EYC2013_Maribor_FINAL-REPORT-EYC-Maribor2013
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FINAL REPORT EUROPEAN YOUTH CAPITAL MARIBOR 2013
Maribor, June 2014
INDEX OF CONTENT 1 INTRODUCTION OF THE EUROPEAN YOUTH CAPITAL MARIBOR 2013 ......... 5 2 OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................................................... 8 3 PROGRAM ........................................................................................................................ 11 3.1. PROGRAM – A CALL FOR TENDERS ................................................................ 11 3.2. PROGRAM – PROJECT OFFICE OF THE EYC MARIBOR 2013 ................... 34 3.3. PROGRAM - VARIOUS ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ......................... 35 4 RESULTS .......................................................................................................................... 43 5 EVALUATION BY LOCAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS ............................................ 51 6 SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROJECT ......................................................................... 60 6.1 PRIORITY AREAS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF YOUTH POLICIES .... 60 6.2 MladiMaribor (YoungMaribor) ............................................................................... 62 6.3 Network of EUROPEAN YOUTH CAPITALS ...................................................... 63 7 FINANCIAL REPORT - 2013 .........................................................................................
64 8 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................. 66 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................ 68
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INDEX OF CHARTS Chart 1: Timeline of Events of the EYC Maribor 2013 .......................................... 50 Chart 2: The Amount of Information for Program Preparation ........................... 52 Chart 3: The Municipality of Maribor's response in providing information ....... 53 Chart 4: The Amount of Time for Program Preparation ....................................... 53 Chart 5: Development of a Youth Program ........................................................... 54 Chart 6: Development of an International Youth Program .................................. 55 Chart 7: Increasing Number of Members .............................................................. 55 Chart 8: Cooperation with Other Organizations ................................................... 56 Chart 9: Importance of Cooperation between Organizations .............................. 56 Chart 10: Participation in a Similar Future Project ............................................... 57 Chart 11: Fulfillment of the Expectations for the EYC Maribor 2013 Project ..... 58 Chart 12: Actual Expenditures of the EYC Maribor 2013 in 2013 ........................ 65 Chart 13: Actual Revenues of the EYC Maribor 2013 in 2013 .............................. 65
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INDEX OF TABLES Table 1: Programs for the Increase of Employability and Employment among Young People ........................................................................................................... 12 Table 2: Programs for the Encouragement of Active Participation of Young People ....................................................................................................................... 16 Table 3: Programs of Encouraging of Active Youth Mobility .............................. 21 Table 4: Structured Dialog Programs .................................................................... 24 Table 5: Part B Programs ........................................................................................ 25 Table 6: Intercultural Cooperation Program ......................................................... 27 Table 7: Non-Formal Education of Young People Programs .............................. 28 Table 8: Volunteering Programs ............................................................................ 32 Table 9: Target and Achieved Quantitative Objectives ........................................ 48
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1 INTRODUCTION OF THE EUROPEAN YOUTH CAPITAL MARIBOR 2013 The ‘European Youth Capital’ (hereinafter referred to as: EYC) is a title awarded by the European Youth Forum to a European city for the period of one year, during which it is given the chance to showcase, through a multi-faceted program, its youth– related cultural, social, political and economic life and development. The intention behind the European Youth Capital title is to stimulate the city to develop new ideas, prepare and implement innovative projects, with regard to active participation of young people in society, and through policies, measures and activities. Only these can prove to be positive examples of good practice in the area of active incorporation of young people, consequently implemented by other European municipalities in the near future. As a university, cultural and sports city, Maribor has numerous opportunities for young people to offer, who can strengthen and develop competences and skills that young people need in their daily lives, whereas at the same time explore different opportunities on how to spend their leisure time and be entertained.
With the candidacy application for the European Youth Capital title, the city of Maribor pursued the following objectives: - To create conditions for the development of an environment that will encourage and help young people to develop and achieve their own potentials, self-reliance and creativity; - To enable the participation of young people in decision-making processes that will directly or indirectly affect lives of young people within the local community; - To enable faster and higher quality of response of individuals and groups to individual, social and intergenerational needs. In 2010, Maribor was awarded the European Youth Capital 2013 title by the European Youth Forum for the period of one year. Therefore, the Municipality of Maribor passed a ‘youth-friendly city’ strategic and developmental plan. The European Youth Capital 2013 title (hereinafter referred to as: EYC Maribor 2013) enabled a higher involvement of youth representatives and topics at the local, 5
regional, national and European level. New ideas and innovative projects for young people were supported and encouraged within the EYC Maribor 2013 framework. The main objective was to improve the quality of life and to foster youth participation in decision-making processes at the local level, whereas contribute to a facilitated development of the local community based on the values of solidarity and nondiscrimination. In June 2012, a call for tenders had been published for the co-funding of new programs in the youth sector for the EYC 2013. The intention was to obtain a range of new programs within youth sectors for the EYC 2013, in accordance with the objectives and content areas covered by the city of Maribor and as stated in the application. Finally, 52 new programs from different topic areas were selected. The Municipality of Maribor encouraged young people to actively participate in the society and decision-making processes through the European Youth Capital 2013 program. By providing youth infrastructure, the Municipality of Maribor generated opportunities and possibilities for organizations to upgrade their existing programs and develop new ones, whose sustainability would contribute to the development of the entire youth sector. Existing youth organizations were also empowered in order to stimulate the development of the entire youth sector.
