Youth that left school early or that resides in rural areas where schools have limited resources, face serious challenges to keep up with the technology progress. ICT skills enhancement and computer courses are not accessible to those that left education early or do not possess the economic means to enrol in professional courses. Disadvantaged youth are insufficiently prepared, more vulnerable and exposed to insecure work, and they get fewer possibility for improvement of their skills. In big cities, digital, economic, social divide is stronger and it is getting wider, and extra EU partners have been selected with these criteria: availability of decent/sufficient training/learning possibilities within or outside formal education.NGOs and youth associations can better balance school education deficits, as they are more agile in adapting to society/target group needs. However, to achieve that goal, they need sufficiently trained staff to support youth in their learning process, understand their specific needs, and possess the appropriate tools and skills to increase their ICT levels. With that aim, they need to be able to develop and integrate development projects and look for practices they can use to create inclusive and digitally literate youth communities. If the youth is empowered to be active part of their democratic process and civic life, all community will benefit from this improved social cohesion. Youth organizations and NGOs lack the technical competency but they already have well-grounded competences in offering nurturing environment to disadvantaged youth and offer program that foster transversal skills with non-formal education methods. The project aims at enhancing the capacities of partners’ educators, increasing their ability to support disadvantaged youth in increasing their digital and ICT skills. The 6 partners come from 6 countries (IT, PT, VN, NP, ZIN, ARG) across 4 continents (EU, Africa, Southeast Asia and South America) offer complementary competences, different scope and organizational structure. However, they all have the same goal: support citizens in having better opportunities for improvement and better lives. They have been selected and invited to represent different areas around the world, to offer a wider picture on the actual real situation in different non-EU countries. They can contribute actively to the project, while learning and developing new skills and competences for their staff, target groups and stakeholders. Our overall objective of the collaboration is linked to the ET 2020 policy objective of “Promoting equity, social cohesion, and active citizenship – project participants will take part in the activities in the programme that address their personal development, focusing especially on building their self-confidence, improving attitude and behaviour, and enhancing basic skills such as communication, team working, etc.”.

409 natural disasters marked 2019 around the world. Roughly 11,000 people lost their lives in the tragic events, and numerous families were left without a roof over their heads due to floods, earthquakes, tsunami, typhoons, fires, landslides or drought. With the global warming and climate change being more real than ever and our humanity being constantly put on a test, there is a need to reshape the approach towards disaster management: to engage the active young citizens in building the community resilience and to support creation of a global society founded on solidarity as one of the key EU values. Serbia itself, has been in focus of the global attention within the Southeast and Central Europe floods of 2014, resulting with lives lost, landslides and ca. 1.55 billion euros worth damage. Numerous studies have shown the importance of early engagement of young people in planning and preparedness efforts for disasters. The high numbers of fatalities, among them many children and youth, are yet another evidence that educational approach is not enough and additional education and training in emergency and disaster management is undeniably necessary. Through the project Youth PURPOSE: Preparedness of YoUngsters, ResPonse, RecOvery, Solidarity, and VoluntEering in Times of Crises, we, partners from Serbia, Italy, Vietnam, Indonesia, North Macedonia, Ethiopia and Namibia support a creation of an ecosystem based on solidarity and volunteering for management of disasters and hazards, thus, strengthening the resilience of the youth and the communities. Strengthening youth resilience will be achieved by building the capacities of youth and youth organizations for: education and empowerment on disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery; usage of digital tools and new technologies for disaster management; youth volunteering and volunteer management and relief efforts; as well as supporting know-how exchange and skills sharing. Providing education and training of youth and youth workers on the topic through developing appropriate non-formal educational curriculum on volunteer management in times of crisis, we would strengthen the quality of youth work and inspire active citizenship among youth. PURPOSE goes in line with the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development (SG 11 & 13), UN Youth Strategy (strategic priority in resilience building), the EU Youth Strategy (Connect & Empower) prioritizing to “Encourage young people to become active citizens, agents of solidarity and positive change of communities”, as well as the CoE youth sector strategy 2030, with thematic focus on youth work development. Nonetheless, it also addresses the aims of the Erasmus+ Guide 2020, such as fostering cooperation and exchanges in the field of youth between Programme and Partner Countries (from Europe, Asia and Africa), but also promoting transnational non-formal learning mobility between them, especially targeting young people with fewer opportunities.

