We need to go back to the summer of 2010. Some of us had dinner at a campsite located just beyond the French Spainish border… among other topics, were hammered out anecdotes from our childhood camp expereinces and reflected on how years later we were members of the organizing team of the same camps. The ¨good old days¨ was how we felt about those memories… later that night before bed someone made a comment out loud that would unknowingly become one of the beginnings for 180 DEGREES…
Wouldn´t it be great to have something for young people in our own city!!
A few months later, over an afternoon coffee, someone again recalled that night, the campsite, laughter, good company and the “idea” that had been planted… once again it was voiced:
We have to start something here in Gijon!!
We went home, but this time “the idea” didn’t just remain an thought… Could we really do something? Just a few weeks later over another coffee all 7 of us came together and we discovered that there was a common goal and passion… which has stuck!
It didn’t take much to realize that it all bolied down to… Why not? The following Wednesday the 7 of us gathered together with the plan of meeting weekly to talk about the best way forward in settng up a project which seeks two clear objectives: something for the youth of the city and something that is sustainable long term. The Wednesday following the 7 we were gathered in the home of Andrew and Leana with the idea of continuing faced weekly to talk about the best way to set up a project that should pursue two clear objectives: it would be for the young and continuous in time.
Six months later, on the 25th of January 2012, after various meetings, hours of conversation and churning over the idea, 180 DEGREES was born legally as a youth association… we were up and running! Without doubt we were faced with a new project that would involve a lot of work, dedication and energy but the hope and conviction of offering something new, unique and different to our city outweighed all of the doubts.
A number of us have spent more than 20 years on this adventure among young people. Now, as a team we are excited about the idea of continuing to be involved with the youth by providing alternative means of leisure and free time activities in a healthy, safe and innovative environment.
180 DEGREES is not a job but a passion and we would like to invite you to get to know us because if you want to, you to can be part of this project, and after all, “Why not?”.
The 180DEGREES team