01/10/2023
France
participants
The International Southern Week-End (WEIS) had diverse goals :
Discover the region and the Mediterranean coast
Foster intercultural interactions
Encourage section cooperation
Generate cultural exchange through sport
Develop volunteers' skills
Promote tolerance and respect
The WEIS is a week-end event. Each section arrived on the Friday evening at the camping. They used buses as means of transportation. Each student received a welcome pack with a reusable cup, a cup-holder, a t-shirt, a red bandana, a bottle opener. Then, once everybody is settled in their bungalow, we provided hot-dogs while the party started. The theme of the first party was "feria" which is a famous celebration in southern french villages where everybody has a white t-shirt and a red bandana (which were provided in the welcome pack). We put in place a "responsible party" system as each participants had limited free drinks. We also provided easy-accessible water and food throughout the night.
On Saturday morning, we enjoyed a brunch together near the swimming pool. Then, a group of students went to the beach accompanied by volunteers and olympiads took place inside the camping. Teams were mixed between the three sections and between volunteers and participants. We organised many activities to foster interactions between the participants with ice-breaker activities, sport activities and calmer ones so everybody could find the right fit for them.
After the activities, we provided a giant snaking stand which was funded by a private insurance company. This stand included healthy snacks such as wholemeal bread and cheese, oat-meal cookies, sugar-free juices, yogurt, fruits etc. The participants sat down together during the snacking time and had some time to talk together.
After this calm time, we organised a foam pool party at around 5pm where we danced in the foam together. Then everybody went to get change before the BBQ dinner.
After that, we organised another party which was an Hawaiian themed party.
On Sunday morning, we had another brunch and we either chilled at the swimming pool or at the beach.
Throughout the weekend, the volunteers from each sections spent time together, participants from each sections were encouraged to be mixed up in activities as well. We had a professional Safeteam with us as well as an ESN Safeteam during the day and the night which provided condoms, information etc.
