Ka2 project “Baltic youth research(ers) up-graded: long term impact on youth field” is an innovation project in the fields of youth policy development. The project was developing innovation in field by using research methodologies to assess policies and tools in the field of youth emigration. The project was implemented by partner consortium *LAB DRG sp. z o.o. (Poland), Youth leader coalition (Latvia) and Institute for Policy Research and Analysis (Lithuania). Project was implemented from 26.10.2016 till 25.10.2018.The aim and objective of the project:Using youth researchers as a measure to reach cross – sectoral cooperation and openness of all areas in thematic of youth (-e; re) migration:- Preparing common methodology to evaluate efficiency of implemented measures/ taken actions and analyzing certain measures (correspondence to the needs, satisfaction of target group; impact);- Involvement in planning new measures by participating in working groups;- Preparing or reviewing situation analyzes (clarification of existing data) of legal documents and giving feedback to politicians and practitioners (strategies, programs, etc.);- Preparing an external annual report of implemented national measures (focus – not blaming, but bringing up findings what is missing in order to meet the “burning” data).While implementing the project partners have:Developed 7 intellectual outputs: research methodologies, implemented research and analysis, developed research reports from all 3 countries, created recommendations for researchers.Implemented 2 international training courses “Evidence based advocacy” (2017) and “Quality cross-sectorial cooperation” (2018);Implemented 6 national dissemination seminars on project outputs (2018).Implemented “International Emigration Hackathon” (2018).

"Youth NGO's, youth social enterprises (social enterprises run by young people and / or working with young people) and other relevant organizations working directly with youth (further in text referred to as ""YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS"") in Baltic countries do an important work that is beneficial for the society in many ways - they create opportunities for young people to gain important knowledge, skills and experience; they help young people tackle problems and challenges; they contribute to sustainable development goals on a local, national and international level, and they contribute to other areas of the society. However, many times youth organizations struggle to measure, plan, describe, evaluate and communicate the exact value and impact they create. When asked about why their work is important, why they should get funding, what changed because of their work, they can answer only in vague terms and cannot give or show any proof. They lack the capacity and skills to express the impact of their work in concrete numbers, facts, stories, and therefore other stakeholders, communities and society in general has little reason to support what they do.This joint project by 5 partner organizations in Baltic States will tackle the social impact management issue by improving social impact management knowledge, skills and recognition in Baltic States. All partner organizations are the leading organizations in their respective fields - social entrepreneurship, youth work advocacy and/or impact management - and all are committed and motivated to integrate the project tools, results and activities in their daily work and disseminate the project tools and results through their member and partner networks.The MAIN OBJECTIVES of the project are:1) to improve the capacity, skills and know-how of youth workers in youth organizations in Baltic States on topics related to social impact management (impact tracking, measurement, evaluation and communication), and2) to promote the importance and approaches of social impact management in youth organizations among policy makers and stakeholders in Baltic countries by creating practical, user-friendly impact management tools and policy recommendations and implementing non-formal education learning and experience sharing events for youth organizations.Main project ACTIVITIES will include: - 2 social impact management transnational learning events in Latvia and Estonia; - 4 practical, user-friendly social impact management publications: a best practice compilation, a toolbox, communication guidelines and a set of policy recommendations. Publications will be available in 4 languages: ENG, LV, EE, LT. - 6 multiplier events in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania for various youth work related audiences. - communication and dissemination of results activities which will reach at least 50 000 people across Baltic States.Expected RESULTS of the project: - 155 youth workers (staff and volunteers) of youth organizations in Baltic States have improved their capacity, skills and know-how about social impact management (impact tracking, planning, measurement, evaluation and communication) through participating in transnational learning events (50) and multiplier events (105) of the project, and feel confident and motivated to use the new skills and know-how in practice; - 40 youth policy and youth social entrepreneurship stakeholders, policy makers, decision makers and ecosystem enablers in Baltic States have gained insights and knowledge about impact management in youth organizations in Baltic States through participating in multiplier events, and are willing and motivated to use the knowledge, tools and policy recommendations created in the project to promote quality and efficiency of larger youth systems on a local, national and Baltic States level. - 300 youth workers (staff and volunteers) of youth organizations in Baltic States and 100 youth policy and youth social entrepreneurship stakeholders, policy makers, decision makers and ecosystem enablers in Baltic States have gained knowledge about and used the tools and publications created in the project (direct communication, downloads, views) - 50 000 people have been reached and informed about the importance of the work of youth organizations as well as project activities, results and outcomes through project communication and dissemination of results activities in all 3 Baltic States (social media audience, newsletters, partner network reach, presentations in other events etc)."

