Training seminar “Youth to become active agents of democratic change” – sponsored by EYF
Training/Seminar “Youth to become active agents of democratic change”
SHORT REPORT – Summary of the activities
By the beginning of August 2007, BYU announced Application for the training/seminar and in the next 10 days received more than 60 applications from the whole country. There were more than 70 applications by the closing date. This made us a space for very good selection.
The adopted program consisted of interesting workshops designed to tackle general topics such as Human Rights, European integration processes, European Citizenship and Youth Participation and also some specific topics like the existence of the social anxiety among youth, the will/aversion of the young people for the public engagement etc.
Presentations were also very important part of the program and the topics were the introduction of the European Citizenship (Training Course on European Citizenship) and Youth Participation – the experience of the youth in Netherlands (Holland) and Slovenia.
The methodological background was partially taken from COMPASS, partially from previous experience of BYU (DFID training modules). Various training manuals have been taken for the workshops / mostly from our previous activities developed during the organization of different educational seminars in the last 10 years.
As it was the case in our previous training/seminar under the All different – all equal program – we used the same shaped morning and afternoon sessions split in between by the lunch break. Facilitators started each session with an energizer. Each day participants had an opportunity to take a part in the workshops and discussions and to listen to interesting lectures and presentations from our partners from Slovenia and Netherlands.
As always, discussions were the most interesting part of the seminar and brought many very useful and constructive observations and suggestions for the future work on Youth Participation.
All participants observed that this topic is far away from the main course of interest of the politicians and national institutions and the conclusion was brought that we need to brought this issue closer to the public and to the youth in general.
Daily wrap-ups were one of the most interesting parts of the whole seminar.
Days had started at 9.30 am and ending between 18.30 and 19.00 pm
After the dinner BYU organized a social program. It was very important part of the seminar, as always. As it was the case on our last seminar, this seminar also brought many bright and new ideas and a lot of new friendships.
