Exchange of Good Practice between Professional Youth Streetworkers in the EU The project is devoted to cooperation at transnational level, sharing and confronting ideas, practices and methods, and developing and reinforcing European branch of Dynamo International Street Workers Network (DISWN). The aim is to promote the European objective of promoting high-quality youth work with marginalized youth and professionalization of youth workers. The project partners, all working with a special method of youthwork - outreach work - will focus on sharing good practice regarding up-to-date topics of radicalization, refugees, economy migration, unemployment of young people.Sharing of good practice was done via method of short, but intense and detailed reciprocal study visits of project partners from Czech Republic, Netherlands, Spain, Austria and Germany. Most project partners are platform organizations joining together large number of outreach (street) workers in their countries. Eg. Czech Streetwork Association (CAS), the applicant, joins together more than 90 outreach work organizations from all over the Czech Republic. Eight study visits took place throughout the project period, five youth streetworkers participated on each study visit. Local dissemination event took place in the Czech Republic at the end of the project - a conference for youth streetworkes and other relevant experts. A collection of professional reports from study visits - E-BOOK was produced to allow as many interested stakeholders as possible to gain good practice and experience from the series of study visits. The E-BOOK is available in English and Czech language.

"Street based youth work is a form of fieldwork where youth workers carry out activities on public spaces - in the living environment of young people (streets, markets, parks …). The target group are those young people who are endangered, deprived and socially excluded in their environment. Among these groups, NEET youth are also included, those who are not employed, neither in education or training. We feel that NEET youth is a group that is too often overlooked - organizations do not offer support programs that respond to their needs, as well as they do not provide information or support in their living environment. Street based youth work, with its basic principles, offers an answer to the described issues.Through this project, we provided training to street workers, and at the same time we also influenced on the recognition of street based youth work, on the general and professional public.Within the project, we created two trainings for street workers. The first one titled ""Basics of youth based street work"" took place between 24 and 30 September 2019, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The second training “Social Participation and Social Marketing” took place between 11 and 17 November 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal.The methods used in the planning and implementation of activities were based on the theory of experiential learning - Kolb's cycle of learning. Through the process of non-formal education, the participants actively participated in the process, so they worked, tried out and constantly upgraded their knowledge. The presentation of the content to participants was based on experiential and reflexive methods. Some of the most commonly used methods were: work in groups, work in pairs, explanation, discussion, brainstroming, role play, work evaluation and reflection.The trainings were attended by 37 street workers coming from 11 organizations that are engaged in the implementation or coordination of street work. Participants were youth workers, social workers and volunteers who carry out street work. They were between 21 and 61 years old. We covered three age groups of participants: from 17-29 y.o., 30-42 y.o. and 43-65 y.o. This enabled us to provide an an opportunity for both young and older street workers with different range of experiences to share them with each other. All participants were selected on the basis of past experience with street work.The project has fully achieved all the objectives and enabled: 1. Improvement of the support programs of street work of 11 organizations for NEET youth and for young people with fewer opportunities, 2. Increasing the competencies of 37 youth workers who carry out street work in the field of street based youth work and work with NEET young people, 3. Increasing the quality of street based youth work in 11 organizations, 4. Sharing good practices of street work and upgrading existing ones on the basis of others' experience among 11 organizations.Following the evaluation we confirmed the following effects at the level of the participants. They acquired specific competences in the field of street based youth work, gained knowledge of basics of street work, target groups, social marketing and advocacy. They strengthened their communication in English and the knowledge of professional vocabulary in English. Organizations and participants have networked during training sessions, enabling them to exchange experiences and further cooperation. One of the effects was also the creation of the Facebook group, which still works and where street workers inform each other about the possibilities of international cooperation, and at the same time they can also turn to professional help. All organizations and participants have received materials that can be further shared. With the acquired knowledge in social marketing and advocacy, they directly influence the increasing recognition of street work at all levels.The effect of the project is that a group of individuals started planning international cooperation during out their off time at the training in Portugal.We believe that the project has enabled the increase in the quality of street work, especially with NEET youth and young people with fewer opportunities. We have strengthened the network of organizations who do youth based street work. As a result of the transfer of knowledge, we also strengthened the youth sector in the participating countries.By strengthening the network of organisations and exchanging experiences and knowledge we hope to continue to strengthen the youth work sector in the participating countries in the future."

