“Speak UP, Step UP! European youth work empowering young people’s democratic values & active citizenship”
Seminar / Conference
16-18 October 2017 | Berlin, Germany
Speak UP, Step UP! A European conference to consider the practice, impact and future role of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in promoting democratic values and attitudes and active citizenship among young people in Europe.
Aim of the conference
To reinforce the role and impact of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in the promotion of active citizenship and common European values including pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality, in view of the aims of the Erasmus+ Youth in Action programme and those expressed in the Paris Declaration.
Objectives of the conference
- to explore, document and celebrate the diversity of practices of political education and critical pedagogy that can be found in the Erasmus+ Youth in Action programme, and which provide young people with the opportunity to work on values (e.g. freedom, tolerance and anti-discrimination) and on social/political change-making;
- to gather evidence for how youth work practice in the programme is responding to the political and social challenges of European societies that young people themselves consider important;
- to problematize and debate the challenges and dilemmas that arise in implementing the value-oriented objectives of the programme and in the practice of value-based European and international youth work;
- to consider the relevance of the history of the European youth programmes and of the educational traditions out of which they developed for the future practice of international youth work, critical pedagogy and intercultural political education in Erasmus+ Youth in Action;
- to identify gaps that could be filled, measures to meet needs, opportunities for cooperation and recommendations for future action, that could support and further effective engagement of Erasmus+ Youth in Action with the political and social challenges of European societies;
Expected outcomes of the conference
It is hoped that the conference will be an occasion for members of the Erasmus+ Youth in Action community of practice around Europe to revisit and re-affirm their shared vision for the political and civic purpose of the programme, taking into account latest information about the attitudes and concerns of young people in Europe. It is further expected that the conference will give impetus to European processes that are concerned with these issues, and encourage more integration between the debates taking place in these respective processes.
Participants of the conference
The conference will welcome up to 100 participants from all over Europe. This conference is for you, if you correspond to one or more of the following profiles:
- you are Youth worker, Trainer, Youth leader, Project manager, Youth Policy Maker, Youth researcher
- you are currently implementing or have previously implemented Erasmus+ Youth in Action projects (any action) that seek to address contemporary political and social challenges with young people;
- you work directly with young people in projects or manage projects through which you have extensive contact with young people;
- you (have) actively use(d) different non-formal education approaches (for example, critical pedagogy, education for democratic citizenship, European citizenship education, human rights education, political or intercultural education) or youth work approaches (open youth work, participatory / youth led youth work, etc.) in your Erasmus+ Youth in Action projects;
- you are using (or have used) Erasmus+ Youth in Action projects to develop young people’s active citizenship, political literacy and social action;
- you are managing an organization, association, institution or network that is actively promoting values underpinning young people’s active citizenship using political or value based education in the European youth field;
- you are responsible for the development and implementation of policy frameworks that support civic and political education (for example: youth policy, research, recognition of non- and informal education and youth work, quality standards in the training of professionals delivering educational programmes, National Agencies etc.).
All participants should be in a position to share their specific experiences of working with and on the development of international youth work, using Erasmus+/Youth in Action and / or other European youth programmes. Participants should be working in positions of responsibility in their organizations. However, they may be professionals, volunteers, employees or representatives of their organizations.
Costs: Hellenic National Agency will cover 95% of your travel costs.
Accommodation and food costs will be covered by the National Agency of Germany.
For more information about the training and submission of the application form, you should visit: https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/european-training-calendar/training/speak-up-step-up-european-youth-work-empowering-young-people-s-democratic-values-active-citizenship.6528/
Application Deadline: 27 August 2017
For further information, please contact Ms Nora Tsirigoti, tel 2131314460, email: tcaseminars@inedivim.gr
