The E-UNITE project brings 2 universities, 2 NGOs together with an Institute and a youth center in a concerted effort to develop the foundations of the E-UNITE network – an international youth network, which aims to promote community-led initiatives in the fields of tolerance, inclusivity and diversity. The main output of the project – the E-UNITE Hub will allow for the convergence of young minds and exchange of ideas, as well as support for such initiatives; likewise, the Hub will be a base for exchange of know-how and good practices of youth workers, which are interested in working on those community-led initiatives or alternatively – youth workers, who wish to develop youth networks of their own. In our current turbulent times, there is a big need for the existence of opportunities, which can lead young people to understanding each other and working together for the better future. Already existing community-led initiatives show that this is an efficient and effective way of creating a safe and inclusive environment for all people. This leads to the belief that an organized communal space, in which youth workers and youth work together and exchange ideas, as well as create and manage such projects together, will only increase the positive impact on societies overall. Our aim as a project will be to help increase the positive impact, promote tolerance, diversity, and bring communities together. Our consortium objectives in reaching E-UNITE’s overall aim are: - designing and developing a web-based platform, functioning also as a working space – the E-UNITE Hub; - organising a 3-day Joint Staff Training to prepare 12 youth workers for working with the provided tools, the network and the manual; - elaborating the E-UNITE Manual (available in 7 different European languages), which will offer youth workers a new set of guidelines and systematically summarized knowledge regarding youth work, diversity and tolerance promotion, network building and managing community-led initiatives; - promoting the E-UNITE Hub and Manual across youth and youth workers’ communities in 6 partner countries and across Europe; - put forward a sustainability roadmap, which can be used as an example for similar initiatives or as an example for youth workers and network builders. The expected results can be summarized as follows: - Young active citizens will be enabled to cooperate with victims of discrimination with the help of experienced youth workers to create tolerance and inclusivity-promoting community-led initiatives. - Youth workers will have the opportunity to learn and apply best practices and know-how on various themes, related on the one hand to diversity and tolerance, and on the other – to sustain youth networks and manage community-led initiatives. The E-UNITE project will bear the following innovative features: 1. The Hub will be a unique online ground, where youth workers and youth from many different European countries will have the opportunity to converge, exchange ideas and help each other achieve community and network goals. Further, it will be a source for information, regarding the project and its outputs. 2. The Manual that is going to be created for youth workers will be innovative in its core ideas and goals, and will be available in all 6 partner languages, as well as in English, which will make it accessible for youth workers from all of Europe. 3. The creation of this transnational youth network, aimed at increasing tolerance and diversity, as well as community-building and grassroots initiatives is widely and deeply supported by many different associations, organisations and even government authorities in the partner countries and will be sustained through community efforts and backed by community-led initiatives.
For the E-UNITE project, a competent consortium was established consisting of a University, three NGOs and two Research Institutes that combined efforts to deliver the E-UNITE network – an international youth network, that promotes community-led initiatives in the fields of tolerance, inclusivity, and diversity. The consortium addressed challenges effectively through concise project management approaches, appropriate risk mitigation techniques, and an excellent team spirit. For the successful completion of the projects, partners formed a Steering Committee based on the following rule: every partner (except the coordinating partner) appointed a representative, and UNIC (in its capacity as the coordinating partner) contributed two representative, namely, the project manager and the financial officer.The Steering Committee was responsible for examining any project-related issue and facilitating collective decision-making. The main enabling factors entailed mutual understanding, collaborative efforts, and frequent communication using a variety of channels with an emphasis on electronic means. The main output of this project is the E-UNITE Hub that allows the convergence of young minds, exchange of ideas, and a showcase of various initiatives. This output has been tested, and the results are comparable to the high specifications initially sought. This platform, the E-UNITE Hub, was pilot-tested in two phases. Initially, tests were performed by the project partners with the support of selected youth; the outcome of such tests consisted of suggested changes and improvements. The second phase took place during the E1 activity, i.e., the youth workers workshop held on the 16th of May 2019 in Sofia Bulgaria, with the participation of 34 youth workers. The E-UNITE Manual is an electronic book targeted at youth workers promoting tolerance and diversity in community-led actions. The E-UNITE Manual is designed to encompass practical advice and guidelines, highlighting good practices and business models aiming to develop networks of stakeholders and facilitate the implementation of grassroots initiatives. Finally, the E-UNITE Sustainability Roadmap has been developed. This output supports the E-UNITE HUB sustainability through the development of an online community and a series of activities for its members that will yield the necessary resources (financial and others) for its future growth, visibility, and acceptance. All Intellectual Outputs were developed according to high-quality specifications; the Intellectual Outputs of E-UNITE were translated in partner languages as it was outlined in the application form and the Amendment; Intellectual outputs O1 and O2 were translated in all partner languages while the O3 was developed in English. A short term Learning/Teaching/Training Activity – the Joint Staff Training was held between the18th and the 20th of June 2019 in Athens, Greece. Participants came from the targeted groups described in the application form and were extensively involved in the project activities. At the same time, transnational partner meetings and all other events were implemented as in the approved Amendment. The project carried out extensive dissemination using the primary means youth frequently undertakes: the internet and social media.