Innovation Jam - Tools and Spaces to Innovate in Youth Work

Over the last decades, innovation processes have been studied and systematised in various professional fields. If Youth Workers learn this, they can facilitate participatory innovation processes and create better solutions for local and global problems, together with their young people and communities.

The course will provide opportunities to explore:

• Future trends, 
• Youth work challenges,
• Creative thinking techniques,
• Tools to innovate, 
• Funding Opportunities for innovation development.

Learning goals:

• To understand the benefits of creative thinking leading to youth work innovation processes.
• To understand the importance of future signals and predictable trends relevant to Youth Work.
• To experience participatory innovation tools to increase the quality of youth work and generate social change.
• To increase readiness to apply innovation tools in one’s own youth work context, namely by using Erasmus+ funding opportunities. 

Format:

5 full days of face-to-face learning experience.

Methodologies:

• We will focus on creating a flexible space and the conditions for a creative mindset through:
• Practising creative thinking and innovation exercises.
• Approaching youth work challenges and developing possible solutions.
• Reflecting on how to be an innovation supporter in one’s own community.
• Exploring innovation funding possibilities in Erasmus+ and other funding schemes.

Expected Outcomes:

• A better understanding of trends and needs for innovation in youth work.
• Knowledge and skills in using new tools to innovate in youth work.
• Increased skills in reviewing existing youth work practices and creating innovation in youth work organisations.
• Increased knowledge on using funding opportunities for innovation projects.

Team: 

Laimonas Ragauskas and Anita Silva