The Journey Ahead
Start date: Aug 25, 2016,
End date: Dec 24, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
Europe needs more cohesive and inclusive societies which allow citizens to play an active role in democratic life. In order to engage and be part of the European project, Citizens need more opportunities and channels to voice their interests and views. This will be achieved through active access to information on European issues (European culture, citizenship, history, values, along with contemporary European challenges such as political integration and economic issues). Objectives• To give young refugee the opportunity to participate more in local, regional and international youth communities and have a voice in issues that affect European Citizens;• Raise awareness on young migrants and refugees' life-stories and issues affecting youths across Europe through mixed media of TV, Radio, Theatre, and the Internet, with the support of experts in respective fields; • To foster and develop a sense of European identity and feeling in young people and young workers. • To encouraging young people to come together from different backgrounds and discover ‘Europe’ through guided youth led activities, effective information debates and the development of youth media on a variety of topics• To empower of young refugee to take responsibility for sharing in decision-makingDescription of activitiesThe Project will bring together 40 participants from 3 countries (UK, Sweden and Finland ) for 10 days of activities including seminars, workshops and discussion based around meetings between young people from participating countries, plus decision makers from partner countries, representative of a youth worker and national youth agency , with a focus on those from disadvantaged/excluded backgrounds. also to discover the field of Immigration and migration. The main aim of the project is to widen youngsters world view on the topic of migration and issue related to refugee, make them more tolerant and acceptable toward differences and give them competences to address the problem in society. The project will provide young people the space to interact, debate and ask questions during the entire process. This will give them the opportunity to learn in an environment where their assertions will be challenged in a gentle way while ensuring they can receive information in different channels (debate, one-to-one, presentation) that can suit the informal learning styles of all the young people. There will also be online spaces on social platforms where young people can go to start a discussion with a policy maker or youth worker. This will provide another avenue for young people to develop in a personal way that affords them the opportunitiesProfile of ParticipantMany of the young people are refugee often isolated in the community, have low confidence and self esteem and often not confident enough to participate with mainstream society. young immigrants or refugees or descendants from immigrant or refugee families, young people belonging to a national or ethnic minority, young people with linguistic adaptation and cultural inclusion problems, etc. In addition, much of the young population of lack a stable home life and there is a dearth of positive role models or positive influences in their lives. Many of the young people are often isolated in the community, have low confidence and self esteem and often not confident enough to participate with mainstream society. Results and impact envisaged and finally the potential longer term benefitsMany young people from refugee communities and marginalised groups will be given the opportunity to take part in the project which will slowly boost confidence to participate more, improving soft skills in the process that will be transferable to school, work and home life. Parallel to that, the youth will learn how to debate with others, express themselves, credibly present their arguments, as well as get more self-esteem, which will help them in further life. Also the project will improve young people’s understanding of the potential routes to employment, training, education or youth services thru the experience of the project and the youth networks utilised. As a whole PARTICIPANTS WILL BE INVOLVED in and coordinate project’s workshops, seminars, debates, essays, simulation meetings, mock exercises, media management, networking, etc. They will be engaged in on-going opportunities for pan-European exchanges of ideas and future collaborations. Increased the self-esteem, confidence and motivation of young people to get involved in local community activities and participate more in local society. This could transcend to joining community clubs, school clubs, college sports activities, societies or just reducing the fear of socialising by on their comfort zone of ghettoised cultural communities.