YOUNG EUROPE. Promoting the idea of Europeanness in youth projects.

What does Europeanness mean to you? And, How the notion of Europeanness can be promoted in youth projects?

The question of what Europeanness is a long-lasting and controversial issue and the concept is perceived differently in every region, country, city, and even by each individual. Inspecting the definition of Europeanness is one of the main objects of this project, however, rather than draw solid lines defining the notion of Europeanness, we aim to understand how people perceive the term, what a unified Europe mean to them and how we can turn these diverse perceptions of European citizenship into advantage in order to live in harmony in a multi-cultural Europe.

The main activity of this mobility of youth workers project is to organize a convention with the participation of youth workers from various countries who experience the notion of Europeanness in different cultural contexts. This meeting is going to help participants exchange their actualities, experiences and urgencies and enable them to propose their ideas to promote Europeanness in youth projects. The final outcome of this convention is going to be designing a web-site where youth-workers are going to find opportunities for future cooperation with other youth workers in different countries. This web-site is also going to serve as a guideline to develop youth projects, particularly focusing on the notion of Europeanness and immigration issues.

In addition to on-going violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, the civil war in Syria is the main reason of immigration to the EU and EU candidate countries. As a result of these recent social and political changes and conflicts in the Middle East and neighbouring countries, Europe is currently facing a continuous flow of influx of migrants and refugees and this situation causes divergence in the EU over finding the best way to approach relocating these crowds of people. As stated on www.salto-youth.net, the European Union gives great importance that the Youth in Action Programme is accessible to young people with fewer opportunities because the hardships they experience obstruct them to access to formal and non-formal education, active citizenship and inclusion in society at large. Moreover, “Erasmus+ Programme Guide for 2016” stresses that in the selection of projects this year, emphasis will be put on project proposals that promote contribution to address the needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants and increase awareness about this issue within local communities. Particular attention will also be given to support youth mobility projects involving or focussing on the refugees/asylum seekers and migrants.

If interested in participating as a partner, please, fill in the “Partner Document” attached and send it by the 31st of August.
The Project is going to be presented on the 4th of October.