Accredited projects in the field of youth offer young people a variety of opportunities:- strengthen their personal and professional development through non-formal and informal learning mobility activities;- foster their empowerment, their active citizenship and participation in democratic life;- foster quality development of youth work at local, regional, national, European and international level by building the capacity of organisations active in the youth field and supporting the professional development of youth workers;- promote inclusion and diversity, intercultural dialogue and the values of solidarity, equal opportunities and human rights among young people in Europe.The objectives of the projects can be achieved through the planning and implementation of the following activities: youth exchanges and youth workers professional development activities.Accredited projects in the field of youth are carried out by organisations holding a valid Erasmus Youth accreditation. Each of these organisations commits itself to comply with the Erasmus Youth Quality standards and to deliver high-quality mobility activities in the field of youth..

The aim of the project is to increase the quality of youth work in partner countries by preparing a pool of trainers who will provide national trainings for youth workers in their countries based on ETS Competence Model for youth workers to work internationally and European local best practices. The objectives of the project are:1) To analyze the youth workers’ education opportunities in partner country and how they cover the competences named in ETS Competence Model;2) To train 24 trainers for developing national youth work educational training for youth workers based on ETS Competence Model for Youth Workers;3) To educate 120 youth workers in partner countries by implementing national training for youth workers based on ETS Competence Model;4) To bring awareness on quality youth work and ETS Competence Model for youth workers in partner countries;5) To exchange good youth work practices between Baltic States and Eastern Partnership region.In order to reach the aim, the partners will implement such activities:1) research mapping the realities of youth work quality and youth worker education system, challenges and learning needs in each partner countries;2) international long-term training course for trainers based on ETS competence model for youth workers to work internationally (includes 3 international residential seminars, online working phase in between them, local information events for youth workers on ETS competence model and local training program development);3) 3 study visits in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania on youth work realities and best practices;4) 6 national training courses for youth workers (one in each partner country);5) 6 dissemination activities and information campaigns (one in each partner country based on local reality and resources);6) 2 international project coordinators’ meetings (kick-off and evaluation).The project will start with Kick-off project team’s meeting in January 2020 for project partners to get to know each other personally and develop a project team for the implementation of the project, confirm duties and responsibilities of each partner organization and agree about all elements of the project. On this meeting project will be presented to national and international medias. After Kick Off Meeting, the implementation of the project will start. The meeting will take place in Moldova and 1 coordinator X 6 organizations = 6 people will attend it. From February 2020 until May 2020 the National Research about Youth Work System and Youth Workers’ Education in each partner country will take place mapping the current situation of youth work and youth work education (legal framework, profession standard, recognition, youth workers’ education programs etc.). The research will analyze how they are related to ETS Competence Model for Youth Workers. Also learning needs of youth workers in each country will be learned during this research. The research will be done by 6 researchers (1 in each country).

