Hello, July! გამარჯობა ივლისო! Summer is in full swing, bringing long sunny days, plenty of energy, and lots of opportunities to connect. July was another busy month at DRONI, filled with workshops, international projects, dedicated Team volunteers, and many great moments shared in our new office.
This month, we said goodbye to our volunteer Valentine, who completed her volunteering service. At the end of the month we sadly also had to part from Florian and Sophia. Thank you all for everything you contributed to DRONI—we’ll miss you and wish you all the best! At the same time, we’re happy to welcome Basil to the team. We hope you feel at home here and look forward to the months ahead together.
Read more about everything that happened in July in this month’s edition of DRONI Wrapped :
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Local Events
→ Get Ready Workshop: “Blackout Poetry”, 4th of July
Participants of the youth exchange “Out of our minds” held a dissemination activity. “Blackout Poetry” for DRONI members on 4th of July. The workshop started with a brief introduction to Erasmus+, the youth exchange that took place in Tenerife and learning outcomes from it. They implemented a “blackout poetry” workshop that was very interesting during the youth exchange. Activity started with a brief introduction of how it was done during the project and what was the aim of it. At the same time, they used the information learned about its upbringing and introduced this knowledge to the local participants. The workshop included working with newspapers having a negative context in it. The participant’s main task was to highlight positive words in these texts and create a small message from this negative context. Process included being creative, realising how we put out focus on negativity and how perspective can change it all. Participants were not familiar with this activity which made the process more interesting for them. The workshop ended with a small reflection to understand the impact of this activity. Overall it was a very successful implementation of the activity that was first used during the youth exchange “Out of our minds”.
→ Get Ready Workshop: “Mind in Motion”, 7th of July
The Mind in Motion: Dissemination Workshop was successfully held at DRONI Office on the 7th of July. The workshop created a calm and open space where participants could reflect on their emotions, express themselves, and connect with others. All planned activities were implemented as expected. Participants took part in the “Yes or No” movement activity, worked on personal reflection questions, expressed emotions through drawing, and ended the session with a short meditation and emotional cleansing activity. The workshop went very well. Participants were actively engaged and were able to express their feelings, thoughts, and personalities in different ways. The facilitators guided the process smoothly and followed the planned structure, creating a friendly, safe, and reflective atmosphere.
→ Get Ready Workshops: “LinkedIn Profile Optimization & Management”, 9th of July
We recently hosted an engaging workshop focused on “LinkedIn Profile Optimization & Management” at the DRONI Office. The session brought together around 10 participants alongside 2 volunteers who helped keep everything running smoothly. Using non-formal education methods, the facilitators shared a wealth of valuable experience, live demonstrations, and practical insights. Attendees actively engaged in interactive dialogues and hands-on practice to boost their professional online presence. Through honest peer feedback and step-by-step guidance, everyone gained a clearer understanding of how to make the most of the network. The atmosphere was judgment-free, supportive, and packed with practical takeaways. By the end of the session, each participant left with a stronger profile and actionable next steps for their career growth.
→ Get Ready Workshop: “Firewall: Cybersecurity and Cultural Exchange”, 17th of July
On July 17, 2026, DRONI members who took part in the “Firewall: Cybersecurity and Cultural Exchange” Youth Exchange in Armenia held a dissemination workshop to share their experience. After introducing the project and presenting the cultural evening, they recreated two activities from the exchange. The first, the ‘Phishing Lab’, asked participants to work in groups to create fake phishing messages (SMS, emails, job offers, etc.) and identify the elements revealing the scam. The second, the ‘Spectrum Game’, invited participants to position themselves according to their level of agreement with different statements, leading to discussions on cybersecurity and media literacy. Thanks to active participation and engaging exchanges, attendees left with a better understanding of online threats and the risks faced by people with limited digital skills.
→ Get Ready Workshop: “Media Literacy”, 24th of July
In the workshop we talked about how to verify information online and conduct investigations. The workshop went very well, starting with some global information about media literacy. Then the group got to experience tools and conduct their own searching. The atmosphere was warm and everyone seemed motivated. Everyone went home with some new methods but also with more confidence on how to browse the web and protect their datas.
→ Get Ready Workshop : “Art as a Tool Series #1: Music Everywhere !”, 22th July ; “Art as a Tool Series #2: Moving Together !”, 29th July
Our new short-term volunteer from France, Basil, held the first and second workshops of the series “Art as a Tool”, which intends to put participants in creative situations, where they can develop their artistic expression through different means.
The first meeting was a music workshop, about ordinary sounds and listening. Participants were asked to bring an ordinary object which they liked the sound of and they explored all together the possibilities of their “instruments” : mug, lid, keys, brushes, candies boxes, hose, stapler, fans, rings and spoons were there ! They did some improvisations and listening experiences, and learned the basics of sound theory, as well as instant composition techniques like soundpainting and minimalism looping. At the end of the workshop, they reflected on their perception of “music” and how this workshop opened other possibilities of listening.
