"Take action! : a European ABC to youth participation!"

Contact: Mara GEORGESCU
Association ARCIRAGAZZI Liguria
Salita Montebello, 7/12
16126 Genoa

Duration: From November 2007 to January 2009
Beneficiary: The project is run by two countries (Italy and Romania). Within the partnership, there are 2 youth associations and 2 local public bodies. 30 young people are participating in this project.

Partner n°1: BENEFICIARY - ARCIRAGAZZI Liguria (Italy)
Partner n°2: Town Hall of Genoa - association (Italy)
Partner n°3: Town hall of Bucharest, Office for Educational Activities - public local authority (Romania)
Partner n°4: Association APSS "Agenda 21" - public local authority (Italy)

How did you come up with the idea?

"The idea of the project was developed during several meetings with young people. There was a pooling of ideas about youth participation projects. The Italian National Agency guided us in the definition of the final idea."

Brief description and aim of the project:

"Our aim was to create stronger and more sustainable bonds between the three main actors of youth participation: young people, associations (civil society in general) and public bodies, according to the principles of representative democracy.
All the projects create spaces and opportunities for favorising the exchange of ideas and good practices, to reflect actively on the future of Europe and youth policies in Europe, also from the perspective of a new EU country and establish the basis for improving public dialogue."

Objectives:

- Recognize and support youth participation activities, projects and initiatives developed at local and regional level in partner countries;
- Develop a strategy to reinforce democracy in 2 countries through a non-formal learning process with young people, institutions and associations;
- Find skills for helping young people to use the existing opportunities at local, regional, national and European level on youth participation;
- Elaborate a youth-friendly guide to participation and citizenship a concerned with activities at both a local and European level.

Strong points of the project:

The project has several features that make it special. First of all, young people have been involved in each phase of the elaboration process of the project in Italy as well as in Romania. Moreover, the project involved 2 countries with a different "tradition of democracy" which may for us be one step towards wider tolerance, the fight against cultural stereotypes and a step toward mutual knowledge and understanding.
Finally, the final product of the project is innovative and useful. We will elaborate a guide of good practices

Finance:

The Youth in Action programme: 60% of the project
18% Agenda 21 Bucharest and the City of Bucharest
15% Arciragazzi Liguria (in kind co-financement)
7% Town hall of Genoa
Town hall of Bucarest
Arciragazzi and other associations: in kind contribution