YouPart
Summary of the project
Young people want to be heard and taken seriously when it comes to civic participation and their political demands. Therefore, young people need to be facilitated and given concrete opportunities for political participation in fora where they feel appreciated and their demands are taken up. Moreover, relevant methodologies need to be developed.
Therefore, the YouPart, a 30-month Erasmus+ project, is implemented aiming to encourage young people to become active citizens, help prevent youth social exclusion, and improve the impact of policy decisions on young people. The YouPart project will empower the political participation of disadvantaged youth in 6 CEE and Balkan countries in three phases by providing opportunities to find and formulate demands and wishes (Engage), discuss and connect them transnationally (Connect) and voice these demands to politicians on different decision-making levels (Empower).
TARGET-GROUPS
The YouPart project has the following target groups:
- young people (aged 13-23) from youth centers, afternoon schools, vocational schools, open youth work;
- youth workers and youth work organizations.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The YouPart has the following concrete learning objectives:
– To develop training materials tailored to youth workers’ needs and open youth work organizations on youth participation, active citizenship, and expression of political demands of young people to enable them to act in the present European, national, and local context
– Training of youth workers to enable mutual learning and develop methods for digital toolkit together, thereby contributing to quality development of youth work
– Training activities aimed to increase the expression and active citizenship skills of young people
– Develop civic participation and advocacy skills of youngsters to express demands on political levels.
YouPart Outputs
The “YouPart Digital toolkit for Citizenship Education and Civic participation in youth work” will be the methodological Project Result developed parallel to the practical strand of youth conferences and roundtables, documenting methods used and beyond for practical and wide applicability in youth work.
The Partnership
Südwind Verein für Entwicklungspolitik und globale Gerechtingkeit – applicant organization, Austria
Südwind is working in development education and awareness-raising for 41 years. With a headquarter in Vienna and 7 regional offices in the provinces (ca 50 staff) it reaches out to local actors all over Austria. Südwind applies the unique international development expertise it has acquired to both its teaching and youth work, particularly „Global Citizenship Education“, and its awareness-raising and campaigning. Südwind is committed to environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable development as well as global justice.
Ke.Di.Vi.M2 KAINOTOMIA – partner, Larisa, Greece
“KAINOTOMIA” is a level two Lifelong Learning Centre (K.DI.VI.M2) in Greece, which is active in the field of Vocational Education and Training. KAINOTOMIA has implemented more than 60 continuing vocational training programmes for unemployed people, teachers of all levels of education, higher education students, employees/self-employed and vulnerable social groups, for the development of professional opportunities and their promotion and integration into the labour market and society in general, through innovative programmes. “KAINOTOMIA” provides consultancy services to enterprises and support and advisory services to trainees to facilitate their (re)entry into the labour market. “KAINOTOMIA” has participated in several national projects, offering a high degree of expertise in training in modern fields, combining them with those that are in high demand in the labour market in order to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes of trainees for their integration into the labour market. Furthermore, “KAINOTOMIA” participates in co-funded national programmes called “local development and entrepreneurship projects for unemployed people based on specific local needs and development potential”.
Drustvo Humanitas-Center za Globalno Ucenje in Sodelovanje – partner, Slovenia
Humanitas is a non-profit NGO, founded in 2000, a leader in the field of Global Education and Global Citizenship Education in Slovenia. By promoting tolerance, responsibility, social justice and human rights, Humanitas encourages people to take on a more active role in society and commit to a socially and environmentally more responsible behaviour. Humanitas conduct relevant workshops in schools, universities, youth centers and other non-formal settings, organize trainings for teachers and other educators, national conferences and other public events aimed at raising awareness about global issues. Humanitas develops educational and didactic materials and has extensive experience in European projects.
WeWorld – G.V.C.. Organizzazione Non Lucrativa di Utilità Sociale– partner, Italy
WeWorld is an Italian non-profit organization created by the merger of two NGOs, WeWorld and GVC, in 2018 aiming at fighting against poverty and inequality, protecting the most vulnerable communities, defending human, social and environmental rights, promoting awareness campaigns for public opinion as well as helping expand a culture of human rights, peace, and solidarity. WEWorld collaborates with Italian and EU Institutions and agencies to promote synergy for the development of integrated projects in areas of human rights (gender equality, contrast children and gender-based violence, migration), humanitarian aid, development, food security, health, education, youth and children, and women rights. WeWorld promotes international mobility and volunteering within EU Aid Volunteers and European Solidarity Corps and has extensive experience in leading and participating in EuropeAid DEAR, AMIF as well as Erasmus projects.
Narodni Parlament – partner, Serbia
Narodni Parlament is an association with more than 20 years of experience in encouraging positive social and political change. By shaping identities, redefining goals, spreading influence through national coalitions and global networks, investing in the knowledge of the human resources, Narodni Parlament has developed personal integrity in relation to the in-power political parties and humanity towards citizens even when the provision of those services is not financially supported by a project (volunteering initiatives). As one of the most experienced and active youth organizations in Serbia for a decade Narodni Parlament served as a resource center organization for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, supporting implementation of the National Youth Strategy (NYS) and making it possible for 100+ small projects to be implemented by local youth organizations and nonformal youth groups. Up to 2021, Narodni Parlament has organized more than 500 internships, apprenticeships, study visits, lectures, seminars, free consultancy, etc., serving more than ten thousand young people from Serbia, as well as many different European countries.
