The project “Be the Change – Empowered Citizens, Empowered Communities” aims to increase capacity building of 10 partner organizations, and involve of 55 youth workers in citizenship education in order to contribute to a working civil society across the national borders in Europe. The general theme of the project is focused on Citizenship in general, European citizenship in particular and other concepts which associated it. Four dimensions of citizenship will be in focus of working agenda, concepts such as intercultural dialogue, migration, rights and responsibilities, cultural identity and how each of the above concepts is translated in concrete activities with young people.
- The promotion of active citizenship has become a key policy concern in youth work. The one of the long-standing cornerstones of practice has been to “empower” young people through active participation. Much of this work draws on a rights-based approach to working with young people. To explore four dimensions of citizenship (political, economical, cultural and social) for
encouraging youth worker to take concrete action in society; - To explore the meaning, relevance and implications of European citizenship in youth work in all its dimensions and in three main components (status, rights and responsibilities);
- To provide information to participants with the current talks on European Citizenship (its concepts, formal meanings and expressions)
- To bring concrete examples and the connection between European Citizenship, Human Rights, Democracy and Inter-Cultural Learning.
- To improve participants skills in citizenship education for young people with fewer opportunities and guide them to be agent of positive change in communities they live and to promote and use different programmes and structures in support of youth work on citizenship education, including Erasmus + Youth in Action programme.
The project outcomes will be presented to the policy makers, with the final aim of moving issues of particular concern to young people.
Partnerships
The involvement of CSO from 10 countries from European country and western Balkan, is key to the successful implementation of the project. PRO YOUTH will prepare a handbook containing the project methodology to encourage the participants and from the organizations member to organize, in their own countries under the framework of “Be the change – Empowered Citizens, Empowered Communities”.
Activities & Methods
The project consists of different events and activities, making use of diverse
methodologies so as to be approachable and of interest for citizens of various
social, cultural, educational or economic backgrounds.
- Activity during the project
- Study visit – 15-12 January 2018 (successfully)
- Training Course 9-17 March 2018
- Youth Exchange 22-29 may 2018
The project will see implementation of 3 separate motilities for youth work
practitioners taking place in Albania. All motilities will utilize non-formal education methods such as ice-breakers and energizers, team building exercises, small group discussions, role-plays, and individual reflection, feedback and evaluation activities.
