The idea behind the Youth Empowerment program was born in the exchange/sharing of information and needs identified by our network of partners. This network believes that young people are an important and fundamental group that constitutes our society, capable of changing and influencing the attitudes and behaviors of their peers, but also, in children and adults. Aware of the importance of young people in our society, it is clear that there must be a stake in this group, enabling them to make better decisions that bring about sustainable and positive changes in their lives, but also for the people from their communities. This type of training becomes even more important in young people with fewer opportunities and young NEETs (they are not studying, working or attending any type of training). Another need identified by our partners' network is the training of youth workers, workers with tools and methodologies that are effective in encouraging young people to participate in civic engagement and prepare them for the increasingly competitive labor market.The Youth Empowerment program aimed to address the shortcomings listed above and, for this to happen, 4 activities were carried out, 1 KM (Kickoff Meeting), 1 TC (Training Course), 1 YE (Youth Exchange) for participants from 18 to 25 years old and 1 EM (Evaluation meeting). During these 4 activities, it was possible to allow mobility for around 79 people, from young people, youth workers, volunteers and coordinators of partner organizations and policy makers from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Romania.Youth Empowerment’s general objectives were: - Strengthen the network of partners who work with young people daily and use methodologies to empower them to participate actively in their organizations and community; - Promote the Erasmus + Program and show is capital value as an important tool of inclusion for young NEETs and with fewer opportunities; - Discuss the role of youth organizations in the social, personal and professional development of young people; - Encourage intercultural learning through non-formal education.Through KM, TC, YE and EM we had as main objectives: - Compare the different methodologies that partner organizations use to empower their young people, especially those with fewer opportunities and NEET; - Introduce non-formal education as an effective tool to empower young people; - Inspire partner organizations to establish partnerships under Erasmus + in order to work towards social inclusion and youth empowerment. - Train partner organizations, youth workers and volunteers with methodologies that allow the inclusion and empowerment of young people with fewer opportunities and NEET; - Sharing and learning activities that bring partner associations closer to their communities and, at the same time, realize the possibilities of local involvement in activities under the Erasmus + Program; - Understand the impact and social transformations that Erasmus + activities can bring to local communities. - Empowering young people in the field of Human Rights and to have active participation in their local organizations and communities; - Promote self-knowledge, self-confidence, communication and critical thinking skills, self-reflection, creativity, flexibility, language skills, etc. - Provide the local community with the opportunity to participate in activities of social and community interest; - Realize the impact the project has brought to young people, youth workers, organizations and the community; - Sharing and analyzing less positive aspects of the project and proposing solutions to work in future activities.All the activities planned were based on ENF methods and techniques (icebreakers, energizers, team buildings, role plays, plenary debates, moments of sharing of good practices, moments of personal and group reflection, etc.) and participants were guided by a team of technicians, who were responsible for coordinating and facilitating the activities, with the support of the group leaders.In the end, all youth organizations and workers acquired new tools to awaken young people to greater participation in their organizations and community, and that the skills acquired by all turn into important tools of social inclusion. These objectives are in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy, which has one of the main pillars, aimed at young people, the promotion of social inclusion, especially those from the most problematic social and cultural context. We will create with this project a Manual about the project itself and all the methodologies that will be used. This document will be shared in Salto and that way will be available for other organizations to use it.

By the beginning of 2019, the fifth European volunteer project has been completed, in which the City of Villa de Moya and the Mojo de Caña association participate together. The two volunteers Audrey de Frencia and Giulia from Italy have been hosted for 10 and 7 months respectively within the youth council in the north of Gran Canaria, while Mojo de Caña coordinated the project. Since 2013, we have carried out volunteer projects with the aim of bringing European reality closer to the rural municipality of Gran Canaria, an ultraperipheral region of the European Union.The young people have been supporting and co-managing youth activities and / or cultural council, participating in events always focused on local youth development, both educational and personal, promotion of active care, environmental protection, human rights, social inclusion, Wellness and healthy leisure. They have also contributed that the activities have an intercultural dimension, adding an additional value to the learning and objectives set by the city council. They have supported the work of information and sensitization of the Moyenses regarding the current continental reality. Marked by populist movements, violation of human rights etc.