The EYC Maribor 2013 program was initially focusing on young people aged between 15 and 29, but the involvement of older people also proved essential in order to stimulate intergenerational cooperation. The program was aimed towards finding solutions for current problems young people are experiencing: increasing unemployment and employability of young people, housing problems, but also encouraged voluntarism among young people, intercultural integration, youth mobility, greater recognition of non-formal education and the strengthening of structured dialog. Increased emphasis was also put on the involvement of young people with fewer opportunities and otherwise physically disabled individuals, the Roma population and the long-term unemployed young people. The EYC Maribor 2013 also aimed to grant young people access to regular 6
information and to foster their participation in society and the local community, thus helping to create new opportunities for themselves in a better future. Volunteers proved to be an essential part of the EYC Maribor 2013 team, as they helped to create and spread awareness of their work on the acquisition of formal knowledge among young people. Furthermore, volunteering was promoted as an alternative in order to gain work experience in these difficult economic times. Employability and providing the possibility to gain work experience were two of the main priorities in the year 2013. Due to high average rents in the city, housing issues were also addressed, whereas structured dialog proved to be another important tool. Throughout the year, the EYC Maribor 2013 hosted numerous activities prepared by more than 100 organizations, societies and institutions. Interesting workshops, informative seminars, round tables, international conferences and festivals attracted specialists, influential individuals and young people from all around the world. For once, Maribor was the center of youth activities. 2013 symbolized youth. It was a year of opportunities, innovative projects and creative thinking. The main objective was to let people participate in the activities of the EYC Maribor 2013 program and gain new skills and experiences, furthermore assist in the organization and volunteer.
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2 OBJECTIVES The European Youth Capital Maribor 2013 objectives were divided into three different categories: general objectives, strategic objectives with influences on youth organizations and strategic objectives with influences on the youth of Maribor. The quantitative objectives were set as well. General objectives: -
Create conditions for the development of an environment that will encourage and help young people to develop and achieve their own potentials, self-reliance and creativity.
-
Enable participation of young people in decision-making processes that will directly or indirectly affect the lives of young people within the local community.
-
To enable faster and higher quality of responses of individuals and groups to individual, social and intergenerational needs.
-
Improve the quality of life and foster youth participation in decision-making processes at the local level, whereas contribute to a facilitated development of the local community based on the values of solidarity and non-discrimination.
The strategic objectives of the program related to the development of the youth sector are as follows: -
Develop an encouraging environment to motivate young people and enable their development in order to achieve their full potentials.
-
Strengthen and increase youth participation at both local and national levels through activities, enabling and facilitating youth participation in decision-making process, particularly with regard to young people with fewer opportunities and job seekers.
-
Strengthen cross-sectorial administration of youth within the local community.
-
Strengthen connections and participation within the youth sector.
-
Enhance the sensitivity of the local community towards youth-related matters by providing information, promoting intergenerational cooperation and the recognition of competences and skills obtained through youth work (with local decisionmakers, employers in the public and private sector, etc.).
-
Strengthen and promote the European Youth Capital ‘brand’. 8
-
Ensure higher quality and quicker response of individuals and social groups to the needs of individuals, the society and intergenerational needs.
The strategic objectives of the program related to the empowerment of young people are as follows: -
Enable all active participants in the preparation and implementation of the European Youth Capital 2013 program and all, who will be involved in the shaping of the program, to strengthen or obtain new competences, skills and (learning) experiences.
-
Develop personal potentials, self-confidence and creativity.
-
Enhance the youth’s skills in project idea implementation.
-
Strengthen and expand youth social networks.
-
Strengthen social inclusion of youth at the local, national and European level (promote European identity).
Quantitative objectives of the program are as follows: -
Active participation of at least 50−60 % of the youth aged between 15 and 29 in the preparation and implementation of the EYC 2013 program.
-
Involvement of 80 % of young people as participants in one of the EYC Maribor 2013 program activities.
-
Develop and establish 8 long-term youth programs to be implemented after 2013 in cooperation with young people, among them at least 2 in the fields of employment and housing policy for young people.
-
Develop and establish at least 2 new international youth programs, which will be continued after 2013.
-
Convince 2,000 young people from the European Union countries to visit Maribor during the preparation and implementation of the EYC 2013 program.
-
Enable employment of 200 young people from the Municipality of Maribor on the basis of enhanced and acquired competences, skills and (learning) expertise.
-
Strengthen the role of the Youth Council, which brings together 90 % of youth organizations within the Municipality of Maribor.
-
Increase the number of youth organizations within the Municipality of Maribor by 50 % and increase their membership by 20 % in comparison to the year 2010.
9
-
Improve the participation of young people and youth organizations in the Youth in Action program and the Europe for Citizens program by 300 % in comparison to the year 2009.
-
Develop and establish the Youth-Friendly City ‘brand’.
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3 PROGRAM 3.1. PROGRAM – A CALL FOR TENDERS In 2012, a call for tenders had been published for the co-funding of new programs in the youth sector for the EYC Maribor 2013 and a total of 52 new programs were selected for inclusion. The EYC Maribor 2013 program was initially focusing on young people aged between 15 and 29, but the involvement of older people also proved essential in order to stimulate intergenerational cooperation. The main topical issues for young people were aimed towards solving current problems of young people. The primary part of the program was designed to increase employability and employment,
encourage
volunteerism,
intercultural
cooperation
and
active
participation of young people. Greater emphasis was placed on non-formal education, structured dialog, mobility, ecology, housing issues, cultural development and intergenerational cooperation, but also on the involvement of young people with fewer opportunities and otherwise physically disabled individuals, the Roma population and the long-term unemployed young people. In May 2013 a call for tenders for the co-funding of regular youth activities was also published. The budget for this call was 137.500,00 EUR and totally 37 youth activities were selected. The largest part of the EYC Maribor 2013 resources and energy went into the programs implemented by non-governmental organizations.
