Dear Friends,

It is a big pleasure to invite you to participate in a pilot project of Youth for Exchange and Understanding (YEU): “Small actions can change the world – Long Term Training Course for local youth initiatives”.

This is the first long term project in YEU history consisting of three international residencial events plus local actions in between. We encourage you to become part of this challenge!!! It creates unique opportunity for youth organizations to strengthen their impact on local communities they are living in. Let’s make a change starting from our surroundings.

Aims and Objectives of LTTC:

LTTC is aimed to empower and train young people, active within YEU MOs and partner organizations, to develop local actions and associative strategies based on participation, intercultural education and human rights from an European perspective.

Concrete objectives of the overall long-term training course:

Ø      To reflect on the expression and relevance of issues such as democracy, youth participation, youth policy development, Non formal education, Human rights, Intercultural learning to youth work;

Ø      To promote the principles of democratic youth participation at local, regional and national level;

Ø      To reflect upon the role and function of each civil society actor (young people, NGOs, public authorities- on local, regional and national levels) and to foster their cooperation;

Ø      To initiate innovative local youth actions based on local needs analysis;

Ø      To develop participants’ skills attitudes and knowledge (SKAs) in the areas of team work, project management and partnership building;

Ø      To motivate and enable participants to act as multipliers, sharing their acquired competencies and experiences

Ø      To create a space for sharing good practices of local youth work from all over Europe

Ø      To promote non formal education, peer education and life long learning process

Ø      To cooperate in a network with other participants strengthening the local organizations to contribute in building the civil society.

Methodology and Calendar

The Long Term Training Course (LTTC) consists of 5 different phases:

1^st Phase:

We will start with an introductory seminar “Youth participation and local impact” to investigate issues concerned with youth participation and plan local needs analyses;

2^nd Phase:

After the seminar comes LTTC second phase: analyses of the local needs in their communities. After getting back home, participants will find out what are the needs of target group they want to work with.

3^rd Phase:

During LTTC third phase, that is the training course, participants will develop their skills, knowledge and attitudes in regards to youth participation, non formal education, team work, intercultural learning and project management. Concrete projects ideas will be worked out on the basis of analyses of local needs prepared by participants during 2^nd phase.

4^th Phase:

The fourth phase is the implementation of local youth actions. After the training course participants will put in action their designed local actions.

5^th Phase:

The fifth and last stage of LTTC is the evaluation seminar named “What’s after?”

During this event participants will reflect on their learning, the relevance of their local actions to the increase of youth participation and the development of youth policies on the local level; the contextualization of their initiatives in the wider European perspective; follow up to the LTTC and finally to evaluate the entire LTTC.

During and between all LTTC Phases the learning process will be followed and developed using e-learning tools. Internet space will give unique opportunity to discuss on going process, share the ideas, ask questions, and consult each other and trainers.

The course is designed as an open learning process based on experience and exchange. The group of participants is in itself a forum for intercultural learning and a framework for peer education and personal development. The experiences and realities of participants, as young people and young leaders, will therefore be the starting point of the programme and the core of the learning process.

The course programme and contents are organized so as to allow for the maximum involvement of the group while valuing every single participant using active participatory, co-operative and experiential learning methods. The learning process heavily relies on the practical experience provided by the local action development. The participant’s local action is seen as both a tool for learning and also as a concrete initiative that is expected to contribute to improving the participation opportunities and the quality and outreach of youth work at local and regional levels.

How to apply?

Before applying it is highly important to read carefully the information related to the training. Only applicants ready to participate in all stages of LTTC will be taken in consideration in selection process.

If you are ready for the challenge, there is nothing else to wait: please fill in the application form and return it to YEU Head Office together with the support letter from your structure until 28th of July, 10 CET 2008 to the emails of the Project Coordinator (pc@yeu-international.org) and Course director (silvamago@hotmail.com).

 Note that applications after the deadline will not be accepted.

Finally, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in contact with the Head Office (Marta Cubajevaite): pc@yeu-international.org; tel +351 289813061

Deadline for applications must strictly be:

28th of July, 10 CET, 2008  

 Please find more detailed information on the call in the enclosed file.