<< Objectives >>At a time when gender equality and gender-based violence are at the top of European and international affairs, it is important to recognize the importance of awareness-raising actions and socio-cultural measures to be implemented, especially among members of young communities.This is a turning point for women's rights.Gender equality is about human rights, but it is also in everyone's interest: men and boys, women and girls. Gender inequality and discrimination against women harms everyone.Even benefiting from many freedoms, the fear and reality of violence against them persists. Violence against women and girls is a global phenomenon that has historically been hidden, ignored, and accepted. We cannot turn our heads and close our eyes as statistics state that one in three women is or has been a victim of violence. ” The latest study by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) shows that victims of gender-based violence in the European Union amount to 27.5%.Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls are outstanding tasks of our time and constitute the greatest human rights challenge in the world.It is indispensable to educate the new generations in respect and gender equality, and at the same time to train the technicians who work and share daily contexts with the members of these new generations so that they can help prevent, inform, respond and act in situations of risk.Psychological, emotional, physical violence, harassment, threats, revenge porn happen or have happened to a third of women and girls in the world, and the constant fear of possible discrimination and violence persists. It is essential to act to change the situation of constraint in so many women and girls today, through a change of mindset that can be achieved with actions of prevention, support and awareness of the issue, especially among young people.Addressing this social problem is being fostered in various ways at institutional level, and the ongoing campaigns are on the increase, but young people and their communities must learn to jointly identify, manage and prevent at-risk situations. and to combat gender-based violence in the appropriate manner. It is important that victims are accompanied and / or know how to deal with the violent situation so that aggression and humiliation are no longer encouraged, and that members of youth organizations know how to deal with situations at risk and act to sensitize the community, especially young people. , about the subject. Designing an effective action and awareness campaign is one of the cornerstones of ensuring community awareness and active participation.This TC intends to address issues concerning the current situation in the European Union regarding gender-based violence, with the main objectives of: 1) analyzing current data through theoretical and informal exploration of human rights, European legislation and measures, statistics, notable cases, leading causes leading to harassment, psychological and physical violence, and revenge porn; 2) the definition and production of strategies and methods of social engagement with young people through effective support actions and campaigns, the creation of audiovisual and artistic and poetic material, and the publication of a manual on the GBV ”, which will allow us to identify and act in the context of violent relationships, from roots to branches, focusing on decision-making power in the growth phase.This project will focus on raising young people's awareness of the fight against gender-based violence by promoting respect and empowerment of women and girls in the countries concerned.Actions and campaigns defined within the framework of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, a sadly important day for all communities, are expected to be implemented.<< Activities >>Changing mindsets and social change are the beliefs and determination of the younger generation, and youth work on combating gender-based violence, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is crucial. national, European and international level. It is essential, in order to achieve concrete goals in this regard, to develop the empathy and sensitivity of young people and all members of the community, and to create the conditions for all young people and youth workers to become agents of change and socio-cultural activists. Through non-formal education methodologies, it is possible to achieve greater personal and collective emotional awareness, stimulating civic and social action and involving creative and communicative practices. Youth workers will be trained to act actively in society on this issue and to act as multiplier agents in their home communities, especially among the young people with whom they work daily.In order for the technicians to receive all the information they need to address the issue of gender-based violence, the tools of the Theater of the Oppressed will be used, through which the technicians will be able to approach the theme deeply and personally. Activities related to the creation of awareness campaigns will then be developed: the theme of GBV will be deepened through the analysis of successful and ongoing awareness raising actions and campaigns, focusing on the key elements that constitute effective actions and campaigns, carrying out workshops and specific training sessions related to the creation of projects and collective campaigns, and the manual “The Tree of GBV”.The theatrical dynamics “From Victim to…” and “Teatro Jornal” will serve as a profound approach to working the subject through identification with the subjects involved.Through these dynamics, each participant will be invited to explore one or more situations in their own country, to share their own knowledge and insight into them and the policies and actions designed to address the circumstance.Discussions and group work will be instrumental in identifying the reality in each country and at European and international level, the measures taken and the proposals made by various institutions.The “Gender Café” will be a useful sharing moment for the identification of stereotypes, beliefs, current rights and usual behaviors related to the theme. After the identification work done during the activities, participants will have the opportunity to explore their own psycho-emotional status through painting and drawing and creative writing during the activity “Youth and GBV”.The workshops “Theater performances of