Evaluation
European project Grundtvig
Learning Partnerships
‘‘Story savers’’
Project Meeting 28-30/11/2013 Warsaw, Poland
We have the feedback of each participant about our work and 4th project
meeting in Warsaw, Poland which is very important for the progress of
our work.
In the 1st question: What did you enjoy the most during your visit in
Warsaw, Poland?
Most participants enjoyed the visit in the culture centre where Marina worked
and the experience of different buildings and culture. The participants were
very satisfied with the accommodation and the food. Moreover many
participants found very interesting the video with immigrants telling their
experience after their stay in Poland.

I enjoyed visiting Maryna’s workplace, and also the walk along her
local area. The currency rate was great for Ireland. Everything was
very cheap and good value.

I liked dorozkania, the culture centre where Marina worked. The
cultural activities dances, crafts, sculpture, music, theatre. Very good
organization of the meeting. Every partner worked on our project. The
visit to the Historical Museum of Warsaw, where all the memories
remains of the holocaust.

I enjoyed seeing the different buildings and culture of Poland. The
people were very friendly; the staffs in the hotel and our hosts were
very nice. All the food and refreshments we had were tasty and great
value.

I was interested to see the different cultures, buildings and people. It
was interesting to have the stories of the people and their journey and
what took them to Poland (DVD).

I enjoyed meeting up with the group again, the dance performance by
polish and French groups, the hotel was very nice.
1

We had time to work, time to visit and time to enjoy. That was
excellent, although we did not have time to do all the work we wanted
to do. We had a more relaxed and better atmosphere than earlier,
which was good. The session during the first morning (video project
with immigrants telling their experience after many years in Poland)
was in interesting.
In the 2nd question: What did you enjoy the least?
The majority of the participants found the project meeting interesting without
negative points. One participant did not enjoy the talk in the library was a bit
long. Furthermore a participant complained about not good communication
and cooperation between the partners as he did not understand that he
ought to bring local things (food and drink) from his country in the frame of
the exhibition.

The talk we got in the library on the first morning was a bit long but
the DVD was excellent. An idea which we may even use in our home
project.

I found the project meeting very interesting, not anything negative.

There was nothing. Enjoyed it all.

I cannot say that I didn’t enjoy any part of the trip. The only negative
thing I seen was the amount of graffiti on the buildings.

Walking around and not really knowing where we were going.

Bad weather, but not problem same as everywhere (also at home). We
also missed a written plan indicating times frames and what was to
happen each day. We were probably told orally to bring exhibition
materials, food and drinks for socializing in the culture centre, but I did
not hear that, so I did not bring the materials there. We still can do
better regarding internal communication and collaboration. For the
next meeting we could for instance allocate some time to look together
at each other’s Trumbls. Each partner could tell stories around the
national Tumblrs, and other partners could give comments and ask
2
questions. I feel we have great unused potential when it comes to this:
discussing, exchanging, and talking about story saving/storytelling.
In the 3rd question: What have you learned and what are you taking
back with you?
Most participants informed and experienced how the people in Poland rebuild
their lives after the war.

We will take back lots of ideas and thoughts with us to try to sue here
in our centre; the amount of youth involvement was great and
inspiring.

In Warsaw there is a big effort so that culture is developed everywhere
because there is not historical basics because of the disaster of the
war. We have to enrich our project with stories and myths, even in our
language, with photos and every partner should write a story of 2000
words.

I learned how the people of Poland came through the war and was
able to rebuild their lives and city.

That everyone has a different story to tell and how interesting these
stories can be.

The history of Warsaw, how the community came together and built
homes and a community to live in. The DVD we watched in the library
gave a real insight into people lives.

Fine young dancers and learners from EU countries.

