Promote active citizenship and intercultural understanding among young people
Free materials to discuss democracy, media competence and intercultural understanding with young people
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2016 – 2019
Aware and Active
Civic Engagement, Diversity, Education, Europe, Inclusion, Intercultural Competences, Migration & Refugees, Youth
Finished
The project “Aware and Active” focusses on the value and meaning of a diverse society. Together with young people, activities and campaigns were developed, calling attention to the situation of refugees as well as human rights and the value of diversity all over Europe.
The project was started in 2016 under the leadership of IZ in cooperation with Erasmus+ National Agencies of Estonia, Finland, Italy, Macedonia and Slovenia. Additionally, the project is supported by the National Agencies of Germany, Belgium/Flanders, the Netherlands, Croatia, Slovakia and Latvia, as well a POYWE (Professional Open Youth Work in Europe). The European Commission is funding the project through Erasmus+.
Target group
Young people in Europe
Goals
- promoting actionistic potentials of European youngsters
- promoting intercultural dialogue and appreciation of a diverse society in Europe
- advancement of critical thinking and media competence of young people, youth workers and teaching personnel
- faciliation of the access to the Erasmus+ programme and social inclusion through the participation of young refugees, migrants and asylum seekers
Encouraging active citizenship and intercultural understanding
The project should encourage intercultural understanding and active citizenship of young people. Fundamental democratic values and human rights are conveyed while radicalisation and violence are actively prevented. The project enables young participants to get active themselves and use various communication channels for sharing their ideas of a just society with as many people as possible. The planned measures and activities aim to put a spotlight on youth work and show its contributions during the refugee crisis, the prevention of violent extremism and the imparting of democratic values. The main target group of the project consists of young people aged 16 to 30 years. It was ensured that young migrants, refugees and asylum seekers were included.
Youngsters realise their ideas
In so-called “Idea Labs” young participants developed ideas related to different sensitising activities and measures, calling attention to the situation of young refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Europe, as well as spreading the values of freedom, democracy, active citizenship, tolerance and anti-discrimination. In doing so, the young people got to know the main features of campaign work, critical thinking and critical media interaction. The best ideas received financial support in order to implement the sensitizing activities on a local, regional and national level. Eventually, in a central “European Ideas Lab” in Slovenia a Europe-wide campaign was creates, focussing on the topics of human rights and diversity.
Young people build awareness through campaigns
All over Europe, over 20 activities took place to arouse interest for the topics of “Aware and Active”, reaching over 2000 people. In December 2018, six events in all of the participating countries were set up by the young people, drawing the attention of close to a million people to the campaign via social media channels due to a “Twitter storm” and various Facebook videos. In a last step, specific results of the campaign are compiled.
Involved youngsters and partners share project results with the youth sector
After three years of diverse activities, the results, challenges and insights of the project “Aware and Active” should be imparted. The main activities consisted of local, national and European “Idea Labs”, supporting young people in generating attention for inclusion and other topics important to them through their own campaigns. As an inclusive project, “Aware and Active” not only aims to communicate one’s own results, but to learn from others and to jointly create something new for the youth sector.
Learn more
All information and results from the project can be found on the project website:
Connected Content
Free materials about the European goals for a youth-friendly Europe of the future. The Youth Goals were created in 2018 within the framework of the Austrian EU Council Presidency.
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Free tips on how to address human rights in youth work – compiled within the framework of the project youth for human rights
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