InclusiOFF- Turn it ON!

If youth workers and youth organizations cannot reach out to and include young people with the fewer opportunities in their activities, where else will they benefit from the non-formal learning experiences these activities provide? Partners involved in this project detected (besides the statistics and international documentation and measurements-see “Social Inclusion for Young people–Breaking Down The Barriers” on http://youth-partnership-eu.coe.int/ ) an increase in the level of social exclusion in their communities and felt the responsibility that youth organization play in building a social cohesive society. Youth work plays an essential role in reaching and bringing together young people who face exclusion on a daily basis. It true that there are many other factors in society that can contribute to the social inclusion of young people, not least the abilities and strengths of young people themselves, but for young people with the fewest opportunities youth work and youth organizations can be a principal means of such inclusion to happen. The aim of this project is to increase the capacity in youth work field to mainstream social inclusion in their work. The project is based on an intensive experiential learning process to reach following objectives: - To increase the level of knowledge in social exclusion (causes, dimensions, effects and consequences),mechanism of inclusion in youth field, best practice on inclusion growth(in youth projects); - To develop deep understanding and practical skills in alternative methods for mainstreaming inclusion and participation of young people :Living Library, Image Theatre(as type of Theatre of the Oppressed), Animation, and Experiential Learning; - To increase the level of solidarity, tolerance and empathy among youth workers; - To develop pro-active attitudes towards inclusion; - To equip a new generation of youth workers to act as “social exclusion fighters” in their communities. - To facilitate the building of an informal network for promoting and mainstreaming inclusion growth in local and international youth work environment. Target group and criteria for selecting 25 participants - Youth workers, facilitators, trainers, coordinators, active volunteers that are already working with social inclusion issues or are interested to be active in the field and need more practical competencies in various methods for mainstreaming social inclusion in their communities. - Experience in facilitation (could be an advantage); - All participants should have an English level of at least medium level (to be able to participate in discussion and in training activities); - The participants should be resident of one of following countries: Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Greece, Turkey, Poland, Portugal, Estonia. *(Important Note: applications from people residents in other countries (regardless if they are nationals/citizens of the countries mentioned before will not be accepted)