"""REACH YOUth""INITIAL SITUATION AND PROJECT IDEAYouth social work shows that disadvantaged young people tend to listen to anti-democratic groups and are influenced by populist tendencies. In all cases of radicalization tendencies, it is relevant to reach these young adults if we want to win them over to democratic action and thinking.It is the task of youth social work throughout Europe to counteract these problems. Experiences of the partners involved show that existing intervention possibilities exist in individual approaches, but are often not effective enough to reach disadvantaged young people.Therefore, the aim of the project is to identify the most effective intervention instruments for anti-democratic tendencies in the partner countries and to bring them together in a training set. This ""Democracy Intervention Set"" is to be used throughout Europe and will enable professionals in youth social work to use a new, activating and interculturally designed training set in their work. The target group of disadvantaged young people will be motivated to consciously experience their self-efficacy and to deal with democratic values.PRIMARY TARGET GROUPS1. skilled workers in youth social work who work with disadvantaged young people2. decision-makers in youth social work, vocational training providers and universities of applied sciences in the social sector, INDIRECT TARGET GROUPS1. disadvantaged young people who are influenced by anti-democratic, populist and radicalising tendencies and who are insufficiently reached by existing methods.2. education policy decision makers who are responsible for the implementation of vocational training (VET) or initial social education (HE sector - universities of applied sciences/universities).PROJECT PARTNERSThe partner community consists of 5 partners from 5 European countries:•Sozialwerk Dürener Christen (Leadpartner) – DE•Asociacion Caminos – ES•Bimec Ltd- BG•Center for Social Innovation (CSI) – CY•CESIE - ITThe partners were selected on the basis of their project-relevant skills and experience. Three partners already have joint cooperation experience from another EU project.PERSONS, TARGET GROUPS AND INSTITUTIONS REACHED BY THE PROJECTDirect target groupsProfessionals from youth social work, students* (social work sector): •Transnational Trainings: 20•National Trainings: 75•National pilots: 125Indirect target groups•Young people in practical case work: min. 85 •Network partners in youth welfare to disseminate the project contents: 100PROJECT PRODUCTSThe following Intellectual Outputs (IOs) will be developed in the course of the project:IO1 Basic Report and National Adaptation Plans for the Use of the ""Democracy Intervention Sets IO2 SymfoS f YC - Intervention Sets""IO2 Democracy Intervention Set - Development of F2F TrainingIO3 Add-on module communication and conflict basicsIO4 e-learning platformIO5 Transfer Manual/Implementation GuidePROJECT ACTIVITIES• 5 multiplier events - one national multiplier event each in each partner country•2 trainings (REACH YOUth Democracy Intervention F2F Training and Workshop Advanced Training / Development E-Learning Platform)•5 project meetings (1 per partner country)PROJECT IMPACTS•to specialists in youth welfare, youth social work (primary target group): Expansion of vocational competence in working with disadvantaged young people•decision-makers and political actors (indirect target group): Education and support policy supports the implementation of the method as an offer in the vocational training of skilled workers (VET) and as a component in degree programmes at FHs (HE)•on disadvantaged young people (indirect target group): Improving personal and social integration (social inclusion), understanding democracy; dismantling radical ways of thinking and actingMEASURES FOR IMPLEMENTATION, DISTRIBUTION AND SUSTAINABILITY•Train-the-Youthworker"" and e-learning courses for skilled workers•National pilot projects (at FHs and with experts from youth social work)•Permanent implementation as a qualification offer at vocational training providers and in FH degree programmes beyond the duration of the project•Online platform for dissemination (curriculum, materials)•Recognition and certification of the method/curriculum•Transfer manual•Dissemination into practice by graduates* of the FHs•Multipliers Events for stakeholders in all partner countries•Dissemination in youth social work institutions via integration into partner networks•Closing events in partner countries•Public relations"

<< Background >>According to the survey “Living, working and COVID-19” by Eurofound (2020), young people emerged as one of the most vulnerable groups. They are experiencing the lowest levels of mental well-being and high levels of loneliness but also greater job loss, a decrease in working time and insecurity about their professional and financial futures. In Eurofound’s survey, 11% of young respondents lost their jobs during the pandemic and 12% considered it likely to lose it in the coming months, compared to respectively 8% and 9% of workers over 30. EUROSTAT (2020) highlighted the worst rate of NEETs in EU: Italy +27,8%, Greece +25,1, Bulgaria +15,2%, Spain +15,1, Hungary +16,6%, Germany +13%. The impact of the pandemic on education is also damaging young people’s opportunities to accumulate human capital. Young workers will be the next victims of the COVID-19 economic fallout. However, Young people still trust the EU (6.1 out of 10) and it is a duty of the civil society to promote a change towards a positive attitude for the future to overcome covid-19 emergency and reach a more inclusive and cohesive societal system that can support the growth of the new generation. As highlighted in the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs and the European Youth Pact, one of the keys priority for the inclusion of youth in the labour market are promoting labour