Context: “Generation Europe: The Ambassadors” takes place in the context of the 5 year-long programme Generation Europe 2 (GenE2). 45 European youth work organisations based in 13 European countries are going to work together in trilateral partnerships with the aim, to excite youths with fewer opportunities, to become active on local and European level. The main topic of Gen2E is Critical Youth Citizenship (CYC) and European values. Participants: The project will directly involve two types of participants. We will have GenE Ambassadors (Young professionals) and experienced professionals in the field of youth work. Also, young participants from the local group will indirectly be involved via the Ambassadors. Finally, youth work organisations and stakeholders (see above) as well as policy makers will be reached by the project. The ambassadors are young people between 18 and 30 who already have experience in international exchange and non-formal education as participants. They are the representatives of their local peers and thus also the mouthpiece of the wishes and demands of the young generation. The long-term-professionals are professionals, experienced in the field of professional youth work and/or group leaders with a pedagogical background. They are project managers and / or group leaders of local youth groups and the mentors for the ambassadors and are accompanying them in their individual process. Objectives “Generation Europe: The Ambassadors” aims to strengthen diversity and inclusion in international youth work. The future professionals are going to come from more diverse backgrounds in contrast to the current image of youth work professionals, being often white, female and with an academic education. In order to reach diverse youths and heterogeneous groups, the next professionals should have a more diverse background themselves. The Ambassadors will be mentors and role models and inspire new young people to take part in activities of European youth work. This will make international youth work more accessible for disadvantaged youths on the participation as well as on the professional level with the help of the developed p2p concept and handbook. Another objective is to create with young professionals and the youths a concept to empower young Europeans to become Critical Youth Citizens on local and European level. Ambassadors are creating a sustainable process of involving and exciting more than 800 youths from diverse target groups and marginalized groups for civic engagement. Activities The Ambassadors will attend three training and teaching activities, in which they will acquire and develop basic skills and key competences of non-formal political education for diverse target groups. They will be introduced to methods and activities to excite young people for CYC. adapt existing methods and later create new ones where necessary for their purpose (Handbook on activism) based on their experience as former participants and their experience from working with the local groups. further thematic priorities of these activities involve human rights, democracy, education, employment, sustainability, and climate change. Another key point are the frequent transnational meetings, in which they meet to organise the steps necessary for the creation of the intellectual outputs. Beyond that various multiplier events will be implemented where all partners and associated partners in the involved countries come together, invite stakeholders and youth organisations and the Ambassadors present the Activism handbook and the p2p concept Results As tools to inspire youths the Ambassador Network creates a peer education strategy and a product, the “Activism Handbook”. During this project but also end especially during the two years after this project, the Ambassadors will work with the p2p concept and the handbook with the young participants from European communities. Those young participants will develop in the process skills and competences connected with Critical Citizenship on local and European level. The project will have an impact on multiple levels. It aims to strengthen diversity and inclusion in international youth work. In addition to structural changes, the reality in youth organisations must also change. Addressing them is therefore essential for success. Dissemination towards youth organisations inspires them to follow the positive example of the SP and to integrate people from different backgrounds at participant and staff level. Stakeholders in this project are politicians, foundations, universities, and think tanks. The SP is aiming for change and starts an innovative new approach involving diverse target groups. Politicians on local, national and European level are addressed, to inform them about the needs of European youth work and provide them ideas on how to support the process of diversification.
The project aimed to create an innovative framework for promoting civic education, democratic engagement and human rights among European youth, while equipping them with essential skills and competences for activism. Through the establishment of the Ambassador Network, the consortium facilitated peer education and local leadership to bridge gaps and foster a more engaged and informed youth population. Diversity and inclusion were prioritised, with marginalised youth actively involved as youth work professionals, mentors and role models. The Guide to Activism was developed with input from the Ambassadors to ensure relevance and accessibility. The project also aimed to increase the visibility and accessibility of civic education initiatives, engage marginalised youth and raise awareness of ERASMUS+ programmes. Through lobbying and advocacy, the project aimed to empower young people to influence local and European policies, while promoting participatory strategies and inclusive organisational cultures.
The application, drafted in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed to address long standing needs in youth education and engagement, particularly among marginalised groups. It sought to address the lack of access to civic education for diverse youth due to financial constraints and a lack of representation among youth work professionals. Through the Ambassadors Network, the project aimed to train diverse young professionals to act as role models and mentors to foster active citizenship among their peers. In addition, the creation of the Guide to Activism provided a low-threshold tool to engage young people in democratic participation, addressing the emerging need for mental health support exacerbated by the pandemic. By incorporating mental health resources and strategies into both the Guide and the Ambassador training programme, the project aimed to provide immediate assistance while working towards systemic change in mental health support for young people.