In September, Strasbourg hosted a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) course, which involved 18 youth workers and marked the launch of YOUTH-ID’s activities.
Promoting youth participation that goes beyond mere consultation is one of YOUTH-ID’s central objectives. Despite growing recognition of the role of younger generations in democratic processes, opportunities to make a tangible contribution to decisions affecting local communities often remain limited, particularly for young people from marginalised backgrounds.
To address this challenge, YOUTH-ID aims to provide practical tools and skills to foster young people’s involvement in participatory planning and local decision-making processes, through an inclusive approach that takes account of diverse experiences and perspectives.
It is within this context that the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme is set, designed to support youth workers in acquiring methodologies and tools that they can adapt to their own working contexts and subsequently share with other young people.
The training was structured around the five modules of the YOUTH-ID Digital Handbook, exploring in depth the principles and practices of participatory community planning.
The activities alternated between theoretical sessions, practical exercises and opportunities for group discussion, offering participants the chance to experience the proposed tools first-hand.
The Handbook will also serve as a resource to support future training activities and facilitate the application of these methodologies in various local contexts.
Five modules to strengthen youth participation
Module 1 – Fundamental values of the EU and democratic participation
The first module explored the role of the European Union’s fundamental values in everyday life and professional contexts, encouraging a shared reflection on their importance for democratic participation and active citizenship.
Module 2 – Participatory design in community planning
The second module introduced the principles and methodologies of participatory design, focusing on the direct involvement of stakeholders at every stage of the process: from identifying needs to formulating proposals, right through to sharing the results.
Module 3 – Intersectionality and inclusive practices
The third module focused on integrating an intersectional perspective into participatory processes, exploring how stereotypes, discrimination and inequalities can influence the recognition of individual experiences and knowledge, thereby limiting effective opportunities for participation.
Module 4 – Tools for collaborative planning from the grassroots
The fourth module presented practical tools, including participatory budgeting, advocacy mapping and group facilitation techniques. The aim was to explore ways of collaborating that could draw on diverse perspectives, support shared decision-making and transform community needs into concrete proposals.
Module 5 – Promoting transnational peer-to-peer learning
The final module explored approaches and tools for promoting peer-to-peer learning at a transnational level, emphasising the exchange of experiences between people from different backgrounds and the contribution of European cooperation to the development of local initiatives.
What's next?
The next step is to bring this learning into local communites. Youth workers will organise follow-up workshops in their respective countries, sharing the knowledge, methodologies and tools explored during the training.
Interested in taking part? Look out for upcoming YOUTH-ID workshops in your country and visit the project's digital platform, where the YOUTH-ID Digital Handbook and its five modules will soon be available.
Would you like to take part?
Find out about the upcoming YOUTH-ID workshops in your country: sign up to the platform and visit the website, where the YOUTH-ID Digital Handbook is already available, featuring its five modules and related in-depth resources.
Partner
- Coordinator: KMOP - POLICY CENTER ASBL, Belgium
- ALDA - EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR LOCAL DEMOCRACY, France
- CENTRO PER LO SVILUPPO CREATIVO DANILO DOLCI ETS, Italy
- POLISH COUNCIL OF YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS, Poland
- HEADWAY A.E, Greece
- CYPRUS YOUTH CLUBS ORGANISATION KOKE, Cyprus
- FAMILY AND CHILDCARE CENTER - branch in Skopje, North Macedonia
Youth-ID – Building Youth Capacites on Inclusive Community Design through Partcipatory and Intersectonal Training is a project funded by the Erasmus+ KA3 programme – Support for Policy Development and Cooperation – European Youth Together, which aims to promote the active participation of young people in local governance through participatory planning tools and an intersectional approach.
For further information, please contact Melisa Bucur: melisa.bucur@danilodolci.org