Ekumenická akademie, z.s. – partner, Czechia
Ekumenická Akademie (EA) is a Czech NGO established in 1996 with the vision of a socially just, sustainable and tolerant society. EA works on human rights and finding solutions for economic, social, gender and ethnic inequalities. EA supports alternative forms of economic democracy, such as Social Solidarity Economy, fair trade, cooperatives. EA is organizing campaigns, conferences, seminars, round tables, discussions, publications, happenings and information stands to raise awareness about these issues. EA is working in non-formal adult and youth education for more than 20 years. EA is developing workshops, seminars and training courses using creative, participatory and alternative methods. EA is active in networking with partner institutions in the Czech Republic as well as throughout whole Europe and has a longtime experience especially with EU international projects (DEAR programme, Erasmus+) focused on awareness rising, advocacy activities and education in consortia with partners from whole Europe and globally.
Bundesweites Netzwerk Offene Jugendarbeit – partner, Austria
bOJA is the national umbrella organisation of Open Youth Work in Austria. It represents it the field of action and around 2000 professional youth workers and about 650 youth centers in Austria. bOJA exists since 2009 and supports the quality development and networking of Open Youth Work both domestically and internationally. Topic-wise, bOJA has many core areas in which it leads projects and works, including participation, health promotion, sustainability, political education and quality development in general.
Associazione Culturale Oltre… APS – partner, Italy
The main work of Associazione Culturale Oltre… (ACO) is cultural and artistic promotion, youth engagement and active participation, and social inclusion. Since 1998, ACO has worked in organizing cultural and performing arts events, festivals, international exchanges, and urban animation projects. Thanks to this long-time experience, ACO is able to involve and coordinate the energies of individuals and groups, conveying them in complex activities characterized by a strong socio-cultural impact, developing a wide network of partnerships at different levels: local, national, and international. The most popular initiatives are projects with a strong citizens involvement, mainly youth. Since 2007, ACO has joined the ANCeSCAO network emphasizing its intergenerational and intercultural footprint. ACO, part of the Italian network RICCI (Rete Italiana di Centri Culturali Indipendenti) and of the European network TransEurope Halles, uses the arts in the social field to involve all the community/people, with a particular focus on young people with different backgrounds. Its artistic and artisanal activities are based on and aimed to promote social inclusion, knowledge and skills sharing, relationships, peer-to-peer aid and exchange, and conviviality.
Spolek zastáncu detskych práv – partner, Czechia
DCI – CZ was established in the year 1991 with the main aim to advocate for and to monitor the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child in the Czech Republic, with the stress on education and participation. DCI – CZ is fully based on the voluntary work of ca. 20 members. It has had good information exchange with the DCI International Secretariat, as well as with the ChildRightsConnect, the NGO group for the Rights of the Child based in Geneva, in which DCI/CZ acts in the capacity of the administrator of the Czech national coalition for the rights of the child – ADP. As such, it has become a full member of Eurochild. It is represented in the Committee for the Rights of the Child of the Czech Governmental Council for Human Rights, thus gaining further knowledge and information that influence its work.
Zavod Mladinska Mreza MaAMa – partner, Slovenia
Youth Network MaMa combines and represents organizations that run youth centers or are active in the field of youth work in Slovenia in order to support the youth, their spending of quality free time and a better life in society. Youth Network ΜaΜa connects organizations performing their activities through youth centers or operating in the field of youth work in Slovenia, represents common interests of members against the government sector and other persons, informs members and other interested public on all activities concerning youth, and works with them regularly, organizes meetings and encourages communication and project interaction between members, offers professional help to members, ensures interaction between members of the MaMa network and young artists, enables young artists to access youth scene and supports their cooperation, provides non-formal education for youth and youth workers. MaMa Network encourages and promotes creative activities of youth among the MaMa club members and the general public, as well as enforces principles of tolerance, good cooperation, and social criticism.
Timocki Omladinski Centar – partner, Serbia
TOC organizes actions in the field of public advocacy, campaigns for building and developing civic awareness, and volunteer actions. TOC also conducts and promotes youth work, organizes public, cultural, and artistic events, field activities to change behavior and raise awareness of healthy lifestyles, consults civil society organizations, public and private sector, collects and processes scientific literature in the field of his interest, conducting research in line with the law, publishes printed and multimedia editions and publications, as well as radio and TV shows. In addition, TOC organizes scientific gatherings, fora, presentations, and training seminars, cooperates with other organizations and institutions, encourages inter-municipal, inter-regional, cross-border, and international cooperation on issues of common interest, and organizes humanitarian actions. TOC implements programs through projects and activities in line with its mission, vision, and goals.
Center for Education and Innovation – partner, Greece
INNOVED is a Greek educational and consulting organization merely focusing on knowledge and innovation transfer in the broader fields of education, lifelong learning and training; entrepreneurship and employment aspects; non-formal learning and training methods with the usage of modern technologies. INNOVED’s main mission is the promotion of knowledge, educational practices, and opportunities for the cultural and economic development of the local community and wider society. So, INNOVED is operating in order to achieve to encourage, support, and promote the innovative spirit in various areas such as education and training, social inclusion and intercultural dialogue, innovative methodologies and practices around the entrepreneurial mindset, disabilities, and empowerment, non-formal practices in education and training provision.