AT A GLANCE

Today, we are facing increased growth of xenophobic attacks and rhetoric in Europe and with a new phenomenon in the Balkan states: as of 2018, the Balkan countries are experiencing a new influx of refugees from Africa and the Middle East and a corresponding increase in asylum applications. That is why through IMPACT project partners from EU and the Western Balkan countries strive to build a better understanding, tolerance and solidarity between refugees and European public to prevent radicalisation and the creation of “otherness” on both sides.

The main goal of “IMPACT – Inclusion Matters! using Performing Arts towards Cohesion and Tolerance” is to foster social inclusion by developing art strategies, techniques and methodologies which target refugees and citizens at local level. This project will contribute to foster social inclusion by promoting active participation, cohesion, tolerance and respect of human rights.

The project aims to develop an innovative pedagogy that uses art forms as a means to bring young refugees, asylum seekers and local communities together.
Within this project, by training artists who will develop new tools and methodologies on performing arts to work with refugees and citizens, youth, local, regional and international stakeholders will become multipliers of this project outputs, ideas and methodology.

OBJECTIVES

The project is designed to foster social inclusion by developing art strategies, techniques and methodologies which target refugees and citizens at the local level. The project will develop an innovative pedagogy that uses art forms as a means to bring young refugees, asylum seekers, and local communities together.

TARGETS

Target groups directly involved in the project activity

  • Artists
  • Refugees
  • Local citizens
  • Audiences
  • Local Authorities and other relevant stakeholders
  • Participating organisations

ACTIVITIES

The project consists of 3 actions: Transnational meetings and exchange of practices which aim to coordinate and implement well the activities as well as strengthen the competences of project partners as well as artists involved in the process. Multiplier events through local workshops, local events and international event which are key for dissemination of results. Intellectual outputs to be produced in coordination with all partners and are the main communication tools outputs. The local activities will be implemented in all partner countries.

AT A GLANCE

JOURNEY aims at achieving one of the main benchmarks of the renewed European Neighborhood Policy and the European Neighborhood Instrument laid out in the policy’s Eastern Strategy paper. Since 2008, the joint EU/UNDP Project “Community Based Approach to Local Development” (CBA) has been implemented for Ukraine and one of its tasks is to promote the development of small farms and non-farm businesses in rural areas.
The synergy of this project aims at increasing the productivity and activation of rural youth through new teaching methods. The project further aims at raising the level of awareness of the youth and increasing their entrepreneurship competencies. In this context, using a combination of innovative educational methods for working with rural youth will provide maximum results and will increase the position of the youth in society, their awareness of and interest in personal entrepreneurial development, as well as the economic development of their region and country as a whole.

OBJECTIVES

AT A GLANCE

FACE is based on the awareness that cyberbullying is an increasing and underestimated phenomenon amongst teens and children, further compounded by the lack of knowledge and tools to fight it back.
The project addresses the increasing phenomenon of cyberbullying amongst teens and children and the lack of knowledge and tools on how to handle it. The project is conceived to develop guidelines, materials, networks, and innovative methodologies combining multidisciplinary artistic approaches. The project will involve the following different target groups: youth workers that will act as multipliers, students, parents, local authorities and other stakeholders.

OBJECTIVES

  • Develop a new methodology and pedagogy to prevent cyberbullying, based on innovative artistic practices such as drama practice, filmmaking, visual and street arts;
  • Design an online platform to share materials, experiences and contacts of people working in the field of prevention of cyberbullying;
  • Foster autonomy, active citizenship, self-confidence, sense of community and critical thinking amongst teens and children;
  • Provide parents with knowledge and tools to promote the good use of social media amongst children;
  • Develop recommendations to tackle cyberbullying issues addressed to local authorities and other stakeholders.

Check the official website: www.face.oonion.eu

AT A GLANCE

The project is conceived to deepen the connection between people from 10 communities from 3 EU and 4 non-EU countries. The project is designed to support the cultural heritage that surrounds them, in particular by raising their awareness of connections and make them aware of their own heritage that is part of Europe’s rich and diverse history and culture. This is possible, through planned activities, which will gather and will engage a diverse group of participants in discussions, forums, exchange of practices, study visits, art events.

OBJECTIVES

The expected outcomes are: to raise interest in cultural heritage, with direct and indirect participants; to raise awareness of EU policies on cultural heritage and ways of its promotion, protection, and sustainable use for socio-economic development; and, finally, to enforce a sense of belonging to a common European space.

AT A GLANCE

There is compelling evidence that people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems are at risk of social exclusion.
Community-based supports and services that are person-centred and recovery-oriented hold considerable promise, but they are not widely available nor have they been widely evaluated. Mind Inclusion 2.0 wants to foster the competencies of educators of disabled people across Europe to promote the participative co-creation and use of an innovative online tool (a web platform) supported by the definition of a solid facilitation methodology which will contribute to the sustainable and inclusive involvement of disabled people in the society.
The project leverages from the previous Italian experience of dovevado.eu expanding it on different perspectives

OBJECTIVES

  • Enhancing cooperation and sharing experience among organizations working with intellectually disabled people (IDP) in Europe;
  • Improving digital competences of IDP and their educators thus fostering an independent and inclusive life style;
  • Developing and sharing successful methodologies and practices (co-design approach with IDP) to define and build inclusive communities across Europe;
  • Improving society awareness about the needs of IDP and the occasions to carry out inclusive activities for IDP.

To learn more and discover the online platform, go to the project’s website: www.mindinclusion.eu

AT A GLANCE

In the light of 2019 European elections, Cross Over focused on fostering participation in the European Parliament elections and active engagement in the EU community life, by improving conditions for democratic civic commitment. The project was designed to address one of the main priorities listed under the Commission 2018 Work Programme for the Implementation of Europe for citizens programme: debating the future of Europe and challenging Euroscepticism while nourishing a widespread sense of belonging to the EU space.
The project gathered 14 partners from 11 countries, divided into two groups: the first consisted of organisations based in EU member states where the participation in 2014 European Parliament elections was lower, such as, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia; the second group is composed by partners located in EU member states with the highest levels of participation: Malta, Italy, Denmark, and Sweden.

OBJECTIVES

  • Increase transnational information and sensitivity towards voting as the most powerful tool to be actively part of the EU;
  • Challenge Eurosceptic views based on a deeper knowledge and constructive debate towards the EU;
  • Foster a critical understanding of the European context as a common good;
  • Create networks pursuing assertiveness of active citizenship

AT A GLANCE

According to the European motto “united in diversity”, the project FromME2EU aims to provide opportunities for European citizens and Migrants’ communities to work together, in order to promote a new idea of a multicultural Europe. The idea is that every migrant should be considered as a citizen and every citizen has some needs but, at the same time, should bring ideas and innovative approaches to the community in which he lives.
FromME2Eu insist on requirement and selflessness, both based on mutuality. The project provides citizens with a pathway of awareness to highlight the positive potential of solidarity. With a proactive approach, oriented to peer to peer methodology and practical need, FromME2EU lead citizens to maximize social collaboration, at the same time combating scepticism in reception refugees programs (and Euroscepticism’s too) and reducing racism, by offering sustainable solutions for common issues involving Citizens and Migrants.

OBJECTIVES

The project is based on 3 phases composed by the European and local dimension. The idea of the whole project is based on the vision that democracy could be built up only by Citizen’s engagement (foster European Citizenship), starting from the understanding of differences and driving to inclusion based on mutual recognition of each other needs (improve condition for democratic participation).

Visit the project’s website: www.frommetoeu.eu

AT A GLANCE

“Citizens Voice and Actions in Consolidated Communities in Armenia” aims to address the problem of the inadequate capacity of communities to foster local development in a sustainable, participatory and accountable manner. In order to support government reforms and manage these challenges, the project’s ultimate objective is to enhance the capacity of consolidated communities to design and implement people-centered and sustainable local development projects.
“Citizens Voice and Actions in Consolidated Communities in Armenia” is a project co-implemented by ALDA in partnership with the Communities Finance Officers Association (CFOA) and the Communities Association of Armenia (UCA) with the financial support of the European Union.

OBJECTIVES

To achieve its purpose, the project focuses on three specific objectives:
Strengthen partnerships within and between consolidated communities and intensify the co-operation with the European Union and regional partners.
Enhance and develop citizen participation in consolidated communities, primarily through Citizen Budgets.
Formulate and implement community-driven pilot projects, especially in touristic areas, as well as develop outdoor activities.

ACTIVITIES

Considering ALDA’s expertise and wide European network, it is the main responsible for the organization of several international conferences and roundtables, along with for managing a large-scale sub-granting program to carry out project’s supporting activities. Thus, an important point is to ensure a successful twinning between local authorities from Armenia and EU countries in order to improve the Armenian situation in terms of local governance.

AT A GLANCE

The project aims to raise awareness for the protection and promotion of the cultural and historical heritage that exists on the territory of the Municipality of Novaci. The year 2018 is the European year of cultural heritage but also marks 100 years from the end of the First World War. The territory of Novaci is rich in cultural heritage and has significant historical importance with remains from the Great War still visible today but largely unknown to the wide public. The purpose of this event is a multifaceted promotion of heritage and natural sites with cultural and historical value in order to raise awareness for their protection and maintenance among local citizens and stakeholders for local-driven sustainable development. The promotional event will be held at the Recreation Park “Konjarka” in Novaci with cultural performances, visits and ecological activities, educational workshops and will include various local stakeholders and citizens.

OBJECTIVES

The general objective of the project is the multifaceted promotion of cultural and natural sites that have historical values and to present them in a form that can reinforce actions for its protection and maintenance from the local citizens and local stakeholders which would contribute for local-driven sustainable development.
The specific objective of the project is:
to address the need for coordinated actions that will valorize the monuments and natural places, by bringing them out to the public with new means of promotion;
to add value in the already valuable, important but not well-known sites by enriching the means for their presentation;
to support preservation of cultural heritage through promotion of its importance.

ACTIVITIES

Organization of promotional event that will be held in Municiplaity of Novaci, at the Recreation Park of Konjarka, that has cultural significance for the Municipality, and which was preserved as part of the above mentioned cross-border project, which serves as cultural and recreational point for the citizens of Municipality of Novaci.

The promotional event will be organized in one day and will include different stakeholders: citizens of municipality of Novaci, local stakeholders, cultural workers, artists, touristic workers, media and other relevant stakeholders.

The promotional event will include various activities such:

  • activities for raising awareness that include: hiking activities to the rest of the cultural and natural sites; workshops; cleaning activities around the cultural and natural sites organized from the citizens;
  • musical happening;
  • educational workshop and on-site visits with young people from high-schools.

AT A GLANCE

The project aims at promoting voluntary activities in sport, together with social inclusion, equal opportunities, health and well-being. Its main purpose is to raise awareness on the importance of sport and physical activity, through increased participation in, and equal access to, sport for all, including people with diabetes or physical disabilities.

OBJECTIVES

To respond to this above priority the specific objectives of the project are to:

  • Promote voluntary work in sport associations of runners, bikers and hand-bikers,
  • Spread sport among people with difficulty of access to sport (diabetics, with other physical disabilities too)
  • Promote access to sports/tourism/cultural route, developed between nature and medieval towns, suitable for special targets,
  • Encourage participation in sporting activities for everyone, such as running and cycling (and hand- cycling), for better social integration and personal development of two special target: diabetics athletes and/or people with physical disabilities,
  • Create a participatory planning rural laboratory (Sports Rural Lab) aimed at developing sports itineraries suitable for diabetics people, sustainable after the end of the project,
  • Develop a participatory planning urban laboratory (Sport Urban Lab) aimed at planning integrated activities and initiatives for and with the project targets.
  • Create a (educational/informational) sustainable laboratory (Sports Skill Lab) aimed, after the end of the project, at creating and maintaining a network of specialists, doctors, tour guides, and administrators, about social impact of itineraries suitable for everyone. Experts, also international experts, will be involved in educational activities.

IMPACT

After the participation at the sport event, the involved target will have more confidence in their ability and they will be more aware that they can express their skills despite their physical limitations. The project will contributes also to increase the capacity of public initiatives and institutional dialogue for the promotion and protection of people with disabilities’ rights. Institutions will have an interlocution with different European sport associations, with actors in the field of health promotion and operating in sport and health (in particular prevention of diabetes). This dialogue will strengthen the capacity of institutions to promote and enhance the active participation of associations in implementing public policies on the implementation of services closer to the needs of weaker people.
The involved institutions could create an international network in order to ensure a future collaboration for the creation of sporting events, the promotion of these themes and to guarantee the effective inclusion of involved targets and to improve territorial conditions for sport practice.

PARTNERS

  • 11 local municipalities located along the bike path
  • A regional/national network of 8 sports and cultural associations
  • Umbria Region and a promotional organization
  • 31 foreigner body from 16 European Countries are also involved

On the 30th of November in Warsaw, Poland, the final event of the “EUScepticOBS: analyzing Euroscepticism, informing citizens and encouraging debates” project took place. The partners from 7 European countries (Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, and Hungary) met to discuss the topics tackled during the national workshops and to prepare the final manifesto. 

The project objective was to examine the evolution of the Eurosceptic parties’ position by comparing their attitudes towards different issues, from ecology to immigration. 


The aim of EUScepticOBS is to avoid further political polarization within EU societies, engage soft Eurosceptic citizens in dialogue and try to regain their support for the EU’s projects. 


During the project, several events were carried out across Europe, mainly held away from the capitals to attract local citizens who are less aware of European outcomes. 

The workshops followed the same structure:

  • The first part consisted of a citizen’s workshop in which several groups had solution-oriented debates to provide practical recommendations, each supervised by an “eminent personality”. 
  • The second part was a  round-table between the “eminent personalities” based on the issues raised during the workshop. 

The last event, recently concluded in Warsaw, was dedicated to the cross-examination of the national workshops and group discussions and the preparation of the final manifesto, which constitutes the outcome of debates. 

The event was divided into two parts. During the first one the participants were divided into two groups and discussed the main issues addressed during the national workshops such as migration, the role of the European institutions, the institutional education and so on. The second part was a group discussion among all participants in which were selected the most considerable arguments and thematics for the final manifesto. 

The EUScepticOBS manifesto will be soon available on the project website.

AT A GLANCE

The project targets young women with “fewer opportunities”, who face multiple forms of discrimination (strong patriarchal values and gender inequality). Therefore, they need to improve their communication skills (for example via the assertive communication method), and to get more opportunities to meet and to exchange experiences with other women. This can be achieved through the realization of murals on the theme of women’s solidarity. The project aims to foster cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices, and capacity building for Youth in neighbouring and enlargement countries.

OBJECTIVES

To respond to this above priority the specific objectives of the project are to:

  • Increase the capacity of the target group for achieving progress in equal opportunities
  • Build international solidarity between the target group and European urban communities through connecting and networking
  • Enhance capacities of youth workers to facilitate and support social communication of young workers to facilitate and support social communication of young women
  • Develop skills of assertive and art communication of young women to express their opinions and create an active impact in their communities
  • Increase interest and knowledge among the target group on the european policies on gender equality and inclusion
  • Establish celebration of the International day of rural women in communities involved in the project

AT A GLANCE

The project was developed by 10 partners across Europe, recognizing the importance to jointly address recently emerging challenges and to take an advantage of opportunities arising out of this cooperation. It aims at creating a network of towns eager to work together on exchanging common problems, joint brainstorming and introducing concrete measures in regard to project specific objectives.

OBJECTIVES

The main goal is to create local networks capable of working together on the improvement of local governance through dialogue and participation, contributing to more inclusive and democratic society.

The specific objectives include:

  • Fostering the exchange of best practices of local cooperation as well as to share solutions contributing to the establishment of learning networks on European level.
  • Capacity building activities, discussions on EU contribution to local policies and initiatives as well as ways and tools for their improvement contribute to fostering European citizenship and improving conditions and democratic participation at Union level.
  • Launching platforms for local dialogue between LAs, citizens and stakeholder.
  • Raising awareness on EU policies in relation to those societal challenges as well as on mechanisms for addressing them both at local and European level.
  • Creating opportunities for learning and sharing new solutions: particularly ICT technologies can be employed providing new tools for citizen participation and initiative.

AT A GLANCE

While there are numerous advocacy and communication initiatives to enhancing women’s participation into sports, less attention has been paid to designing women friendly urban environments for sports/physical activity, and in particular outdoor sports/physical activity, and to gathering evidence on how to do it. As the EU Council specifies sport can be an effective tool for equal opportunities and social inclusion, but still more women than men lead a sedentary life and face additional barriers to practicing physical activities with respect to men.

Therefore, the proposed project aims first of all at shading light on why and how to design women friendly urban environments for outdoor sports/physical activity through: the drafting of Guidelines on promoting a women friendly urban environment for outdoor sport/physical activity, including also a Roadmap on women friendly urban environment for outdoor sport/physical activity at local level and of and identification of a set of priorities for improving urban places for outdoor sports/physical activity from a gender equality perspective.

OBJECTIVES

To respond to this above priority the specific objectives of the project are to:

  • Create a “SW-UP” Community of practice and platform for the project partners and other stakeholders sharing knowledge, problems and practices to promoting a women friendly environment for outdoor sports/physical activity in urban spaces;
  • Provide in-depth knowledge on barriers for women to practicing outdoor sports/physical activity, and in particular on those related to the quality of the urban environment, and on good practices of designing women friendly urban environments for outdoor sports and enhancing their participation in such sports/physical activity;
  • Increase in women’s awareness and participation in outdoor sports/physical activity and in the design of women friendly urban environments for such sports/physical activity through women targeted Pilot Programmes;
  • Define and disseminate Guidelines for promoting women friendly urban environments for outdoor sports/physical activity and for enhancing their participation in outdoor sports/physical activity at European and local level.

AT A GLANCE

Providing trainings in Human rights education and how to fight online and offline hate speech for youth workers and young people living in the Grand Est Region.

OBJECTIVES

Empower youth workers to implement educational activities on HR and how to fight hate speech. Share and disseminate tools, methodologies and resources of the Council of Europe on HR Education to youth workers. Raise awareness among young people from Grand Est region about HR, intolerance and hate speech.

AT A GLANCE

The project “Youth for Europe” consists of hosting 2 EVS volunteers for a period of 12 months in ALDA-Skopje.

ALDA-Skopje welcomes the volunteers for an immersion in the European experience by discovering the Balkan Region and experimenting life in North Macedonia. Reciprocally, volunteers will bring their testimonies about what are France and European Union for them. More specifically, this project aims to create a dialogue between French and Macedonian young people about European citizenship and about their engagement in their local community and in international community.

OBJECTIVES

The two volunteers will work with Macedonian youngsters and other partners on these topics. This project objective is also to contribute for the professional and personal development of these volunteers: integration in international team, development of professional skills, improvement of language competences etc. This will not only contribute to their possibility for employment but also will contribute to the creation of responsible and engaged young European citizens.
Also, this project will result with different tools for dissemination and promotion: videos, photos, articles and interviews on the topic of remembrance and EU citizenship as well as promotional materials used for Erasmus plus programme.

AT A GLANCE

Rates of early leaving from education and training are falling since 2002 in the European Union. Despite this positive trend, early leaving remains a serious issue in many Member States as the number of young people leaving school before completing upper secondary level is still high. School Talent Bank promotes entrepreneurial education in secondary schools among teachers in order to prevent early school leaving, facilitate the transition from school to work and increase students’ engagement. The specific target are those schools which register a high percentage of ethnic minority and foreign-born students.
In order to do so, School Talent Bank enriches school teachers with entrepreneurial competences, as well as creating an online platform, “The School Talent Time Bank”. The web will work as a motivation and take action tool designed to support teachers to manage school drop-outs.

OBJECTIVES

  • To achieve relevant and high-quality skills and competences for secondary school teachers to foster they professional development in terms of Entrepreneurship education as they play a central role in education, and, they have a strong impact on the attainment of learners.
  • To support schools to tackle early school leaving (ESL) and disadvantage through new methods and tools to foster students’ engagement and motivation.
  • To improve the quality and efficiency of education and training
  • To promote equity, social cohesion and active citizenship.

On November 24, 2022, the PACIFY-D project partners gathered together in Athens (Greece) for the second face-to-face Transnational Meeting.

The PACIFY-D project, working towards providing innovative training opportunities to young people and establishing Country Info Points as local learning centres for youth education, to strengthen democratic attitudes through civic engagement and civic participation, was officially launched during the Kick-Off Meeting on June 20&21, 2022, which took place in Pecs (Hungary).

During this second Transnational Meeting, the partners, warmly hosted by KMOP in its headquarter, had the possibility to discuss the project progress. In particular, attendees presented their workplan and shared their views on the preparation of the first project result, namely the “Training materials for Young Local Ambassadors”. Notably, these materials will serve as guiding tools for youth workers to involve and train young people on diplomacy and local democracy, with the aim of fostering young people’s participation in their society. Partners commonly agreed on the next steps concerning the finalisation of this outcome. Thanks to the coordination of KMOP and the co-leading role of Interarts, all project partners will work together to create interactive, interesting, and digitalised training materials. Relevant updates will be available in the next few months.


The Transnational Meeting represented a valuable experience for the whole consortium to share their ideas on the project and enjoy the charming city of Athens


The training materials developed during this first phase of the project will be the basis for the creation, piloting, and testing of Country Info Points (CIPs), expected in the second phase of the action implementation.

Subsequently, the project coordinator provided all partners with relevant inputs on project management and quality assurance in Athens, in order to ensure a smooth and proper implementation of the action. Finally, coordinated by ALDA, all partners discussed the communication and dissemination of the project, exchanging views on its objectives and results.

The meeting represented a great opportunity to monitor the project progress, to define the next steps and to share points of view on the project topics, which are crucial for every partner organisation. It was also a valuable experience for the whole consortium to share their ideas and enjoy the charming city of Athens.