Stop Youth Radicalization (StopR) Erasmus Project

General information for the Stop Youth Radicalization (StopR) Erasmus Project

Stop Youth Radicalization (StopR) Erasmus Project
September 14, 2022 12:00 am
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Project Title

Stop Youth Radicalization (StopR)

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Integration of refugees; Migrants’ issues; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

Our project “Stop Youth Radicalization (StopR), initiated by Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány (HU), will support youth organisations in 5 countries (HU, SI, BG, PL and CZ) and across Europe in recovering and fostering the intercultural dialogue across diverse youth communities in light of two severe challenges: 1. Youth Poverty and Exclusion. 2. Refugee and Migration Crisis in Europe.

We are aware that overcoming current situation is beyond youth work’s scope and requires active involvement of wide groups of stakeholders. Nevertheless, we see several areas of concern that can be addressed in order to maximize our continuous contribution to preventing rising youth radicalization, which are related to: lack of common quality framework (or criteria) as to the youth work methods applied on the topic of anti-radicalization in our countries and on European scale; lack of recognition and wide visibility of the best methods in the field and lack of day-to-day collaborative peer-to-peer exchange mechanism among quality youth organisations, working on the ground with youth groups in risk of radicalization.

Stepping on these conclusions and observations, we have arrived at our common goal, which is to improve the quality of methods applied by youth organisations, which are working on the ground in the field of preventing youth radicalization. In terms of Youth in Action and Erasmus+ perspective, these are all organisations addressing topics like: any type of youth work or specifically reaching out to marginalized young people, promoting diversity, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, common values of freedom, tolerance and respect of human rights.

We would like to work on the development of a transnational quality mark (Q-mark specifications) to be granted to the best methods in preventing radicalization. In practical terms, we will establish a web-based platform (Q-mark platform), through which youth organisations will have the opportunity to submit descriptions of their non-formal learning methods in that area, pass through an online evaluation and if matching the announced quality criteria, receive a quality mark, which will distinguish them across youth workers’ professional communities, national and local authorities, training certification bodies and various funding agencies and donors. We could not find any evidence in our preliminary research on national and European level that such platform like our Q-mark platform existed. Furthermore, our survey confirmed that development of common quality criteria for development of youth work methods is still a topic more present in EU strategic documents and not in real youth work reality, which further motivated us to go further with our idea.

We will achieve our goal and objectives through implementing 4 work packages in a time frame of 15 months. The tasks and leading roles will be established in light of the specific expertise of each partner organisation. Our main expected achievements during project lifetime can be summarized as follows: 2 Intellectual outputs (Q-mark specifications and Q-mark platform) released for wide utilization by youth organisations in 6 languages versions (EN, HU, BG, SI, PL, and CZ); 50 youth work methods submitted for evaluation in the platform by 30 youth organisation in all partner countries and across Europe; 850 youth organisations and policy makers from partner countries and across Europe informed of project activities and outcomes and invited to support the dissemination and exploitation of Q-mark platform.

We consider in our sustainability forecast that the number of youth organisations using the Q-mark will reach 120 and the methods submitted will be above 200, which will position it as a well-recognized and trustworthy methodological youth work directory in our countries and beyond.

The immediate effect for youth organisations engaged in our project will be increased capacity in self-evaluation of youth work methods applied; raised awareness as to the importance of integrating quality assurance and applying quality instruments as a daily basis activity; improved understanding of peer learning and cooperation in international context. The platform will also stimulate them to structure and present their methodological content in a web (digital) friendly manner, which will contribute to raising their capacities and competences in integrating youth work and digital technologies. In long-term perspective, the ones that will receive a Q-mark certificate for their method(s) will gain wider visibility and recognition on national and European scale, which will open opportunities for more international cooperation initiatives and draw support from national and European authorities. On overall, the increased level of professionalization will lead to better outcomes in their work with diverse youth groups.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 83207 Eur

Project Coordinator

Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány & Country: HU

Project Partners

  • FUNDACJA WSPIERANIA ORGANIZACJI POZARZADOWYCH “UMBRELLA”
  • CELJSKI MLADINSKI CENTER, JAVNI ZAVOD ZA MLADINSKO KULTURO, IZOBRAZEVANJE, INFORMIRANJE IN SPORT
  • KOMUNIKUJEME OPS
  • Law and Internet Foundation