The second meeting was a movement workshop, about behaving as a group. The workshop took place in Mziuri Park’s amphitheater and participants went through different improvisation exercises and games, by pairs or as a big group, sometimes involving physical contact and sometimes not, sometimes with eyes closed or eyes opened, to experience different ways of be careful to each other and listen to the other bodies in the room. They also learned about bases of consent and learned some french traditional dance steps, and jumped until they couldn’t anymore. The idea of this workshop was to connect people beyond words, but also to make them feel comfortable with the contact of other’s bodies very progressively and learn how to follow and listen to bodies. At the end of the workshop, the participants reflected in little groups about how those games made them feel and how they managed with the physical contact.
→ Get Ready Workshop: “French Evening”, 30th of July
On Tuesday, Basil and Zoé hosted a French Evening. While drinking grenadine and enjoying (almost) French cheese, the participants took part in a big blind test. The first part focused on French music classics, including Charles Aznavour, Édith Piaf, Yves Montand, as well as more contemporary artists such as Stromae and Videoclub. After this introduction, we discussed the differences between France and the wider French-speaking world. By acknowledging the diversity of this linguistic and cultural area, as well as the different languages and cultural influences that have shaped French culture, we were able to build a more nuanced and complete picture of the country, going beyond the stereotypical postcard image of Paris. The participants seemed to enjoy the music and the cheese, but above all the conversations that the songs sparked around social and cultural topics.
→ Get Ready Workshop: “Cultural heritage, mapping and participatory methods”, 31st of July
During the workshop we looked at some important aspects of heritage and then looked at some cases of participatory maps, discussing what makes them relevant and how they let people share personal experiences and ideas. For the main activity, everyone marked places on a map of Tbilisi, mostly places they felt personally connected to. Explaining their choices sparked a discussion about memories and different ways of seeing the city. The group was engaged, asking questions and sharing opinions, and a few even stayed after to suggest new places to add to an heritage map of Tbilisi.
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LEVEL Team volunteers’ adventures
During their one-month European Solidarity Corps volunteering experience in Tbilisi, the participants from Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Georgia supported local youth work while developing their skills through non-formal education, teamwork, and intercultural learning. A main focus of their project was the development of educational escape rooms. During a three-day training, they learned about escape room design, developed activities in groups, and tested their ideas with each other. They later continued working on the escape rooms and facilitated two workshops at the DRONI office, where participants had the opportunity to try out the newly created activities. The escape rooms addressed topics such as human rights, discrimination, AI, and personal data. They also supported activities at a youth camp, gaining further experience in presentation, facilitation, teamwork, and activity planning.
Alongside their volunteering work, the participants had the opportunity to explore Tbilisi and learn more about Georgian history, traditions, cuisine, and everyday life. They took part in a city tour, attended an open-air festival and a U20 rugby match, and enjoyed traditional Georgian meals together. A khinkali-making workshop also gave them the chance to learn more about Georgian food and traditions in a hands-on way. These experiences allowed them to connect with local culture while building friendships and international connections within the group.
Overall, the month combined practical youth work, creative learning, cultural exchange, and personal development, giving the participants valuable experience that they can carry into their future community and youth work.
The winning team received small prizes, and the activity ended with refreshments and informal discussions, giving participants the opportunity to share their thoughts and continue learning from one another. Through escape rooms, workshops and intercultural activities, our volunteers continue to create engaging learning experiences and strengthen connections with local young people.
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International Projects
→ “ReRooted: Digital Detox, Nature Skills & Inclusion” held in Croatia
From 29th of June to 4th of July, our team participated in the “ReRooted: Digital Detox, Nature Skills & Inclusion” Youth Exchange in Croatia. Throughout the project, participants developed outdoor and teamwork skills through expeditions, workshops, and outdoor challenges, learned more about Erasmus+ opportunities, and contributed to the local community by taking part in a nature clean-up. The exchange also promoted intercultural learning, personal growth, and cooperation among young people from different countries.
→ “Rise Up”, held in Antwerp, Belgium
From July 1 to July 11, 2026, the youth project “Rise Up” took place in Antwerp, Belgium. The project brought together participants from five different countries: Georgia, Ukraine, Belgium, France, and Cyprus. Its primary goal was to develop entrepreneurship skills, master business planning, and learn effective pitching techniques. Throughout the 10-day program, we engaged in both theoretical and practical training. Through interactive activities, guest speakers, discussions, and workshops, we learned how to create a comprehensive business plan and deliver a compelling pitch. Participants worked in intercultural teams to develop innovative business ideas. In the end, seven teams prepared their pitches and presented them before a panel of guest judges on the final day of the project.
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Thanks for reading DRONI Wrapped – July 2026! We hope you could gain some insights into the ongoing events at DRONI Youth Association and would love to see you soon at our upcoming activities. Follow our website and social media to always stay on top of what’s next!
If you have any feedback, questions or proposals for new workshops/events, we’ll be happy to hear from you! See you next month!