Just over two years ago three young people were on a return flight from Cagliari, fresh from the experience of a lifetime. They had just spent two weeks on an EU funded youth exchange in Sardinia, and were homeward bound, inspired by the achievements of that short, but exciting, trip.

Two years, and copious amounts of hard work and sleepless nights later, Terra Di Mezzo (TDM) 2000 Malta; (taking its name from the organisation that hosted the above-mentioned exchange in Sardinia), is well on its way to becoming one of Malta’s most proactive youth organisations. A dedicated team of local youth – ranging from the ages of 18 right through to 30 – are the hinge upon which TDM’s success is based.

The main aim of the organisation is to create a forum within which Maltese youths can actively contribute towards the betterment of our society. This includes tackling issues that are of social and cultural importance, and ensuring that these topics are brought to light.

There is no shying away from sensitivity and taboo – TDM 2000 believe that the young are the perfect candidates to bring about the desired changes. Informal education, intercultural learning, ‘hands on’ experience and sheer hard work form part of the organisa-tion’s dynamic approach to life.

The local TDM 2000 team are a busy bunch indeed – apart from organising a number of activities aimed at bringing all members together to exchange views and experiences, an affiliate, TDM Hands On, has also been set up to concentrate on one of the group’s main activities – fund raising and inclusion. To date, a number of extremely successful philanthropic events have been held with the aim of raising awareness and funds for local institutions.

The most recent activity, and by far the most successful yet, was the Work Out project. This project spanned no less than six months, where the small but dedicated team held numerous fund raising activities, including a 12 hour swimathon, a treasure hunt and a one day football tournament, where money was raised for the restoration of the rehabilitation gym at id-Dar tal-Providenza.

The much-needed gym had been in a state of disrepair for some 20 years, and although funding is constantly being received, financial constraints prevented the management from restoring the gym to its former glory. Paula Selvagi, a qualified physiotherapist and member of TDM 2000 Malta shed light on the need for the refurbishment of the gymnasium.

Ms Selvagi was working as a volunteer at id-Dar Tal-Providenza at the time and coordinated the project. Not only did the TDM Hands On team raise the funds for its restoration, but they also actively participated in the renovation works. The President of TDM 2000 Malta himself, Perit Duncan Muscat, managed and inspected the progress of the project from its inception till its completion. The project was, unsurprisingly, a resounding success for all and sundry.

However, important as it may well be, fundraising is not the only activity that takes up the team’s boundless energy. Members are constantly participating in intercultural youth exchanges and training courses organised bythe Youth Programme throughout the year. Each project has an educational theme, and aims to bring youth from across the European region, and beyond, together in order to give them the opportunity to expand their horizons and establish networks.

This networking approach has been an unprecedented success, with thousands of youngsters from across the continent and its neighbouring regions, benefiting from the opportunity to travel and learn about the most pressing challenges being faced by our societies, including racism, xenophobia, human rights, environmental sustainability and health issues.

The highlights were the two exchanges hosted by the TDM 2000 Malta team this and last year. The first event, held last year, was called Destination Unknown and the topic was illegal immigration – a particularly important, and currant, issue that has received continuous media attention. TDM 2000 Malta decided it was high time that the reasons behind illegal immigration, including social and economic hardships, were explored in detail. Delegates from seven European countries travelled to our shores and spent ten productive days learning about the causes of illegal immigration, and how they, as Europe’s youth could contribute to its elimination.

The second exchange was hosted last September, and this time around a detailed look at health trends and threats across the globe was the order of the day; this included mental health, stress, nutrition and exercise, sexual health and drug abuse. The project was named Life in the Fast Lane, referring to the unhealthy lifestyle most young people lead.

The project was challenging for all participants, as some of the topics covered were rather sensitive in nature. In spite of this, the aim of the exchange was achieved – to raise awareness and give our youth the opportunity and incentive to inform themselves and make intelligent choices in life.

The future for TDM 2000 Malta seems to be even brighter, with major new projects in the pipeline. TDM 2000 Malta has just become the proud partner in its first ever networking project, were it has teamed up with a Portuguese philanthropic organisation with the aim of establishing a network between the two groups. This type of project aims to enable youth from different countries to work hand in hand in order to bring about social change in their respective homeland. This project is an Action 3 Project of the Youth Programme.

This time around, the project will focus on ways in which local Maltese youth can actively go about helping minority groups integrate with mainstream society; the focus is to be on the young children who have overcome immense hurdles of all kinds, as the children of refugees who have settled in Malta. The project will see the development of a number of integration sessions in the form of fun full-day activities, such as a summer school or an educational weekend away from home.

The beauty in this type of project is that the benefits are reaped by a wide variety of people – the organisers, the participants and society on the whole. All while the same work is being carried out simultaneously with their Portuguese partners. It’s amazing what TDM 2000 Malta may be a young organisation, but it has big ideas and endless energy and enthusiasm that will surely enable this dynamic group to achieve anything its sets out to do. Members are more than welcome and their input is needed. Log on to: www.tdm2000malta.org for more details on how you can get involved.