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ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP THEATRE

2023-3-SI02-KA153-YOU-0001830552023Mobility of youth workersfinalized
Countries: SI|ES|RO · Grant: €17,140
Quality and innovation of youth workCreativity, arts and cultureDemocracy and inclusive democratic participation

Objectives

Through the implementation of theatre projects, we have identified a need for training where those working with young people target current issues in the field of active citizenship of young people, i.e. ways to promote the active and constructive involvement of young people in the community. Participants highlighted the need to encourage young people to act in the community, to show solidarity, to develop empathy and to support the group. As we recognised, strengthening young people's active participation in the community also means moving away from the individualised ways of acting and the mental distress (such as loneliness) of young people (which have been reinforced during the pandemic). As experiential learning is familiar to youth workers, we decided to design a training where participants will learn how to integrate such methods and tools into their work with young people and young people with fewer opportunities through different theatrical methods, which they will try out themselves in a practical way. The need was also perceived through a review of research. Throughout the training, participants were encouraged to continuously develop and respond individually; in the same way that a youth worker must continuously respond to social conditions and changes, trying to adapt to the needs of young people in a given place and time. Through experiential and non-formal learning, we shared with the participants theatrical methods and tools to promote active citizenship, which they can further apply in their own work with young people. Through a variety of non-formal theatrical methods (interactive, physical, improvisational, dance, site-specific, theatre of the oppressed, creative self-reflection and group evaluation), the training contributed to the educational, professional and personal development of the participants and, indirectly, to the youth sector as a whole. In this way, the training directly contributes to sustainable development, active citizenship, greater social cohesion, encourages innovative thinking and indirectly contributes to the strengthening of European identity (23 participants from 5 partner organisations and 3 different countries participated in the training and are applying the methods learned after the training in their work with young people in their own organisations and communities). The training was informal and based on accessibility, inclusiveness, equality, networking and empowerment of participants. The methods used during the training are inclusive and encourage individuals to integrate into society as active citizens.

Project partners (5)