The project addresses the well-acknowledged need for a common European understanding of what constitutes quality in street based youth work as well as means to do documentation and follow up on to what degree this quality is actually achieved.This common understanding (ground) will be achieved through the development of a set of quality indicators for street work (published in a booklet) and a corresponding web-based system for documentation and follow up of street work. The indicators will be both qualitative and quantitative, thus taking all aspects of street work into account and providing a solid ground for further development.In order to have outcomes that are relevant and applicable throughout Europe the project gathers four partner organisations (KEKS from Sweden, Zavod Bob from Slovenia, CAS from Czech Republic and CAI from Portugal) that work in different contexts and under different conditions.The core team of the project will consist of nine persons; one trainer/process leader experienced in the development of quality indicators and two experienced street workers from each partner organisation. This way it is ensured that the outcomes will be relevant and useful for street work practitioners regardless of under what circumstances they work.The project will use a participatory methodology where the core team members together with their respective groups of co-workers and reference groups of young people participating in street work will develop the project outcomes together. The set of indicators and the web-based system for documentation and follow up will be developed in parallel and step by step during eight project meetings and based on consultations with co-workers and young people between each meeting.The participants of the project will all develop knowledge and skills regarding quality development and the setting of indicators. More important is, however, that the common understanding of what constitutes quality in street work, concretized in the set of indicators and the web-based system for documentation and follow up, will create a solid ground for the further development of street work through peer-learning, exchange of best practices and benchmarking. It will also make it possible for street work providers and street workers to show the outcomes of their work and to do knowledge based advocacy. This will deeply affect the partner organisations ability to further develop their work and to get proper recognition.All the partner organisations coordinate and have vast networks, including both municipalities and NGOs, on both national and European level, including DISWN (Dynamo International - Street Workers Network), which is composed of 51 national platforms from Africa, America, Asia and Europe.) This secures that the project outcomes will be spread throughout Europe and hopefully be used by many actors in the sector. This way we hope that the project also will have a profound impact on the European street work sector as a whole.

"<< Objectives >>The purpose of the project is to improve the competences of youth street workers in the area of ​​using participatory research methods for better addressing the needs of the target group.In the context of modern society, hardships and problems faced by young people, street work with young people is an increasingly necessary and recognized form of work. The lever for the implementation of the project is the increase in challenges faced by young people, as we note that the problems have only deepened during the coronavirus pandemic. According to the participants and in accordance with our observations from the field, which are also confirmed by research (Mladina 2020), the (covert and overt) homelessness of young people has increased, and the socioeconomic and health conditions have also worsened. Above all, we take into account the issue of the individual's mental health, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, and research also shows that young people exercise less and experience feelings of loneliness and anxiety. They are that group of society whose social contact with their peers was limited due to the covid epidemic precisely during a developmentally important period. Public areas were in these unstable times and when restricting access to most institutional forms of spending free time, often the only space for live interaction, moving away from the home environment or a way of resisting the authorities.Young people are a heterogeneous group whose needs are changing. Quality youth work also relies on a good knowledge of the needs of the target group, which are the basis for preparing programs, projects, activities, choosing approaches... Good and timely recognition of the needs of the target group allows us to respond to the needs of young people more easily and quickly (and above all appropriately) . Training that enables us not only to learn about new tools, methodologies, theories and techniques for working with the target group, but also to exchange good practices, connect and socialize with youth workers from other countries, are therefore much needed and necessary..The goals of the project are:1. During the seven-day training, 28 street-based youth workers learn about 2 participatory research methods and:knows how to more effectively address the needs and wishes of young people;raise awareness and deepen understanding of the importance of enabling and encouraging the participation of vulnerable young people in the research and implementation of street-based youth work;get to know 2 good practices of participating organizations;;spread acquired competences in his professional environment.2. 28 street-based youth workers, in their professional environment (at their organization, with colleagues and new generations within the framework of training), implement the knowledge acquired during the training (use the participatory research method) and thus improve the quality of street-based youth work in their local environment.3. The 7-day training enables and encourages networking for 28 street-based youth workers from 13 organizations from 12 countries in all phases and also with other stakeholders of youth work in Slovenia (organizations from the Network Young Street).4. 28 youth street-based youth workers exchange good practices throughout the duration of the training. They transfer the newly acquired good (participatory research) practices to their environment as part of project dissemination.