In the recent decades, there is a decline in the level of civic and political engagement of young people across Europe and all over the world. Youth who are eligible to vote in local and European elections tend to do it less frequently than the representatives of the older generation. These trends have been used to argue that the future of democracy is in jeopardy, because political engagement in later life is rooted in the habits developed in youth, and the youth of today will eventually become the adults of tomorrow. To reverse these worrisome trends, EURvoice partnership created the concept of an ambitious 22-month project set to improve the skills of youth workers and youth organisations staff to encourage civic engagement, responsibility and participation among young people. Early participation in decision-making processes affecting the lives of young people is essential to their development into active citizens aware of their rights and duties and capable of exercising them responsibly. In this context, youth organisations can and should play a major role as practice spaces where young people can acquire knowledge and experiences of citizenship in a learning-by-doing way. The EURvoice project aims to increase the awareness of young EU citizens regarding active citizenship and civic responsibility, as well as to stimulate their participation in political and social activities in their local communities. The project objectives could be summarised as follows: - Reduce barriers which hinder young citizens in active participation in local governance, EU democratic and electoral processes, voting both at the local, regional and national levels; dis-enfranchisement and causes exclusion of youths with fewer opportunities and social obstacles; - Promote young people’s active citizenship and social responsibility in their local communities via the EURvoice online hub with integrated virtual classroom; - Foster mutual understanding between young people in different communities through inclusivity, constructive engagement and networking, resulting into reduction in prejudices, stereotying, racism, xenophobia, islamophobia, conflict situations among participants and citizens of their respective communities – all of these will be integrated in the EURvoice open-educational materials and videos; - Encourage youth participation and advocacy via practical application of digital youth work strategies, summarised as EURvoice interactive toolkit. - Raise awareness of active citizenship and civic responsibility within the youth work sector and to policy makers and funders nationally and EU wide. The target groups for the project are: - Young people – the project will promote civic engagement and responsibility among young people who can benefit from its advantages via the planned multiplier events to showcase innovative practice and launch the elaborated project outputs – EURvoice online hub, virtual classroom, open-educational materials and videos. - Youth workers – as they are expected to lead, inspire and deliver digital youth work, most activities are aimed at training and preparing youth workers for those activities via innovative approaches based on open education and innovative practices – the EURvoice online hub, open-educational materials, and interactive toolkit. - Youth organisations staff – the project will increase the awareness of this target group of ethical and organisational considerations and requirements of youth participation and advocacy, as well as provide best practices for practical application of digital youth work, summarised and shared as EURvoice interactive toolkit. The project necessitates a joint international effort since it addresses a transnational issue, related to participation, civic engagement and responsibility. Each partner possesses original perspective and approach to challenges described, which will enrich the overall understanding of the matter at hand and build solid solutions.
The EURvoice project wanted to make sure that as many young people as possible know about their rights and responsibilities as EU citizens, and get involved in their community. We wanted to make sure that young people have as many opportunities as possible to participate in local government, the European Union democratic process, and voting at all levels. This means removing any barriers that might keep them from participating. The EURvoice online hub is a place where young people can learn about how to be more active and responsible citizens in their local communities. This would help to reduce prejudices between different groups of people. EURvoice is a project that includes educational materials and videos about different types of conflicts, as well as ways to prevent them. It also includes tools for youth to participate in the project and advocate for their communities. We wanted to help young people stay informed and involved in their community. We wanted to make sure everyone knows about the importance of civic engagement and how to get involved.
Young people all over Europe and the world have become less involved in politics and civic life in recent decades. When it comes to local and European elections, young people who are eligible to vote tend to cast their ballots less frequently than members of the older generation. Because political engagement in later life is rooted in the habits of developed in youth, and the youth of today will eventually become the adults of tomorrow, these have been used to argue that the future of democracy is in jeopardy. The schooling (both formal and non-formal) that youngsters get is basic. There is a lack of political and civic education in many countries. Youth tend to acquire higher levels of political interest, trust, and knowledge if youth workers allow them to raise ethical, social, civic, and political issues, allow them to discuss controversial topics, encourage them to express their opinions, and listen to one another in order to explore a variety of different perspectives. This increases the likelihood that the youth will vote in the future. If youth organizations use a competence-based curriculum that focuses on the skills needed for civic and political engagement, the effects on education would be even stronger.