• INCREASE OF EMPLOYABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE Increase of employability and employment and provide youngsters with the chance to gain experiences were one of the main priorities of the EYC Maribor 2013, therefore programs
were
developed
that
allowed
and
encouraged
innovation
and
entrepreneurship among young people, and consequently contributed to greater employability and employment of young people.
11
Table 1: Programs for the Increase of Employability and Employment among Young People Organization
Title of the program
The strongest points, achievements of the program
Maribor Cycling
Social
Young first job seekers acquired knowledge about
Network – Society for
Entrepreneurs
the
the Promotion of
hip for the
enterprise.
Cycling and
Youth – ‘From
entrepreneurship, participated in the foundation
Sustainable Mobility
an Idea to New
(with their mentors) and acquired theoretical and
Social
practical knowledge. The program promoted
Enterprises’
innovativeness
process
of
establishing
They
gained
and
a
new
social
skills
in
social
entrepreneurship
among
young adults and enabled them to become aware of their own powers and potentials concerning employability.
University of Maribor
From Idea
This program fostered creativity, innovation and
through
entrepreneurship among young people and young
Realization to
people
Employment
workshops young people were able to discover
with
fewer
opportunities.
In
various
new, scientific ideas with the aim to broaden their minds, knowledge, skills and contribute to the growth of competitiveness. Institute PIP – Legal Successful
The program represented an entire mechanism
and Information Center Disbursement
for all young people and organizations in order to
Maribor
implement youth programs through successful
of EU Funds
disbursement of EU funds. Participants were able to carry out individual activities, gain new knowledge
and
strengthen
their
own
competences, whereas take care of knowledge distribution to other individuals.
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Frekvenca – Socio-
Employ
Young Roma people were faced with their own
Cultural Association of
Creative
obstacles, which they had to address and seek
the Restless and Active
appropriate solutions to raise the employability chances of this target group. With the acquired competences gained through training and within the established ‘place for creative ideas’, the target group tried to remove their personal hurdles and search for appropriate solutions, which could benefit to their higher employability. The program offered professional support with the development of an individual or group solution concerning (un)employment.
Pekarna - Magdalenske
Urbanize!
The program raised the value of occupation in
mreže – Institute for the
shortage that is decreasing and, at the same time,
Support of Civil Society
encouraged young people to become more active
Initiatives and
in the local environment and, furthermore, foster
Multicultural
teamwork. The youngsters were able to exchange
Cooperation
their ideas and completed urban equipment was presented in public areas of the Pekarna Cultural Center.
Maribor Youth Cultural
Local Fund For
The
program
Center
the Youth With
resources
Ideas
development within the local community and were
for
ensured
(smaller)
financial
projects
which
supported
planned as well as carried out by young people. Activities of the local fund were suggested and carried out by the youth. The Maribor Youth Cultural Center took an advisory role, whereas also offered a qualitative educational process for young people within this fund in order to expand their knowledge and gain new competences for the implementation of their own ideas. This is how they ensured that the youth helped each other when searching for financial resources for the realization of projects for positive changes in the local community.
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Institute PIP – Legal Knowledge +
The program helped young people in the search
and Information Center Experience +
for their first job. Employability of young adults
Maribor
Enterprise ≠ No
was
Perspective
education and training approaches, as well as
increased
through
diverse
non-formal
proper support when starting their enterprise career. Within the program, they pursued their goals to improve information distribution about the position and opportunities of young people in the labor market, how to gain competences in order to compete in the labor market, support their enterprise, etc. Therefore, different trainings and services were offered to young people within the ‘Development
Center
for
Non-Profit
Organizations’, as well as career camps, thematic outdoor
meetings,
employability
of
promotions
young
adults,
for
the
educational
trainings for young entrepreneurs, etc. IRDO – Institute for Model M – Pilot
This program focused on the preparation of a
Social Responsibility
Model of
model that would enable the creation of individual
Career Training
career plans under the guidance of various
and Guidance
experts,
for a Higher
assessing their individual cultural, social and
Employability
psychosocial potentials, to independently search
Rate Among
for
Youth
empowered young people with the tools to
thus
business
enabling
the
opportunities.
person,
This
while
program
present their knowledge and attained education qualifications in full to the labor market through several workshops. Ypsilon – Institute of
Mentored
This program was aimed towards those in search
Intergenerational
program: Learn
of employment, young people who wanted to use
Cooperation
from the Best
the experience and wisdom of mentors in their work, ideas and potentials – thus, to learn from the best. Access to the best entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, academics, politicians and other public figures, who would eventually become their
14
mentors, was offered through a web portal. The program
provided
an
environment
that
encouraged the youth, enabled them to grow and realize
their
between
potentials.
mentors
and
Fruitful the
cooperation
participants
was
established and the response of young people has been very positive. Anton Martin Slomšek Cloud of
The program’s main objective was to enable and
Association
Entrepreneurial
encourage
Opportunities
entrepreneurship among young people. That was
for Youth,
a comprehensive approach in order to encourage
Maribor
young talents to activate themselves and become
innovativeness
within
more conscious about their abilities, knowledge, capabilities, and moreover, use them to the fullest extent in order to find and create solutions. They participated in 7 rounds of activities, through which they implemented their formulated strategic and quantitative goals.
