The Melting Pot Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Melting Pot

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Partnerships for Creativity

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Creativity and culture; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The project “The Melting Pot” is a 15 months project involving three Networks of youth workers and three cultural institutions from Serbia, Croatia and The Republic of North Macedonia – NAPOR, Galerija Matice Srpske, Mreža mladih Hrvatske, Pogon – Zagrebački centar za nezavisnu kulturu i mlade, Sojuz za mladinska rabota Skopje, and Opstinska ustanova Muzej na grad Negotino, with the aim to bring cultural institutions closer to all young people through youth work programs. Therefore, it is important to create cross-sectoral cooperation between youth and culture and develop innovative, interactive and inclusive methods and tools for work with young people in cultural institutions, especially with young people with different backgrounds, as well as create preconditions for the professionalism of youth workers and employees in cultural institutions.
The aims of partnership in this project are:
– To increase visibility and recognition of youth work and cultural institutions’ potential to respond to the identified needs of various youth groups at local, national, regional and EU level.
– To raise the quality of youth work across the region by introducing innovative and creative methods integrated into culture and arts programs.
– To increase professionalism of youth workers and employees in cultural institutions by creating curricula for their education.
– To establish cross-sectoral cooperation among youth workers and cultural institutions at national and regional level.

Main results of the project are: Detailed insight into the answers of way youth not participate in cultural activities, as well as insight into possible approaches and appropriate methods to change the situation. Collected regional and EU innovative methods enriched the capacity of youth workers and employees in cultural institutions and resulted in quality provision of services for youth. Created Curricula and youth work programs increased professionalism of youth and cultural workers. Various multiplying events raised awareness of relevant stakeholders (youth from fever opportunities, youth and cultural workers, decision makers and journalist) at national and regional level about importance of investing in youth work services in cultural institutions and its positive implication on youth development. Journalists motivated to report about youth, youth work and culture at the national and regional level. Study visit to Serbia built capacity of youth workers and cultural institutions by gaining knowledge and new insights about innovative good practices applicable for creation of youth work programs in cultural institutions. Laid foundation for fruitful cross-sectoral cooperation among youth workers and cultural institutions at national and regional level.

In order to reach the results several activities are planned:
– Comparative research on the needs of various youth groups related to culture conducted in 3 countries involving 350 youth ( thereof 140 young people with different backgrounds);
– Curricula for education of youth workers in cultural institutions and development of six youth work programs applicable in various cultural institutions;
– In the testing phase 60 young people (30 from fewer opportunities groups) will be actively involved in the youth work programs performed in cultural institutions by 6 youth and cultural workers from 3 countries;
– Booklet “Melting pot of innovation in youth work and cultural institutions” containing up to 15 innovative and creative methods used in cultural activities for various youth groups, reflecting Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian and EU level;
– Study visit in Serbia for 12 youth workers and cultural institutions representatives;
– Cooperation with 30 journalists from national, regional and local media in 3 countries participated in the ME 1-3 Melting pot – served as breakfast to journalists;
– ME Melting pot – demonstration of innovation! for 30 youth with fewer opportunities, 30 youth workers and 30 cultural institutions from Croatia, Serbia and The Republic of North Macedonia;
– ME Regional melting pot – innovations, culture and youth work for 30 youth workers, various cultural institutions and authorities from regional and national level from 3 countries and up to 50 participants from EU countries;
– Visibility and promotional actions reaching youth workers from 150 organisations and 150 cultural institutions from Serbia, Croatia and The Republic of North Macedonia and up to 200.000 people of the wider public. Careful plan for dissemination and exploitation of the project results is designed in order to promote the project outputs and outcomes to wide range of organizations and institutions working on national, regional and European level in the field of youth work.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 89690,37 Eur

Project Coordinator

NACIONALNA ASOCIJACIJA PRAKTICARA/KI OMLADINSKOG RADA-NAPOR & Country: RS

Project Partners

• MREZA MLADIH HRVATSKE
• SOJUZ ZA MLADINSKA RABOTA SKOPJE
• Opstinska ustanova Muzej na grad Negotino
• Pogon – Zagrebacki centar za nezavisnu kulturu i mlade
• GALERIJA MATICE SRPSKE