<< Objectives >>To investigate the legal and administrative environment in which youth councils functionTo compare the legal and administrative environment for youth councils in different countriesTo develop a collection of good practices from different countriesTo create an innovative training program for development of key civic competencesTo propose an EU wide intervention on the topic of independence of Youth councils through development of policy papers.<< Implementation >>- Kick off meeting of the project - Survey and analysis of the current situation of youth councils across Europe- Collection of good practices from National youth councils- Development of policy recommendations regarding independence of national youth councils on national and European level- 2 study visits on the Independence of youth councils- Final mobility<< Results >>Report on the legal and administrative environment in which youth councils functionComparative analysis of the legal and administrative environmentCollection of good practicesDeveloped an innovative training program and methodologyYouth leaders developed key civic competencesDraft proposal for a policy paper submitted to the European youth forum.

Transnational strategic partnership project “Youth.Info: Future Youth Information Toolbox” aims to increase quality and outreach of youth information services on local level by creating and applying user-friendly methods on evidence and future based youth information needs and involving peer-to-peer youth information educators. Youth information and counselling field lacks research on youth information needs and its service impact. Youth field in general has been rather reactive and not future-looking proactive service provider. Future foresight methodology successfully works in other policy areas however has never been adapted for the field of youth (information) work. There are several effective information services already developed on the European level. Exchange on it and creating of design-thinking based approach to the service development is still missing. Peer-to-peer work in youth information has been already explored as an optimal support for reaching out new target groups, however there are still no empowering tools for youth information workers on the local level. Therefore this project targets to: 1) research and understand youth information needs by building on existing research design (ERYICA, 2013); 2) explore possibilities for applying future foresight in the youth information work and provide insights on what challenges in the field are to come; 3) develop, co-create and pilot 3 open user-friendly, evidence and future based youth information services, that could be used by local youth information providers; 4) empower youth information workers and peer educators to use participative peer-to-peer approaches in delivering youth information services and therewith increase the reach-out and awareness of young people on specific topics; 5) build political awareness on the impact of youth information and counselling and support development of national youth information structures in Latvia and Lithuania. This project involves youth information workers (8) and peer educators (25) from Germany, Austria, Ireland, Latvia and Lithuania as also reaches-out to even more practitioners through ERYICA and EPTO networks. Project’s academic partner Abo Akademi University (Finland) ensures the evidence and future based research as also evaluation of the project. Project starts with the youth information needs survey and service impact research activities. It will continue with exploration of the use of the future foresight methodology in the youth information field. Pilot foresight activity will be conducted on European level, involving all relevant stakeholders in a participative manner. This will lead to reports on youth information needs and future perspectives to be taken into account. Based on this evidence, three different information services/products will be created by national youth information coordinators involved and piloted by their partners in other project countries. This is done based on design-thinking methodology. After collecting feedback during the meeting, products will be finalized and released for public use by local youth information workers. European peer training organization (EPTO) will elaborate a training course for empowering youth peer educators to use services created and to multiply them to rather marginalized target audiences. This will be evaluated throughout the project and presented in a high-level visibility event, that will bring policy-makers, practitioners, young people and researchers to highlight the impact youth information and counselling services have. Further dissemination activities will ensure that the insights from research, guidelines on how to conduct foresight activities, information services and the peer-to-peer training course are sustainably used by ERYICA and EPTO network members as also other practitioners and researchers. Main results of this project are reports on youth information needs and future challenges, three innovative, evidence and future based information delivery services, manual of a training course for peer-to-peer in the youth information work. This will lead to the following impact: youth information workers will build their capacity through understanding changing information needs and behaviours of their target group. Local and national youth information providers will be empowered to use future foresight and design-thinking approaches in their service development. More young people will be reached out to and informed on for them relevant topics by young peer educators and peer-to-peer work. On the political scale, both on European and national levels awareness of the added value created by youth information services will become more visible. This will be expressed in the support for the development of national youth information structures in Latvia and Lithuania.