The main objective of the "From Art to Empowerment" (FETA) project was to increase the competencies and confidence of youth workers in supporting youth facing Gender-based Discrimination (GbD), particularly LGBTQIA+ youth, and to empower both youth workers and the youth they serve. Specifically, we aimed to: - Identify the needs of youth and exchange existing tools between partner organisations. - Provide 59 youth workers from Poland, Latvia, and Greece with knowledge on inclusion and equality, raising the quality of their work. - Develop a non-formal education methodology that combines arts and outdoor activities to create safer spaces for youth to express their identities. - Improve the mental wellbeing of youth workers and the youth they work with. - Distribute the methodology guide to over 800 youth workers across Europe, fostering broader impact. - Enhance the capacities of partner organisations in inclusive youth work, empowerment, and international cooperation, contributing to a more inclusive European identity.
We applied for the project to address the urgent need for increased competencies and confidence among youth workers in working with individuals facing Gender-based Discrimination (GbD), particularly LGBTQIA+ youth. There was a gap in existing methodologies that combined arts and outdoor activities to promote inclusion, mental wellbeing, and empowerment. Through this project, we aimed to develop an innovative non-formal education methodology to create safer spaces for youth to express their intersectional identities. The project also responded to the need for high-quality, inclusive youth work, fostering equality, diversity, and the mental wellbeing of both youth workers and the youth they serve. We aligned our goals with Erasmus+ priorities by promoting equal opportunities and enhancing the recognition of youth work as a tool for social change.