Put on your gender glasses!

Everybody is gendered. Our gendered identities are not static, but change and shift according to our experiences, the context we live in, the power we have and the desires we feel. The freedom we have to control and express this aspect of our identity depends very much on the absence or presence of different expectations, pressures and prejudices existing in our communities and societies. Gender is also directly linked to power and considering gender means questioning forms of power and privilege that benefit many people, mainly men, in our societies. Gender-based violence is one of the most widespread forms of human rights abuse. It often happens in private and no country is immune to it. Working with gender is a competence area that can and should be developed. It begins with youth workers and youth activists working with themselves and requires reflecting on attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and behaviour that a person brings to youth work. The project objectives are - To compare how gender norms may differ according to context; - To encourage reflection on gender assumptions that we may be not aware of; - To identify challenges young people face in relation to gender equality; - To examine the roles gender may play in youth work as well as the importance of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in youth work, projects and organizations; - To share specific tools and insights for a gender-sensitive approach to human rights education and youth work; - To examine different expressions of gender-based violence in youth contexts; - To train youth workers on raising awareness on the issue and, as a result, to mobilize and involve more young people in the prevention of gender-based violence; - To promote the core EU values of respect for human rights, gender equality, non-violence, social cohesion and diversity as well as cooperation under the Erasmus+ programme. Participant profile: - Ready to contribute to gender equality and gender mainstreaming in their organisation and community, i.e. serve as multiplies; - Active learners, available for the whole duration of the course and ready to share their experience and knowledge; - Age limit: above 20; - Able to follow a training in English. We particularly encourage applications from youth workers representing and/or working with disadvantaged youth and youth with fewer opportunities, including youth leaders working with young people who are marginalised because of their gender identity.