the Oppressed and the Media: Let's go further!” And “How to create effective European campaigns to foster youth participation in GBV: strategies and methodologies” will focus on the possibilities that collective interventions can bring about effective socio-cultural change. The local and global impact of these interventions and the tools useful for their implementation on the ground will be assessed.Workshops based on the production of audiovisual, digital and performative material will be crucial for the realization of awareness actions and campaigns to be carried out during the TC and joint planning with representatives of partner organizations. Through the use of social networks and social communication, it is expected that the performance of the Theater of the Oppressed and the other awareness actions to be carried out will have a strong first impact, reinforced throughout the campaigns to be produced among all organizations involved and their international partners.Finally, the creation of the manual “The Tree of GBV” will contribute to a collective reflection on the various aspects worked on and the objectives achieved throughout the project; Knowledge sharing and results achieved will be indispensable for the production of contents and for the dissemination of the manual.Participants in this activity will be youth workers and / or social workers and / or youth who play an active role in their community and society at large. They need to be people who show concern and determination about the current situation of gender-based violence in Europe and the world, and at the same time show a willingness to explore the topic through role-playing and other active means, and finding ways of raising awareness and solutions to the problems that women and activists face, in particular in the fight against gender-based violence. They should therefore have an activist profile in promoting the fight against violence and integrate skills such as dynamism, empathy and the ability to work with different target audiences.<< Impact >>The fight against gender-based violence involves community awareness and a personal and institutional commitment to the dissemination and promotion of collective mobilization actions and reactions. In this sense, the group of youth workers invited to participate in this TC will acquire resources for a better understanding of the theme and key strategies and methodologies not only to achieve personal change, but also to deal with the youth of their organizations and communities as figures. and active agents of change.By learning about the tools and practices of the Theater of the Oppressed and non-formal education methodologies focused on creativity and free personal expression, participants will develop the critical and initiative skills that are useful for achieving the goals identified in the various processes, increasing empathy and own knowledge about the theme and techniques of prevention and support in situations of gender violence among young people.In order to ensure impact on local communities, we will make an efficient process of disseminating awareness of the project's actions and messages and results, building on the skills gained in creating effective campaigns.Throughout this project we will explore all the opportunities that community mobilization can offer in the fight against gender-based violence: through the use of media and social networks, the production of performative, audiovisual and informative material will have a strong impact. at local level, but a dissemination system will be established between the organizations involved and their European and international partners that will ensure a transnational impact.With the achievement of the objectives proposed by this project, the impacts at local, national and European level will be enormous: a single European campaign will be carried out which will encourage the participation of young people from different countries in the prevention and awareness actions to combat violence. based on gender.At the same time, participants will be encouraged to initiate new national and European actions and projects in their NGOs, thus putting into practice all the knowledge and ideas they gathered during the project, and creating large-scale campaigns, carried out at least in all countries. involved in the project. This set of awareness-raising actions will be implemented at European level on specific dates chosen by all participants throughout the project, and replicated in celebration of globally recognized days related to the theme of the project.We will coordinate the process of implementing the skills acquired during training in their local communities through ongoing contact with participants through a facebook group where participants will share the type of actions and projects they are organizing, where they can ask questions and where everyone can make suggestions and share the best practices they use. In this way, we will strengthen the management capacity and internationalization strategies of partner organizations, enhancing their collaboration with partners from other countries and promoting a more dynamic, committed and professional environment within the organizations. These will be able touse innovative methods of action, creating more effective activities for the benefit of local communities and all victims of gender-based violence.Thanks to the creation of the “The Tree of GBV” manual and its online dissemination, the prevention and support methodologies and techniques identified and explored throughout the Training Course will be disseminated through various channels of common use for young and young people, reaching the as many users of social media and internet sites as possible. Subsequently, and through the planned dissemination strategy, it is hoped that these organizations will be able to influence the work of other entities in their countries, using the expected results of this project as an example and disseminating the working methodologies created so far - thus starting to a multiplication of the project's impact at national level in each country. As a last step, and through the promotion and maintenance of networking, the organizations involved are expected to develop new European projects that will continue the work carried out under the current project, involving new organizations and thus multiplying the impact of the project at European level. European and perhaps international.