•
ENCOURAGE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE
One of the general objectives of the EYC Maribor 2013 was to enable and encourage participation of young people in decision-making processes that would directly or indirectly affect the lives of young people within the local community. The purpose was to encourage and motivate young people to actively participate in all social processes. The objectives within this topic were decentralization activities for the youth, volunteering among young people, intercultural cooperation and mobility of young people.
15
Table 2: Programs for the Encouragement of Active Participation of Young People Organization
Title of the program
The strongest points, achievements of the program
II. Gimnazija Maribor
The Rainbows of the
The main objective of this program was
Secondary School
World
to develop intercultural dialog between pupils from Maribor and other European countries. The project consisted of different
workshops
that
covered
different areas: human rights, debates, literature, theatre, music, etc. Maribor
Youth
Aid
Center Association
The ‘Passions’ Youth
Young people who engage in various
Fair
extraordinary,
attractive,
interesting
hobbies, possess certain knowledge, skills or ‘passions’, presented and shared those with other young people in The ‘Passions’ Youth Fair, which was held in Maribor for three days. Hiša! – Association for
Knowledge Polygon
People and Places
Creative participation and expression brought the empty location in the city center back to life, thus this program encouraged the participation of youth in the public life of the city, invigorated the depleted and sleepy image of the city center, and stimulated experience and knowledge
exchange.
Moreover,
it
helped to form models of good practice concerning the revitalization of urban environments and motivated initiatives and suggestions by the youth. Young people selected
prepared
and
suggestions,
promoted guidelines,
experiences and conclusions of the program to a wider public.
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IAESTE Maribor – The
2013
International
Opportunities
Association
for
–
Year
of
This
program
participation
the
encouraged
of
organizations.
youth The
in
active
non-profit
goal
was
for
Exchange of Students
associations and interested youth to
for
become more involved in voluntary
Technical
Experience
work for these organizations. The youth was addressed in order to actively integrate into the society and participate in the community’s development. This program
enabled
strengthen
their
the
youth
to
competences
and
make the best use of their potentials. The youth was informed about the importance
of
experiences
already
studies,
and,
acquiring
different
during
their
furthermore,
they
participated in several workshops and roundtables. ERASMUS
Student
Social Erasmus
The Social Erasmus Project was aimed
Network
towards young people from Maribor and abroad. It connected young individuals, who are facing different types of social and economic obstacles or cultural differences. In seminars, the youth was educated about the environment and socially important factors: how to help the
underprivileged
youth,
motivate
their personal growth and acquire skills, and encourage informal education. Etnika Association
Don’t
Gamble
your
Future Away
This
program
increased
awareness
about the pathologic consequences of gambling for individuals, their families, friends and the entire society. The program raised public awareness about the danger of such addictions by setting
17
up a web page, publishing a video, and through
public
discussions
and
workshops outlining that the threat is as great as ever and that young people are
the
most
vulnerable
group.
Therefore, young people were involved in the preparation and execution of the conducted research about gambling. IndiJanez
Cultural
Hieroglyphs!
Through this program, writings, video
Society Youth Center
recordings and photographs by young people from the local environment were collected.
Additional
attention
was
given to works, which were focusing on more than just everyday conversations, especially in relation to their content: a reflection
of
a
specific
culture
subculture.
The
program
promoted
and
encouraged
of
archived, public
expression of youth. IndiJanez
Cultural
Kikiriki!
This program included a selection of
Society Youth Center
environmental, social, artistic and other interventions on different topics, all prepared in workshops with groups of young
people.
The
majority
of
interventions took place without prior announcement to the public neither invitations,
since
the
element
of
surprise is of crucial importance, thus such surprises are, in some way, an award for random passers-by and the performers. The main objective of this program was to flood the city streets with
youthful
resourcefulness activities.
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playfulness, and
innovative
IndiJanez
Cultural
We Live Together!
Society Youth Center
Informative, media, educational and other activities: bus manners, dog walking, cleaning of the surrounding environment,
green
police,
etc.,
encouraged young people to perceive their surroundings, set good examples and fostered active participation in society and their families. The program was carried out in specialized work groups, whereas at regular meetings the groups exchanged their knowledge, experiences and evaluated on their activities. Maribor Students’ Club
I take Europe!
The project mainly focused on informal education,
which
was
implemented
through voluntary participation of young people. Slovenian and foreign youth was offered a diverse, attractive and extraordinary set of activities about European countries (short educational excursions,
Italian
cuisine
day,
Portuguese language course, Serbian picnic, etc.). OSMICA Youth Center
Get to know EYC
This program was aimed towards a
Association
wider range of young people. The main objective was to inform the youth about what will happen during the EYC, how to participate and join the activities as well
as
getting
to
know
the
organization. The project’s central point was the publication of the EYC program with
information
about
individual
projects. Furthermore, the publication included
a
presentation
of
youth
organizations in Maribor, information on
19
how to participate and other useful information. Subkulturni Institute Production
azil for
– Art
Youth Project
The program encouraged young people
Laboratory
with
and
fewer
opportunities
from
educational institution in Maribor and its
Publishing
surroundings to develop their music, literary, organizational, working and artistic potentials in order to gain new references and, thus, increase their employment
possibilities.
Different
educational workshops for the youth were organized within this program: workshop on the organization of events, audio
and
studio
workshop,
video
recording workshop, etc. The Friends of Youth
The Young Shoemaker
The program enabled the involvement
Association
– An Inspiration
of the youth in various cultural activities and in the final production about the young shoemaker, while, at the same time, raised awareness about the city’s cultural heritage among them. Within the program a comic book, photography and movie competition were carried out, but also art workshops and the ‘Shoemaker
Festival’.
The
second
cornerstone of this program was the Convention on the Rights of Children, where
young
participants
were
encouraged to consider the exploitation of children for economic benefit and to think about solutions on how to resolve this matter.
20
•
ENCOURAGE ACTIVE MOBILITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE
The objective was to encourage and enable the mobility of young people. Mobility allows young people to form a better perception of different cultures, strengthen their understanding and acceptance towards diversity, what enhances their knowledge and experience and, above all, promotes learning and examples of good practice from elsewhere. Table 3: Programs of Encouraging of Active Youth Mobility Organization
Title of the program
The
strongest
points,
achievements of the program Youth MaMa
Network
Strengthening of International The program ensured a structured Youth Work
discussion between young people, youth organizations, experts and others concerning the importance of international youth work and learning mobility
for the
development of
young and local communities at local, regional as well as national level. The emphasis of this program lied on the promotion and support of international youth work and learning mobility
projects
in
youth
organizations for young people by creating
networking
opportunities
and by continued support in the development of new international youth work programs and projects within
the
EYC
Maribor
2013
organizations. An international threeday conference about international youth
work
Participants
was from
organized. EU
and
neighboring countries advised local participants on the preparation of learning mobility projects, etc.
21
Pekarna
-
The Footsteps of Maribor
The program revealed the diversity
Magdalenske
of life on the streets as well as in the
mreže – Institute
parks,
for the Support of
extraordinary corners of the city to
Civil
Society
tourists and, to everyone’s surprise,
and
to the majority of locals, all in
Initiatives
but
also
unveiled
the
Multicultural
cooperation with experts in the fields
Cooperation
of architecture, urbanism, ethnology, anthropology, etc. Close attention was drawn to the fact that the city not only has a functional, but a social function as well. The program mainly focused on the young citizens of Maribor, travelers and other people who wanted to explore the city of Maribor from another perspective. Therefore, several themed guided walks around the city, lectures, workshops and round tables were organized.
MOBIN
–
Institute
for
Mobility
and
Information
For
Maribor for the Future of the
Within this program, the Maribor
Youth
European
Youth
Card
was
developed as a tool to alleviate the socio-economic situation of all young
Young People
citizens from Maribor regardless of their status (not only for students and
pupils).
The
card
provides
privileged
access
to
informal
education
and
cheaper
transportation, culture, sports and other activities in Maribor. The card was
incorporated
into
the
international system of European Youth cards, thus young people can use it in other parts of Slovenia and Europe.
22
Workshops
on
how
to
produce a video CV were also organized within the scope of this program. Maribor Students’
KMŠ AND EYC 2013
This program included presentations
Club
of the EYC Maribor 2013 to local and foreign youth in Maribor, promotion of the EYC Maribor 2013 and KMŠ (Maribor Students’ Club) through thematic
international
youth
exchanges, and a farewell to the EYC Maribor 2013. A large number of Slovenian and foreign students stayed
in
Maribor
during
this
program.
•
STRUCTURED DIALOG
The structured dialog in the field of youth is a tool for young people, youth organizations, youth councils and researches in the field of youth for active political dialog with those, responsible for youth policy. This dialog may take place at local, regional, national as well as European level. The purpose of this program section was to establish a permanent system of structured dialog, especially at local level, but also to encourage and enable structured dialog at national level. This is also a program section in which young people with fewer opportunities shall have structured dialog with local decision-makers.
23
Table 4: Structured Dialog Programs Organization
Title of the program
The strongest points, achievements of the program
Institute
PIP
Legal
–
Municipal Parliament
The program promoted the participation of
and
young people in democratic decision-making
Information
systems, whereas the program represented a
Center Maribor
framework within which as many decisions and activities as possible were left to the young.
A
simulation
of
the
European
Parliament, the Preschool of Politics, debates with MEPs and other innovative elements represented
the
basis
of
the
Mobilization
of
young
people
program. in
urban
quarters, their active involvement in the preparation
and
implementation
of
the
program, as well as an organized approach and the influence of the youth on decisionmakers were important objectives of this program. City
Youth
Learning for Living
The purpose of the program was to carry out
Council Maribor
a series of events in the field of employment and
employability
connection
with
presentations
of
of
young
people
youth
work.
Therefore,
projects
for
in
young
employers, about youth work, but also round tables on youth work and employment, discussions
on
the
entrepreneurship
possibilities among young people, etc., were organized. Among other things, the Youth Council brought forward the benefits of being a member of youth organizations to the young. City
Youth
Council Maribor
Structured
Dialog:
Independent living represents one of the key
Housing Cooperatives
elements for an individual in order to gain independence. Therefore, the purpose of the
24
program was to ascertain the young and other generations’ perception in relation to the establishment of housing cooperatives in Maribor.
The
structured
dialog
provided
potential solutions to the housing issues of young people, whereas all solutions and proposals were recorded in a brochure. The Youth Council prepared a simulation of an operating housing cooperative, thus moving from the theoretical to the practical level.
•
PART B
This area of action contributed to the implementation of strategic and quantitative objectives set and written in the application for the EYC 2013 (see Chapter 2). Table 5: Part B Programs Organization
Title of the program
The strongest points, achievements of the program
Maribor
M.bike
The ‘M.bike’ program introduced a network
University Sports
of information points for cyclists, whereas
Association
young people could rent bicycles free-ofcharge and explore the city. For this purpose,
bicycles
were
provided
by
collecting old and discarded bicycles, but also voluntary contributions. Each bicycle was
properly
restored
and
uniformly
painted. MARŠ – Institute
Recycling and Reflection
The main idea of this program was to
Maribor Students’
inform the public and to promote as well
Radio
as provide a critical reflection on the events and activities organized within the EYC project. Due to non-compliance with obligations, cooperation was suspended in 2013.
25
Študent
Maribor
Cultural
and
Dance and Sing with Me
Young
folklorists
organized
different
workshops for the younger and elderly
Artistic
population. The main focus of this program
Association
laid
in
the
active
encouragement
of
participation creativity
and
among
unprivileged young people. The program tried to highlight the past times by introducing country life, rustic dances, songs and traditions that were preserved in some parts of Slovenia until today. Visits and workshops at the Department of Pediatrics, retirement homes and the Center for Hearing and Speech were also organized within this program. Lendava
Students’
Bograč
Students’ Club
(Goulash) Festival 2013
The main objective of this program was to gather as many students from Lendava as possible, to present the Lendava Student’s Club
and
the
Furthermore,
city
of
Erasmus
Lendava. students
cooperated within the event and formed their own cooking team. Consequently, the youth strengthened their competences, developed
new
potentials
and
was
introduced to the cuisine and culture of the neighboring country Hungary. IndiJanez Cultural
Listen!
The program was aimed towards the
Society
unprivileged youth or hearing-impaired
Youth Center
young individuals and was based on workshops in which knowledge could be acquired
through
practical
learning.
Furthermore, cultural, social, sports and educational events (sign language courses in Slovenian, etc.) were organized that equally incorporated the deaf, hearingimpaired and hearing youth.
26
Association
for
We are filming!
‘We are filming!’ was a cycle of film
the Development
workshops: animated, documentary, live
of Film Culture
action and experimental ones.
Scout
Society
Generation
XI.
SNOUB
Year of Scout Activities or
The
Scouts in the European
Generation XI. SNOUB continued their
Youth Capital
activities throughout the EYC Maribor 2013.
scouts
They
of
the
published
Scout
a
Society
brochure,
presented their work and different contents aimed towards young people, but also organized city camps with workshops about scout activities.
•
INTERCULTURAL COOPERATION
The purpose within this area of action was to encourage and enable intercultural cooperation and intercultural dialog of youth, as well as foster the engagement of young people in various fields of arts. Table 6: Intercultural Cooperation Program Organization
Title of the program
The strongest points, achievements of the program
Maribor
Art
UGM Najst
This program stimulated the youth towards
Gallery
active
participation
intercultural
in
connection
the
field
through
of
direct
contact with visual arts. Within the program several art workshops, also at schools, and exhibitions were organized.
•
NON – FORMAL EDUCATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE
Non-formal education is an organized, planned and structured learning process based on learning objectives. It gives the youth the opportunity to develop their competences, knowledge and skills. This area of action encouraged and promoted non-formal education of young people and those employed in youth organizations (youth workers), but also tried to increase the sensitivity of the local environment
27
concerning youth topics and the acknowledgement of competences and skills acquired through youth work and non-formal education. Table 7: Non-Formal Education of Young People Programs Organization
Title of the program
The strongest points, achievements of the program
Maribor
Youth
Market of Skills
Market of skills was a form of peer
Cultural Center
socialization
through
which
the
youth
exchanged knowledge, skills and abilities. Young people traded with their knowledge. The Maribor Youth Cultural Center also organized a four-day intensive training program
with
public
speaking
and
improvisation workshops. OSMICA
Youth
Center
A Taste of Europe in Our The program meant to connect Maribor with Town
other cities and countries, thus several
Association
European countries were presented through their language, culture, etc. A list of free, non-formal educational courses in different fields was also compiled.
Maribor
Youth
Litera(z)tura
The program stimulated pupils to test
Cultural Center
themselves in literary creativity, whereas they gained new knowledge, experiences and potentials classical formal education does not offer. Therefore, literary workshops a competition for the best critical short story, appearances, etc., were organized.
ŠOUM – Student Organization
Preschool of Politics
The program was very dynamic as it offered
of
several activities and active cooperation
the University of
with the youth. The Student Organization of
Maribor
the University of Maribor equipped young people with knowledge in the fields of political system performance and political processes. Furthermore, participants were
28
motivated
towards
participation,
active
political
consequently
taking
responsibility of their own faith. Young instructors and activists of the Municipality of Maribor took the main role by selecting young activists, leading the educational training for young activists, preparing street actions and initiatives, etc. Association
for
the Development
European Photo Youth Young people have acquired knowledge Capital
and
of Film Culture
competences
in
the
field
of
photography (workshops in the field of digital and classic photography), specialized web-based
communication,
management
etc.
An
project
international
exchange, online photography contest and a photography exhibition with the title ‘Youth friendly city’ were also organized. Pekarna
-
Reading with Aunt Rosa
Through this program a library with a
Magdalenske
reading
mreže – Institute
engaged
for the Support of
Socially transformative forms of education
Civil
for the youth were implemented in order to
Society
Initiatives
and
room,
enhance
offering
literature,
the
mainly
was
socially
established.
awareness
about
the
Multicultural
importance of creating a critical civilian the
Cooperation
Municipality of Mariborent that pursued social justice. Lectures and workshops in the field of social-transformative forms of youth education were also organized.
European Cultural
Youth: Together We Can The main objective of the program was the and
Create a Better Europe
development, introduction, implementation,
Technological
promotion and encouragement of innovative
Center Maribor
and qualitative contents of an experimental nature (natural sciences, technology and culture/art)
in
the
form
of
non-formal
education. Also the underprivileged youth
29
was
integrated.
experimental demonstrations
Several
open-air
workshops
and
of
experiments
were
conducted, but also new experiments for persons with special needs were developed. Culture
Hearing with Eyes
The
program
focused
on
the
cultural
Association
activation of one of the most vulnerable and
Dance Center
marginalized groups: the deaf and hearingimpaired. The main objectives were as follows:
the
detabooization
of
this
underprivileged group in our society, to raise the importance of sign language, to improve
cultural
engagement
of
deaf
individuals and to foster intercultural dialog. Therefore,
Slovenian
sign
language
workshops and numerous dance, drum and photography workshops were organized, followed by the Festival of Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Arts. Pekarna
-
Blades
of
Magdalenske
Encouraging
mreže – Institute
and Creativity
Grass
– The program consisted of two parts. The
Solidarity first
part
offered
a
new
learning
aid
approach and help through creative writing,
for the Support of
whereas the second part consisted of
Civil
Society
workshops that offered solutions to current
and
topical challenges young people encounter
Initiatives Multicultural
in everyday life. Topics, such as memory
Cooperation
training,
development
of
creativity,
communication skills, conflict and problem resolution, etc., were presented in an entertaining and educational approach. The program
encouraged
young
people
to
spontaneous and carefree cooperation with each
other
by
supporting
each
other
through learning, offering of learning aid and common resolution of different challenges.
30
•
VOLUNTEERING
The EYC Maribor 2013 determined the development and importance of volunteering as one of the key areas of the program. Youth volunteering is important in addition to education and employment, as it is a crucial mechanism of social inclusion. The EYC Maribor 2013 wanted to prove that volunteering does not consist only of unpaid work. Young people with their ideas and suggestions created projects, participated in the organization and implementation of programs, while gaining experience and references. The EYC Maribor 2013 volunteers helped to create and spread awareness of their work on the acquisition of formal knowledge among young people. Furthermore, volunteering was promoted as an alternative in order to gain work experience in these difficult economic times. Activities encouraging volunteering among the youth, the development of measures and activities that could help to increase the visibility and recognition of volunteering at the local level, the establishment of a systematic training approach for volunteers and their mentors, especially in programs where the target audience consists of young people with fewer opportunities, were promoted within this activity area.
31
Table 8: Volunteering Programs Organization
Title of the program
The strongest points, achievements of the program
Scientific and Research
Together
Association
EYC 2013
for
Art,
into
the
The program encouraged local youth to take the initiative and leading roles in
Cultural and Educational
the EYC Maribor 2013 projects through
Programs and Technology
cooperation in the organization and
EPEKA
implementation of international youth exchanges, trainings for coaches and the hosting of international volunteers, whereas raising awareness about the European citizenship in the perspective of active solidarity and understanding of cultural diversity. The main objective of the project was to raise awareness among young people with voluntary work in order to face and confront problems,
conflicts,
intolerance,
hostility,
discrimination
and
other
issues. ŠOUM
–
Organization
Student of
Active Spring
The program consisted of different
the
activities for the youth, who discussed
University of Maribor
volunteering, humanitarian work and environmental issues. The work of the youth – the brigadiers included as follows:
the
maintenance
of
surroundings, tourist and historic trails, helping
locals
with
different
tasks
(winter cleaning and garden works at the
houses
for
elderly
citizens),
cleaning and renovation of buildings in the Municipality of Maribor, etc. The main objective was to offer selfless help to the inhabitants of the Municipality of Maribor,
32
consequently
foster
the
expansion of youth participation in voluntary activities in order to enforce positive perception and solidarity, but also to support fellow citizens. Slovenian
Philanthropy Every
Association Promotion
for
the
Can
be
of
Volunteer
Youngster
This program was aimed towards the
a
promotion
Good
and
development
of
volunteering amongst the youth from
Volunteerism
Maribor, especially the integration of a wide range of young people, but also the unprivileged youth. The program offered support and training for young volunteers and their mentors. The program
activities
consisted
of
information
and
consultations
for
interested
volunteers,
support
for
mentors in youth organizations and the promotion of youth voluntariness, but also introduced different possibilities of volunteering, which is not necessarily limited to the field of humanitarian activities. Maribor
Youth
Cultural
Active Youth
The program focused on organized
Center
voluntary work that offered a possibility of effective free-time activities for the Maribor youth. Non-formal education with a qualitative process of training in the field of voluntary work, rights and obligations of volunteers was offered. A rhetoric course, photography workshop, general training for volunteer trainers, etc., were organized.
Maribor Salesian Society
Giants of Hope
The
Youth Center Association
program
tried
to
establish
a
connection between one user (the ‘small’ one) and one of the volunteers (the
33
‘big’
one)
in
their
local
environment.
The
Giants
of
Hope
offered support in the resolution of personal, social, learning, medical and other deficits through communication with the volunteer.
