1st European Youth Conference: Strengthening the Recognition of Non-Formal Education in European Youth Work

Youth organization CULTURE GOES EUROPE (CGE) – Soziokulturelle Initiative Erfurt e.V. is looking for participants all over Europe for its “1st European Youth Conference: Strengthening the Recognition of Non-Formal Education in European Youth Work” to be held in Cracow, Poland, on 19th – 25th March 2013. 

One of the main challenges of European youth work is the recognition of the value of youth work as non-formal learning among public and private institutions as well as among the general population on one hand and the recognition of learning outcomes of youth participating in youth work activities on the other hand. Facing the challenges of the new EU program “Erasmus for all” the requested project proposal therefore focuses on the two interlinked processes of formal/political as well as social recognition of youth work and non-formal learning. 

The objectives of the project are:

• To facilitate the communication between the involved stakeholders

• To foster the transfer of knowledge within the EU27

• To increase the transparency and quality of YW and NFL activities

The participants of the Youth Conference (YC) will join an intense week working on sharing their experiences:

• How to facilitate the communication between the involved stakeholders

• How to foster the transfer of knowledge within EU27

• How to increase the transparency and quality of YW and NFL activities

The activities are based on principles & practice of non-formal learning including various activities as open space, lectures/speeches/inputs, floors include. exercises, simulations, which are creating situations for deeper personal reflection, followed by concentrated debriefing, work in small mixed groups, inputs, presentations & discussion of results, e.g. through fishbowl-method, field trips, meetings & roundtables, workshops, free time activities & intercultural activities. The methods are based on a learning process & stimulating creativity, active participation and initiative. Last but not least is to get connected and finding synergy-effects between us and new projects under the umbrella of YiA Programme of the European Commission.

You are interested to participate?

We launched an open call for participants. Nevertheless priority is given to participants who are applying via the official project partners.

The following organisations are involved in the project:

• ECEPAA – European Centre for Economic and Policy Affairs – Belgium

• Youth for Better Europe – Bulgaria

• International Initiatives for Cooperation – Bulgaria

• Municipality of Aradippou – Cyprus

• International Movement Youth Time – Czech Republic

• Be International, o.s. – Czech Republic

• Association Migration Solidarité et Echanges pour le Développement – France

• CGE Erfurt e.V. – Germany

• ELIX – Conservation Volunteers Greece – Greece

• Comune di Tortona – Italy

• SkillMaker – Latvia

• Youth center “Baze” –

• Kaunas Union of Youth NGOs ‘Round Table’ – Lithuania

• Strategies of Interactive Training Foundation – Malta

• DINAMO – Portugal

• Associação para a Formação e Desenvolvimento do Montijo – CMM – Portugal

• Team for Youth Association – Romania

• Zavod Nefiks – Slovenia

• Društvo mladinski ceh – Slovenia

• Gaziantep Youth and Culture Association – Turkey

• Çanakkale Koza Gençlik Derneği – Turkey

This Youth Conference is for 50 participants and recommended for youth workers, trainers, youth leaders, project managers, youth policy makers.

Participants from the following countries are eligible: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey.

Your profile:

• you’re head over heels for non-formal education

• you’re familiar with non-formal learning methods

• you took part at least at one Youth in Action activities

• you’re an active member of a NGO or youth organization

• you’re able to participate active at the Youth Conference

• you’re not a Youth in Action tourist

• you love to share your experiences, ideas and passion

A participation fee in the amount of 75 EUR per person is taken to cover expenses which are not covered by the YiA grant. The participants are accommodated in a Hotel. There the participants will receive breakfast, lunch and dinner. The kitchen is used to cook also vegetarian and vegan food. We will reimburse 70% of the travel costs for the YC on the basis of the cheapest possibilities.

A comprehensive guide with further information is available here.

Or apply directly via:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dExOMVpLY3BRTXM5MGt3Q3IyRG1vbGc6MQ#gid=0

In case you cannot access the given information/links/documents please contact us directly via: recognitionnfe@gmail.com

 

Please apply online till the 22.02.2013.

The project is funded by the Youth in Action programme of the European Union.