"The project ""To be or not to be... formal"" aimed to create links between the non-formal education activities run by Youth NGOs in different geographic and cultural contexts and the formal educational system. Furthermore it aimed to produce an handbook to be used by youth workers in preparing international youth mobility and volunteering activities, focusing on educational aspects and providing practical hints and suggestions.The project was in particular focused on showing the positive educational impact of non-formal activities in the frame of socialisation and social rehabilitation process toward young people at risk of social exclusion or social deviance or those who have fewer opportunities to get involved in similar actions. The project involved partners and participants from 9 countries from European Union, candidate countries, Asia and Africa, mixing together non-governmental organisations, public institutions and educational institutions, thus promoting a cross-sectorial cooperation and the development of cross-sectorial tools. In particular, the project made it possible for a group of youth workers and active volunteers to job-shadow in other organisations and get familiar with the youth/social work done by different NGOs in several countries. Then, a large number of young people got involved in international mobility activities which were firstly observed and then tested as non-formal educational tools and experiences. In the frame of the project, a group of youth/social workers was also trained on educational aspects of international mobility, with special focus on youth exchanges and international voluntary projects in general. Observers and researchers had the role of monitoring and assessing the effective impact of these activities, collecting best practices and providing further guidance and hints to NGOs dealing with this kind of activities. In the end, a video was made with the intention of gathering some of participants’ testimonies, and an handbook was produced to summarise the results of the project and to indicate a model of work with young persons and young-adults who can benefit in terms of educational, personal and social development by their direct involvement in international mobility as a mean for non-formal education and social inclusion.Along two-year projects, direct beneficiaries of international mobilities (job-shadowing, youth exchange and training course) were 122 persons, among which 79 young people, many of them at their first volunteering experience (39 with fewer opportunities), and 43 youth workers and active volunteers.The project in total included 17 activities and involved participants, trainers, youth workers and observers from 9 organisations or institutions from Belgium, Croatia, FYRO Macedonia, Hong-Kong, Kenya, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Vietnam. Dissemination was made by promoting and distributing the handbook and the final video and reaching about 50.000 contacts."

The main objective of the project was to create a training tool capable of responding to the need todevelop intercultural interpersonal skills and abilities for operators and professionals who in their daily work do find themselves operating in multicultural contexts and with minority groups. As a result improve the quality of theirs intervention towards beneficiaries, not only in the context of youth organizations, but also in other contextseducational, such as school, and professional in general. This objective was fulfilled with the realization ofMOOC “Union of Minorities. Educational tools for the European Cultural Mosaic ”, a product with characteristicstechniques (its accessibility to a broad audience of learners) and content (theoretical and practical aspects on the topics ofmulticulturalism and the construction of inclusive educational pathways), stands as an instrument of education and trainingshared with an intersectoral approach, which combines methodologies, tools and knowledge typical of educationformal and non-formal education, coming from the public and private sector, and that, addressing the topic ofmulticulturalism in the broad sense (not only with reference to its most evident aspects linked to belonging to an ethnic groupor practicing a different language), offers a space for deepening professional and personal skillsdeemed necessary to understand and operate in European and national social contexts for which it becomes fundamentalpossess an intercultural approach based on recognition and respect for differences.The MOOC was the result of a path that saw the synergistic collaboration between the worlds of formal and non-formal educationformal, private and public and which was built throughout the project life cycle through specific contributionsof the work group and the study visits that took place during the first year, during which they werevisit various realities and it has been possible to observe, learn and evaluate different experiences and ways of working. TheObservation process established during the study visits allowed the collection of data used to identifythe topics found among the most important in the various areas and finalize the modular structure of the course following onepedagogical logic identified by the work group. It is for this reason that the MOOC includes chapters that they offerimportant theoretical ideas to better understand and reflect on topics such as multiculturalism, globalization,colonialism, the concept of minority, stereotypes and processes of stigmatization, whose mastery is fundamentalimportance not only when working with young people but in all those contexts in which different cultures meet andvarious differences, to create a more inclusive society, and at the same time functional. This theoretical basis represents thefoundations on which a pedagogical path was then built starting from the necessary personal skillsto learners to then be able to decline them in their respective professional fields, we continue towards the learning of methodologiesfor the management of groups, specific approaches and methods for working with minorities (applicable to different target groups, andreplicable in different contexts) to provide insights on the importance of implementing systematic and structured actions by workingon the web, and on the importance of evaluation as a tool to reflect on one's own activities / initiatives and then arrange oneselfto learn to increase the quality of their interventions in order to achieve more effective and responsive resultsreal needs of the target with whom you work.Through this project and the production of the online course, and its dissemination to an audience of users that goes beyond thethe world of youth and NGOs, therefore, we wanted to contribute in a concrete way to provide an additional tool forimprove the skills and individual knowledge of professionals engaged in work with cultural minoritiesgenerically intended to improve the quality of the services they offer to the beneficiaries, but also to spreadinterest and attention to the theme of intercultural education and recognition of the other as a source ofmutual enrichment and basis for building solidary relationships within non-monolithic societies and communitiescharacterized by an extreme variety of linguistic, cultural and behavioral codes.

