Act local – connect European – think global! There is a lot going on in the network of Generation Europe – The Academy. Here you can find recent updates and reports on activities in our network.
In November 2023, we discussed the major challenges that youth work is facing at the international symposium “Youth Work in Europe – Mission (Im)possible?“. We are delighted to announce the continuation of this innovative format for dialogue, debate and networking: Building Bridges, Breaking BarriersEuropean Youth Work Symposium 2024Monday, 28 October 2024Dortmunder U – Centre for […]
75 years ago, the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) officially came into force – the constitution that was designed to form the basis for a democratic and peaceful society with basic rights for all, after the horrors of the National Socialist dictatorship. The Munich local group of Generation Europe – The Academy took part in the anniversary celebrations in Munich. With a performance about the violation of rights in the education system, the youngsters made it clear that constitutional rights are only the foundation on which we can be active against discrimination and for a just society.
What a journey! In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, a new approach to fostering youth participation was launched in the network of Generation Europe – The Academy. Since then, a comprehensive training and exchange programme is empowering young people from the more than 40 partner organisations to take on more responsibility in their local groups and in European networking. A good three years after the kick-off, the Ambassadors from 14 European countries have now met in Hattingen, Germany, for this year’s conference.
For Earth Day, the local group of Generation Europe – The Academy in Florence, Italy participated in an EcoFestival in the village of San Donato, on the outskirts of Florence. Previously, the local group of Generation Europe – The Academy had already experienced an intense afternoon in which artistic coaches worked with the young artists and activists to try out some of the methods presented last December in Florence during the first international workshop of ENGAGE, a project that aims to introduce participatory tools to help young people become agents of change.
The local youth groups from Bochum and Nordhausen actually work closely with their project partners from Italy and Portugal, respectively Spain and Poland. However, Generation Europe – The Academy also enables additional alliances. Bochum in the Ruhr region and Nordhausen in Thuringia have been official twin towns since 1990. What could be more obvious than to fill this connection with life also at the level of youth work?
Improving the conditions of young people and those who support them is one of the common goals of the youth organisations active in the network of Generation Europe – The Academy. But when it comes to well-being and mental health, what is the situation among those who are involved in the programme?
The Centro di Creazione e Cultura (CCC), our project partner in Florence, has published an impressive video about the commitment of the local group of Generation Europe – The Academy in Tuscany. The video summarises the three most important local activities of the past year and shows how closely the young people work together with other civil society organisations.
European cooperation is releasing new energy: for six days, representatives of 42 youth organisations from 14 European countries met in Hattingen (Germany) to further develop concepts for international youth work and plan projects. Now others can benefit from their experience: They presented a series of booklets and other publications that make methods and best-practice examples accessible to youth workers throughout Europe.
Civic Education plays an important role in empowering young people to become active and engaged citizens. However, within the Generation Europe – The Academy network there were different understandings of the term Civic Education. This made collaboration more challenging at times. A new handout documents the network’s efforts to build a common understanding by surveying participants, analysing their responses, and facilitating dialogue among the network partners.
Executive Summary of the results of the Symposium “Youth Work in Europe – Mission (Im)possible?”, by Prof. Dr. Tomaž Deželan The current conditions for young people in Europe are catastrophic. Young people are among the biggest victims of the crises of the last decade, as evidenced by the “frozen progress” warned by the European Youth […]