The European Rural Youth Summit will take place in Panaci, Romania from 29 August to 2 September 2023. The Summit aims to strategically develop the rural youth ecosystem in Europe. It brings together young people from rural areas across Europe, youth workers, youth organisers, and decision-makers. Organised by the European Youth Village Program, this summit provides a platform for rural youth to raise their voices, share experiences, and discuss rural youth work and rural development.

Objectives of the Event

The European Rural Youth Summit has the following objectives:

– Create a space for dialogue between rural youth and decision-makers to address the challenges and opportunities facing rural areas in Europe;

– Provide a learning and participation context for rural youth to engage with experts and peers on rural development issues. This enables them to develop their knowledge and skills and promotes their role in shaping the future of Europe;

– Raise awareness about the importance of rural development and support the development of policy recommendations to improve the situation of rural youth in Europe.

The European Rural Youth Summit will be open to the following groups:

1. Rural youth from across Europe: young people aged 16-30 who live or come from rural areas in Europe. They could be students, workers, entrepreneurs, or activists who are passionate about rural development and want to make a difference in their communities;
2. Experts and practitioners: Youth workers, community organisers, and representatives of non-governmental organisations interested in scaling the European Youth Village program in their countries;
3. Policymakers and decision-makers: Representatives from the European Union, national and local governments, and organisations involved in rural development and the rural youth sector. 

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be part of the European Rural Youth Summit. Apply by 15 June and join the event!

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L'articolo Join the European Rural Youth Summit proviene da Youth Networks.

Short-term group projects, such as youth exchanges or volunteering teams, are a popular activity format within the EU youth programmes. They provide an excellent opportunity for young people to develop their ownership of learning processes and personal development. 

However, youth workers often face a challenge of improving the quality use of Youthpass in short-term group projects, especially when it comes to facilitating reflection and self-assessment for young people.

To address this issue, Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation (Hellenic National Agency) organised the training course “LIST: Learning in short-term group projects” to provide youth workers and leaders with the necessary skills to support learning in short-term group projects. The training course will take place from 24-28 April 2023, in Porto Heli, Greece, at the AKS HOTEL.  

Now, let’s explore more details about it. Keep reading!

Overview of the LIST Training Course

The course aims to strengthen the learning dimension of short-term group mobilities involving young people as participants, with a specific focus on the use of Youthpass. It will cover several objectives, including:

• discussing and understanding reflection; 
• creating a learning environment for a diverse target group; 
• reflecting on the competences required to facilitate individual and group learning and design educational programs;

The target group for this training course includes youth workers, leaders, project organisers, and mentors who work with young people in short-term group projects. 

Participants should have a keen interest in supporting the learning processes of young people. The course will make use of participatory group processes, including discussions and exploration of youth work reality and practice, individual and group learning, and the use of tools and methods to facilitate learning.

Applications are open now, and the deadline for submission is 26 March 2023. Selected participants will be informed of their selection on 31 March 2023.

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L'articolo LIST: Learning in short-term group projects Training Course proviene da Youth Networks.

Digital literacy promotion and disinformation tackling are increasingly important for educators in the digital age. The Guidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education provide hands-on guidance for teachers and educators to achieve this goal. These guidelines provide practical tips, activity plans, insights, and cautionary notes based on effective digital literacy education and training.

Objectives of the Guidelines for Teachers and Educators

The guidelines aim to promote responsible and safe use of digital technologies, foster public awareness of disinformation, and enhance critical thinking skills in students. Moreover, they offer expertise on building trust, creating safe spaces for discussion, and enhancing students’ digital resilience.

The guidelines are designed for primary and secondary school teachers and educators in different subjects and with varying levels of experience and knowledge. They provide concrete guidance and practical support for teaching in classrooms and similar educational settings. 

Overall, the guidelines do not offer solutions to all the issues that may arise but focus on the following objectives:

1. Providing insight and knowledge about the dynamics of disinformation and credible information.
2. Fostering an understanding of how digital literacy can be achieved.
3. Sharing information on using digital technologies critically and responsibly.
4. Providing insight on how to assess students’ digital literacy competencies.

In conclusion, these guidelines support educators in preparing their students for the digital age, improving their ability to recognize disinformation and navigate the online world. By incorporating these guidelines into their teaching practices, educators can promote digital literacy and contribute to creating a more informed and engaged society. You can download the guideline for educators here, don’t miss this opportunity!

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L'articolo Guidelines for Educators: Promoting Digital Literacy in the Classroom proviene da Youth Networks.

The ETS COMETS Solidarity training course provides an opportunity for trainers to develop their understanding of the role of core values in their training. The course is open to 24 participants from Erasmus+ Youth Programme countries, as well as partner countries neighboring the EU. It is organized by Agence Erasmus+ France Jeunesse & Sport, with co-organizers SALTO Training and Cooperation. The working language for the course is English.

Benefits of Participating in the COMETS Training Course

The course offers an opportunity for participants to gain new skills, insights, and competencies that they can use to improve their training practices and work with youth workers from diverse backgrounds. Through the course, trainers will be able to:

• reflect on the role of core values in their training work;
• explore competence development on value-based education;
• gain an embodied understanding of the importance of core values in educational activities;

Learning Outcomes and Objectives of the Course

The course will take place in France from May 15 to 21, 2023, and will focus on exploring solidarity as a value in training work. Participants will reflect on how different global challenges highlight solidarity and other core values and their significance in educational activities. The course is recommended for trainers who are active on the international level and have significant experience in developing and implementing international training for youth workers. The course facilitators will be Peter Hofmann and Snežana Bačlija Knoch.

Accommodation, Food, and Participation Costs

Participation fees for the course vary depending on the country of the participant. The hosting National Agency or SALTO will organize accommodation and food. Travel reimbursement may be available depending on the participant’s country of origin. For specific details, please contact the organizers at blanka@salto-youth.net

Overall, the ETS COMETS Solidarity training course offers a unique opportunity for trainers to deepen their understanding of core values and their role in training. Don’t miss this chance, apply by 19th February, 2023!

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Media and Information Literacy in EU Youth Programs

L'articolo COMETS Training Course to Explore the Values of Solidarity proviene da Youth Networks.

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is a crucial component of the EU Youth Programs, particularly Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. These programs aim to develop MIL competencies among young people and empower them through youth engagement. This article will explore the significance of MIL in EU Youth Programs and its connection to youth participation.

The Importance of MIL in EU Youth Programmes

One-third of Erasmus+ Key Actions projects focus on MIL, and the top priority for these projects is developing digital youth work. There are major gaps in MIL competencies in the areas of digital safety, ICT, and media literacy, and tackling information.

To sum up some statistics about the connection between Media and Information Literacy and EU Youth Programmes:

• 50% of Youth Participation projects focus on Media and Information Literacy (MIL), and vice versa, as critical thinking is a common transversal competence. 
• MIL is crucial for effective youth participation, particularly for disadvantaged groups, and necessary for e-participation. 
• Many projects aim to promote MIL and social inclusion. 
• Creative expression through art and media can also empower socially excluded youth and address human rights issues like hate speech.

MIL & SALTO PI

To advance MIL in the long term, better guidelines and project ideas from MIL experts and niche organisations are needed. The MIL Study Visit 2022 aims to introduce media landscape thematic area projects, develop the MIL focus of ESC Volunteering and Solidarity projects, integrate digital safety, ICT, and media literacy into KA2 projects, and promote cooperation and peace building to tackle youth radicalization.

MIL & Youth Work

When defining the quality of a project, the specific needs of different age groups are considered to be the most important factor. Young people should participate in cross-border projects as much as possible to facilitate their learning and use of critical thinking. Specialist organisations should lead MIL projects within the EU Youth Programs: especially in the areas of digital safety, ICT, and media literacy.

Finally, Media and Information Literacy is an important component of EU Youth Programs and is closely linked to youth involvement. These programmes promote the creative use of new methods of expression and critical thinking in order to provide young people with the required abilities to navigate the digital world.

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ID Talks: Understanding Mental Health in Youth Work

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L'articolo Media and Information Literacy in EU Youth Programs proviene da Youth Networks.

ID Talks, in collaboration with the Mental Health in Youth Work project, announces 2023 as the “Year of Mental Health” with two editions: “Understanding Mental Health” in the spring and “Discovering Mental Health Practices” in the autumn.

The ID Talks series consists of five individual online workshops, each lasting up to 90 minutes, featuring inspiring guest speakers and thought-provoking discussions. ID Talks focuses on mental health to promote inclusion & well-being for young people.

Let’s take a closer look at ID Talks now!

The Spring 2023 Edition

Mental health and wellbeing are at the core of European Youth Goals and the EU Youth Strategy, but a growing number of young people are expressing concern over the prevalence of mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. The ‘Mental Health in Youth Work’ project, in partnership with SALTO Inclusion & Diversity Resources Centre, aims to raise awareness and develop mental health literacy and competences in youth workers.

ID Talks Spring 2023 offers 5 online workshops on youth mental health & well-being to improve understanding of the connection with quality youth work.

ID Talks will take place every other Wednesday at 1 PM CET from February 15 through April 12. The schedule is as follows

• 15 February: “Mental Health Explained” with guest speaker Maria Agorastou, Greece
• 1 March: “Climate-Change Anxiety” with guest speaker Anna Pribil, Austria
• 15 March: “Social-Media Addiction” with guest speaker Katja Mankinen, Sosped Fondation, Finland
• 29 March: “Supporting Young People’s Wellbeing” with guest speaker Ana Perović, Serbia
• 12 April: “Youth-Workers Wellbeing” with guest speaker Natalja Gudakovska, Latvia

Each workshop will begin with input from a guest speaker, followed by a discussion, Q&A session, and the opportunity for participants to share their own experiences. Check the Facebook event for more details.

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Public Consultation on European Qualifications Framework

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L'articolo ID Talks: Understanding Mental Health in Youth Work proviene da Youth Networks.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation to review the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for the period 2017-2022. The EQF is a standard reference framework for lifelong learning that acts as a translation tool to better comprehend and compare national qualifications.

The EQF for Lifelong Learning

The European Qualifications Framework is divided into eight levels, which are represented as learning outcomes with increasing degrees of competency. Countries connect their national qualification systems to the EQF levels, making it easier to comprehend what a qualification achieved in another country represents. 

This public consultation will help to evaluate the EQF by learning: 

• how the EQF has been utilised;
• what its advantages are;
• how it might be improved;

Workers, learners, employers, and stakeholders from education and training, employment, and civil society can participate in the public consultation. The Commission encourages everyone to give their thoughts and participate in the review, regardless of whether they had previously heard about the EQF or not.

The Commission requires everyone’s assistance in understanding how to promote qualification transparency in Europe. If you want to have your say, please complete the questionnaire by March 22, 2023. Your contributions will significantly assist to strengthen the EQF and promote qualification transparency across Europe.

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European Commission Launches Public Consultation on Europass

L'articolo Public Consultation on European Qualifications Framework proviene da Youth Networks.

The European Commission has launched a 12-week public consultation to assess the effect and implementation of Europass, a framework that delivers online tools and information to individuals to help them with their lifelong learning and career management. 

The consultation will collect information regarding the impact of Europass on the European labour market and lifelong learning initiatives, as well as assist the Commission in improving its services.

Objective of the Public Consultation

The public feedback will help to inform the ongoing assessment of the Europass Decision between 2018 and 2022. Its major goal is to collect evidence regarding Europass’s influence on the European job market and lifelong learning policy. Participant’s feedback will assist the Commission in further improving Europass services.

