The project “Network for Active European Citizenship” (NAEC) takes place in the context of a 3 years lasting programme called Generation Europe (GenE). During it 30 youth work organisations from 13 European countries are working together in trilateral partnerships with the aim, to excite youths from different backgrounds, especially those with fewer opportunities, for political activity on a local and European level. The main topic GenE works with is Active European Citizenship (AEC). It aims to get results on two levels: 1. Establishing strategies on the level of youth politics that support the implementation of international youth work projects on the topic of European Citizenship. 2. Creating and adjusting methods and tools to make these projects more accessible to diverse target groups and connect the local and European level of European Active Citizenship activities. The participating organisations involved in the project work with so-called disadvantaged youngsters and are already experienced in implementing international activities with diverse target groups and know about possible challenges. Further associated partners in the project are: independent organisations, youth centres, municipalities, vocational schools, vocational assistance organisations, universities and educational centres. Above all the youngsters of GenE with their diverse backgrounds will be involved at all times, steps and spheres in the project. NAEC has three main objectives: 1. It aims to connect practical youth work with the level of youth work policy in the participating countries as well as on an European level in order to support strategies that will help making political democratic education more accessible for disadvantaged youngsters in different regions of Europe. The work will result in the “Guidance paper on the recommended course of action for youth policies”. 2. It supports youth work organisations working on the topic of AEC by developing methods (and adapting existing methods and programmes) making the topic accessible to disadvantaged youths. The methods will be tested at the youths activities of GenE and subsequently evaluated and further developed. The activities and work will conclude in a digital toolbox containing ready to use methods on AEC with the disadvantaged youngsters in the setting of international youth exchange programmes. The project will also create a digital platform that adds digital tools to the process in order to enable better exchange between local and European level and meets the needs of the target group. 3. It aims to evaluate and document the process, the obstacles, successes and outcomes in order to make the experience and the created methods available to organisations outside of the project in to create a wider network of youth organisations that want to make the topic of AEC accessible to diverse target groups. The project contains several activities: During two method workshops new methods and approaches will be developed, evaluated and improved together with the all partner organisations. With the help of 10 multiplier events during a Decentralised European Action Week the intellectual outputs of the Strategic Partnership will be spread to more organisations and stakeholders. To manage and organise the work and dissemination process several transnational meetings will take place in European countries as well as additional meetings to work on the outputs and prepare the workshops.The combination of the youth project GenE and the Strategic partnership that works on the level of professionals in youth work and of decision makers will improve the accessibility of international projects in the field of democratic political education for so called disadvantaged youngsters. This effect should not only show on the regional but also European level. Thus the project supports the process of putting the current EU youth strategy into practice and at the same time opening it for new target groups. Through the dialogue with youth work organisations in the regions stakeholders will get involved in a discussion which strategies should be implemented on the local, national and European level, to create the conditions for coordinated and complementary youth work measure in the field of European political education for diverse target groups. The project will bring new perspectives, competences, methods and tools on AEC to the organisations that they will use in the field of political education in an international context. Furthermore they will initiate a process of lobbying in their region, gain competencies in the field of advocacy and build contacts to representatives of youth politics.On The youth level the strategic partnership will play its part to give disadvantaged youths the chance to experience their political self-efficacy, to perceive themselves as an active part of the democratic process and empower them through it.
Context: The project NAEC was designed as part of a 3 years lasting program called Generation Europe (GenE). It was based on the following observation from the GenE Network: The youth with fewer opportunities tend to describe themselves as non-political and were comparatively hard to motivate to get involved in projects handling political content. However it was also noticed that they could identify and engage more easily in political topics when the projects were handling an issue affecting them personally or their direct environment. objectives: Taking in consideration the above mentioned statements NAEC followed 3 main objectives: 1. Connecting the youth work organisation with youth work policy makers (on a national and European level) in order to implement and support strategies to make political democratic education more accessible for young people with fewer opportunities. 2. Supporting organisations who want to implement AEC in their project by developing new methods as well as adapting existing methods to make it more approachable and accessible for young people with fewer opportunities. 3. Disseminate the created methods in making them available to organisations outside of the project and therefore create a wider network of youth work organisations that want to address the topic of AEC and make it accessible to diverse target groups. participants: NAEC addresses professionals in youth work as well as representatives from youth politics at a national level as well as at a European level. Activities: Guidance Papers: The (associated) partners formed advocacy groups in their regions (North, East, South and Germany) and conducted research in order to assess the situation and the conditions for projects for AC with diverse target groups in their countries and regions. Based on this research discussions with local youth groups in order to identify their concrete needs and expectations in the matter of youth work were conducted. The results of this discussion were transported to and discussed with representatives of youth politics and (local) decision-makers. Based on the research and the insights from the dialogue with policy makers, the partners constituted the base of the Guidance Papers including recommendations for a course of action to address the problems in the field. In a second step, the partners met during regional transnational meetings and had the opportunity to exchange about their experience and common problems where insights about successful and unsuccessful strategies from other regions / countries were gathered. The result of the evaluation, exchange with youth work policy makers and lobby experience were gathered and formed the final version of the Guidance papers. Toolbox NAEC mobilised the GenE-Network To collect existing methods and develop new methods on the topic of AEC, civic and democratic education. Next, the existing methods were adjusted to fit the needs of non-formal education with diverse target groups in a European context. The (adapted) methods were then tested during the youth activities of GenE and subsequently evaluated and further developed. The final version of the methods were then gathered in the form of a document named “Method box”. Digital.D The digital platform was implemented in cooperation with politik-digital e.V.. The platform was developed and improved throughout the entire project period. Due to the Corona crisis, the pedagogical goal of the tool had to be adapted. In fact, the necessity to give young people the opportunity to communicate and make decisions across the partnerships digitally became a necessity. At the same time, it became increasingly important to embed the tool in a new overall digital pedagogical concept. This concept was successfully implemented in 2020 under the name "Let's take Action". Additionally to the intellectual outcome transnational Meetings and Multiplier Events were organised. results/ impact: The project succeeded in reaching all objectives despite challenges along the way. Results thus are: strategies on the level of youth politics that support the implementation of international youth work projects on AEC; connection of practical yw and politicians; provide tools to make international AEC projects more accessible to diverse target groups and to connect the local and European level; improvement of the accessibility of international AEC projects for young people with fewer opportunities. Longer-term benefits: In order to implement the local strategies developed during the project in a sustainable way schools and vocational schools have been included in the process. The SP created a strong and sustainable partnership that is motivated and enabled to work on the topic of AEC in the future. Furthermore it established connections with policy makers on different levels to continue to improve the conditions for the youth work.