Differences Challenge Assumptions Erasmus Project

Project Title

Differences Challenge Assumptions

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 : Capacity Building for youth in ACP countries, Latin America and Asia

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

The aim of this project was to increase the level of competent, sensitive and quality intercultural youth work field in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.The project achieved the following objectives:-To increase/upgrade the knowledge level of youth workers from 4 continents in intercultural learning topics (culture, identity, prejudices, stereotypes, assumptions, relativism, communication, clashes, intercultural sensitivity);-To develop the practical skills of youth workers in working and managing quality intercultural learning process in international projects with young people;-To upgrade skills in managing and facilitating intercultural encounters in youth work (international volunteering, exchanges, local projects in multicultural settings, trainings, etc.);-To develop highly interculturally sensitive attitudes in youth work field;-To empower youth workers to act as responsible interculturally sensitive actors in international field and projects; -To provide a space for sharing best practices among youth organisations in intercontinental youth cooperation field;-To increase the level of innovation and creativity in youth work field;-To stimulate long-term involvement of youth organisations’ beneficiaries in international (and intercontinental) projects;-To stimulate mobility of youth workers across continents.The project’s main beneficiaries (33 youth workers) took part in a long-term training course focused on developing practical working competencies in intercultural education.The training approach was designed as the following:1)An initial training course for developing basic intercultural competencies for future multipliers (it took place in Kandy, Sri Lanka, in October 2017);2)A practice phase in each of the partner countries (Argentina, Italy, India, Mozambique, Nigeria, Romania and Uruguay), where the multipliers, prepared and implemented intercultural learning workshops/sessions for at least 1200 young people (at least 150 in each country). Topics of the workshops were focused on stereotypes, prejudices and diversity.3)The practice phase was followed by the second training course (which took place in Busteni, Romania, in March 2018), for assessing the first practice phase results and for developing advanced competencies in intercultural learning area and development of new intercultural learning tools.4)The second practice phase took place in the partner countries, where the multipliers transferred their competencies in a new round of workshops, for more than 150 people in each country. The topics tackled in this phase were: norms, privileges, poverty porn, gender-related issues, etc.5)A final evaluation meeting was organized in Nigeria, Ibadan, in July 2018, in order to assess and evaluate the impact of the whole project and plan how the network will continue to work in a coordinated manner from now on.6)Each partner disseminated the project results (including this manual) in their communities, to interested people and other organisations, in order to increase the interest of the civil society towards intercultural learning process.The main project results were:-A network of strong organisations competent and sensitive in intercultural issues spread across 4 continents. -75 workshops implemented in 8 countries on the topics of stereotypes, prejudices, norms, privileges, gender stereotypes, diversity, poverty porn, etc.-1800 direct beneficiaries of the local workshops, the participants involved in the practice phases, who increased their tolerance and sensitivity towards diversity-related dynamics.-10500 indirect beneficiaries.-A resource online game that can be played by anybody in world, who wants to challenge their own assumptions – http://www.testyourassumptions.com (see Test your Assumptions activity later in this manual).-A manual for facilitators : https://goo.gl/yLCca6 -Training modules for training in ICL youth workers from 4 continents;

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 149665 Eur

Project Coordinator

ASSOCIAZIONE OTTOVOLANTE & Country: IT

Project Partners

• SERVICE CIVIL INTERNATIONAL SRI LANKA
• DISHA INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION TRUST
• ASOCIATIA A.R.T. FUSION
• CIRCULO ITALO ARGENTINO RAICES SARDAS BUENOS AIRES NORTE
• MAGISTRA CENTRO DE RECURSOS ITALO RIOPLATENSE
• AFRICAN CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH LTD
• ASSOCIACAO LUARTE