Development and testing of Youth Mediator – a non-formal qualification in youth field in line with new European common competence standards Erasmus Project

Project Title

Development and testing of Youth Mediator – a non-formal qualification in youth field in line with new European common competence standards

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: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Recognition (non-formal and informal learning/credits); Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

Mediation is one of a variety to solve a conflict in a peaceful way based on the voluntary participation of the parties. It’s a procedure in which an intermediary without adjudicatory powers (the mediator) systematically facilitates communication between the parties with the aim of enabling the parties themselves to take responsibility for resolving their dispute. Derived from the Anglo-Saxon system mediation takes more and more places among peaceful conflict resolution in Hungary and surrounding countries thanks to the success of its usage in the last 15 years. There are more and more researches about the positive impact of the introduction of youth mediation and the need for these programs, however, is still in its infancy period and has not been introduces commonly and there’s no specialized mediator trainings yet in youth field. The current strategic partnership program for youth has the purpose to develop and test “Youth Mediator” – non-formal qualification in the youth field according to new European common competence standards. During the program the involved partners 3 from Hungary, 1 from Spain, 1 from Italy set up a non-formal training program for “Youth Mediator” that allows youth workers and youth to learn necessary skills in order to mediate in youth conflicts. Best practices was transferred from each member country considering different cultural environment and legislation on mediation and training programs, in order to execute an effective and successful program that can be implemented in long term and could reach positive effect on youth. During the compilation of training the requirements was discussed as well, and a final draft of the application program “Youth Mediator” was handled in all participant countries to the state training organization, aiming to be authorized in the participant countries; in Hungary by the National Institute of Vocational and Adult Education and the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a new non-formal qualification in the official training list. The program emphasize the mobility, thus youth workers from Spain and Italy were visiting Hungary in order to meet and discuss, share their experiences and help to prepare a successful youth mediation program.The participants firstly tested the new non-formal qualification in Hungary was 9 youth workers from all partner countries. After the first pilot testing a second line pilot testing was organized whereby the participant youth workers tested with 6 or more further young people in their own institution in each country (37 further young people).Main project activities O1: Action plan for the process to be activated in youth mediation field -Report on preparatory research-Analysis and adaptation of relevant experiences and good practices-Creation of key actor, stakeholder maps-Defining strategies, activities and tools-O2: Design of new non-formal qualification “Youth Mediator”-competence standard in terms of activities and tasks, knowledge, skills and competences, learning outcomes units-Memorandum of Understanding for “Youth Mediator”-O3: European common curriculum for new non-formal qualification “Youth Mediator” – beta version-O4: Publication: Youth Mediator program in practice (pilot testing mobility)-Design of joint mediation courses for the application of the already defined competence and training standards-Learning Agreements-Transnational joint training event aimed to organise effective application of the new curriculum-Youthpass-Publication about the results and experiences-O5: Final European common curriculum for new non-formal qualification “Youth Mediator”-Second line pilot testing: participant youth workers were supposed to test their acquired knowledge and practise with 3 further young people- it means that with 4 partner organizations 37 young people was involved. (it supposed to be only 12 but for a better and more effective testing, we decided to extend the number.) Overall report (taking into account each country’s experiences and remarks) in order to collect, accumulate, methodize, analyze and evaluate the experiences and in case of errors to correct it-final curriculum-O6: Policy Recommendations-Set of policy recommendations for results transferring to public and private territorial and sectoral decision-makers-Multiplier events: Infodays and Focus groups, Information packages: targeted written materials (document folder), focusing on intellectual outputs and related activities, to be diffused to stakeholders-Project quality plan and 6 Quality reports-Project website Overall, development and introduction of Youth Mediator program and the participation of youth workers and youth coordinated internationally would happen in order to reduce tension in youth and youth workers, to have less conflict and to develop the existing disputes resolution using peaceful mediation and constructive problem solving. Based on the project and our cooperation from 2018 we will start Youth Mediator trainings.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 66925 Eur

Project Coordinator

LAURUS Fejleszto Intezet Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag & Country: HU

Project Partners

• Aris Formazione e Ricerca
• Beled Ifjúságáért Egyesület
• AFS Magyarország Nemzetközi Csereprogram Alapítvány
• European Consulting Education, s.l.