<< Implementation >>The central activity of the project is the short-term mobility of youth workers in the form of training for youth street workers. The activity will be based on learning about participatory forms of research. In the following, the methods that we will learn about during the training are briefly described.Digital storytelling and Sounds Scape are considered tools for learning and participatory action research. The hybrid nature of digital storytelling, combining narrative processes and technical applications to actually develop the end result, makes it a powerful and flexible didactic tool that can be used across multiple domains. Digital storytelling is presented as a facilitated group process, a kind of group journey during which participants are accompanied towards a common goal. However, the journey itself is perceived as more important than the destination, as the exchange (knowledge and emotions) between the participants and the acquisition of new skills (oral communication, writing, digital, editing) are more important than the individual production of the story. (or soundscape). It all started in California in the late 90s when a group of artists and media professionals began exploring the idea of ​​using technologies to empower lay practitioners and ordinary people to share their personal stories. The Digital Storytelling methodology began to spread in Europe in 2003, when the BBC organized the first international conference on DS in Cardiff, Wales. Since then, its popularity and use has been steadily increasing around the world.28 street-based street workers from 12 different countries will take part in the seven-day training. The participants of our activities will be experienced performers of street-based youth work (employees, students, volunteers) from the countries of the partner organizations. They have in common the need for additional methods and tools, materials and ""know-how"" for street work. Youth and street workers will primarily come from organizations that use street-based youth work as a method of work, and that work or are interested in working in the field of street-based youth work.<< Results >>The results of the project will be:1. Seven-day training, after which 28 street-based youth workers know 2 participatory research methods and:• address the needs and wishes of young people more effectively;• is aware and deeply understand the importance of enabling and encouraging the participation of vulnerable young people in the research and implementation of youth street work;• know 2 good practices of participating organizations;• expand acquired competences in his professional environment.2. Implemented the knowledge gained during the training (participatory research method used) in the professional environment of 28 street-based youth workers (at their own organization, with colleagues and new generations within the framework of training) and improved the quality of youth work in the local environment.3. Strengthening the cooperation of 13 partner organizations from 12 countries and an expanded network of acquaintances of organizations at the international level.4. Exchange of good practices of street-based youth work among 28 youth street workers. Acquired practices implemented in the local environment.Street-based youth workers will acquire competences and strengthen their skills for addressing vulnerable young people (mainly socially and economically weaker, NEETs, homeless, drug users, young people with a migrant background) through street-based youth work and the use of digital tools when working with vulnerable young people. They will get to know new innovative, participatory research tools for working with young people (digital storytelling, soundscaping) and the practices of other organizations from Europe that carry out street work, thereby gaining new perspectives and ideas. Learning about new tools and approaches will increase the quality of street work implementation in partner organizations' countries, whose programs will better respond to the needs of target groups.In the long term, the greatest effect of the project is expected for the target group; due to the improvement of the quality of youth street work, a greater number of vulnerable young people will be involved in the daily activities of youth street work, who will have a positive experience of participation in the process of youth street work. As a result, they will trust the processes more, get involved more intensively and better address their needs also more widely.The quality, enrichment and upgrades of the implementation of street work at all levels (local, national, regional, international) will have the expected effect on the sector as well, on the visibility of organizations in the general and professional public, which affects the strength of arguments and advocacy power of young people in social discourse or . hearing and representation of young people in it.The involved organizations will establish a wider network of contacts in the field of youth street work (international, local, national) and other relevant institutions (national, local), thus spreading their skills, approaches and visibility outside the sector as well."

"<< Background >>Implementation of the European Youth Work Agenda. There is a need to strengthen youth work and youth workers associations to have a strong voice of youth workers on all levels of governance. As well as the need to have space for peer-learning and discussion to speed up digital transformation in the youth field, ensure that environmental topics are addressed, quality of youth work developed. It is crucial for youth work and youth work policy development to have a strong social partner as a European Network of youth workers. Thanks to the project this may come true. Thanks to the project and its results will be able to encourage better recognition of the youth sector, set up a clearer political commitment, and stronger links with stakeholders and researchers which are essential for the existence of the youth work. During the third European Youth Work Convention, the participating youth workers from the EU and COE member states and other stakeholders strongly recognized the need for an international network of youth workers, to give youth workers a voice and support peer learning, quality developments in the youth sector across Europe. Final declaration of the conventions' call to action – create a European Network of Youth Workers Associations. To support the achievement of this goal 12 organizations agreed on a memorandum to move towards the European Youth Workers Association. Most of them according to agreement by all joined forces to speed up the process in the frame of this project. Project aims are: to increase quality, innovation, recognition of youth work; to establish a strategic partnership between participating countries to strengthen youth workers' engagement in policymaking and professional consolidation and improve cooperation between youth workers in Europe (both EU and COE countries) in general; to establish an innovative and green, modern managed umbrella organization for the field and to support the implementation of the European Youth Work Agenda - horizontal. This aims lead to the objectives to be achieved. Please follow the mindmap scheme in the attachment.<< Objectives >>The project has 4 main objectives: 1)explore problems and best practices for political, professional, and learning-outcome recognition of youth work and enforce strategic communication of youth field to improve recognition, 2)increase quality and innovation of youth work via improved peer learning, advocacy, training development, cooperation, between youth workers in Europe (both EU and COE countries); establishing stronger links between policy, research, and practice, 3)prepare, establish, and implement a European network/association of youth workers, based on green and innovative management and communication approaches. As well as analyze needs and possibilities for using (green and digital) tools for peer learning, advocacy, internal and external communication, management of the network, practice sharing between members of the network,4)build the capacity of the network and its’ members, including development training packages and other necessary services to support national associations of youth workers and youth work quality development.