Everyone can participate, including:

• Europass end-users such as learners, employees, job seekers, and volunteers;
• stakeholders such as education and training providers, employers, public employment agencies, non-governmental organisations, and policymakers;
• EU stakeholder groups and operational partners are also encouraged to contribute.

Simply fill out the online form on the Commission’s “Have your say” page to participate in the consultation. The questionnaire is available in every language spoken in the EU.

The public consultation will end on February 28, 2023.

This is a fantastic chance for anyone who have used Europass to share their experiences and offer the Commission with significative input. The consultation outcomes will help to shape Europass’s future and guarantee that it continues to suit the demands of its users. So, if you have something to say about Europass, now is your chance!

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L'articolo European Commission Launches Public Consultation on Europass proviene da Youth Networks.

The EWP+ Consortium has launched a new service to assist higher education institutions in identifying which tool and provider their partners are using to connect to the Erasmus Without Paper (EWP) network. 

This programme, known as the EWP Stats Portal, aims to simplify the process of managing inter-institutional agreements (IIAs) and learning agreements (LAs) with partner institutions.

Key Features of the EWP Stats Portal

The search tool is a fundamental component of the EWP Stats Portal. IT administrators can use the institution name, Erasmus code, city, and country to find their partners. This makes it simple to determine which tool and provider a certain partner is using, which is critical for controlling document exchanges.

Another useful feature is the ability to locate a detailed list of all partners who use a specific provider. This can be useful for two reasons:

• identifying successful data transfers;
• focusing on sharing IIAs and LAs with providers where successful exchanges have occurred;

The data in the EWP Stats Portal is derived directly from the EWP registry, which is the only reliable source of information regarding EWP connections. The EWP registry extracts information from files made accessible by each node in the EWP-network. This information includes data such as the system in use and procedures covered by each EWP participant institution.

The EWP Stats Portal will be gradually expanded with data and statistics in the near future, finally providing data on how the different nodes in the network operate.

Overall, this is an excellent resource for education institutions seeking to increase document sharing and manage collaborations with other schools. It offers a reliable and simple method for determining which tool and provider their partners are using, which is critical for managing IIAs and LAs and guaranteeing successful data transfers.

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Erasmus+ Eye-Opener Training for NEET Youth and Youth Workers

L'articolo EWP Stats Portal: New Service to Assist Higher Education Institutions proviene da Youth Networks.

From February 21-26, 2023, a training session for youth workers and young people in NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) conditions will take place in Brussels, Belgium.

The workshop aims to increase young people’s active engagement in the planning of youth exchanges and to provide opportunities to meet possible partner groups and develop connections in other countries.

Youth workers can attend this training workshop with one or two young people from their organization.Through this opportunity, you will learn the fundamentals of organising and applying for an Erasmus+ grant for youth exchanges.

Now, let’s look at some additional information regarding this training course.

Training Objectives

The main objective of the course is to provide information on Erasmus+ youth exchanges and offer a group learning experience in the process of setting up a youth exchange project. Moreover, the course will cover the following topics: 

• to comprehend non-formal learning and young people’s engagement in learning;
• to investigate the role of a group leader in the learning process of young people;
• to increase young people’s active engagement in the organising of youth exchanges;
• to provide the chance to meet potential partner groups and develop connections in other countries;
• to develop collaborations among young people and organisations;

The target group for the course includes a maximum of 40 participants, consisting of 1 adult leader (over 18 years old) and 1-2 young people between 15-18 years old in NEET situations. Priority will be given to applicants from certain European countries, but applicants from other program countries can still apply. The course is organized in collaboration with the NEET strand of Strategic Partnership for Inclusion.

The National Agencies of the Erasmus+ Programme will finance the costs for the training course, which will vary depending on the participant’s country of origin. Participants must submit their applications by January 13th. For more information about the “Eye-Opener for NEET Organizations”, you can visit the dedicated page on the SALTO-YOUTH website.

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L'articolo Erasmus+ Eye-Opener Training for NEET Youth and Youth Workers proviene da Youth Networks.