Forum "Youth Cooperation Beyond Borders"

The three  SALTO Resource Centres working with the neighbouring regions of the Youth in Action programme - SALTO EECA, EuroMed and SEE - together with the National Agencies of France, Poland and Slovenia organised a forum to explore the impact of the Programme in the frame of the cooperation with the neighbouring regions.

The forum was co-rganised and hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Republic of Azerbaijan together with the Ministry's Youth Foundation in Baku between 28 - 30 October 2012. I gathered almost 100 participants from Programme Countries and the Neighbouring Partner Countries, with experience in the Programme either as beneficiaries or representatives of supporting institutions.

Aim and objectives

The forum aimed to develop recognition of the importance of the international youth cooperation in the field of non-formal education between Programme and Neighbouring Partner Countries (NPC).

The specific objectives were:

• To present and discuss needs and achievements identified by research carried out by the regional SALTO Resource Centres on the impact of the Youth in Action programme on:

- Development of organisations and their youth practice and youth work in general (in Programme and Neighbouring Partner Countries);

- Communities (in Programme and NPC);

- Youth policy development in the regions;

• To develop recognition of achievements
• To prepare conclusions and suggestions and feedback for future steps

The three-day programme included presentation of the outcomes of impact studies carried out by regional SALTOs as well as various discussion groups and workshops focusing on cross-cutting topics of relevance or with a geographical focus (such as impact of the Youth in Action programme on local communities, policy developments, development of the youth sector, recognition of non-formal learning etc.).