There are a number of overarching aims that WSTCYS has as a Youth Organisation working with young people in Ireland - our focus was to integrate European Youth Work (Mobilities, Trainings and Dialogues) into our operations across Waterford City and County, and South Tipperary, as part of our plans to achieve the following aims in all of these areas: A. Strengthening the personal and professional development of young people and youth workers through youth work. Developing quality youth work through developing the skills, experience and competencies of our staff, volunteers and participants B. Connecting, engaging and empowering young people - ensuring that they have space, voice, audience and influence in and on their lives and societies C. Developing the participation and critical social education of young people in society, and therefore improving democratic life D. Improving social inclusion, solidarity and social cohesion through a focus on equity and human rights WSTCYS had 3 clear objectives when we applied for Accreditation, designed to support these aims: 1. Improve Youth Employability Skills with young people through integrating Youth Exchanges with the PATHWAYS Programme. - WSTCYS has developed a PATHWAYS Youth Employability Programme as a direct organizational response to the needs of young people who have seen their opportunities in the areas of employment, training and further education decimated as a result of the pandemic. A key part of the Project work in this Programme was for participants to visualize, plan, implement and evaluate a Youth Exchange with other organizations working in the area of Youth Employability, thus enabling participants to get out of their geographical areas, and to broaden their horizons, seeking opportunities across Europe, building friendships and relationships that will sustain and support them as they seek economic independence. 2. Core skills development across a wide range of Youth Projects. - Of central importance in Youth Work is the development of core skills - what have previously been called soft or social skills. These core skills underpin and enable the development of more targeted skills which can support young people to grow and develop and become participants in civic society. Our experiences tell us that participants develop skills such as working in small groups, teamwork, planning and problem-solving, interpersonal skills and relationship-building, through working with youth workers to put on Youth Exchanges. Youth Exchanges also allow an element of travel and adventure and risk and excitement through the process of 'entering the unknown'. We have found that young people want stories and adventures that give meaning and purpose to their lives, and that Youth Exchanges are fabulous at enriching the fabric of young people's lives. 3. Staff and Volunteer Development, especially in the areas of Training and Continuing Professional Development - WSTCYS has been running a Training Course about Social Inclusion and Authentic Leadership over the past few years, and the success of much of our European Youth Work can be traced back to these Courses. We have built capabilities and contacts through this Course, especially in our younger staff, who have found the Course particularly beneficial. Our objective was to build on this strength and put on more Training Courses at our base in Woodstown. In our world there are statutory Trainings (e.g., First Aid etc.) and necessary Trainings (e.g., Anxiety workshops etc.) - our aim for the Trainings that we are running at Woodstown is to put on residential, thematic Trainings that allow participants to explore areas of interest in a deeper way, with colleagues from Ireland but also from across Europe. For example, in the areas of Social Inclusion, Creative Methodologies, Natural Capital, the Green Agenda and Employability. The EU Youth Strategy of 'Engage, Connect and Empower' aligns really well with the aims of WSTCYS Underpinning these specific WSTCYS aims, are a number the Youth Goals from the 6th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue process, namely: Goal 1 - Connecting EU with Youth Goal 2 - Equality of all Genders Goal 3 - Inclusive Societies Goal 5 - Mental Health and Wellbeing Goal 6 - Moving Rural Youth Forward Goal 7 - Quality Employment for all Goal 8 - Quality Learning Goal 9 - Space and Participation for All Goal 11 - Youth Organizations and Youth Programmes In effect, WSTCYS is using the Erasmus+ Programme to support delivery of our aims, which are closely aligned with the EU Youth Goals.