ESC: Tisser des liens par-delà les frontières

Vents et Marées is an association based in La Roche-sur-Yon in the department of La Vendee (85) (https://www.vents-et-marees.fr/) which exists since 1982 and is managed mostly by volunteers. It's main mission is to promote and support activities centered around theater among French and foreign youth. Therefore, the association not only organizes theater festivals in La Vendee (which unite young people between the ages of 7 and 30 from France and outside of it) but it also sends local theater groups abroad. The aforementioned groups take part in the festivals managed by ArtDraLa (short for: Art, Drama, Languages). Vents et Marées is by itself one of the founding members of this network which unites over 20 countries from all around the world (especially from Europe). Objectives of the association are based on key elements of proper theater practice, which are as following: - development of confidence in oneself and in others; self-improvement - inspiring people to be an active participant and to commit to projects - broadening horizons and capability of analyzing different behaviors - creating the idea of personal responsibility within a group - ability to understand typical societal issues and the ability to step back and read them on stage. Thus, the association aims to create the possibility for young people to become responsible adults with a critical mind, who are engaged, open-minded, innovative, conscious and confident; These values have been recognized in 2013 when the association received The European Citizens' Prize rewarded by the European Parliament. The same year, Vents et Marées received the approval to become a hosting organization and (starting in 2014) the organization hosts volunteers for European Solidarity Corps. In this context, the organization cooperates with "Jeunesse" and "Relations internationales", both of which are organizations in La Roche-sur-Yon. During the renewal of the accreditation Vents et Marées decided to deepen it's engagement by becoming a sending organization. Our objectives in this context are the same as the ones mentioned before so that our volunteers may find personal and professional fulfillment at the same time. Over the years, Vents et Marées has created its own system of work to meet the needs of young people who want to commit to European volunteering. This interest in their journey represents an important part of the organization's activities up to this day. Vents et Marées is a training organization as well. It is known for its informal training methods and for years it's been giving the opportunity to participate in French classes to volunteers in the area. The association continues to be recognized as a partner by local, regional and national institutions thanks to its commitment to young people and is continuously supported by government institutions and local authorities.