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Participatory and Emancipatory Approaches for Youth Work
- a professional development training for youth workers & youth leaders -
- in Vienna, Austria from 24 November to 01 December 2024 -
GENESIS OF THE TRAINING:
Youth workers are most prone to social cultural confrontations and conflictual situations in their regular work because they work with very diverse and mostly marginalized communities and are often at the front lines of with youngsters from all backgrounds; yet, pragmatic approaches to address the growing social needs of these youngsters within the current political climate remain dismal. Also, current approaches to cultural and social competency do not adequately equip youth workers to address the complex factors that shape inequality and marginalization within society and do not properly equip them to handle conflict in the daily work. Hence, our training "Participatory and Emancipatory Approaches for Youth Work" for 30 participants from Austria, Germany, France, Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia with the support of ERASMUS+ of the European Union, aims to provide youth workers with a more comprehensive approach for ensuring culturally and socially competent practices to tackle inequality and marginalisation, while handling possible conflict safely and constructively. In this training, we utilize innovative conflict transformation practices to inform an emancipatory perspective to cultural and social competency that shifts the current discourse to one that questions structures and processes of power instead of accepting them as status quo. We utilize the definition of “emancipatory approach” as one that enhances understanding of how power works to limit opportunities, create marginalization, and perpetuate inequities. Therefore, our emancipatory approach to cultural social competency in youth work is well informed from an understanding and operationalization of critical understanding because critical thinking helps to challenge social inequities by moving beyond what is on the surface to analyze the roots of injustice that cause conflicts. As Kincheloe JL "critical thinking is when people reflect on the discursive practices and power relations present within society in order to disengage from them".
LEARNING EXPERIENCE:
During this ERASMUS+ training, will implement several innovative educational tools (Board games and Simulation) to increase the positive transformation of conflicts among youth workers through understanding the cultural and social differences, while improving bystander skills as well as emotional and social intelligence, and social and cultural competences. Together with an expert, participants will experience two role plays (one Simulation and one Board Game) on the positive management of a conflict and develop a training module on it applicable in their daily contexts. The training also includes a practical part where the participants design their actionable follow-up plans after learning strategic planning and intervention elements. As a next step, you will work in small groups of 3 persons (national teams) to design their own initiatives that address any topic that they wish to influence. You will be supported during the training to design a comprehensive local initiative with an implementation plan. All groups will present their initiatives (problem, solution and intervention strategy) and get feedback. After the training, all groups will be further supported by the team to implement these newly designed initiatives as a follow-up to this training on the local level. Each initiative will receive the needed programmatic to enable its implementation. The initiatives can take different forms such as a short workshop in school or university, a webinar, a digital campaign, a series of interviews, or any other form that you find useful. The actual implementation of the follow-up initiative is an integral part of the training itself.
THE PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS:
- you live in one of the participating countries:
(Austria, Germany, France, Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia).
- you are between 20 and 35 years old.
- commit to full participation during the whole activity and sessions.
- you can communicate in English (B1+ level is enough).
- you wish to learn new skills, methods, and tools.
- you wish to improve your conflict transformation capacities.
- you can cooperate and work with others in a team.
- you are ready to work in a team to design and implement an initiative.
- Be motivated to explore new approaches in youth work.
- Have the ability to do the follow-up initiative.
- Ready to support dissemination and visibility activities online and offline.
- you are curious to learn and you appreciate diversity in every sense.
- you would like to build new friendships and international connections.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS:
- The training is "mostly" funded (85%)!
- It is co-financed by the European Commission as part of the Erasmus+ Programme.
- The hostel accommodation in 2-4 bunk beds rooms, training, materials, breaks fast and lunches, and international flights are covered to the determined limits.
- Participants from Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia should pay a contribution of 200 Euro to cover the remaining costs.
- Participants are required to book their own transport (flights, busses, trains) to and from Vienna and we will refund the eligible costs to you after your successful participation.
- Only selected participants can book their tickets, after consultation with us!
- The refund of travel costs is after the implementation of the local follow-up initiative.
PARTICIPATION RULES AND CONDITIONS:
- You must have the time to attend the training from 24 November to 1 December 2024.
- You should engage in all preparation and follow-up activities to the best of your abilities.
- Fill out the application before 15 September 2024 (deadline) for Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia.
- Fill out the application before 30 September 2024 (deadline) for Austria, Germany, and France.
- You should sign the participation agreement once selected, within a period of three days.
- You should purchase your travel tickets within five days of signing the agreement.
TIMEFRAME:
Preparation:
From 01. 06 2024 to 23. 11 2024 (in various stages)
Participation:
24. Nov to 01 Dec (in Vienna, Austria)
Follow-up:
Dec 2024- February 2025 (local implementation of follow-up initiatives)
OTHER IMPORTANT REMARKS:
- Applications will be reviewed and accepted based on motivation and eligibility.
- More details such as preparatory tasks will be shared after selection via email.
- You will receive a YouthPass certificate on the last day of the training.
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