ATYPIC - Advanced Training on Local Youth Participation in High Diversity Contexts

BACKGROUND: Youth Participation is often a challenge for NGO’s, from the point where they advocate for the youth added value to civil society to the authentic emancipation and empowerment of young people as equal social actors and precious agents of social transformation. AIM: To improve youth participation in high diversity local contexts by developing already active youth workers competences trough an in depth experiential training. OBJECTIVES: - Experience typical difficulties of a multicultural work setting, developing participants positive approach towards diversity and promoting antidiscrimination attitudes. - Explore youth participation common obstacles and challenges, while formulating corresponding – and eventually innovative – solutions in the frame of youth work and non-formal education. - Increase participants understanding of the importance of youth participation in its different dimensions: decision making, youth policy lobbying, NGYO’s programmes & activities, transformational leadership and civil society in general, as a human right. - Introduce the “Have your say! - Manual on the Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life” as a reference tool to work in the field of Youth Participation. - Develop participants understanding of conditions for youth participation and different co-operation forms between local authorities, youth organisations and young people. - Exchange experiences, practices, opinions, educational tools and materials related to youth participation and diversity. - Provide participants with standard theory, skills and tools to design, implement and evaluate meaningful and effective youth participation projects, including coaching good practices. - Provide an opportunity for participants to design a youth participation project to implement as a follow-up of the training, while strengthening the network between the involved partner NGYO’s. - Introduce a series of resources and funding opportunities that can be useful for bringing participants projects to reality, including Council of Europe and European Youth Foundation programmes. TARGET GROUP Active and experienced youth workers, trainers, youth participation project managers, youth policy makers. This is an advanced training – previous experience with youth participation processes is required. A strong motivation and support shall exist to implement a follow-up youth participation project. SETTING & CONTENT 24 participants from different countries will meet in the city of Amarante, Portugal, for a week in order to learn and develop together their training competences, focused in multicultural youth work and local youth participation (and have a lot of fun along the way!). The group will be accommodated in wards rooms of four people. The bathrooms are shared and have shower cabins. Most of the meals served will be vegetarian with Fair Trade and biologically produced food. More info on: http://www.aventuramaraoclube.com/p/casa-juventude.html Trainers will follow non-formal education methodologies, based in peer learning, experiential learning; participative methods will be used – participants shall expect to be very active along the whole programme. Everything will happen in English language. Topics addressed include: diversity, youth participation, good practices in youth participation, co-operation at local level, advocacy, local youth policies, youth participation project management, etc. This is an ideal opportunity to learn with your international peers and to initiate (or further develop) your own youth participation project, internationally or locally. HOW TO APPLY: Before you apply, make sure you meet the following participant profile: - To fit into the target group (as in this document); - Age 18-30 (a limited number of participants above 30 may be accepted, CoE funding rule: projects to "...be attended by participants of whom at least 75% are under the age of 30..."); - Full availability to attend the training (from 08 to 16.09.2012), in Portugal; - Influence in decision making on their NGO’s; - Able to communicate in English language; - When selecting participants, priority will be given to those who will be involved in a youth participation project in the next 12 months (especially projects that have a strong multicultural component). If you meet this profile, download and fill your application form: www.dinamo.pt/downloads/ATYPIC_pax_app_form_v0.2.doc And send it to: atypic@dinamo.pt until 26.04.2012, 23:00 CET. You’ll be informed about the selection results by end of May 2012, by email. For further information, please contact Matia Losego at atypic@dinamo.pt. THE COSTS Participation fee: 70€ (Accommodation and food is included) 70% of the travel cost are reimbursed after the training (up to 245€). 100% of eventual VISA costs reimbursed after the training (conditions apply).