UPRAISE- YOUTH PARTICIPATION FOR SOCIAL CHANGE Erasmus Project

Project Title

UPRAISE- YOUTH PARTICIPATION FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Access for disadvantaged; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

CONTEXT
 
One of the major issues contemporary democracies face in in Europe is the political disengagement of the young people when it comes to traditional politics or organisational membership. Young people are very engaged by in non-organisational structures, like initiatives. They have a resistance to formal membership usually, and engage more spontaneously, for a certain specific curse, time-limited, through “passive” support via social media (like, dislike, comment or share) and usually expect instant gratification, which is difficult in political and societal changes.

The rise of the social networks have transformed the way young people become engaged. Yet, in the youth organisations there are youth professionals who are still used in working with traditional methods of participation like for example signing handwritten petitions on paper (when today everything moves into online petitions), or supporting the organisation of foot demonstrations (when most campaigns happen on the social media).

With our project we wish to address the need of youth professionals for continuous professional development with a focus on competences to support the active participation of the young people. Furthermore, we wish to address the fact that traditional education and youth work methods are not attractive to modern young people; especially those with fewer opportunities (like early school leavers, and people with disadvantaged backgrounds) who are often feeling uncomfortable in formal settings.

 
OBJECTIVES
 
The overall aim of the project is the promotion of active youth participation through youth work. To achieve this aim, the partners will first work on the competence development of youth professionals (youth workers, youth trainers, mentors of ESC volunteers).

 
PARTICIPANTS
 
12 youth professionals will complete the first iteration of the in-service training programme at the transnational training event. A further 40 youth workers will complete the in-service training, 10 in each partner country. More than 100 people representing the project stakeholders will attend the multiplier events. 45 people with fewer opportunities will be involved in the project activities.
 
 
ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY

One international training event with a blend of methods: (1) self-driven online learning (2) non-formal education participatory methods

Four meetings per country (16 in total) with Local Stakeholder Forums.

Four international online campaigns on four social issues that concern the young people.

A Website and presence in all major social networks will be created and maintained for 5 years after project end.

A combination of dissemination methods will support the visibility of the project, the partners, and Erasmus+. The methods include classic and social media, digital promotion and face-to-face activities such as the multiplier events, and the final conference.

The Stakeholder Dialogue Model will facilitate the communication and engagement of people and entities interested in Youth.

Management wise, the partners will use methods as (A) the Kanban project management methodology focusing on lean principles and a strict process (B) “PM² Project Management Methodology” of the European Commission for risk and quality management based on the deming cycle Plan, Do, Check and Act (C) Traffic Lights tool for risk assessment and many collaborative tools.

 
 RESULTS & IMPACT

The partners will develop and pilot innovative tools and four main intellectual outputs:

1. Research Study with the method of questionnaire surveys Research: “European Training Strategy and the Trainer Competence Model: The political dimension of the work of youth trainers in Germany, Greece, Cyprus, and Romania”.

2. Handbook “Managing active citizenship initiatives with young voluntary coordinators and young volunteers”.

3. “UPRAISE Training toolkit” to be used by youth professional to enhance youth participation with methods which are attractive to young people with fewer opportunities: a. Lego Serious Play, b. Photovoice, c. Theatre of the Oppressed, d. Kahoot! Quizzes; and on topics of interest to the young people. All the topics we have identified to be of interest among our target groups are related to the Human Rights: a. Democracy & human rights, b. Fighting anti-Semitism & anti-Islamism, c. Gender equality & rights to sexuality, d. Climate Change (which also has a human rights’ aspect).

4. “UPRAISE Toolkit for Successful Online Campaigns and Petitions”.

RESULTS

The project will equip the youth professionals with practical tools to use in their work. The youth workers will support the active participation of the young people with fewer opportunities with the aim to bring about social change.

LONGER TERM IMPACT

The project will reinforce the international dimension of youth work and the capacities and international scope of the partners. Ultimately, the project will impact the influence and recognition of youth work.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 123898 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. & Country: DE

Project Partners

• ARISTA DEKA LIMITED
• INSTITOYTO KOINONIKIS KAINOTOMIAS KAI SYNOXIS
• Centrul de Voluntariat Cluj-Napoca