market access and quality employment, fighting skills mismatch and investing in both the short- and long-term involvement of young people in the labour market.FABLE project idea born to propose new spaces of inclusiveness to strengthen the key competences of young people, using the sustainable fashion as a tool to bring young people back together through an attractive and concrete topic as well as promoting entrepreneurship, creative learning and critical thinking.FABLE project has been designed to involve 6 EU countries that tried different approaches in covid-19 emergency but demonstrated how democratic and strong the outbreak impacted negatively in the life of millions of young people. In this sense, FABLE aims to propose an alternative solution to promote inclusiveness starting from youth workers, the only professional figures that can significantly promote a change among young people stimulating their sense of initiative and youth entrepreneurship as well as promoting opportunities that can lead to a personal and professional change in this uncertain time.<< Objectives >>FABLE will focus on two key global topics: how to be sustainable even in fashion and how an ever-evolving industry can be used as a lever to develop new inclusive opportunities and transversal skills that can also be useful outside this market through the promotion of critical thinking and ethical work as a basis for the future. FABLE wants to stimulate, starting from youth, the society to rethink our local vision promoting a continuity between opportunities, labour market, youth inclusion and sustainable vision for the future. Our objectives will be: - Empowering young people and fostering the skill-building of young people with an innovative flexible methodology to be adaptable in different disadvantaged contexts; - Empowering organizations across EU by promoting fashion labour market social inclusion approaches and providing tools and resources to concretely turn into actions creative ideas connected to the sustainable fashion world; - Awareness-raising local communities on the importance of rethinking the concept of inclusiveness creating a fil rouge with opportunities, labour market and sustainability.We will reach these objectives through 3 project results targeted to youth workers, young people and organisation working in the creative and youth fields to support the achievement of the planned milestones.<< Implementation >>FABLE project plans to implement the following activities: - an INTERNATIONAL piloting experimentation of an innovative approach for youth workers using SUSTAINABLE FASHION as tool to build inclusive spaces for young people. This experimentation will be delivered in contemporary in six EU countries (IT, GR, ES; BG, HU, GE) and will be guided by experienced partners in the field of creativity, youth, sustainable fashion and non-formal education. The course will also include a round of project-based work in which youth workers will deepen their new knowledge and will adapt the dynamic framework provided by the course in their local community and with their specific youth targets; - a cycle of workshops and laboratories for young people which will be developed inside the EU G-LOCAL HUBS developed to be in force in Greece, Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain and Hungary. These spaces will serve as baseline for non-formal activities for young people who want to improve their soft skills through non-formal activities based on sustainable fashion. These spaces will work in synergies with together local NGOs and will work as incubator of ideas in the creativity, sustainable fashion, youth and educational fields. The Hubs will be dynamic to support their sustainability over the time and further future improvements; - the creation of an International Network Hub of organisations and stakeholders acting in the creative, sustainable fashion, youth and educational fields to support the exchange of good practices and the collaboration development of new actions targeted to young people. The actions included in this part will be the development of the EU Leaderboard challenges for stakeholder engagement. Furthermore, the project will include several informal and formal moments in which local realities, young people and youth workers will be involved in events, workshops, laboratories, and new content to stimulate and awareness-raising the local communities of the project.<< Results >>The main project outcome will be: - an ONLINE TRAINING CURRICULUM for youth workers on innovative practices using the sustainable fashion as a tool to develop inclusive spaces for young people (PR1) delivered using experimental methods for piloting (contemporary lessons with in presence group-sessions organised in line with the covid-19 rules) and developed starting from the definition of an innovative pedagogical approach born from the integration between art-based learning, creative tinkering and sustainable entrepreneurship; - at least +90 youth workers trained on the FABLE pedagogical approach for young people (PR1) and supported to improve their CPD in innovative practices to support skill-building in youth activities using sustainable fashion; - at least +150 young people welcomed and involved in the FABLE G-local Hubs located in 6 EU countries and built to facilitate non-formal activities to improve soft skills using sustainable fashion and stimulate critical thinking, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship and creative learning; - a INTERNATIONAL NETWORK HUB to promote collaboration at EU and national level between subjects who work with sustainable fashion and want to use FABLE activities to improve their social inclusion activities with young people, especially those with vulnerabilities; - at least +50 entities in the EU involved in further actions to promote inclusive activities for young people using the innovative approach of FABL based on the sustainable fashion;- increased motivation and active engagement of young people at local and EU level to rethink solutions and to re-build inclusive spaces to create a set of crucial competences for the future and at the same time improve self-consciousness towards the green economy and the new careers; - increased synergies and cross-collaborations between the civil society and the profit sector (+50 EU actors) to promote solidarity, inclusion and access to the labour market, especially in this moment of deep economic crisis; - increased motivation in the civil society, especially among youth organisations, to promote ethical visions among young people and invest in new opportunities in the youth field; - applied the principles and values enclosed in the European Social Rights Pillar article 01, 02, 03 and 04 of the first chapter promoting education, training and life-long learning, gender equality, equal opportunities and active support to the employment.

The COVID pandemic has brought about dramatic changes. The restrictions in social events and activities have created a need for alternative ways of “doing things” accelerating the use of new technologies in everyday activities. This new situation brought many changes to the arts and creativity sectors who were among those mostly affected. Additionally education, has been affected by the pandemic, as educators have been asked to rapidly adjust their whole educational methodology utilizing exclusively digital means and tools, while at the same time students had to learn through this new way. This was even more difficult for students with fewer opportunities who did not have the means (laptop/tablet etc.) to attend these online lessons. As it is well known the acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding in digital literacy and arts have beneficial effects on children’s education and on their social integration. Additionally, existing studies note, that the arts provide immigrants a creative space for exploration and expression of identities, for challenging discrimination and social exclusion.Having in mind the above, the Arts4All project, will combine creative arts learning with distant learning, to promote social inclusion and integration, through an innovative mobile application. At the same time educators, art teachers, youth trainers will be trained on the application and the produced educational material so they will use them in their activities utilizing new technologies and innovative practices and methodologies in the educational process. The Arts4All project will adopt an integrated art pedagogical approach to enhancing the use of arts for social inclusion, using digital means. The main target groups of the project will be at least 60 young people, especially with migrant background and/or with fewer opportunities, educators, youth workers, organizations and individuals in the field of migration, social inclusion and the arts and the public.The project’s objectives are to examine needs and best practices in the partner countries on using arts as a tool for inclusion while developing synergies between organizations focused on social inclusion and organizations in the culture and creative sector of the partner countries to develop new tools and methodologies in the education of arts. It also aims to provide a digital tool for learning through entertainment and to promote social inclusion on which the interested parties will be trained. Finally, it aims to promote the effectiveness and importance of arts to support the recovery of the cultural and creative sectors while promoting the idea of social cohesion.The Arts4All project will present the following results:•Arts4All Handbook: Report on needs and good practices•Arts4All Curriculum and Manual useful for educators, youth workers and other stakeholders related with adolescents, especially adolescents with fewer opportunities and/ migration background.•Arts4All Methodological Guide information regarding the project, the use of the arts as a tool for social inclusion and social integration, the methods used, and the expected results. The Methodological Guide will also include the Manual on the use of the Arts4All Curriculum and App.•Arts4All Mobile Application •Arts4All trainings targeting educators, youth workers, artists, and teachers.•Arts4All Open Badges•Project’ s website which will be developed to present the project aims and objectives and to provide easy access to the tools and resources have been developed•Project’s visual identity such as logo, banner, posters.•Project’s social media pages: Instagram/ Facebook •A dedicated YouTube channel •1000 Project leaflets including the project overview, objectives, partners, and funding agency•3 Press Releases at milestones of the project and 4 Newsletters, translated in all partners’ languages distributed to 20000 contacts around Europe. Those will also be disseminated through project’s website and social media pages. •3 face to face transnational meetings•1 transnational conferenceArts4all will further promote the transnational cooperation on social inclusion practices, while at the same time it will enhance the skills of children from migrant background and/or fewer opportunities at the area of arts and creativity and provide a new methodology for the teaching of arts, based on digital tools to educators, teachers and youth workers around Europe. It is also expected to have a long-term impact on all the participants, target groups and the general public as it will promote the common values of equality, respect of diversity and cooperation to the European society. At the same time the project will promote the arts, culture, and creativity as an important part of our society and everyday life, as a way to empower the artists and people in the cultural and creative sectors who are currently facing big challenges.

SymfoS – Symbols for success aims to trigger substantial improvements in the education and career guidance system for disadvantaged youth in Europe by implementing an innovative counselling method using sets of symbols. Based on the experiences of the ESF-Project “Perspektiven BildungÖsterreich”, in which Hafelekar developed this method, we see high potential of Symbol work as an additional language for young people to express themselves.The fundamental innovation lies in the clear sequence of different guiding steps after basic clearing: Starting with installment and presentation of symbol scenarios, followed by factual questions from supporting group, interpretation of whol group and action plan agreed by client and Career Guide and supported by peer guide.This project is a combination of transfer and development of innovation and we also classify and localize this method in the broad field of different guidance methods and tools.Based on this groundwork we develop four essential career guidance tools: (1) Basic clearing tools for symbol work, the “entrance door” to screen participants and gain a short case history. (2) Heart and key element of SymfoS are the symbol counselling scenarios. We will further develop symbol counselling scenarios like “Life Road Map”, “Planning Map”, “Exploration of inner images” and “Islands of Emotions”, all of them helping clients to identify hidden resources and potentials, to get clearness about their goals and to plan concrete next steps in education or access to labour market. (3) To transfer results from counselling (e.g. career choice) into real live, we will create individual pathways, where we fix a concrete roadmap when next steps will be carried out and resources of support needed. (4) Finally, our “Peer buddy System” makes full use of resources from peer group. Often the support from peers and from their social net is at least as important as professional guidance. Starting from the support group, which is already constituted in a counselling session, peers are nominated and trained as “buddies” to support their colleagues in their challenging adventures of finding their right place in education system or job market.For personnel development of trainers we will define prerequisites and skills needed and we develop a compulsory train the trainer curricula that has to be followed. To ensure sustainable implementation of SymfoS methodology, we will share all experiences of our own organisations and develop a “Transfer Handbook for SymfoS Method”.For trainers and buddies we will establish an online trainer platform and a virtual trainer network. To facilitate interaction between SymfoS and different EU transparency and recognition tools we will clarify interfaces and synergies by the help of concrete case studies. SymfoS implements a systemic approach that focuses on target groups at four different levels: 1.) 500 Young people (15-25 years) facing problems in school or labour market (low qualified, job seeker, drop-outs, NEETS) will be counselled. Objectives pursued are effective support in motivation and goal-setting, discovering “hidden” resources, increasing self-responsibility and strengthening their social net by implementing a peer “buddy system”. 2.) 120 Career guidance officers will be trained in SymfoS train the trainer courses. 3.) 20 Decision makers in VET providers, NGO, youth centres and schools will be supported for sustainable implementation of SymfoS method. 4.) 10 Education policy makers will be contacted for certification of train-the-trainer curricula and recognition of learning outcomes for young people.Impact on (disadvantaged) young peopleSymfoS is an inclusive, learner centred approach, which helps especially disadvantaged youth to find words for situations that are hard to describe. It helps to get a clear picture of own future and to define reachable goals. SymfoS helps to define reachable goals, supports motivation and discovers “hidden” resources, increases self-responsibility and problem solving abilities. Peer buddy system strengthens the social net for young people with low social capital and provides long term support. Impact on Career Guidance officers: Due to missing compulsory curricula, often there is a lack of methodological knowledge and tools for dealing with disadvantaged. SymfoS supports them with a holistic approach, centred on the individual needs and goals of young people. Impact on participating organisations and VET-Provider: Schools in general will profit from this project outcomes. This project is a unique opportunity to make organisations ready for disadvantaged target groups. The transfer handbook will be of high value for decision makers to improve quality of services delivered. Impact on Education Policy makers: The project SymfoS acts as a frontrunner for inclusive, learner centred methods for disadvantaged youth. We aim to influence education policy to have a stronger focus on “hidden” resources and potential of stereotyped “reluctant learners.

"Initial situation and project idea""SymfoS for Youth Care"" is an innovative counseling method based on the approach ofSymbol Work. Their implementation in the youth welfare system would significantly improve the integration chances of disadvantaged young people (NEETS) in Europe. They are increasingly excluded from social participation due to lack of integration in many areas of life.With the methodical approach of Symbol Work (by Wilfried Schneider), an innovative funding instrument is developed in this project, which enables youth leaders in youth welfare to effectively support disadvantaged young people.The innovative aspect is the transfer of the previous method from vocational guidance to youth welfare and the extension of the SymfoS educational approach with web courses on initial education (Higher Education) at universities (social care).In youth welfare services, working with symbols offers young people an additional, universal language. In short, symbolic work means getting a person to reach for themselves. Symbols are helpful in situations that are difficult or impossible to describe using other means of communication.Primary target groups1) Youth welfare workers or psychologists and social workers who work with the young people listed above (e.g. social services of youth welfare offices, youth welfare services)2) Decision makers in youth welfare, VET providers and universities in the field of social welfare,Indirect target groups1) Disadvantaged young people (15-25 years) with problems of integration, which are hardly reached by existing methods of youth welfare (young people with multiple problems, NEETS).2) Educational policy makers responsible for recognition tools for qualifications.Project partnersThe partner community consists of 7 partners from 5 European countries:Sozialwerk Dürener Christen (Leadpartner) -DEHafelekar - ATUniversity of Gloucestershire - GBAsociacion Caminos - ESColegio ColpolsocA - ESAssociacao A3S - PTInstituto Politecnico Porto - PTDecisive for the selection of the partners were their project-relevant competences and experiences. Three partners already have common cooperation experiences from another EU project.People, target groups and organizations reached by the projectDirect target groups:youth leaders from youth welfare, university students in:- Transnational Trainings - 28- National Trainings - 280- National pilot projects 130Indirect target groups:Young people in practical casework at least 80 per partnerNetwork partner in youth welfare for dissemination of project content -150Project productsThe following Intellectual Outputs (IO) will be developed during the project:IO1 Scientific bases and national adaptation plans for the implementation of symbolic work)IO2 SymfoS f YC - Intervention SetIO3 SymfoS f YC - Blended Learning ApproachIO4 SymfoS f YC - Development of a correspondence training courseIO5 Symfos f YC - Development of an F2F trainingIO6 SymfoS f YC - Guide for Support and Peer Buddy SystemIO7 Transfer ManualProject activities-10 multiplier events - 6 national workshops for stakeholders; 4 closing events in different countries-2 Trainings / courses (5-day SymfoS Train-the-Trainer Courses)-5 project meetings (1 per partner country)Project impacton youth welfare workers (primary target group):Extension of professional competence in working with NEETSto decision-makers and politicians (indirect target group):Education policy and youth policy supports the implementation of the method as an offer in the vocational training of youth welfare workers (VET) and as part of study programs at universities (HE). Recognition and certification of training curriculaon disadvantaged young people (indirect target group):Improvement of personal and social integration Implementation, dissemination and sustainability measures- ""Train-the-Trainer Courses"" and correspondence training courses for youth welfare workers-National pilot projects (at universities; with specialists from youth welfare offices, youth welfare institutions.)- permanent implementation as a qualification offer for VET providers and in degree programs (universities) beyond the duration of the project- Online platform for dissemination (curriculum, materials)-recognition and certification of the method / curriculum-Transfer manual- Dissemination in practice by university graduates- Multiplier Events for stakeholders in all partner countries- Dissemination to youth welfare institutions, educational institutions, counseling centers and schools through integration into partners' networks- Formation of a SymfoS Trainer Community- Final events in all partner countries-Public relations"