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Accredited project in the field of youth

2024-1-NL02-KA151-YOU-0002306542024Mobility of young people for accredited organisationsfinalizedGood practice
Countries: NL · Grant: €141,184

Objectives

By implementing this project, we continued working towards achieving the Accreditation targets while creating new tools that can be used in youth work. The tools are aimed at developing the knowledge, interests and competencies of young people and youth workers in four main directions, connected to the four key objectives of the Accreditation and focusing on: intercultural learning, European awareness, human rights and digitalisation. The series of activities started with a preparatory visit, which allowed everybody to get to know each other in person and facilitated a good cooperation with the new partners. During the first exchange, we focused on three directions: intercultural learning, European awareness and human rights. We aimed at engaging youngsters to learn about different European cultures, by directly exploring them through achieving concrete tasks and by working together in mixed groups. Based on their direct interaction and daily learning experiences, they created non-formal learning tools. Next to intercultural learning, the activity also touched on the second objective, connected to the European awareness. Participants created a wide range of materials – such as information packages, Kahoot’s, posters, quizzes and videos. The third direction the project touched upon was human rights. The group went to one of the International Tribunals in The Hague (the former Yugoslavia Tribunal), where we organised a workshop on human rights violation and a debate with Judge Alphons Orie (who presided over some of the most important trials of the tribunal, including those of Slobodan Milosevici and Ratko Mladici). The session encouraged critical thinking and inspired participants to further tackle the human rights issue in a creative manner within the project activities. The second exchange focused on intercultural learning, digitalisation and European awareness. Based on their daily experiences, participants created a variety of innovative tools, such as digital storytelling, empathy maps, country presentations, videos and informational packages. The last activity of the project was an evaluation seminar. During this activity, we looked back at the implemented activities and discussed the achievements in relation to the Accreditation objectives, as well as the improvement points. We analyzed the Accreditation website, participants coming up with their suggestions for further developing it. The group also created several logos for the website. Our approach is part of the process facilitating the support of knowledge sharing amongst EU youngsters by using their input over the next years and turning it into concrete non-formal learning instruments for the benefit of partners and youngsters throughout Europe. All the products are gathered into a website dedicated to the Accreditation and its results, which is being continuously updated once with every new project we implement. Developing concrete, innovative digital learning tools for youth work stimulated the creativity and intercultural dialogue among the participants from nine different countries. In doing so, the project raised awareness on European issues such as European cultural diversity and European cooperation, expressing them through creativity. The project sessions gave youngsters the opportunity to discover new European cultures through direct interaction. By accomplishing concrete tasks, participants were challenged to think creatively and to produce concrete outcomes based on the newly-acquired knowledge and daily learning experiences. To achieve the goals of the project, we focused on the following objectives: - to increase opportunities for youngsters to get familiar with diverse European cultures; - to apply in practice, through creativity technics, the knowledge gathered during the exchange; - to explore, through practical and non-formal activities, what connects the youngsters to Europe and which are the limits of their cultural identities; - to improve participants’ skills in communicating within intercultural environments, developing creativity, spontaneity and new tools; - to acquire new digital and creative skills; - to learn basic concepts connected to Europe; - to make youngsters aware of their European Citizenship as well as of their own cultural values; - to shed light on Erasmus+ and the Accreditation objectives, as a unique opportunity for developing youth activities. Summing up some lessons as expressed by participants to the exchanges: "The project left us more secure and confident in ourselves. From now on, we will be more aware of the European issues and cultural differences between us". "We have different cultures, but same mindset" "The most important lesson is that *cultural diversity* enriches European society, allowing for innovation and greater social cohesion. I learned that diversity is a strength, not a weakness, and it’s through dialogue and mutual understanding that we can thrive together".

Project partners (1)