ESC: "Hand in Hand 4 a Better Europe" - Long Term

The American International School of Transylvania is a non-profit association that has been founded by a group of creative and hardworking young people, passionate about education, human rights and European values. Our main goal is to invest in the personal and professional development of young people and to promote quality education, solidarity and international spirit. According to our mission statement, AIST is the Open Gate towards the World, the nest where we cultivate knowledgeable students working hand in hand with both public & private institutions active in the field of education, culture, youth, social inclusion. According to our bylaws, AIST also supports the pro-active participation of children, young people and citizens in community life, as well as the values of an open, tolerant, diverse & multicultural society. Through implementing our educational activities, AIST invests in the younger generation, so that youngsters could benefit from a set of healthy prerequisites for succeeding in any field they choose and anywhere their future would lead them around the world. Besides foreign language courses, highly appreciated by beneficiaries, kids, youngsters, parents & independent institutions, AIST organises workshops to promote European cultures and values, environment friendly activities, anti-drugs and healthy life style campaigns. We highly support educational and cultural initiatives among young people and teachers – publications, festivals, symposia, as well as cultural-scientific, domestic and international activities. In 2011, our group of initiative organised a local campaign, which especially targeted but was not limited to, the children from Baia Mare community. Therefore, we organized a series of activities during Christmas and during the summer in order to get in touch with the children in the area who have the potential to become global values. Our goal is to assist them in their progress to become the leaders of tomorrow. Since March 2012 when we obtained full legal status, we function as a non-for profit organization serving over 28.000 kids & youth, regardless of their background or social status, from 15 local communities in the counties of Maramures and Satu Mare. Since October 2012, we have been organising a programme of ‘After School English’ for over 10.000 beneficiaries from Baia Mare & rural communities, English & German language & culture workshops for kids & youth. Local & international volunteers assisted AIST & partners coordinating staff in activities, & contributed with games, songs, sports, arts & crafts, being responsible with the fun part of the classes. Making use of interactive methods, children learn foreign languages in a friendly atmosphere, so their horizon broadens in a significant way. Our foreign language courses are available to children from the age of 3, besides these we organise activities of non-formal education for youth, in urban & rural areas, from orphanages or typical families alike, regardless of their backgrounds and social or economical status. Our activities encompass a wide range of educational programs in partnership with primary, secondary and superior schools, through which we have been promoting our culture within the international context. We have been bringing our contribution to promoting foreign cultures and civilisations into the Romanian society, by means of developing the social, cultural and economic relations between people, organisations and institutions in Romania and also through international cooperation in the fields of education, youth and culture. At present, our regular programes consist of high-quality, extracurricular educational activities through which we intend to promote high standards in education and encourage cultural exchanges. In the same time, within the framework of our European projects & ESC Activities, AIST is the safe & enriching environment where we support children and young people from all over Europe to grow both personally & professionally, we foster international spirit and develop personalities of global leaders. Our long term objective is to develop the potential of children and young people in the north-western part of our country to become successful in life as valuable grown ups and as professionals too. Within the past 9 years, we have been supporting the educational initiatives among youngsters & teachers alike, at national, regional and international levels. The native heritage of children and young people from Maramures and Satu Mare counties alike, an area blessed with a genuine multiculturalism, represents a solid basis for nurturing a way of thinking that is necessary for the 21st century adults, one in which the ethnic, religious and cultural differences represent a true treasure.