We Hear You Erasmus Project

Project Title

We Hear You

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 school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

The low level of youth participation in democratic processes, as well as young people’s lack of trust in democratic institutions and values, is a growing concern among teachers, youth workers and other youth professionals. They worry about democratic deficits and the consequences for the youngsters, as well as for society in general. It is of particular concern when it comes to vulnerable youth at risk of being marginalised in society. Organisational shortcomings pertaining to youth participation lead to a perception amongst young people of not having a say in decision making, not even on their personal level at school or in other situations. This in turn leads to distrust and disinterest in the participation in activities organised by established organisations and in general democratic processes. The assumption is that the feeling of being marginalised puts the youngsters at risk of actually becoming excluded. In addressing these issues the project also addressed a number of current European issues, such as increased discrimination, racism, political and religious extremism, school absenteeism and drop-out.
The practitioners, teachers, social workers and youth workers working with young people can be perceived as carriers of structures and cultures that perpetuate the shortcomings of the organisations. Consequently a need was identified to provide youth professionals with new methods and tools to improve their capacity to communicate with youth in a more participatory way and that support the democratic institutions ability to reach the youth groups concerned. The practitioners need to understand the importance and impact that their own attitude has, was also recognised.
The project has identified, tested and developed, new and existing, methods and tools for youth professionals, collected them and made them easily available in a database: “A platform for sharing of good practice in the field of promoting democratic dialogue and youth civic participation”. The content also covers methods and measures that enable the facilitation of youth participation through structures for meetings and creating arenas.
New training tools for teachers, social workers and youth workers in the form of two on-line courses have been developed on a European level. They are devised to give the practitioners both an increased awareness of how their own prejudices and attitudes affect their interaction with youth at risk, and supporting them with the now-how in the use of methods and tools promoting the inclusion of young people in democratic processes.
Each of the project partners partner set up local activity groups and worked according to local activity plans. The partnership acknowledged the importance of in-depth youth involvement in the project. All partners, with the exception of ENSA, organised Youth Advisory Groups that provided background data and feed-back from young people’s perspective. Local steering groups were set up, including key persons from the partner organisations and/or local stakeholders. The steering groups contributed with follow-up and quality assurance as well as dissemination.
The project used cumulative knowledge development to obtain the project results. The development of existing or new methods, tools and training, as well as possible structural modifications, was carried out as a learning process. The produced database is dynamic and remains open for future additions from the partnership, as well as from other organisations and/or stakeholders. The on-line courses are likewise live resources to be edited as the need arises. Provisions for the sustainability of the results have been set in place, the Italian partner will keep the website and database up-dated and the Greek partner will be responsible for editing the on-line courses on the Moodle platform. The courses were produced in English, but have been translated and are under elaboration to be up-loaded in the spring of 2020.
ENSA had the special responsibility of coordination of dissemination activities, using its wide network of European regions, cities and non-governmental organisations, and its close cooperation with other major European networks. A wide range of implementation and dissemination activities were carried out throughout the project. Eight partners with a variety of competencies and experiences from different countries, educational systems and youth work services, were actively involved in the project, and in addition, two associated partners supported the project. 50 practitioners and 30 young persons were the prime actors in the work process. In addition, the project engaged even more individuals within the framework of testing and implementation, dissemination and multiplier events. Consequently, thousands of professionals, managers, youth organisations and politicians throughout Europe were reached, and the resources from the project are already in use. After translation the impact is expected to be even higher.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 176785 Eur

Project Coordinator

Västerås stads Gymnasie- och vuxenutbildning & Country: SE

Project Partners

• DOUBLE HELIX RESOURCES LTD
• ERASMUSHOGESCHOOL BRUSSEL
• ENSA – EUROPEAN NETWORK OF SOCIAL AUTHORITIES
• TOPUNT GENT
• EQUALITY COOPERATIVA SOCIALE
• Anadrasis Initiative Information
• GEMEENTE ROTTERDAM