VOTE EU – Encouraging young Europeans to vote

The “VOTE EU-Encouraging Young Europeans to Vote” seminar was born because of young people’s disinterest both in Europe and in Romania regarding the democratic process and involvement in civil society.

The aim of the project is to encourage democratic participation and active European citizenship by strengthening youth affiliation to the European common area and by understanding the legislative procedures and functioning of EU institutions.

Specific objectives

1. Improving EU-related knowledge (European legislative process) and developing key competences (civic, intercultural) among 24 participants (from 8 countries);
2. Strengthen the institutional capacity of the 8 partners by developing an action strategy / specific instrument;
3. Encourage the democratic and civic participation of at least 800 young people from the 8ccommunities.

Participants
24 youth workers with experience and knowledge on active citizenship / democratic process / EU, i.e., related to transforming ideas into actions.

Methodology
Activities based on non-formal education, peer reflection, data collection and analysis, contact with members of the European Parliament, the acquisition of knowledge related to EU institutions / role in a dynamic and contextualized way, intercultural dialogue, group dynamics.

Activities

1. Seminar on European Citizenship 8 days in Romania in November 2018. Based on non-formal education methods, participants will learn how to promote active citizenship with youth, how to turn ideas into concrete and measurable actions and brainstorm different actions suitable to the
   analysis of the communities involved.
2. Meeting with representatives of the European Parliament / Romanian Parliament: Presentation of the results by the participants to youngsters interested in the topic, who will be involved later in promoting active citizenship and the importance of the European`s election in 2019.
3. Developing a commune strategy for the 8 partners with specific actions to improve the knowledge of young people about European democratic process.

Impacts and results

1. Acquisition of know-how related to active participation and EU institutions / missions;
2. Acquisition of socio-personal and civic skills enabling acting and cooperating in multicultural teams;
3. Improvement in the quality of the intervention of partner associations and quality of project management processes;
4. Reflection and serious dialogue among youth workers and their representative at European level on how to collaborate and take an active role in resolving recurring problems;
5. Increased proximity between the youngsters and associations that will allow future interventions in a collaborative and dynamic perspective.

Participating countries: Romania, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Greece, France, Portugal, Hungary.

Number of participants: 3 each country