ART supporting COMmunities throUgh iNnovatIve Tools for Youth work (ARTCOM) is an innovative capacity building project involving 6 organisations from Europe and Africa. It will directly target 36 youth workers & 18 young volunteers to explore non-formal learning based on art therapy as an innovative tool for youth work with disadvantaged youth. Studies on art therapy show it is effective in offering new ways of communication in particular for marginalized young people. Art therapy can boost learning whilst stimulating communication & interaction, reducing isolation of marginalised youth to help them integrate better in the host community & society.The project will share & introduce new approaches on different creative processes of art therapy to foster the well-being and self-empowerment of young people, increase intercultural dialogue and shared civic values to strengthen local communities. Mobility of youth workers & young people and creation of OER in non-formal learning and arts therapy will provide invaluable opportunity for target groups professional development & key competences (social, civic, intercultural).ACTIVITIES- Kick-off meeting in Palermo (Italy)- International Training Course (mobility of 36 youth workers) in Palermo - Creation of OER on arts therapy as an effective methodology for youth work- EVS (mobility of 18 young people) for 5 months in each partner country ensuring involvement of 300 youngsters in total from disadvantaged background involved in activities at local level- Public local art events in partner country involving 180 people in total- Final meeting and international conference in Mzuzu (Malawi)METHODOLOGIES USED- Learning by doing- Learning by teaching- Intercultural learning- Art therapy methodologiesEXPECTED RESULTS-Increased cooperation and exchange of good practices between organisations from Programme & Partner Countries in non-formal education & youth work-Strengthened quality of youth work-Increased socio-professional development and key competences (social, civic, intercultural) and media literacy among youth workers & young people in art therapy through increased mobility-Promoted intercultural dialogue & shared civic values across diverse cultures as well as fostered social integration of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds-Developed & tested non-formal learning tools & innovative approaches based on art therapy in youth work transferred to local communties

<< Objectives >>The project will increase the active involvement of young people on the local level through the use of the IDEATHON method as a basis for creating an effective mechanism for the participation of young people. Supporting training and advocacy activities will strengthen the capacities of youth organizations in local authorities to implement participatory processes with young people and will raise the awareness of the target groups about the importance of youth participation at the local level.<< Implementation >>- Preparation of analysis in the field of youth participation at the local level.- Adaptation of the IDEATHON method for use in the youth sector.- Implementation of 1 international and 4 national training courses for IDEATHON implementers.- Implementation of 16 IDEATHONs.- Impact evaluation of the implemented IDEATHONs on young people.- Development of a handbook for local authorities.- Implementation of 4 national and 1 international advocacy campaign.- Preparation of an advo<< Results >>- Publication about the participation of young people at the local level,- manual with a description of the IDEATHON method and supporting materials,- International training for 20 IDEATHON practitioners,- 4 national training courses for 60 IDEATHON practitioners,- 16 implementations of IDEATHONS,- 4 national and 1 international advocacy campaign,- International conference with at least 70 participants,- a handbook for representatives of local authorities,- recommendation paper.