One of the priorities in EU is increased social inclusion of all young people taking into account the underlying European values, stronger participation of all young people in democratic and civic life in Europe and easier transition of young people from youth to adulthood, with particular emphasis given to young people at risk of marginalization and young people with migrant background. 29,8% of young people 18-24 years old were at risk of poverty and social exclusion in 2011 in EU, but this figure rises at 43% for Romania (Eurostat, 2011). In RO, only 13% participated in volunteering actions(BOT, 2012). In CZ, 15,4 % of young people 18-24 at risk of poverty of social exclusion and % of young people in this age range are volunteering. In IT, in Emilia Romagna Region, there are over 60.000 young people at risk of social exclusion, 1/3 migrants, and 7,2% Italian age18-24 are volunteers.
The aim of CREA.T.Y.V. project is to provide non-formal learning opportunities to young people (18-25 years old) with fewer opportunities through a mentoring / intergenerational training program in the volunteering field, using creative drama, and in this way enhancing young people civic engagement and social inclusion. The goal of this program will be to offer young generations as mentors seniors volunteers, creating new skills useful for their social development and integration on the labor market. We will involve young people with fewer opportunities (under protection/support from social services, from families in difficult socio-economical situations, young people with migrant background etc.) and older persons who are active, and willing to be mentors for young people.
Project objectives are:
-to design a education program that will provide new learning opportunities in volunteering for young people, in an intergenerational mentoring approach, and using as tools creative drama
-to develop civic skills and social inclusion of young people through education on volunteering and blended mobilities of young people
-to develop educators competence in the field
-to contribute to policies for training youth in volunteering field
Target group of the project will be young people 18-25 years old from Romania, Czech Republic and Italy, with fewer opportunities, selected from the vulnerable categories already mentioned.
During the project, the partners from Romania, Czech Republic, Italy and Ireland will create several outputs: a Methodology for an intergenerational training program in volunteering for young people with fewer opportunities, using creative drama; a Guide for young people “Re-Shaping my Future through Volunteering”; a Policy Recommendation for supporting youth volunteering through non-formal education in intergenerational contexts throughout EU (A Chart of Intergenerational Volunteering); the Film “Youth Voice in Intergenerational Volunteering”.
The project approach is highly innovative, using as training method creative drama, which address social and cultural issues and are varied in their approach. Creative drama is holistic in nature and combines internal reflection and external representation. The common core of basic activities is always improvised. In practice, individuals and groups set out to resolve problems and seek solutions through the medium of exploration and expression. Creative drama techniques that will be used within the training program are creative movements, role play, storytelling, choral speaking, tableaux, still images and freeze frames, improvisation, socio-drama. As an exploratory tool used with other multi-disciplinary methods to understand, promote and achieve social change, creative drama will be an effective tool to develop social skills and improve civic participation of young people, to create mentoring nurturing relationships between older volunteers and young people, to create inclusive communities, and to support also active aging. Our common goal is to create new practices in non-formal youth education field, targeting young people specific needs, and to promote volunteering to different stakeholders, at large scale.
The impact will be an inclusive society, improvement of public policies, a better employability of young marginalized people, increased intergenerational cooperation and active ageing promotion at wider scale.
This project is an Erasmus + Strategic Partnership in the field of Youth project, financed by the European Union through Agentia Nationala pentru Programe Comunitare in Domeniul Educatiei si Formarii Profesionale, with a 2 years duration (01.04.2017 – 31.03.2019). It is implemented by a consortium of organization from Romania, Czech Republic, Italy and Ireland.