United for Youth Erasmus Project

Project Title

United for Youth

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

The project involved 4 countries: Lithuania, Spain, the Netherlands and Ukraine.
The following objectives werer eached:
1. Exchange of experience, good practice and know-how between other countries, organizational types operating in employment, training and youth affairs fields through corporate volunteering.
During 3 visits in 3 countries: we met and visited 8 business enterprises, 15 non-profit organizations; 2 educational institutions; 1 city municipality. The visits included various organizations operating in: animal care, minority rights, refugees, the poor, the disabled, IT. We performed 5 socially responsible actions and volunteering actions – we participated in cooperation sessions, demonstrations against violence, volunteered with people with intellectual disabilities, the homeless and refugees, and participated in an excursion organized by the homeless.
2. We have promoted the adaptation of voluntareering and non-formal education systems to the needs of young people and labor market opportunities.
A methodical publication was created during the project – it is free and publicly available. It consists of: literature analysis, qualitative research and examples of good practice. A total of 22 interviews were conducted (11 business organizations, 2 education organizations, 6 non-profit organizations and 3 representatives of local policy institutions) in 4 countries. Good practices of supplementing the topic – a total of 14 examples (8 business, 2 non-profit organizations, 2 education institutions and 2 local policy implementers).
3. We have strengthened the links between the business sector and the community.
We organized an international conference “Corporate Volunteering: A Positive Impact on Youth, Community, Business and Employees”. The main topics of the conference were: 1. Volunteering as a tool for youth and labor market issues, 2. The importance of cross-sectoral cooperation: what determines success and where do we see challenges? 3. Developing skills and competences in volunteering: measurement tools, validity and recognition. Speakers of the conference: A. Khamidova, EPAM, G. Lomanaitė, JTBA, M. Sungailaitė, manager of artist J. Vaitkutė, former participant of “Discover Yourself”, V. Levickis, Youth Entrepreneurship Promotion Association, L. Cornelissen, NXP company, C. Antelo Albertos, SAP company, J. Šilkaitė, VŠP ŠPC, I.Rukavičiūtė, Cognizant, N. Kurapkaitienė, M. Romeris University, M. Lukoševičiūtė, JRD, J. Angel Poyatos, UN, Voluntare, G.Avalasevičiūtė, Všį social action. Three workshops: 1. The case of SAP company volunteering: strategy, development steps, impact, partners: SAP company and Voluntariado Y Estrategia; 2. How to work with business: practical steps, Samen voor Eindhoven; 3. How to develop a corporate volunteering strategy, Voluntariado Y Estrategia and UN, Voluntare. The conference was attended by 83 participants from various sectors.
4. We formed a positive attitude and promoted the assessment of social and civic competences.
Online training brought together representatives of various sectors from Ukraine. The training involved 16 permanent participants, and 15 participants have been involved in concrete topics. The trainings were led by 8 lecturers, but their experience and good practical examples were shared by active representatives of corporate volunteering organizations in Ukraine. In all of our activities activities – visits, trainings and conference – we created a space for informal conversations, networking, therefore we succeeded in various cross-sectoral cooperation in different countries.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 77336,01 Eur

Project Coordinator

SOCIALINIS VEIKSMAS & Country: LT

Project Partners

• Asociación Pasos Solidarios
• FUNDACION CIBERVOLUNTARIOS
• The International Charitable Organization “East Europe Foundation”
• Samen voor Eindhoven