Call for Trainers

Young people and extremism: Building resilience through youth empowerment

Description

Context/Background

SALTO Cultural Diversity (SALTO CD) in partnership with the UK National Agency for Erasmus+ are organising a study visit which will focus on the role of youth work and non-formal learning in building young people’s resilience to extremism and radicalisation. 

This study visit builds on the experience of two training courses organised in 2016 in this area:

1. Preventing Youth Extremism, April | Aubervilliers, France

2. Tipping Point – Understanding and Tackling Extremism, November | Sofia, Bulgaria

https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/cultural-diversity/training-activities/2016/preventing-extremism/ and the SALTO Cultural Diversity publication, “Young people and extremism: a resource pack for youth workers”.

As its starting point, the study visit will examine the way young people are perceived in society and how this can influence our engagement with them on issues of extremism and radicalisation. With particular reference to the UK context, the study visit will draw on the civic youth work approaches highlighted in the SALTO CD publication. It aims to increase youth workers’ understanding of strategies, approaches and methods that can be used to engage with young people, create safe spaces to explore issues related to extremism and empower young people to address issues that concern them by playing an active role in their community. In the context of an increasingly diverse Europe, the study visit will also highlight the importance of supporting young people to develop their intercultural competence.

This project combines elements of a training course, seminar, and study visit and will provide opportunities for youth workers and others with responsibility for young people’s non-formal learning in different European countries to experience current UK practices in the area of young people and extremism. It will also encourage critical discussion of such practices and their relevance to other national contexts.

The study visit is aligned with, and supports, recent EC policy developments and communications which highlight the role of youth work in promoting diversity and inclusion and responding to risks to young people from extremism and radicalisation.  

These include:

• The Paris Declaration on promoting citizenship and common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education (Council of the European Union, March 2015)
• The Council of the European Union’s conclusions on ‘the role of the youth sector in an integrated and cross-sectoral approach to preventing and combatting violent radicalisation of young people’ (May 2016)
• The contribution of youth work to preventing marginalisation and violent radicalisation Results of the expert group set up under the European Union Work Plan for Youth for 2016-2018.

Aim and Objectives

The overall aim of the study visit is to develop the capacity of youth workers* in Europe to respond to risks from extremism and radicalisation, by considering current policy and practice in the UK.

Specific objectives are:-

• To increase the understanding of the knowledge, skills and experience needed by youth workers to support young people in developing their resilience to extremism and radicalisation
• To support youth organisations in developing their capacity to respond  to risks from extremism and radicalisation
• To highlight the relevance of UK experience at the level of both policy and practice, both at programme and grassroots level from a range of perspectives. In particular, to highlight the role of civic youth work as an approach that encourages young people's active citizenship - and that can help in reducing the risks from extremism and radicalisation.
• To highlight opportunities under the Erasmus+ Programme to develop projects and to strengthen European networks in the area of young people and extremism.

*Many different kinds of professionals and volunteers work with or on behalf of young people. Please note therefore, this does not necessary refer exclusively to those who are in a professional youth work role or who have a particular set of qualifications in that regard, but include anyone in direct contact with young people. Please note also that the Erasmus+ programme defines young people as those between 15 to 30.

Requested trainer profile

Person Specification

The following criteria refer to both the Project Coordinator/Lead Trainer and Co-Trainer/Facilitator role unless specified otherwise.

Essential

• Thorough theoretical and practical knowledge of youth work and young people’s non-formal learning
• Experience of civic youth work approaches including knowledge or experience of Youth Participatory Action Research or other approaches to directly engaging young people as active participants.
• Experience of designing and/or delivering training and other professional development activities of relevance to young people and extremism.
• Good understanding of the UK socio-political landscape related to extremism and radicalisation and of UK Government policy (Coordinator)
• Thorough theoretical and practicial knowledge of cultural diversity; experience of designing and/or delivering training and other professional development activities in a multi-cultural setting or cross-community setting
• Excellent level of English

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of Erasmus+ projects (Essential for co-trainer/facilitator)
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation in youth projects 

Working conditions

Tasks

Project coordinator

• To attend a preparatory meeting in Birmingham and the full duration of the study visit (date/UK location tbc)
• To lead on the design and development of the study visit and training component  including identifying stakeholders, youth and community initiatives and other bodies that support the aims and objectives of the study visit
• To develop the Call for participants in cooperation with SALTO Cultural Diversity and the UK National Agency for Erasmus+
• To develop any materials for participants as part of their preparation or for the study visit training component.
• To lead on the development and faciliation of workshops as part of the training component of the study visit
• To design, develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation framework for the study visit (using the Impact Assessment resources of the UK National Agency)
• To complete a final report of the study visit including an analysis of the evaluation, including recommendations 

Co-trainer/faciliator

• To attend a preparatory meeting in Birmingham (date/UK location tbc)
• To support the project co-ordinator/lead trainer in developing the study visit and training component.
• To develop any materials for participants in partnership with the project coordinator as part of their preparation for the study visit training component
• To design, develop and co-facilitate workshops as part of the training component of the study visit in partnership with the project coordinator/ lead trainer
• To contribute to the final report for the study visit and the analysis of the evaluation.

Fees

Project Coordinator/Lead Trainer

€4,060 (Total 14 days)

Co-Trainer

€2,900 (Total 10 days)

Travel and subsistence for the preparation meeting and also for the Study Visit will be covered in accordance with the UK National Agency travel policy.

Team composition

• 1 Project Coordinator/Lead Trainer
• 1 Co-Trainer/Facilitator

Tasks outlined under "Working Conditions"

Application & selection procedure

Apply no later than: Monday 17 July 2017
How to apply:

Applicants should send:

1. A CV including evidence of how their experience and knowledge meets the person specification and the task requirements.
2. A motivation letter including how they can ensure that the aim and objectives of the study visit are met (no more than 2 sides of A4).
3. Names and contact details of at least two referees with knowledge of the applicant’s experience in areas relevant to the study visit.

Applicants should submit their applications by email to no later than 9pm (UK time) Monday 17 July 2017.

For more information

Miro Fernandez or Elena Lazarou, Project Manager (SALTO Cultural Diversity)
Phone: +44 20 7389 4585
Email: