<< Background >>We believe that the topics of youth and cities are connected organically as the concern of urban areas for their young generation is basically about the future of that urban area in 20-30 years. So, shaping cities today together with young people will stay at the core of the future of that same city in the long-term future.We aim to put youth volunteering at the epicentre of urban resilience and long-term urban development based on equity, participation and shared vision by creating and delivering an urban transformation process made of a theory framework, practical tools and digitally integrated volunteer management mechanism regarding the active civic engagement of young people in urban life through volunteering.THE NEXT CRISISThe coronavirus crisis will change our lives for good. Although countries were the ones to respond to this threat firsts, there are two main complementary directions unfolding. First, the European Union emerged as an actor being able to mitigate this huge health and economic threat. At the same time, cities and local communities emerged as key catalysts in taking care of the most vulnerable and in finding local solutions to local challenges. Urban volunteering for urgent causes effectively spiked. During 2020, a broad survey was conducted in several European cities. Over 7,700 young people provided insights and answers on how they perceive the crisis. Besides the fact that their sense of happiness decreased by an average of 2.6 points from a 10-point scale, young people provided feedbacks such as how broken their social interaction became.Active community participation through volunteering is a strong way forward in getting through this crisis. It brings young people out of lethargy and it rebuilds the social fabric in urban settlements and their metropolitan surroundings.WHY VOLUNTEERING?Among answers provided by young people, a large majority underlines the willingness to be part of community activities, but they do not know what exactly to do. They are looking for opportunities. On the other hand, while there is no detailed information from each city, the LEAP study (leapcluj.ro) conducted during 2020 in Cluj mapped over 720 stakeholders of all kinds who provide services and opportunities for involvement for young people. Hence, we believe there is a disconnect between the offer (young people and their free time) and demand (organisations who are looking to involve young people).EXISTING MODELSEven before the COVID-19 crisis, the overall concept of the project took birth already during a preparatory meeting which took place in Novi Sad in December 2019. During the meeting, our hosts presented their local NVS volunteering system which was put in place for their OPENS 2019 European Youth Capital programme. NVS was considered as one of the best practices of the programme, however, local coordinators highlighted the need to make it more professional and to enhance it with the use of digital technologies which could make the user experience and management much easier. Those who attended the meeting agreed to take this initiative further and agreed to align efforts in developing a strategic cooperation in the Balkans as the social fabric in this region is relatively similar.SOLUTION – A DOUBLE SIDED PLATFORMAnalysing models and tools for value proposition planning, we identified that the model we need to create is one of a double-sided platform, a tool and framework which connects young people who aim to do volunteering and providers of volunteering opportunities. YouVol 21 as a concept was identified as a tool which would be able to provide a broader approach to volunteering where all actors could be supported to find the best opportunities for volunteering and volunteer hosting while being empowered in having a better learning experience with the support of an integrated validation and certification mechanism.<< Objectives >>GOAL AND OBJECTIVESWe aim to put youth volunteering at the epicentre of urban resilience and long-term urban development based on equity, participation and shared vision by creating and delivering an urban transformation process made of a theory framework, practical tools and digitally integrated volunteer management mechanism regarding the active civic engagement of young people in urban life through volunteering.SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES* SO1: to enhance the work of 7 cities South-European cities in supporting volunteering as a key tool for enhancing the solidarity of citizens in a European spirit,* SO2: to empower over 10,000 young urban citizens and 350 organisational stakeholders in being an active part of their communities and in assuming a non-material contribution to social interactions and community development, capping over 100,000 volunteer hours before the conclusion of this project,* SO3: to develop a scalable model of urban youth volunteer management (white paper, delivery tools, support platform model, 7 delivered functional platforms and actions),* SOD (organisational development): to create a working cooperation platform and network of 7 starting cities in the field of volunteering, a platform which can be enhanced later in further domains concerning youth, too.<< Implementation >>MANAGEMENT SERVING THE OVERALL PURPOSE ON SHORT-TERMThe overall management structures within the coordination organisation and partners, completed by the cooperation and co-creation mechanisms serve breaking down overall objectives and achievable results at the level of each activity as an intermediate step towards these outcomes. PROJECT MANAGEMENT MEETINGS SERVING THE INNOVATION PROCESSWe are planning 7 project meetings, each taking part in a different partner hosting city. They mark key moments which are closely related to the timing of delivering intellectual outputs. M1 and M7 are opening and closing meetings, M3 and M5 are transition meetings between intellectual outputs connected to multiplier events, while M2, M4 and M6 are progress monitoring meetings at half-way point in delivering intellectual outputs. M2, M4 and M6 are also connected to capacity building learning activities. INTELLECTUAL WORK DELIVERING CONTENTEvery activity evolves around delivering 3 intellectual outputs in the project. Each output is built around key stages of the Design Thinking method. EMPATHISE and DEFINE (O1) takes inspiration from existing models of cities and existing volunteering frameworks such as P.A.V.E. The second one focuses on creating an integrated framework and platform (dubbed YouVol 21 for now as a working name) through a creative process focusing on the IDEATE and PROTOYPE stages of Design Thinking, while the third output takes Design Thinking further, creating seven practical adaptations of the framework and platform at local level (TEST and IMPLEMENT).LEARNING ACTIVITIES SERVING INTELLECTUAL WORK AND OUTPUTSEach learning activity serves one intellectual output. C1 supports the capacity building and co-creation of and with key stakeholders from each partner city (municipality, youth sector and youth support sector) within O1, starting from the current situation in the 6 partnering cities regarding volunteering, C2 supports the creative process within O2 involving the same stakeholders creating a strong ownership in the results of this output, while C3 serves the practical deployment of the new urban youth volunteering framework and platform with the support of local Connectors, who are trained during this learning activity.MULTIPLIER ACTIVITIES SERVING DISSEMINATIONMultiplier events are foreseen at the end of delivering each intellectual output. The third event will refer to present not just the results of the last output, but also preliminary results of previous outputs. The size of the third event is planned to be bigger than the events happening during the intermediate phases of the project. Additional multiplier actions at local level will enhance the visibility of the project and the awareness about achieved results and the practical utility of the innovation process.MONITORING AND EVALUATIONMonitoring will be conducted by the management team of the coordinating and partner organisations based on a set of key indicators while conducting management actions, too. Evaluation will be conducted by a layman, an expert contracted from exceptional costs who will deliver 2 interim and one final report capturing on how the work of partners made results possible and how achieved results are relating to original plans, assumptions and forecasts.DISSEMINATION SERVING THE OVERALL PURPOSE ON LONG-TERMA wide range of dissemination activities is foreseen for the final 3 months of the project targeting a wide range of stakeholders from local, national and European level.INTEGRATION AND SUSTAINABILITYAll these actions and measures will be reinserted into the DNA of the 6 urban youth ecosystems. Additionally, the coordinator will integrate the acquired expertise in its work within the Citizen Y Resource Centre, an institution which will provide availability and accessibility to the projects outputs and will work on maximising the medium and long-term impact of results on European level.<< Results >>We achieve the deployment of 6 new urban youth volunteering integrated mechanisms based on which we understand the working mechanisms of the newly developed framework in practice, too, capturing value.We connect 6 South-East European cities in co-creating a working urban youth volunteering mechanism enhanced by an overall philosophy, methodology and tools.We involve over 10,000 young urban citizens and 350 stakeholders in consulting and co-creating the new urban youth volunteering mechanism and platform.We improve the learning, acting and feeling perception of young people by 15% (measured through levels of satisfaction measures by ratings) and their perception about connectivity, access to resources and integration in the community through the activity of institutional stakeholders.We cap the first 100k volunteering hours organised and monitored through the newly deployed urban youth volunteering mechanism.We involve over 1000 young people with fewer opportunities in the consultation and co-creation process and in the first stage deployment of new urban youth volunteering mechanisms.We develop, consolidate and validate the YouVol 21 philosophy which builds on two key target groups and six key components: ME (the volunteer) through learning, acting and feeling and US (the ecosystem) through connecting, supporting and integrating. We create a complete framework made of 6 elements (concept, white paper, tools, platform, quality label, pool of connectors) combining theory (philosophy), practical tools and digital integration and management through which all actors of youth volunteering can interact.We demonstrate how the model can be adapted to practice by deploying new urban youth volunteering mechanisms and capturing their value through 6 practical study cases.We create the conditions for other European cities to adopt, adapt and implement similar local urban youth volunteering networks (scaling and multiplying) while becoming youth volunteering friendly cities (quality label).The network of initial 6 cities will provide the conditions for further improvement of cooperation between them in the South-East European region with the possibility to extend this cooperation further.A newly developed expertise and methodology regarding urban youth volunteering mechanisms will be added to the work and resources of the Citizen Y Resource Centre, which will provide a sustainability regarding the availability of services and solutions.The coordinating city of Cluj-Napoca will define its strategy for applying for the European Volunteering Capital title of 2025, as a way to achieve further performances in the field of volunteering.PRODUCT INNOVATION: We develop a full framework based on 6 systemic elements (concept, white paper, tools, platform, quality label, pool of connectors) with the help of which urban areas can develop local youth volunteering mechanism and can cap an additional pool of human resources in serving the needs and shared future of the community.PROCESS INNOVATION: We innovate how a young person can engage in volunteering while gaining practical skills and enhancing a sense of belonging to a local and to the European community.We innovate how cities empower and support youth volunteering efforts on local level, connecting relevant actors and integrating efforts in policies and strategies serving a shared vision of the future.POSITION INNOVATION: We put volunteering at the core of integrating young people in developing a shared future of a city while sharing common values, enforcing civic engagement and participation.PARADIGM INNOVATION: We shift the perception on how human resources of a city can serve the co-creation of the future without financial resources (money) or material transactions while serving societal needs.

<< Background >>Plovdiv 2019 European Capital of Culture Foundation was driven to apply for this project as part of its long-term strategy to promote greater complementarities between culture, education and the private sector on a European level. After the COVID crises the creative sector is among the most affected areas in Europe with jobs at risk ranging from 0.8 to 5.5% (data OECD), the current economic, social and health complications have amplified these challenges and The CULTART project is looking at new ways to build resilience. As a leading organisation our team put efforts to form a strategic, cross-sectoral partnership consortium of international experts in youth policies, training, innovation and creative industries to address gaps in academic education in Cultural management programs. Our Projects consortium aims to ENGAGE-CONNECT & EMPOWER young cultural entrepreneurs with hands-on management skills in the creative industries, to raise the motivation and inclusion of the young people in the creative labour market, to lead to enhanced social, economic and content-wise rates in the partnering countries. The current Cultural Creative Sector (CCS) background: The EU has strong and vibrant cultural and creative industries. These are not only essential for Europe's cultural diversity, strengthening social cohesion and increasing Europe’s attractiveness internationally. They are among the continent's most dynamic sectors. According to Eurostat figures, cultural and creative industries employ 8.7 million people in the EU, equivalent to 3.8% of the total workforce in the EU, representing 1.2 million enterprises. Cultural and creative sectors are important in their own right in terms of their economic footprint and employment. They also spur innovation across the economy, as well as contribute to numerous other channels for positive social impact (well-being and health, education, inclusion, urban regeneration, etc.). They are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, with large cities often containing the greatest share of jobs at risk. The dynamics vary across sub-sectors, with venue-based activities and the related supply chains most affected. Along with the tourism sector, cultural and creative sectors (CCS) are among the most affected by the current COVID 19 crisis, with jobs at risk ranging from 0.8 to 5.5% (data OECD/ brief data for each partnering country).The Current Needs: Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) operate in a complex business environment, where they are defined by the standard regulations concerning businesses as well as intellectual property rights, taxation and many other issues. The culture sector, like many others, is undergoing considerable and rapid change in the wake of the digital revolution. In response to these changes, governments are increasingly identifying a need for continuous assessment in order to ensure the sector’s regulatory framework remains fit for purpose. For the culture sector, the increasing importance of intercultural dialogue approaches linking education, training and youth stakeholders with organisations in the cultural and creative sectors is part of the needs covered by our project. Furthermore, audiences and markets in all target countries are increasingly online, highlighting the need to apply the proper instruments to online networking and start-ups in the creation and dissemination of cultural projects. Public cultural institutions and big private players alike rely on an interconnected and interdependent network of freelancers and micro-firms which provide creative content, goods and services. This “ecosystem” is vital to the sector and now faces bankruptcy due to a sudden and massive loss of revenue opportunities. This project aims to ensure a fit-for-purpose Educational Programme (CULTART-Curriculum) for the cultural sector through a sustainable ecosystem of CCS Training-Business-Start-Up-Platform. Thus, the project idea has an added value in national and European context.<< Objectives >>Considering the main contextual aspects, the CULTART project defines short-term and long-term objectives.In the short term: 1. To address gaps in academic education in Cultural management programs and modules by delivering a non-formal cross-sectoral 6 months long Cultural Management program of 10 modules – “From an idea to the business model”.2. To include and train CCS young professionals, networks, organisations, representatives of self-employed emerging professionals, small cultural and creative businesses, and CC sectoral employer organisations to raise the efficacy of cultural management skills.3. To raise competencies and expertise of the partner consortium members by providing trainer-to-trainee sessions to multiply knowledge and skills transnationally.4. To amplify advances in CCS young professionals’ recognition of work and support the creative potential of youth by including real study cases from cultural institutions (e.g. museums, theatres, operas, festivals) in educational practises enhancing skill-to-practice competencies in young cultural managers. 5. To bridge creative industries with education and CCS enterprises by creating an open-source digital start-up platform. In the medium and long term:7. To widen innovation strategies and educational policies to better account for the role of cultural and creative sectors.8. To promote greater complementarities between culture, education and private sector investors. 9. To deliver Educational benefits from advances in cultural and creative sectors, particularly in the use of new digital tools that build on gaming technologies and new forms of cultural content. 10. To use targeted cultural policies to address social issues such as intercultural dialogue or the integration and valorisation of minorities and migrants. 11. To support cultural and creative entrepreneurship as catalysts of new models of economic and social value creation.<< Implementation >>The results are planned to be delivered by 4 Work Packages and pillars of activities(For details reff. to Giant Chart Attachment)WP1. Project Management – Ongoing Project and financial management activities: A1: Ongoing stable management of the project – CULTART Management Handbook; A2: Financial management: financial and administrative monitoring and reporting forms; A3: Development and implementation of quality assurance measures (QR);A4: Dissemination & Exploitation strategy (Dissemination & Exploitation plan incl. tools and reporting forms);A5: Pilot, up-scaling and implementation monitoring; A6: Development of Evaluation & Monitoring plans.WP2. Project Implementation and exploitation of Results (R) incl. Activities (A)R1- CULTART Curriculum (CC)R2- CULTART Trainers Book (CTB)R3- CULTART Business Book (CBB)R4- CULTART Start-up Platform (CSP)TO R1: →A7: Gathering of basic theory and research of best practices (consortium countries and EU) →A8: Assembling a list of experts to be involved in each partnering country →A9: Forming a time schedule and division of experts’ engagement →A10: Modules Development, review and integration on the CSP→A11: Monitoring, analyses, summary, and delivery of final texts.TO R2: →A12: Preparation and gathering of good teaching (formal, informal, non-formal) practices (consortium countries and EU) →A13: Assembling the experts’ teams in each partnering country →A14: Forming a time schedule and division of work according to each CC-Module →A15: Content development, review and integration on the CSP→A16: Monitoring, analyses, summary, and delivery of final texts.To R3: →A17: Preparation of the Case Study Framework (content incl. approach, contrastive analysis, templates, problem areas, information etc.) →A18: Assembling the experts’ teams in each partnering country →A19: Developing the structure of the CBB, collecting of visual materials, design, pre-print, translation→A20: Forming a time schedule and division of work according to LTTA results (refer to the LTTAs section) →A21: Monitoring, analyses, summary, and delivery of final texts.→A22: CBB assembling, review and integration on the CSPTO R4 – CSP-Development: →A23: Forming the IT-teams →A24: Discussion on the platform functionalities (6 key sections), preparing the architecture, web- and graphic design, back-end and front-end development →A25: Programming and development of all CSP-sections→A26: Digitalisation and integration of content →A27: Monitoring, testing, piloting.WP3. Dissemination and Communication The dissemination strategy will consist of actions that will be performed by all partners in the four dissemination domains: awareness-raising, understanding, support, actions.Dissemination activities will be performed through various tools & media:A28: Development of the dissemination strategy and plan (incl. all partners’ networks and media channels etc.)A29: Dissemination database of all involved stakeholders and beneficiaries A30: Project visual identity and logoA31: Production of promotional materials.A32: Exploitation plan, ongoing dissemination activities.A33: Organisation of local thematic workshops for media (min. 4 per partner) A34: Organisation of 5 multiplier events in each partner country A35: Organisation of the final conference in PlovdivWP4 Monitoring and Report The Monitoring is the longest phase in the general timetable of the project, it starts in December 2021 and continues until November 2023, its activities are spread on monthly basis and the plan consists of two main pillars of activities:A36: Monitoring & EvaluationA37: Testing & Piloting of each result. (Ref: Giant Chart/line 22)A38: Assembling the Evaluation & Monitoring Project Team (EMPT)The EMPT controls and monitors all project activities and WPs by using the project management and implementation grant and following the agreed plans.<< Results >>The results of the CULTART project are directly allied to the set of objectives outlined in the subsequent section and follow the structure of short- and long-term outcomes. The set of results is planned to cover the main distinguished needs of young people in the Cultural Creative Sector, not only according to their national context but also recognised on the European level. The partnership consortium has put on efforts to create an accurate subdivision of activities throughout the duration of the project, accordingly to observe and measure results during and after the project lifetime. Short term results, during the project / Due date: - A finalised CULTART Curriculum (R1) / Jul 20221.A non-formal, cross-sectoral, six-month-long Cultural Management Program of 10 modules. 2.A finalised CULTART Trainers Book (R2) / Nov 2022 – An innovative digital tool that assures efficient trainer-to-trainer allocation of teaching tools and use of the Curriculum of CULTART - Include, train and facilitate more than 125 young professionals in CCS from 5 countries/ Nov 2022 – March 2023 3.Delivered Short staff training – Train the Trainer (T2T) session to multiply knowledge and skills transnationally / Nov 2021 as part of the 1 LTTA 4.Finalised and distributed The CULTART Business Book (R3) / May 2023 – containing five CCS case studies from real organisations in the partnering countries, operating in the fields of Public events and Festivals (BG), Design and Architecture (IT), Performing Arts (GR), Applied Arts (MK) and Fine Arts Institutions (AU).5.Launch of the CULTART Start-up Platform (R4)/ June 2023 – An open-source online digital tool that can amplify advances in CCS young professionals ‘recognition of work and support the creative potential of youth.6.Completed CULTART programme / July 2022 – to address gaps in the formal, academic education in Cultural management programs and modules. - Disseminate all results of the CULTART project among stakeholders, youth and a wide audience in 5 countries and up to 230 live present participants. Aug 2023 – Dec 2023.7.Organised internships with the trainees of CULTART in the CCSs - Efficient Networking Alumni between the participants in the CULTART project. Outcomes in the medium and long term:8.Raised competencies and expertise of the partner consortium members through the Trainer-to-Trainer sessions. 9.Multiplied knowledge and skills transnationally – Including real study cases (CS) from cultural institutions (e.g. museums, theatres, operas, festivals) in educational practises enhancing skill-to-practice competencies in young cultural managers. 10.Widen innovation strategies and educational policies to better account for the role of cultural and creative sectors.11.Achieved greater complementarities between culture, education and private sector investors. 12.Recognised educational advances in cultural and creative sectors, particularly in the use of new digital tools that build on gaming technologies and new forms of cultural content.13.Recognised more efficient cultural policies to address social issues such as intercultural dialogue in the partnering countries.14.Enhance institutional capacity to manage cultural events and offer cultural management educational programme. 15.Expand the competitiveness of CCS enterprises and institutions in the partnering countries in response to the recent changes.Sustainability: The CULTART consortium plans to secure the sustainability of the short and long-term results after the end of the proposal duration of 24 months. All partners of the consortium will be invited by the leading organisation to join a new legal entity CULTART SE – a spin-off company that secures the continuation of all products of the project to share the responsibility of the future development and legacy. All future products/outcomes and the CULTART SE give credits to the Erasmus+ funding and support.

