“Back and Forward - Empowerment for transition from YiA to Erasmus +”

What is “Back and Forward”: “Back and Forward - Empowerment for transition from YiA to Erasmus +” is a training course which will focus as its name says on looking BACK and valuing the importance of the Youth in Action Programme that lasted from 2007 to 2013 and gathering the “fruits” that could be used as a rich base for the FORWARD – the new programme Erasmus +. Knowing that youth in Action was a program which allowed people, organizations and various institutions to make a long path in building a Europe grounded on knowledge, citizens, citizenship, inclusion and participation through learning opportunities based on a very effective methodology of non-formal education, we believe that these experiences were valuable source of competencies and knowledge that can be used and transferred into the activities of the new programme. Having in mind that the transition as always in life brings worries, uncertainty and questions, but instead of being worried in times of change, we can also take a different position and see how the previous experiences can empower us to continue contributing on building the society grounded on knowledge, citizens, inclusion and participation. That’s why the main aim of “Back and Forward” training course is to gather youth workers, trainers, project managers and other practitioners in the field to reflect and discuss on what the Youth in Action Programme gave, to remark the values of it, to raise awareness on its huge heritage, and then with this awareness to look at the future through the new programme. Aims and objectives: The purpose and main objectives of "Back and Forward" are to: - Analyze and reflect on projects and experiences as part of YiA - Discuss the strengths and weaknesses we got through these experiences - Plan how to use the knowledge and skills acquired from YiA with new program Erasmus + - Reflect on how the specific methodology of the YiA programme, non-formal education, is an element that makes the difference in the learning process and how it could be used further - Strengthen the partnerships between the organizations and plan in a long-term vision and perspective - Promote concrete project proposals amongst the participants within the guidelines of the new program - Get more information about the plans for the EU 2014-2020