Recent statistics of IVS (International Voluntary Service) networks such as Alliance and CCIVS illustrates that international projects for teenagers, such as exchanges, meetings and workcamps, are succesful and show a high rate of participation. However, the number of international activities for teenagers is still limited compared to international projects for young adults.One reason for this trend is related to the specificities associated with teenagers, regarding group dynamic, responsabilities and legislation. These specificities are sometimes considered as constraints which prevent the development of projects for teens. Still, there is a huge demand for this kind of project which are getting popular every year as teenagers want to be actively engaged and spend their vacations with purpose.Through numerous years, Solidarités Jeunesse has organized many youth exchanges for teenagers (15 to 17 years) with a high interest in sharing its experience with other organizations. We are certainly convinced that these experiences could create a trigger for the youth to feel more included in the process of emancipation and be a source of liberation and raising awareness. Therefore, in cooperation with our international partners we propose this project that will first of all train youth leaders to be able to work with teenagers in non-formal context and as a result, will contribute to the development of numerous teenager projects. In addition, we would like to create with our partners a common work ethic with the teenagers to move towards the same goal of strengthening the responsibility, empowerment and the intercultural spirit of the youth.Objectives of the seminar:- to reinforce the capacity of partner organisations to organise international projects for teenagers;- to provide youth workers with quality online and offline tools to lead international activities for teenagers;- to increase the number of international projects for teenagers and make them sustainable;- to valorise the impact of international projects for teenagers;- to create a network of youth organisations organising teenager projects.In order to reach the objectives of the project, it was decided to organise a Steering Committee meeting and a seminar on quality youth work and inclusion models for teenagers, a training on organising and leading international activities for teenagers followed by experimentations with teenagers in participating countries. These experimentations will be facilitated by two international youth workers in terms of job shadowing supported by the hosting organisation and a local youth worker. The results of the project and a toolkit on international teen activities produced by partners will be presented during the Final Evaluation.In order to reach the objectives in a more effective way, it was decided to invite 3 experts on teen intercultural pedagogy and impact measurement, intercultural learning and pedagogy of teenagers and impact assessment

"<< Background >>Over the last few years we have witnessed continuous digitization processes in various contexts (education, work, sociality, communication, consumption, participation and citizenship, etc.) which have contributed to the improvement of some practices making them more dynamic and innovative, but developing in parallel also new social challenges linked to the careless- not accurate use of new digital technologies and the cyber space within which they exists.From debates that have arisen in institutional and educational settings but also through discussions between third sector experts, it clearly emerges that children, teenagers and adults are equally exposed, albeit with different results, to the same risks; it is also evident that more and more people are victims of addiction, abuse or distorted use of digital tools and resources.In this context, the project ""Safety Awareness in Digital Era"" aims to contribute to increasing the digital skills of young people and youth workers in a specific thematic area (security, well-being and digital privacy) which, although of considerable importance for a conscious and appropriate use of digital tools, it is often addressed in an incomplete way or with an inaccessible language.Aware that in raising awareness on these issues, a fundamental role must be taken by the direct involvement of young people, through the project we intend to trigger dynamics of active participation that see young people as messengers and promoters towards their peers of the addressed issues in a logic of peer education and enhancement of civic commitment for collective well-being.<< Objectives >>The project ""Safety Awareness in Digital Era"" has the following objectives:- Increase the participants' digital skills in relation to security, well-being, privacy, enhance critical thinking towards the cyber environment and its potential risks, build skills for online self-defense of oneself and others;- Increase the sense of initiative and creativity of young people by involving them in the creation of escape rooms aimed at their peers on the issues of security, digital well-being, and privacy;- Actively contribute to the construction of social well-being and secure digital communities;- Emphasize the appropriate use of online and offline multimedia technologies among participants;- Develop new digital skills in youth workers to become a model for their target audience and build together more engaging and participatory initiatives on the issues of digital security, privacy, and well-being;- Increase the knowledge of youth workers on online / offline digital safety and wellbeing practices.