Developing international RElations to Activate Multicultural Experiences and Reciprocal Solidarity Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing international RElations to Activate Multicultural Experiences and Reciprocal Solidarity

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

«DREAMER:Developing international RElations to Activate Multicultural Experiences and Reciprocal Solidarity» aimed at strengthening the cooperation and exchange of good practices between EU countries (Estonia, Belgium, Italy) and Latin America (Bolivia, Guatemala) to foster youth participation,in particular young people with fewer opportunities as those belonging to minorities or indigenous people,in democratic life in multi-ethnic societies.
Non-formal learning,learning by doing,learner-centered and peer-education have been the main methodologies used.Reciprocal exchanges of ideas and good practices have been encouraged in the design of the project between partners and have been boosted in the preparation and implementation of the project activities,such as EVS activities,youth worker exchanges and meetings,between youth workers,EVS volunteers and stakeholders.
Through DREAMER different meetings have been organized to strengthen partners’ skills,foster the cooperation,exchange experiences and good practicies about youth work and youth participation in multi-ethnic contextes:
>youth worker exchange,Italy:14 youth workers
>youth worker exchange,Guatemala:14 youth workers
>initial training,Italy:9 young people
>EVS: the same 9 young people have been involved in a long-term EVS project in Italy (Receiving organizations (RO): InCo, VKE, La Strada),in Estonia (RO: ESTYES),in Guatemala(RO: JOVI),in Bolivia (RO: UEMC,FSC).
Partners, EVS volunteers and youth workers could exchange ideas and experiences about innovative workshops and projects regarding inter-cultural dialogue and youth participation.During the youth worker exchanges the partner had the possibility to participate in different workshops about the above mentioned topics as well as assist the presentation of best practices for active youth participation and of youth policies in bilingual regions.Through the visit at local associations and public instititions partners could discuss with representatives of local institutions about their work,activities and policies.Getting to know methodologies and best practices used in very different contextes has been extremely enriching for the project and the partners.
Most interesting metholodogies and good practices have been summed up in a Handbook that can be uploaded from the platform www.youthworkersdream.com. On this platform also information about Dreamer, the partner organizations as well as photos and testimonials of the volunteers are available for free downloading.
Besides participating in the regular activities of the receiving organizations, EVS volunteers participated in numerous activities about youth participation in the countries of the different ROs.In this way they got in contact with hundreds of youth people in the partner countries who got to know thus the project Dreamer and the Erasmus+ programm and have been in contact with young people who gave an example about active youth participation. Further more, they participated in informational sessions in public schools and youth centres to present their project and to talk about their experiences to encourage intercultural dialogue and active youth participation.
Thanks to the participation in the youth worker exchanges,the training meetings and the EVS activities, youth workers and volunteers developed specific transversal,inter-cultural and social competences,useful for their employability in the social work field and for their personal growth. Also youth workers’and EVS volunteers’creativity and sense of initiative have been encouraged which in turn will boost youths,users of the receiving organizations,participation in democratic life.The skills developed during those non-formal learning experiences have been recognized using the Youthpass.
DREAMER had a positive impact on all actors involved:partners,youth workers,EVS volunteers and local community thanks to a better intercultural dialogue and a higher youth participation.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 119572,31 Eur

Project Coordinator

ASSOCIAZIONE INCO INTERCULTURALITA& COMUNICAZIONE & Country: IT

Project Partners