Funded by

Europe For Citizens

Information

Length: 2021-2023
Lead Partner: Municipality of Ale (SE)
Members Involved: SERN, Municipality of Scandiano (IT), Municipality of Sala Baganza (IT)
Other Partners: Thermi Municipality (GR), Municipality of Myslowice (PL), Development agency Pernik (BUL), Liiveri Association (FI), Jugendring Enzkreis (DE)
Priority Area: Active Citizenship #InclusiveCommunities

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Contacts

Laura Avanzi

Project Officer - SERN

SAYouth

Reaffirming the civic participation of young people for a sustainable democracy

About the project

The project SAYouth is a 24 months project involving 7 European countries (Sweden, Italy, Poland, Finland, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece) with a mixed partnership composed of 9 organisations of different nature: 5 public authorities, 3 NGOs and one transnational network.

The general objective of the project is to secure the participation of young people in municipal decision-making processes and to promote their influence on issues of importance for the whole society including the promotion of sustainable democracy and the civic involvement of young migrant people as a tool for integration.

Objectives

Specific objectives of the project SAYouth are:

To promote an interactive and constructive dialogue between young people and public authorities at local and European level
To develop more attractive and inclusive communication channels, tools and methods
To promote a better knowledge of democratic systems and organization at local and European level
To develop a sense of belonging of youngsters in the public institutions at local and European level
To promote an active participation in the civil society and public life and in the volunteering sector

Activities

10 events, both on-line and “in situ”, have been carried out within this project from March 2021 to April 2023. Indeed, due the Covid-19 outbreak, the end of the project has been postponed of 18 months with the approval of this change of the EACEA.

Event 1 – on line meeting

Participation: The event involved 34 citizens, including 10 participants from Ale Municipality (Sweden), 2 participants from Sala Baganza Municipality (Italy), 2 participants from BASD (Bulgaria), 4 participants from Liiveri (Finland), 4 participants from Thermi Municipality (Greece), 6 participants from Jugendring Enzkreis (Germany), 1 participant from Scandiano Municipality (Italy), 2 participants from the Municipality of Myslowice (Poland) and 3 participants from SERN (Italy).

Location / Dates: The event was implemented on-line on 3^rd-4^th March 2021.
Short description: The aim of the event was to let the partners know, to define better the project implementation phase in order to achieve the project objectives, to divide tasks among partners (dissemination, monitoring, evaluation) and the work plan in local and transnational events. Due to the Covid pandemic the start of the project has been postponed of one year. In the planning of the activities, particular attention has been paid to the coherence and effectiveness of the reaching project objectives mainly with distance meetings.

Event 2 – on line meeting
Participation: The event involved 56 citizens, including 14 participants from Ale Municipality (Sweden), 9 participants from Sala Baganza Municipality (Italy), 5 participants from BASD (Bulgaria), 5 participants from Liiveri (Finland), 7 participants from Thermi Municipality (Greece), 4 participants from Jugendring Enzkreis (Germany), 7 participants from Scandiano Municipality (Italy), 3 participants from the Municipality of Myslowice (Poland) and 2 participants from SERN (Italy).

Location / Dates: The event was implemented on-line from 15^th to 17^th June 2021
Short description: The focus of the event was on European practices and experiences to increase young people active participation in civic society. Particular attention was paid in the workgroups discussion, on the one hand, on how to create a trustful and cooperative relation with decision and policy makers; and on the other hand, on challenges that young people have to face, above all after the pandemic outbreak.

Numerous presentations have been held with the introduction of activities of Swedish youth councils and experiences of youth organisations in the partners’ countries. Special focus was on the role of group leaders to increase participation and commitment in the civic society. Furthermore, practices on how to promote active youth influence in the political and volunteering sphere have been discussed and exchanged among partners.

Event 3
Participation: The event involved 36 citizens, including 2 participants from Ale Municipality (Sweden), 9 participants from Sala Baganza Municipality (Italy), 2 participants from BASD (Bulgaria), 2 participants from Liiveri (Finland), 3 participants from Thermi Municipality (Greece), 2 participants from Jugendring Enzkreis (Germany), 12 participants from Scandiano Municipality (Italy), 2 participants from the Municipality of Myslowice (Poland) and 2 participants from SERN (Italy).

Location / Dates: The event took place in Sala Baganza and Scandiano, Italy from 26/04/2022 to 30/04/2022.
Short description: The local event hosted by the two Italian municipalities represented the occasion to know in deeper the youth associations in the municipalities, to meet peers and to discuss about the organisation of the local youth associations and about the relations with policy makers.

Special focus was on the topic of young people in a crisis period; indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Europe between Russia and Ukraine, events of bullying or cyberbullying and violent behaviours affected negatively young people and their participation within the society. The dialogue with public authorities, education institutions and youth associations has to be considered vital to re-establish a positive outlook for European young people and to improve their civic involvement, their participation in the democratic life and their engagement in the political and social framework.