The visit at the house of the lady who accompanied us by the river
(Regina)
In the 4th question: Is there anything that could have been included
or done differently?
Some participants wrote that the agenda of the project was not complete and
they also desired more explanation about the places they visited. Moreover
there was not a good cohesion of the group and the project meeting did not
focus on storytelling.
3

I honestly enjoyed it all. The meeting are was good. One thing that
would have been nice was a fresh agenda available on email or typed
for both learners and leaders as we really were not sure where or what
we were doing at times.

There was not great cohesion of the group. I would like to have a
great farewell dinner with all the partners together.

I think maybe we could have been told about the different places we
went to, we walked to a reservoir then turned and walked back from it
again, and it seemed a little pointless. Also when we went to the dance
show did not know what the show was about maybe someone could
explain in English about each dance.

I felt there could have been better explanation of the places we visited,
e.g. when we went to the photo exhibition in the evening their
hospitality was great, we seemed to be there a long time before we
were told of the photos and their meanings.

The exhibition that we all enjoy was too rushed and didn’t really work.

I would have appreciated more focus on our main topic – storytelling.
A good start was the report on the video project with immigrants
telling their experience after many years in Poland. I also enjoyed the
session where we were told about the people in Austmannli, Roldal
(Norway). This was one way of telling stories; could we have other
examples please? I would also have appreciated more work on the
website. The draft/first edition of the site looks great and we now have
to put good content into it. Finally on site the first morning I would
have appreciated much to have a paper with the names of all the
people who participated. It would also have been useful to see the
names of people who received us, for instance in the municipal
library/culture house and in the home of Regina. This would help
among other things when we look at the photos from the visit.
In the 5th question: Any other comments, there were answers:
4

A massive thank you to Maryna and all her colleagues and friends for a
great mobility, we had a great time. Roll on LYON!

I liked Marina and her presence to be with us all the time to show us
the history of Warsaw and their hospitality. I liked the best Inka, a
Polish lady invited us in her house and she offered us hot drinks, after
the visit to the cold Vistila (the river). Ivon, a polish partner lady
invited us in the theater where we saw an interesting exhibition of
photos and she offered us the traditional hot Polish drink.

I will always remember Olga who opened her house to the while
group. She put a lot of effort an you felt very at ease in her home.

The hospitality we were shown by Olga and her friends and how she
invited us into her home is something I will always remember.

None

All in all an ok meeting
POSITIVE POINTS

The visit in the culture centre, where Marina worked and the walk
along her local area.

The cultural activities dances, crafts, sculpture, music, theatre.

Very good organization of the meeting.

Every partner worked on our project.

The visit to the Historical Museum of Warsaw, where all the memories
remains of the holocaust.

The people were very friendly; the staffs in the hotel and our hosts
were very nice. Food and accommodation were great.

Video project with immigrants telling their experience after their stay in
Poland was interesting.

Most participants informed and experienced how the people in Poland
rebuild their lives after the war.

A polish lady, Marina was with the participants all the time to show
them the history of Warsaw, she was very hospitable.

Inka, a Polish lady invited the participants in her house and she offered
hot drinks, after the visit to the cold Vistila (river).
5

Ivon, a polish lady invited the participants in the theater where they
saw an interesting exhibition of photos and she offered them the
traditional hot Polish drink.

The hospitality by Olga and her friends and how she invited all the
participants to her house was remarkable.
NEGATIVE POINTS

The talk in the library was a bit long.

The amount of graffiti on the buildings.

Walking around and not really knowing where we were going.

A participant complained about not good communication and
cooperation between the partners as he did not understand that he
ought to bring local things (food and drink) from his country in the
frame of the exhibition.

The agenda of the project was not complete.

The participants desired more explanation about the places they
visited.

There was not a good cohesion of the group and the project meeting
did not focus on storytelling.
CONCLUSIONS
 All participants
enjoyed
their
stay,
accommodation
and
they
experienced the Polish culture and civilization.

Most partners enjoy the meeting, being all the together, as the
partnership is becoming and working like a team.
Kyriaki Vamvaka
European Projects Manager
6