The SAMEN-programme aims to build the capacity of volunteers and their organisations in Bolivia, Ecuador, Kenya, India, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and The Netherlands, as well as the marginalised youth that they work with. Objective 1: Improving the life skills of street children and youth at projects in 6 partner countries.Result: Well-prepared Dutch volunteers spend 3-6 months at a project for street children and give life skills trainings to marginalised youth to promote capacity building and self-dependent.Objective 2: Exchange and capacity building in and between project partners about promoting self-dependent for street children Result: Volunteers and staff in partner countries have more knowledge on methodology to promote self-dependence, and best practices and an action plan are developed and used.Objective 3: Strengthen the capacity of volunteers in order to promote lasting European citizenship.Result: Returned volunteers and Dutch and European volunteers have received training to remain active as a volunteer. The network of SAMEN is enhanced.The activities of the programme include an EVS mobility activity of 24 participants that give life skills trainings to the marginalised youth; a youth exchange of 21 participants exchanging about promoting self-dependence, a youth exchange with practical exchange (learning-by-doing) about giving life skills training to street children, conferences on the importance of volunteering and international exchange; development of best practices on life skills trainings and informal learning; development of an action plan and film about promoting self-dependence and dissemination of results to 13 European partners and 25 partners outside the EU.Stichting Don Bosco Amsterdam is proud to present this innovative programme, as it enables young people to engage in concrete voluntary activities that not only have impact on themselves, but also on marginalised youth, local young volunteers and their organisations.The SAMEN-programme is unique as it is organised by-and-for young people. Returned volunteers remain active in the organisation after their EVS or youth exchange. They continue to be active in all steps throughout the programme. This can be in the youth-board, in organising preparation weekends and in coaching young people before departure. This peer-to-peer methodology is cost effective, makes use of the expertise of returned volunteers and keeps the organisation dynamic.The impact of the programme is expected at the level of the marginalised youth to have better abilities for positive behaviour to deal with the demands of everyday life. In addition, it impacts the local volunteers, their organisations and their stakeholders, having improved methods of working with youth. Moreover it impacts returned volunteers to remain active as a European citizen.
The SAMEN-programme has built the capacity of volunteers and their organisations in Bolivia, Ecuador, Kenya, India, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Belgium and The Netherlands, as well as the marginalised youth that they work with. This is accomplished by working on four objectives;Objective 1: Improving the life skills of street children and youth at projects in 6 partner countries.Result: Well-prepared Dutch volunteers spend 3-6 months at a project for street children and give life skills trainings to marginalised youth.Objective 2: Build capacity of local teams of volunteers with a focus on promoting self-dependency.Result: Volunteers and staff in partner countries have more knowledge on methodology in working with marginalised youth and promoting self-dependency, and best practices are developed and used.Objective 3: Stimulate active citizenship of Dutch volunteers and their social environment.Result: Dutch volunteers are active in society, and their social environment have a better understanding of volunteering and international development.The activities employed in the program include the following;EVS participants (21) have organized life skills trainings to the marginalised (street) children and youth in partner countries; build and exchanged knowledge with local staff; a Youth Exchange of 11 participants exchanging about life at the street and self-dependency in life; organising life skills training activities together with local young people (12) in Swaziland; a Youth Exchange of 12 participants organising life skills training activities together with local young people (16); EVS-volunteers joined more than 175 local staff meetings of which 50 particularly focused on promoting self-dependency; development of 2 posters about independent life (2); Dissemination of posters to partners in The Netherlands, Europe and partner countries worldwide. Stichting Don Bosco Amsterdam is proud to present this innovative programme, as it enables young people to engage in concrete voluntary activities and exchanging knowledge and experiences with other youngsters from different background and culture. This generates an impact on themselves, but also on marginalised youth, local young volunteers and their organisations. The SAMEN-programme is unique as it is organised by-and-for young people. Returned volunteers remain active in the organisation after their EVS or youth exchange. They continue to be active in all steps throughout the programme. This can be in the youth-board, in organising preparation weekends and in coaching young people before departure. This peer-to-peer methodology is cost effective, makes use of the expertise of returned volunteers and keeps the organisation dynamic.The impact of the programme is at the level of the marginalised youth to have better abilities for positive behaviour to deal with the demands of everyday life. In addition, it impacts the local volunteers, their organisations and their stakeholders, having improved methods of working with youth about the theme of self-dependency. Moreover, it impacts the Dutch volunteers and their social environment, changing their views and behaviour towards volunteering and international development.