Responding to the impact of COVID-19 on International Youth Work Mobility
the IYWTG calls all the trainers, training organizations and supporters
to sign the petition!

The petition is a call for continued support of international youth work training, as well as recognition of online learning as a valid form of youth work training, while not as a replacement of residential, face-to-face work.

International Youth Work Trainers Guild (IYWTG) is an Independent supportive community of experts in the youth work sector that advocates on behalf of and contributes to each other’s professional development.

The youth work training field, like many other sectors, is feeling the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The safety restrictions, in particular the physical meeting restrictions, have a direct impact on the international youth work training field. In the face of the restrain of face-to-face contact carrying out different activities is extremely difficult.

The IYWTG, on behalf of its members, professionals in the youth work training field, and youth work organisations, calls on stakeholders in the European youth work and training to more concretely restructure training and support services for the international youth work. The restructuring  and proposed changes include for example:
– recognizing online training and support services as beneficial and valid formats for learners personal growth and youth workers professional development; 
– including and more openly supporting online and blended learning, virtual exchanges, and digital tools and platforms, in order to continue the efforts of international youth work and international youth work training in positively impacting the lives of young people across Europe;
– continuing to contract trainers and training organisations to design, deliver and evaluate international youth work training activities using opportunities of online technology.

Click HERE to sign and find the full text of the petition.

Related articles:
Q&A concerning Erasmus+ and ESC activities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic
Official guidelines about Coronavirus for Erasmus+ National Agencies
CANCELATION, SUSPENSION or POSTPONING of the activities for Erasmus+ and ESC for Coronavirus emergency – will it be possible?

L'articolo Sign the petition! – A response to the impact of Covid-19 on International Youth Work Mobility proviene da Youth Networks.

What do we ask

Tens of organisations already signed the appeal proposed by Forum ZDF, asking for European policies to be more focused on human rights defence and peace. The three main calls are to:

• Campaign for a European Union that adheres to the European peace project instead of becoming a military power;
• Do not let the European Union provide arms to states that wage war or violate human rights to ward off refugees and migration;
• Increase the funds of the European Union for the promotion of non-violent conflict transformation and human rights.

The budget

The new European defence fund has a proposed budget of EUR 13 billion for armaments research and the development of new arms systems. Moreover, the rise of right-wing populism across Europe is likely to push for more expenses in the sector, to build border fortifications and military security policy.

Among the rest, this appeal is to request EUR 7 billion for non-violent conflict transformation and peacebuilding and EUR 3 billion for the promotion of human rights and democracy in the next EU financial framework (2021-2027).

Peace as a value

Nevertheless, the Treaty of Lisbon itself states that “the Union’s aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples” (Art. 3). The European defence Fund goes totally in the opposite direction: it foresees the use of the Community budget for the European Union to finance armament projects and military operations.

Here you can find the signatories and the appeal more in detail.

L'articolo Appeal: save the European peace project! proviene da Youth Networks.