Published on:
18
February 2013
The deadline to apply to take part in Clackmannanshire's seventh annual youth exchange with our twin towns, Vendargues in France and Espartinas in Spain, is fast approaching.
Applications were extended until this Friday, 22nd February and the Council is still looking for young people to register their interest to visit each destination this summer.
Details are also available on ClacksWeb at www.clacksweb.org.uk. Anyone interested should fill out a form and get it back in to us by the closing date as places are limited. There are places for only 24 young people, with 12 going to each destination.
All three secondary schools, Lornshill Academy, Alloa Academy and Alva Academy are already promoting this.
Councillor Ellen Forson said: "Many students have taken part in very exciting and rewarding twinning visits in the past, benefitting not only linguistically but culturally and personally; building their confidence and understanding of other cultures. I'd like to encourage young people to take advantage of this latest opportunity."
The youth exchange visits are open to people aged between 12 to 17. The first part of the youth exchange will take place in France. Twelve young people from Clackmannanshire will travel to our French twin town of Vendargues where they will spend eight nights from 2nd to 10th July 2013 with a French person of the same age and their family.
The second part of the youth exchange will take part in Scotland. The same 12 young people from Clackmannanshire will return to Scotland to play host to their French twinning partner from 10th to 18 July 2013.
The first part of the Spanish youth exchange will take place in Scotland. 12 young people from our Spanish twin town of Espartinas will spend eight nights from 2nd to 10th July 2013 with a Clackmannanshire person of the same age and their family.
The second part of the Spanish youth exchange will take part in Spain. The same 12 young people from Clackmannanshire who hosted the Spanish visitors will travel to Espartinas to stay with their twinning partner from 10th to 18th July 2013.
During both parts of the exchange programme, all young people will be expected to take part in a planned programme of activities both here and abroad.
A basic knowledge of French or Spanish would be useful but it is not essential. The key aims of the exchanges are to experience everyday life in either France or Spain, learn about different cultures and customs and improve foreign language skills.
Although the exchange is subsidised by Clackmannanshire Council, participating families will be expected to pay a contribution of £300 towards the overall costs.
Forms are available online at www.clacksweb.org.uk/community/twinningexchange/
and more information is also on the secondary school websites.
An information session will be held for those children and their families who have expressed an interest.
The Council has been twinned with Vendargues in the Languedoc Rousillon region of Southern France and Espartinas in the Andalucian region of southern Spain for the past seven years.
Espartinas has a population of around 10,000 people and is 15km from Seville while
Vendargues has a population of just over 6,000 people are is near Montpellier.