RefugE+

Description of the project: RefugE+is a 6-day-mobility activity of youth workers under Erasmus+, KA1, aimed to train youth workers in the project management field and raise their awareness on the refugee/migrants topic. The project will include:
1. a training course aimed to tackle the main fields of focus regarding youth projects involving participants including staff from 9 partner organizations  from 9 countries: Freeminds in action – applicant; Partners – GEYC [RO], iDEMO [HR], Kulturalis Kapcsolatokert Alapitvany [HU], Zdruzenie na studenti po pravo i mladi pravnici Pavel Satev Kocani [MK], Stowarzyszenie “Nasz Lag – nasza wies” [PL], Kulturno umetniško društvo Plac [SI], Youthfully Yours SR [SR], Art Nicomedia Culture And Art Association [TR]. The activity will be hosted in Italy.
2: a in-between period of dissemination in each of the partner organisations involved aiming to transfer the skills gained through the training course and to develop the projects initiated during the TC (3 months).

Context/background: At European level, youth work is often done without a professional approach. This training programme aims to adapt the PM methodologies (such as PMBOK) to the youth work reality at both local, national or European level and to encourage the exchange of good practices. in the field of youth projects dealing with migrants/refugees issues. Youth work lacks projects quality in certain cases due to the low level of expertise in some fields of the people working with youth. We have identified 5 key areas of focus in youth projects: non formal learning, projects management, partnerships, PR & Communication (visibility and dissemination of results) and financial planning.

Objectives:
– Developing project management practical skills of youth workers that work with migrants and/or refugees.
– Raising awareness among youth workers on existing migration policies and programmes at European level.
– Fostering collaboration at European level, within Erasmus+ framework, between NGOs that deal with migrants’ and/or refugees’ issues.

Participants: youth workers from partner organizations, aged 18-35, including people that face geographical obstacles and economic difficulties

Methodology: The project will use non formal learning methodology including methods such as: ice breakers, brainstormings, reflection groups, theoretical inputs, working in intercultural subgroups, facilitated discussion, creative presentations, simulation, case study, debates. Also, methods from Salto-youth toolbox and Compass will be used during the training course. Youth workers will have the opportunity to experience a wide variety of non-formal learning methods they can use, as well, in their communities.

Impact: The projects aims to empower the participants to raise their projects quality and to produce a sustainable positive effect on young people. RefugE+ creates the perfect frame where learning new practices in project management, PR& Communication, budgeting come in handy to use both in the participants’ personal lives and in their sending organisations. We expect to have several followup projects by using the knowledge acquired throughout the training course, due to the fact that the partner NGOs already have backgrounds that make them suitable for this project. Furthermore, we have chosen trustworthy organizations that are motivated to work on this topic and not only to use, but also share the knowledge provided during RefugE+ project.