Aventura Marão Clube (AMC)

Aventura Marão Clube (AMC) is a no profit association created in 1993 by a group of young people of Amarante (actually AMC has more than 300 members). The main aim is to promote a healthy way of life among the population (especially Youth) and nowadays runs four different sections: Mountain Bikes, Canoeing, Traditional music and Fair Trade. Under this last one AMC opened in 1999 the first Portuguese Fair Trade shop and, since 2008, runs Casa da Juventude de Amarante (Youth Centre and Hostel) coordinating already more than 90 projects, mainly European, involving at least 3000 foreigners and more than 1000 local youngsters in volunteering and international mobility. By so we are quite engaged promoting Europe and its values to the local youth community, being actively involved in several projects (Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, volunteering projects, etc.), under programs such as Erasmus+. AMC approved its strategic plan for 2014-2020 that sustain the experience and knowledge that we collected and also take into consideration the SWOT analysis we’ve done by the end of 2013 allowing us to conclude that: - We need to find innovative approaches to involve our local youngsters (as Amarante is a departure and not arrivals place, with quite large scale of young people unmotivated and jobless, just activity users and without entrepreneurship culture/skills); - We should harness the positive image (window of opportunity) we have with young people and local community to, first of all, obtain more feedback about the needs in order to function as a reference and also leverage the existing technical capacity of local partner institutions; - It is essential to promote the European dimension and frame funding opportunities arising from new EU support frameworks with particular emphasis on the Erasmus+ Program 2014-2020. Taking this into account the strategy adopted should meet the identified needs and seize new opportunities available, fitting in both cases the priorities arising from the vision we have for this space / concept. The implementation of this strategy should be based on educational approaches that privileges Non-Formal Education (NFE) as a methodology and encourage the use of experiential methods (learning by doing), surprising activities (art/provocation), including information and communication technologies (ICT), and finally, using music and outdoor activities (sports and nature) as tools for more active involvement of young people in our activities. Finally, and despite being essential to monitor the identified needs and adapt our actions to the policies and priorities that define the context in which we work, we cannot neglect the strategic pillars we consider and give coherence and support to our work: a) Healthy lifestyles (food and sport); b) Sustainable development (in the fields of organic farming, local consumption and fair trade); c) Volunteering and Human Rights Education; d) Innovation and Creativity; e) Intercultural dialogue, mainly with partners from out of Europe: Africa and Caucasus. Nowadays, AMC assumes a main role in the social and cultural dynamic of Amarante, being partner in many different events/initiatives, either local or international, leaded by other entities that consider relevant our engagement and contribution, such as the local Municipality. It is important to highlight, among others: - Participation and co-organization of Festa Amarantina (community-based street event) and Há Fest /local youth festival); - Participation in the projects CHANGE e CITY CENTRE DOCTOR (transformation of social agents and city centre rehabilitation); - Participation and co-organization of projects RUA e ÔLO (urban rehabilitation and sustainable tourism). AMC is an accredited entity for sending, hosting and coordinating EVS and it is present at the European Solidarity Corps database (PASS - Placement Administration and Support System).