<< Implementation >>The project will involve 5 non-profit organisations in 5 countries (Italy, Spain, Latvia, Poland and Hungary) over a period of 24 months.During the project, 4 transnational meetings will be held (including a kick-off meeting and a final evaluation meeting), two conference calls to evaluate the ongoing progress of the project, two training activities (a seminar for 10 youth workers; a blended-mobility aimed at 25 young people aged between 18 and 30), an online dissemination event (120 participants - youth workers, educators, teachers, professionals in the media and communication sector) and 5 dissemination events (which will involve at least 225 young people). Furthermore, during the project, information and awareness-raising initiatives will be carried out at local level on the issues of online security, well-being and privacy.<< Results >>The project foresees the realization of two tangible results:- Training modules for the creation of media literacy courses on the issues of security, well-being and digital privacy- Escape room on the themes of online security and privacy and digital well-being.In addition, intangible results are expected, such as:- greater awareness and greater digital skills on issues of digital security, well-being and privacy- greater methodological skills of youth workers in the building of digital and non-participatory educational paths based on gamification methodologies, with particular regard to the Escape Room method- greater skills of young people in terms of media literacy, use of language, risks and opportunities of digital tools- greater sense of initiative, creativity and greater civic activism and participation in online and offline community life"

The project is a 17-month initiative, carried out jointly and coordinated by 5 youth non-profit and non-governmental entities from 5 countries of the European Union (Greece, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, and Spain) with a long history in working with young people at international level and with an outstanding level of experience and knowledge in the use of non-regulated and participatory methodologies. The main aim of this project is to improve media literacy and thinking competences among youth workers and NGO leaders, to enable them and their peers and colleagues to promote, organize and implement new educational (social, cultural) activities to disseminate both competences, using new settings and formats and by the means of NFL and ICL methodology. To be capable to read and interpret the different media and to communicate in a positive, constructive and non-violent way (out of fear, hate, and discrimination), we need to understand not only the meaning, relevance and benefits of critical thinking but also the different types of thinking (lateral, logic, systematic, negative, positive), not only because they are used by the media, but also because thinking, reflection, and feedback are a basic element of any non-formal and intercultural learning process. General project objectives are:1. To develop a more holistic understanding of media literacy and thinking competences and its connection, as driving forces to build more inclusive, participatory, and peaceful societies, as part of the culture of peace and nonviolence and as a relevant source of lifelong learning.2. To promote non-formal and intercultural learning as a valid methodology for the recognition, development, and validation of both competences.3. To build the competences of the teams of each organization, including youth workers (managers, educators, journalists, volunteer leaders, multipliers), so that they can improve their work through their development, as a way to empower other young people, including young leaders, professionals, and individuals with fewer opportunities, who are victims of discrimination, hate speech and other forms of violence, taking place both online and offline. The project will have a positive impact on the 21 youth workers who will participate in international mobility activities (two meetings and one course), including the 5 national coordinators and members of the national teams responsible for carrying out the local activities. Throughout the project, each entity will interact with other entities (at least 4), with which it will meet, plan, and carry out joint activities (such as the preparation of multiplier events or follow-up actions). The project has positive impacts on the people who participate in the various activities (minimum 10 activities with the participation of at least 80 young individuals in total), inside of the promoter entities (35 in total), in a number of youth workers in the different cities and countries and in a significant number of public and private entities in each country participating in the 5 multiplier events (100 people at least in total).It will empower young people to be more respectful and empathetic when expressing themselves and their views, opinions, thoughts, and life experiences.