Developing working tools and methods how to reach young people aged 13-22 in disadvantaged socio-economic areas. Erasmus Project
General information for the Developing working tools and methods how to reach young people aged 13-22 in disadvantaged socio-economic areas. Erasmus Project
Project Title
Developing working tools and methods how to reach young people aged 13-22 in disadvantaged socio-economic areas.
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 : Strategic Partnerships for youth
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) ; Creativity and culture; Access for disadvantaged
Project Summary
The overall project idea was to develop methods and communication tools on how to reach young people who the partner organisations normally don’t reach. The project focuses on one of five main aims for EU 2020, to strengthen social inclusion, equality and active citizenship.
The aim with the project is to foster the inclusion and employment of young people with fewer opportunities. A common challenge for the partners is to reach those young people who are beyond our organisations normal working area. Young people who might be out of work, education and social context.
Come Join Us has focused on Non-formal learning methods and met the specific objectives to promote participation for young people, active citizenship and social inclusion and solidarity in a democratic life. The partnership brought previous experiences, activities and exchanged skills and knowledge on how to increase and strengthening training paths of educators and youth workers.
Originally there were five project partners in the project. ASH Wales a NGO in Cardiff Wales with expertise in webpages and communication, they had also great contacts with youth centres in extremely deprived areas. The French partner MEBA, a NGO, works mainly with EVS-projects in Bordeaux´s socioeconomic disadvantages areas. MEBA also cooperates with museums and organisations who work in deprived areas in an innovative way. The German partner, the Municipality of Bochum Youth Department, worked with youth centres and close contact with researchers. KEUDA in Järvenpää, Finland is a Vocational education, who educates youth workers with a wide range of specialities, health, fine art and culture and media. The Lead partner Kulturskolan Stockholm in Sweden, has expertise in non-formal learning, creativity and culture activities for young people and has a vision to reach youngsters in deprived areas.
But unfortunately the German partner couldn’t fulfil their commitments. Prior to a conflict between the German project manager and the other partners it was impossible to continue in a fruitful way. The lead partner had several discussions with the German partner, with the hope to replace the project manager with another one, but their organisation chose to drop out. The Swedish National Agency were contacted before that happened and gave the lead partner guides and support on how to proceed. The tasks from the Germans were divided between the partners, for example the research work were taken over by Sweden and France. The remaining partners continued the work load until the end.
Main Activities:
The project had four transnational partner meetings in Stockholm 9-11 Nov 2015 , Cardiff 16-18 May 2016 , Helsinki 6-9 Dec 2016 and in Bordeaux 3-5 April 2017. Between the physical meetings there have been around 20 Skype meetings were all partners have collaborated for keeping the project on track. One transnational training took place in Järvenpää 4-8 April 2016, with two expert trainers from SALTO-YOUTH. All partners have worked strongly with the two Intellectual outputs IO1 “Research, analysis and studies of the young people aged 13-22” and the IO2 “Website with on-line Guideline with methods and manuals for youth workers and teachers to use and a virtual collaboration”. There were three Multiplier events in Finland 30 August, Sweden 5th September and in France 21st September. Together with this KA2-strategical project, the partners applied for a KA1 Mobility for youth workers “Come 2 Join Us!”, were we had four one-week-long practical trainings for youth workers. Each of the trainings had a special theme related to the EUs eighth key competences, “Attitudes and Values”, “Learning to Learn”, “Self-esteem and Self-confidence” and finally “Active Citizenship”. “Come 2 Join Us!” was a great complement to the theoretical work in KA2 Come join Us
As a result of the IO2, a method bank was created on the projects webpage www.comejoinus.eu The result has been a joint effort of work from all four partners. The methods have been tried out during the four trainings. As a result of the IO1, the Research work, all partners have deeply investigated the reasons why it is so hard to reach young people in socioeconomic disadvantaged areas and who are not familiar and comfortable with the partner’s activities. The partners have learnt how important it is to use the third space, to collaborate with other organisations in the society.
The partners have acquired new aspects and competences, also new ways of working. All partners have reached more young people and this work will continue when the project is to end.
Long-term benefits: Young people with fewer opportunities are taking a more active role in the local society, participating in local activities and are active in NGOs, education and health supporting activates. Young people are more interested of EVS-project.
EU Grant (Eur)
Funding of the project from EU: 148889,66 Eur
Project Coordinator
Kulturskolan Stockholm/Stockholm School of Art & Country: SE
Project Partners
- Keski-Uudenmaan koulutuskuntayhtymä
- Stadt Bochum
- Ash Wales
- Maison de l’Europe Bordeaux – Aquitaine