An active network within the network: The Ambassadors of Generation Europe – The Academy are currently meeting in Hattingen for this year’s conference. In four days, the young activists from 14 European countries exchange information about their local work and deal with topics such as motivation and conflict management – and with ways to pass on their experiences at home.
The Ambassador approach is an important component in the concept of Generation Europe – The Academy: The more than 40 European partner organisations nominate active young people who can take the next step within the network. Through training and other events, they have been empowered to take on more responsibility in their local groups and in European networking. With this support, they have become mentors for the other youngsters and multipliers for the interests of young people in Europe. They are also important activists on the local level, ensuring equal participation and acting as a bridge between full-time youth workers and local group members.
Central elements of the Ambassador Conference are workshops and exchange sessions to learn from each other. For this purpose, the activists have also invited young experts from outside the network. For example Silas Haake: At the age of 22, he is by far the youngest member of the City Council of Essen, Germany. In the workshop “Youngsters in Politics”, he exchanged views with the other conference participants on opportunities and obstacles for young people’s involvement in local politics in the different European countries.
Making one’s own experiences accessible to others, so that even more young people all over Europe can work for positive change – this is what the Ambassador Network is about. One tool that is intended to have an impact far beyond Generation Europe – The Academy will be the Guide to Activism, which the activists are currently working on. It is going to be an online guide with tips, instructions and methods from young activists for all those who also want to organise and get involved. With the guide, the Ambassadors want to inspire other young people for activism and democratic participation. At the Ambassador Conference, the working group presented the current status of the project and together the Ambassadors planned the next steps.
Many thanks to all for this great work! Here are a few more impressions from this year’s Ambassador Conference: