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ACTIVE CITIZENS BREAKING DOWN STEREOTYPES II: LETS TAKE IT TO EUROPEAN UNION

2024-3-IE01-KA154-YOU-0002883772024Youth participation activitiesfinalized
Countries: IE · Grant: €29,542
Media literacy and tackling disinformationInclusion of marginalised young peopleReaching the policy level/dialogue with decision makers

Objectives

This is a youth-led initiative, and the project's needs were identified by migrant youths. Our first part of this project (2023-1-IE01-KA154-YOU-000113813) scored 90% by Léargas and accomplished all set objectives successfully. This second part of the same project intends to continue with its success and have an impact at the Institutions of the European Union in Dublin, Ireland, as young people, including those with fewer opportunities, feel that disseminating project results at the European Parliament and EU headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, is a strategic move to maximise the impact, visibility, and sustainability of this project by engaging directly with influential stakeholders, other universities like Maynooth University, the Irish Ombudsman, National Youth Council of Ireland, and other Fermoy, Mallow and Mitchestown community Network, NGOs under IDEA, and Dóchas (the Irish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations) strives to promote a sense of inclusive Ireland through positive representation and align with broader EU objectives and the EU Anti-racism Action Plan 2020–2025. Youths want national legislation on this topic. The project aims to address the needs of young people with fewer opportunities, including those from migrant backgrounds and asylum seekers aged 14–17, living in isolated, disadvantaged rural communities in Cork. The project asks readers to answer two questions: "If given a holiday in Afghanistan, how happy will you be to go there?" and "How proud will you feel to be identified as coming from there?" Based on WhatsApp group survey responses from 2019 and November 2022, 97% of young people believe that negative representation in the media influences their perception and hinders their social inclusion. Also, young people, including those of migrant background & their parents, expressed that international charities' advertisements about global south countries are embarrassing and create a complex of inferiority, hindering their integration into the Irish community and making them feel less valuable as active members of society. The project believes these stereotypes need to be broken through youths meeting with MEPs at the EU parliament and politicians and NGOs across Ireland who want to promote a sense of inclusive Ireland and recommend an inclusive policy, especially in this time of the rise of far-right movements across the EU and Ireland. Based on Aljazeera 2023, "Charities often use images of impoverished children of the Global South to appeal for monetary donations from prospective Western donors." "These affect us, but most of us prefer not to talk about them due to fear of being labelled." Based on the praise received by NCYI for our documentary and meetings with other Irish & EU/non-EU youth-led organizations on social justice and media representation. It was clear that negative representation of any youth group often creates a form of identity conflict, low self-esteem, self-originating hate, and lack of confidence. Other youths often want to be cool by all means so as not to be identified as friends coming from a poor country or continent. As a result of this silence and shame, the majority struggle to integrate into society, as most feel judged without actually being judged at the time and also labelled without actually being known personally. Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, once stated, "The power of change lies with young people," and Philippe Cousteau, Jr., once said, "Young people have, truly, the potential to change the world. Not when they get older, but today." PROJECT OBJECTIVE: -to raise awareness and challenge the public's prejudicial and stereotypical perceptions of young people of migrant origin based on negative media representation at the EU level. -to foster a sense of youth active citizenship based on EU values by empowering them to connect with local TDs, EU decision-makers, and international NGOs and charities for a more inclusive society. -to bring more youngsters with fewer opportunities, including those of migrant backgrounds, to travel to European Union House, 12-14 Lower Mount Street, Dublin, D02 W710 and contribute to the Erasmus+ youth participation field. We are happy that this, our first-ever youth participation project, is in line with the current EU policies, such as: -Erasmus+ 2021-2027 Diversity and Inclusion's priority. -EU Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020–2025. -YouthPass' digital competencies -EU Youth Strategies 2019-2027 principle to connect, engage, and empower the youth. -Global Youth Work 2030 Principle -Dóchas Guide to Ethical Communications 2023 -The National Strategy on Children and Young People's Participation in Decision-making 2015–2020, - EU active citizenship and democratic values in youth life principles. -Erasmus+ 2024 Programme Guide on quality of learning using non-formal education methodologies using a youth-led and youth-centered approach to meet the Erasmus+ Youth Quality.

Project partners (1)