Connect 2018 is a project designed to bring together learners and educators from Vocational Education and Training Institutions from Malta and Friesland, in the run-up to the European Capital of Culture celebrations for 2018. With Valletta and Leeuwarden having been designated ECoC's 2018, a number of collaborative projects have been planned to bring together four VET institutions: MCAST (Malta College of Art, Science and Technology), Friesland College, ROC Friese Poort and Nordwin College. The main objective of this project is to promote VET education at a local, regional and European level, while instilling in project participants a deeper sense of European citizenship through a growing awareness of cultural diversity. Project outputs are based on four distinct elements: Sustaining Sustainability; Creative Cultures; Traditional Tastes; Entrepreneurial Endeavours - all revolving around contemporary educational, societal and cultural fores. These outputs will materialise in tangible results from the cooperative efforts between students and staff from these four VET institutions. However, the project aims do not intend to come to a close at the end of 2018. On the contrary, the legacy of this project is essential, and hence the participation of Plovdiv and Matera as partners in this project. As they will carry the torch as ECoC's for 2019, these two cities will pave the way for new connections with other VET institutions in Italy and Bulgaria, once again with the aim of broadening this network of collaboration between VET partners. It is hoped that this will be the start of an ever growing web of connections and collaborations for a more attractive and relevant VET education experience, as well as for increased public awareness of VET and its application in the community.

The core aim of YOUNGETEERS is to empower organisations working with volunteers on some of the greatest cultural programmes in Europe. YOUNGETEERS will create vibrant, innovative and long-term cooperation among young people and cultural workers, raise the quality of local youth work and promote the importance of volunteering in culture. The project will build foundations for the recognition of knowledge, skills and competences young people gain through volunteering in culture and informal and non-formal learning processes related to it and advocate for more structural support in order to build quality volunteer programmes and ensure their sustainability in a local, national, and European level.COVID-19 crisis paralysed cultural and creative sectors and created an even greater disparity between cultural events and those who benefit from them. In addition, many of the existing volunteer programmes in culture were not able to maintain their regular activities, which meant that in situations where volunteers could have been of great help for the whole community, their hands were tied since the resources were limited or physical involvement restricted by governments’ strict regulations. YOUNGETEERS results from these global challenges and builds its foundations on current young people's needs, as the newest studies report that their mental health deteriorated the most during the pandemic. This partnership emerged from the informal ECoC volunteer coordinators network, reinforced by 3 additional partners whose skills in crisis management, mental health and personal development were the missing links ECoC volunteer coordinators needed for finding ways of successfully managing volunteers during the crisis. The project is in line with the priorities reflected in the EU Youth Strategy regarding voluntary activities and is built upon European Youth Goals.With a focus on cross-sectoral cooperation in the field of youth and emphasis on the pandemic context and its effects on cultural and creative sectors, the partners from 7 countries have joined their expertise in order to find innovative solutions that could help build the resilience of volunteer programmes in culture and use volunteering in culture as a means of empowering young people to become creators of cultural activities and successful innovators in their local environment.During 24 months, the partners will design and test innovative educational tools and methods based on the needs of young volunteers and youth workers, which will strengthen participating organizations and improve their capacity for working with the volunteers and training other youth workers for developing high-quality sustainable volunteer programmes resilient to crises. A manual with a detailed description of the methodology used in this project will be published, together with examples of good practices and the lessons learned from COVID-19 crisis. The aim of the manual is to provide assistance to all organisations, institutions and non-formal groups that work with the volunteers in culture and to guide them in creating volunteer programmes resilient to crisis. The main target groups are young people aged 17 to 27, volunteers, youth workers, volunteer staff and staff from cultural and creative sectors. The main results of the project are to create:- the new methodology for training youth workers to manage volunteers in culture in times of crisis - the new methodology for training young people to volunteer in culture in times of crisis - the manual for volunteer management in culture in times of crisis The expected impact is to strengthen volunteer programmes in culture and prepare volunteer staff and volunteers to better respond to current and future pandemical and post-pandemical circumstances while using the lessons learnt from COVID-19 crisis. YOUNGETEERS intends to have a multiplying effect by connecting to different activities of the participating organizations and spreading project results to a wide range of stakeholders. Sustainability of YOUNGETEERS is ensured by engaging the local community in the activities, as well as through dissemination strategies, that would put a large focus on volunteer coordinators of former, current and future European Capitals of Culture, who manage some of the biggest volunteer programmes in Europe, with thousands of volunteers assisting in the cultural events.