"The Canvass of Life " (TCL) is a multi-activity aimed at improving the condition of problematic youth (youngsters with a difficult family condition, an history of abuses, drug/alcohol addiction, offences) involving a number of youngsters and youth/social workers in two different and related activities (1 Training Course+ 1 Youth Exchange) delivered through Non Formal Education methods based on figurative arts.The project provides an innovative and individual-friendly approach in dealing with the complex set of issues posed by troubled youth. This initiative was inspired by our consideration that, also in developed countries, a successful approach in promoting the inclusion of particularly problematic pockets of youth population is still by and large missing. Many European youths face major integration problems related to existential, social and behaviourial issues, often escalating in personally and socially destructive conduits (drug and alcohol addiction, violence, crime etc.). Problematic family backgrounds, suffering of abuses or violence, a marginalized existence in degraded or unsafe urban environments, diffusion of alcohol and drug consumption as a trend among youngsters are only some of the most important contributing factors in setting the stage for the sense of individual resentment, frustration, disorientation, perspectivelessness which represents a major driver in orienting youngsters towards lifestyles with huge negative consequences on themselves, on other people and on society as a whole. Youngsters falling within this broad category are at risk of getting entangled in a permanent condition of exclusion, either for falling within particularly sensible groups more likely of incurring in the aforementioned problems or for already having a record of drug, alcohol, violence related issues. The social stigma normally associated by society as a whole to particular behaviours (drug/alcohol addiction, violence, crime) favours a common wisdom centred on a purely repressive approach to these issues and also contributes to feed a self-fulfilling dynamic of exclusion whereby these youngsters interiorise their marginalization and develop a sense of self-contempt and isolation. “The Canvass of Life” aims at overcoming the limits of vertical, paternalistic and repressive approaches by creating a safe zone in which these youths be allowed to freely express themselves, their feelings and personalities. Youth/social workers and youths interested in engaging these groups as future youth/social workers will be trained in creating the necessary safe environment and applying NFE instruments based on figurative arts in order to elicit the necessary introspection and expression dynamics. The choice of figurative arts (drawing, painting, sculpture etc.) as vehicles of social action is justified in light of the ability of these arts to allow an immediate and at the same time profound expression and conveyance of one’s thoughts and emotions, thus tailoring to suit the peculiar needs of particularly complex target groups. The project is divided in two different activities:TC “ LET’S SHAPE INCLUSION ” 21-28 April 2016, Venue: Potenza (Italy) Youth Exchange of 8 days (7 days + 1 travel day); Target group: 24 youth/social workers from 6 countries, preferably with experience in working with troubled youth. Aims of the activity: - Training a number of youth/social workers in dealing with the issues of troubled youth employing NFE methods related to figurative arts; - Increasing awareness among youth/social operators on the potential of figurative arts as media for social action; - Enhance cooperation among European NGOs and other actors with a vested interest in addressing the issues of troubled youth. As a final outcome of the Training Course, participants will produce a set of Methods and Guidelines to involve troubled youth through figurative arts, to be disseminated in home organizations and forming part of the materials of the following YE.YE “THERE’S NO PAINTING WITHOUT COLORS” 15-22 August 2016, Venue: Bucarest (Romania) Youth Exchange of 8 days (7 days+1 travel day); Target Groups: 44 youngsters aged 18-25 interested in becoming youth leaders or youth/social workers, preferably with an interest in one or more figurative arts. Aims: - Providing motivated youngsters with an attitudinal training aimed at fostering their inclusivity, teamwork, relational abilities, creative thinking in order to enable them to proficiently engage complex target groups as future youth leaders or youth/social workers; - Enacting a process of dialogical learning whereby selected youngsters are involved as peers in elaborating tools and approaches to address the issues of troubled youth; - Enhancing effective youth participation in social action across Europe. The final outcome of the Youth Exchange will be a public exposition of artworks related to societal inclusion of troubled youth organized by participants .