, slogans, and images in order to make the topics accessible and engaging for a wider audience.

Personal and Social Storytelling

The Cyprus team also worked with storytelling as a method of self-expression and social awareness. They explored how personal stories connect with identity, how storytelling can support empathy, and how youth voices can be heard more clearly through creative and digital tools.

Awareness Raising

Through their materials, participants raised awareness about youth unemployment, marginalized voices, cyberbullying, inclusion, environmental issues, and opportunities for international youth participation.

Their work shows how young people can move from simple observation to meaningful expression and public engagement.

Learning Outcomes

Through the preparation activities, the Cyprus participants developed:

  • stronger awareness of social issues

  • basic research and analysis skills

  • storytelling and visual communication skills

  • confidence in expressing ideas and experiences

  • better understanding of inclusion and representation

  • stronger motivation to participate in intercultural youth activities

These outcomes are closely linked to the wider objectives of the V.O.I.C.E. project, which aims to empower young people to use digital storytelling as a medium to address social issues, challenge stereotypes, promote inclusion, and inspire action.

Conclusion

The preparation activities in Cyprus played an important role in helping participants understand the themes of the V.O.I.C.E. project and contribute actively before the youth exchange.

By combining research, creativity, personal reflection, and visual storytelling, the Cyprus team created meaningful materials that reflect both local realities and common European challenges. Their work shows that young people are not only able to identify social issues, but also to communicate them in thoughtful, creative, and impactful ways.

These preparation activities helped the Cyprus participants become better prepared for the international exchange in Latvia and strengthened their role as young voices for inclusion, awareness, and social change.