Project title: BOCOTO - Boosting Community-based Tourism and Youth Work for Global Sustainable DevelopmentDuration1/11/2018 - 5/5/2021The project proposed an international capacity building program by exposing participants to various aspects of “community-based tourism” & youth work from different countries & organizations from Italy, Spain, Nepal, Vietnam, Turkey, India & Kenya. Through a transnational approach, the project was examining concepts & practices underpinning “community-based tourism - CBT” & its potential in the youth field in all targeted local communities & regions. Perspectives on CBT was explored through a holistic concept of protection & valorisation of biodiversity, cultural diversity, local development and the promotion of human rights. The project was engaging youth organizations & stakeholders to work together to develop & promote CBT as a catalyst for inclusive & sustainable economic growth, youth employment, social inclusion, well-being & poverty reduction, while at the same time protecting cultural values and the natural heritage.Target groups- Youth workers and young leaders who work in community-based projects with & for young people & that are interested in community-based tourism and sustainable development.Final beneficiariesRural communities involved in the project, who can benefit from increased touristic activities bringing local economic & social benefits.General objectiveTo strengthen the capacity of youth organisations & local communities to promote community-based tourism in rural and remote areas.Specific objective- To enhance the socio-professional development of youth workers and organisations to promote CBT in their local communities and regions.- To encourage the exchange of experiences, community approaches and organisational cooperation among youth organisations from EU, Asia & Africa in the field of youth work and CBT.Results achieved- Increased socio-professional development of youth workers who are equipped with knowledge, key competences & employable tools on “community-based tourism & sustainable development” through different cultural perspectives, educational approaches and community experiences from different regions of the World.- Increased transnational cooperation, exchange of good practices and capacity building between youth workers, organizations and NGOs active in the sustainable development field from different World context.Outputs- BOCOTO learning platform: an open educational resource targeting young people and youth workers and serving as a key tool in the awareness-raising on the CBT concept, in the promotion of 'community-based tourism' packages and in reaching the audience of young people & responsible travellers interested in taking part. - Sustainable Development and Community-based Tourism Training Manual: presenting a full learning module of non-formal learning activities on Sustainable Development and Community based tourism, designed for international context for the benefit of youth workers and trainers who aim to enhance the competences of young people on SD and CBT.- BOCOTO Catalogue: including CBT packages developed and offered by partners (2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months duration) characterised by holistic discovery of cultural diversity, natural products and gastronomy, while giving opportunity for travellers in the engagement of local social, educational and environmental initiatives.- Country analyses on CBT in 7 partner countries: SWOT analysis of resources & good practices in the local contexts.Mobility activities including a TC & a final seminar in Italy (Caltanissetta), study visits in India (Bhubaneswar & Odisha), Kenya (Kisumu), Nepal (Palpa), Spain (Elche), Turkey (Istanbul), Vietnam (Hanoi & Ha Giang).

Digital literacy have a great potential to help to deliver the SDGs. Young people in Europe spend an increasing amount of their time consuming digital media and technology (videstreaming, messaging, blogging, vlogging, etc). These can provide a place for young people to work, to learn, to share their experience, to exchange their views, to have fun with their friends and to actively participate in society.In Europe, at this moment, there is not an online space dedicated to digital youth work focused on promotion and engaging of SDG’s. The podcast, video story and photo storytelling and online training module, that will be created during “SDGYOU: Sustainable Digitalization Goals with YOUth” will be a way to start to create this space and a door for possible follow-up online activities enhance participation of youth towards the SDGs.As young leaders of tomorrow, it is pivotal that youth should be informed and engaged with the global vision for the future. Over the next ten years, youth will not only directly experience the outcome of SDGs and plans but will also be the key driver for their successful implementation. For this reason, it is vital to raise awareness about the 17 SDGs among youth, build online portal for engage and promotion, and create the conditions for active engagement.AIM of the project is to foster new non-formal learning through open and innovative practices, which will raise digital competences of partner organization and youth workers, in order to contribute in achievement of SDG's goal through implementing local, national and international activities.Objectives:- To identify innovative practices in both delivering digital youth work and upskilling youth worker’s digital competencies and to exchange on how digital tools are used in youth work in Europe- To engage youth in the SDG’s goals and encourage them to see themselves as protagonists of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.- To develop youth workers’ skills, competences and knowledge on digitalization through training that meets their needs and the needs of their communities and young people they work with- To create space for making new contacts, creating new networks and opportunities to develop digital youth work for achievement of SDG’s goals.Project is in line with the Erasmus+ goals and impact intended for capacity building in the field of youth, but also with the DigiExpected results:- online portal - 7 podcast related to SDG’s- 7 video story telling related to SDG’s- 7 photo story telling related to SDG’- Online trainer module for localization SDG’s goals Project is in line with the Erasmus+ goals and impact intended for capacity building in the field of youth, but also with the Digital Agenda for Europe as well as the Youth Policy Agenda 2020.

EuroAsia Volunteering Assistance Program aimed to empower young volunteers from Europe to embrace the opportunities of volunteering in developing countries and to strengthen their capacities to contribute to the volunteering projects EU Solidarity Corps and EU AID Volunteers programs. From our years of experience working with the volunteers we think ahead to create more innovative opportunities for the youth covering a broad range of activities, offering the right trainings and giving formal recognition to the skills and experiences gained. Thus, Mladiinfo Slovakia, together with its partners from France, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, decided to launch a project that made a connection between the existing EU programs for volunteering and build an online platform with all necessary information regarding the volunteering in developing countries, including the non-formal education trainings for capacity building of the youth organizations staff with necessary skills and capacities, as well as containing a list of crucial requirements that need to be met for hosting and sending volunteers in Asia. The implementation of this project that involved 6 diverse partners from 2 continents was a pilot program for connecting the European Voluntary Service with EU Solidarity Corps and EU AID Volunteering programs will bring additional value to the European society that is built on solidarity as a shared value which is strongly felt throughout European continent.