<< Implementation >>Transnational meetings support project implementation and follow-up. Seminars and training activities support woking and discussions on results, exploring topics and implementing tools chosen, as well as awareness of the participants on different topics. Multiplier events support the spreading of the outcomes and results for the wider public. Results of the project give input to the fulfillment of the aims and objectives of the project. Actions: map of the best practices for the recognition of youth work (political, professional, learning-outcomes, social guarantees for youth workers (benefits, connections with occupation standard, other related fields including looking back to previous results on a European level; recommendations for strategic communication of youth work and strategic communication plan on European level (for implementation by the ENYWA); seminar of best practices and opportunities for recognition of youth work and training activity for strategic communication of youth fork for better recognition; research report of a study on the state of play of associations of YW in Europe (development challenges, practice, problems, joy, etc) and mapping of quality standards or measurement of youth work including quality models, standards, ethical codes, occupational standards; stakeholders seminar on youth work policy development and youth work recognition; strategic communication and activity plan for public policy for three to five years will be established and a tool/model to monitor implementation of Bonn process at national and EU levels is described including if possible cooperation with EU Commission, Youth Wiki, Presidencies; statutory documents and policies are drafted and published as an example for the wider public; training and seminar for ESG strategy, digital and environmental tools for management, communication, etc; multiplier events will lead to the implementation of the Declaration of the 3d YW Convention and Youth Work Agenda - establishing the network of youth workers. Staff and members training event on organizational issues, as well as green and digital tools for co-operation; Starting training program for beginners of YW associations will ensure green and digital tools are explored and ready to use for organization management, capacity building, communication and training of the members, and support for national organizations to improve their quality and quality of youth work. The organization has an ESG strategy and uses digital and env. tools for management and service delivery. An action plan to support the needs of the National YWA will be established.To ensure smooth and quality management of the project coordinative group will be established. Communication with the partners will take place frequently and regularly via platforms, virtually, emails, calls. Furthermore, we will have 3 transnational project meetings and training events during which enable to meet face to face among partners. We plan ongoing collection of necessary data about activities and completion of the report cumulatively, to avoid gaps and misunderstandings later on and work virtually and in other ways with partners to ensure that. Coordinating organization and coordinating group check progress of the project on an ongoing basis including working on results, activities, motivating experts. Virtual meetings when needed but not rarely than every two months will be held. Extra communication with partners responsible for particular activities and results will be in place mostly virtually. During the project there is an objective to explore ""good to use"" digital tools for better communication among partners and members of the international organization, these tools will be implemented for communication among partners for monitoring of the progress and might include but not limited to ASANA, Slack, Toggl, and others.<< Results >>A European network of the National Youth Workers Association (ENYWA) has been formally established. There is strong cooperation between youth workers associations, ENYWA and other European youth sector groups of interest, and official stakeholders. ENYWA is the appearance of a strong partner for youth policy and youth work development for European institutions. Better recognition of youth work and youth workers at all levels.In addition, we produce 5 results or intellectual outputs available for the wider public: 1) mapping of best practices for the recognition of youth work (political, professional, learning-outcomes, social recognition of the youth worker profession including regulations, benefits, vacation, etc.; 2) research report of a study on the state of play of associations of YW in Europe (development challenges, practice, problems, joy, etc); 3) starting training program for beginners of YW associations created; 4) ENYWA establishing documents, policy description, ESG rules, and other necessary paperwork to establish an organization, examples for other organizations; 5) Recommendations for strategic communication of youth work and strategic communication plan on a European level (for implementation by the ENYWA and national associations). As a result, more support and advocacy for national organizations will be available. Steps will be taken towards digital transformation and environmental behavior. The project has a wide scope and covers many important topics, that is why we expect some extra outcomes from activities of the project e.g. project has increased capacity and professionalism to work at the EU level; strategic communication and activity plan of ENYWA for public policy for three to five years established; tool/model to monitor implementation of Bonn process at national and EU levels is described including if possible cooperation with EU Commission, Youth Wiki, Presidencies. The tool should be applicable to help the development of youth work on the European and national levels; implementation of Declaration and Youth Work Agenda - establishing the network of youth workers; all necessary statutory documents are prepared and application for registration submitted; the organization is established and ready to implement a modern, dynamic, committed, and professional environment inside the Organisation; (Green and digital) tools are explored and ready to use for organization management, capacity building, communication and training of the members, and support for national organizations to improve their quality and quality of youth work. The organization has an ESG strategy and uses digital and environment-friendly tools for management and service delivery; action plan to support the development and needs of National YW Associations, based on result 2 findings."