<< Objectives >>Training is probably the most popular and most important resource of ERYICA: it ensures that youth information workers across Europe are competent and deliver their tasks in a professional manner. Over the last decade, the organisation and the network has developed a consistent training system, which however needs rationalisation due to its complexity. A working group designed a new training of trainers (ToT) cycle and the present project aims at delivering it for the first time.The ToT cycle is built up of two eLearning phases and two residential courses. The longer eLearning phases will ensure deep processing of the material, while the face-to-face activities will provide hands-on experience, professional co-operation and personal guidance for participants. The cycle uses eLearning technology to optimise funds and minimise participants' absence from their everyday work.The main aims of this initiative is to increase the number of trainers who are certified to deliver youth information training courses, increase the number of different courses one trainer can deliver, increase the training offer for youth information workers and to facilitate access to professional training courses in the field of youth information and counselling. All these target the increased professionalism of youth information workers, for the sake of higher quality services for young people.In order to reach these aims, the concrete objectives of the project include that participants:- Become confident in the content and delivery of the 8 training courses included;- Have a knowledge and practice of both face-to-face and online training delivery;- Understand the international context of youth information;- Become capable of initiating, organising, delivering and facilitating training courses;- Interpret the international context of youth information work and apply it in their national reality;- Become reflective practitioners.More information on the ERYICA training courses: https://www.eryica.org/training.<< Activities >>The two main groups of activities are the eLearning and the residential phases, over an active period of 7 months. While the eLearning periods will be self-financed by the applicant and the partner organisations, the present proposal contains in detail the implementation of the two residential courses.Activity 1 is the first residential course of the training of trainers cycle. It will be hosted by the project partner organisation IVAJ in Valencia, Spain. It is scheduled for the week of 9 December 2019. It will play a major role in the project, as this is the first occasion when all participants meet in person and all expectations towards the ToT programme will be cleared up face-to-face. Besides these aspects, the activity will have a charged programme (annexed).Activity 2 is the second and last residential course of the training of trainers cycle. It will be hosted by the project partner organisation ANIJ and the applicant ERYICA in Luxembourg. It is scheduled for the week of 20 April 2020. Activity 2 will also be a crucial element of the project, as this is the final event and the closing of the cycle. The event will address face-to-face training delivery with concrete micro-training sessions, it will complete previous learning about pedagogical and theoretical elements, and it will provide practical knowledge and background for the organisation of training and eLearning courses, and draft concrete future plans to do so. All this will be completed by assessment and evaluation. All in all, Activity 2 will tackle all the aspects that will be missing at that point of the ToT cycle for participants to successfully operate as trainers and disseminate the project results afterwards.The project will involve 40 participants, the same people in both activities. Their number has been defined by the actual needs and possibilities of the partner organisations. Their profile was defined in a similar collaboration, and they will have:- Min. 3 years of experience in training or facilitation and/or practice of youth work; preferably youth information background; OR- Min. 3 years of experience in youth information work and followed an ERYICA training course; interested in becoming a multiplier and have some trainer experience already;complemented by a number of additional criteria, such as knowledge of English and commitment to the whole duration of the project.Participants will represent 14 organisations in 10 countries.<< Impact >>As a result of the accomplished training of trainers cycle, the staff of youth information and counselling centres across Europe will have better access to training opportunities and continuous professional development. The mainstreaming of eLearning courses will bring youth information training in the digital era. The higher number of trainers and the higher amount of courses they can deliver will disseminate the training contents much more efficiently. Different delivery platforms (online and offline) will meet more expectations and increase participation in the courses. The increased training offer will consequently mean an increase in the number of participants, therefore the outreach of the training courses at the local level.All in all, this will translate to higher quality services for young people and an increased recognition of youth information and counselling, resulting in more active and informed young citizens.

"The 'Youth Ambassadors for Youth Information against Discrimination' training course will be organised for young people coming from 9 different European countries (Cyprus, Slovenia, Estonia, Macedonia, Czech Republic, Spain, Bosnia Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Sweden and Ireland) and will take place in Alicante (Spain). This project has its roots in the training course hosted in Malta in May 2012 for Youth Ambassadors for Youth's Right to Information in the context of the European campaign ""Information Right Now!"", implemented by ERYICA in partnership with the Council of Europe. The partnership also got inspiration from the No Hate Speech Campaign of the Council of Europe and from recent phenomena in Europe, such as youth radicalisation or the intolerance and xenophobia that the refugee crisis has awaken. Youth's right to information is fundamental in rising civic engagement among young people, strengthening their European mobility and awareness, increasing youth accessibility to opportunities for personal and professional development, and ensuring non-discrimination, tolerance and respect for European values. The project was developed from the idea that access to information is a key to tackle youth discrimination and violent and intolerant behaviours among young people. Thus by this training we aim to empower young people to be ambassadors of European values and information as a right for all youth in all the fields that concern their development. There are four main objectives of the training course: 1. To raise the awareness of Youth Ambassadors on the importance of youth's right to information, both as an essential right and a prerequisite for young people’s access to their rights; 2. To promote a culture of active citizenship and respect for the difference in which young people advocate for reducing the levels of acceptance of hate speech, racism, and discrimination in any of its expressions; 3. To increase the competences and abilities of young people to spread the message among youngsters, decision-makers and media; 4. To strengthen the cooperation between young people coming from different parts of Europe by enhancing open attitudes towards different cultural experiences and backgrounds. During the training seminar, young people coming from different countries will come together to jointly reflect on the reality of young people and the situation of youth information in their local realities. They will receive both individual and group tasks, will share information and best practice on the topic, and they will develop ideas of civic involvement through means of non-formal and informal learning. The final goal for them is to take the acquired knowledge, abilities and skills back to their home countries in order to become Youth Ambassadors for Youth Information against Discrimination. Special activities will be organized for cultural awareness, solidarity and networking, and video testimonials will be the main output of the training course. Networking will be in focus since the involved organisations have an ambition to co-operate in an European level. As all young people have the right to access information, it is crucial to ensure the participation of underrepresented groups. The project will involve organised and non-organised youth and young people with fewer opportunities, especially from minorities, poor socio-economic backgrounds, rural areas, or those at risk of social exclusion. The notions of inclusion, solidarity, tolerance, and respect for diversity are of priority for all partners. These young people will get informed about their genuine human rights especially the right to quality information. Moreover this will enable them to become more active part of the society, even include them in the structured dialogue with policy makers on national and/or European level. Furthermore, by knowing their rights, young people will be aware of how to defend."

"<< 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."