3.2. PROGRAM – PROJECT OFFICE OF THE EYC MARIBOR 2013 The EYC Maribor 2013 autumn program was primarily divided into four thematic sections (see Appendix 1): MOBILITY Local communities, facing the ever changing circumstances of a globalized society, have to invest great effort in order to retain young people and offer them opportunities in the domestic environment. However, they should be aware of the importance of informal youth mobility between different places within a country and across national borders. EMPLOYMENT With the implementation of a comprehensive set of activities a suitable environment for the employment and entrepreneurship is created, promoting employment at the local level and contributing to the performance of young people in the labor market. EDUCATION The options for the integration of young people in the educational process are crucial to their intellectual development. With the establishment of complementary relationships between formal and non-formal education, we promote life-long learning for young people and contribute to the development of their learning and research potential. The recognition of non-formal education focuses on four fields: formal and political recognition, which can be systemically regulated, and social and personal recognition, which is more oriented towards the identification of the effects of nonformal education.
In the presentation the focus was on the formal and political level of non-formal education.
34
HOUSING ISSUES As a result of the economic and social situation, young people have fewer opportunities for emancipation and an independent life. Housing issues have to be solved in an innovative way with measures and aids, thus ensuring the autonomy of young people and their social functioning in the local environment. Throughout the discussion, the results of the analysis of the housing situation in Maribor and the poll results were presented, whereas highlighting the proposal of a ‘pilot project cooperative building in Maribor’. In the second part of the discussion, examples of good practice from other cities were presented. The discussion was concluded with the opening of the visiting exhibition on housing cooperatives in Austria. 3.3. PROGRAM - VARIOUS ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Beside the primary part of the program, there was also a secondary part that consisted of various activities for young people, such as festivals, conferences, seminars, sports and other events. Ø In November 2012, the Municipality of Maribor hosted the General Assembly of the European Youth Forum in cooperation with the European Youth Capital Maribor 2013 office and the Office of Culture and Youth at the Municipality of Maribor. The European Youth Forum is the umbrella organization of European youth, which connects 99 international non-governmental youth organizations and national councils.
300 participants from all Europe attended the General Assembly. They accepted opinions on different subjects concerning the future of youth in Europe, such as the rights of young people, the quality of non-formal education, etc., and elected new leadership for the period between 2013 and 2014. The hosting of the General Assembly was considered as an informal opening of the European Youth Capital Maribor 2013. Ø Official opening of the European Youth Capital 2013 Maribor The center of Maribor, the Leon Štukelj square, hosted the best world skiers, excellent music and thousands of young people. With the closure of the 49th
35
Golden Fox Ski World Cup for Women on January 26, 2013, the official opening ceremony of the European Youth Capital Maribor 2013 took place. Ø The opening of the EYC Maribor 2013 Cultural Information Center (CIC) The official opening coincided with the exhibition of works by Matija Bobičić, a representative of the young generation of painters from Maribor. On the day of opening, April 9, 2013, activities for the youth were organized during the whole day. The CIC provided young people with all information on youth organizations, youth actions, programs and projects of the EYC Maribor. Various workshops, seminars and activities by youth for the youth were organized in the CIC premises. Young creative artists also used it as an exhibition venue for their works of art. Ø Bring – Take Action The main purpose of this action was the exchange of useful items (clothes, footwear, accessories, school supplies, books, toys, etc.). People brought items from home and if they found something for themselves, they had to pay EUR 0.50 or more and contribute to the renovation of playground equipment. This action was developed and implemented by the EYC Maribor 2013 volunteers. The project took place during the Lent Festival, between June 21 and July 6, 2013. Due to the extraordinary demand, it was carried out again in November 2013.
Ø The EYC Maribor 2013 also raised the question of urban subcultures in the city. The Maribor urban community is expanding every year, connecting a large number of children, young persons and the elderly, who are involved in various urban activities such as skateboarding, skating, action sports photography, recording and the creation of short films, rap, etc. A temporary skate park was set up in the city center in September 2013, raising the discussion about the necessity of a skating park in Maribor. o
Discussion: Skating park in Maribor
Shapers of the Maribor subculture along with the EYC Maribor 2013 and the civil initiative RE: FRESH presented to the mayor of Maribor and his staff the necessity of urban space regulation. The event happened on September 17, 2013. 36
o
Graffiti in the City
In 2013, Maribor in cooperation with the Austrian cities of Graz and Leoben carried out a project of cultural integration in the field of music and dance under the title Graffiti in the City. The project objectives were to promote the art and creativity of young people in partner regions, networking, integration of other cultures, exploration of other cultures and linking the interests of young people from both countries.
19
participants
from
Maribor,
selected
by
non-governmental
organizations within the EYC Maribor 2013 project, traveled to Leoben. Upon arriving home and on the basis of the generated ideas, 11 young graffiti artists were given the unique opportunity to furnish and breathe life into the Titova Street underpass with their art. Therefore, the Titova Street underpass walls were renovated and refreshed with graffiti, whereas proclaimed the first legal graffiti wall in the city. A lasting memory of the EYC Maribor was created. Ø Youth in Action The EYC Maribor 2013 was also a partner of the Youth in Action program which the European Union set up for young people. Its main objectives were to inspire the sense of active European citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to involve them in the shaping of the Union’s future. Not only mobility within and beyond the EU’s borders, non-formal learning and intercultural dialog were promoted, but also the employability and the inclusion of all young people, regardless of their education, social and cultural backgrounds were encouraged within this program. The permanent priorities of the Youth in Action program are as follows: European citizenship, participation of young people, cultural diversity and inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities.
The EYC Maribor 2013 was funded through the Training and Cooperation Plan (TCP) of the Youth in Action program, granted directly by Slovenia’s national agency for the Youth in Action Program. 1. Euro–Polis was a project supported and funded by the EU Youth in Action program. The Euro-Polis projects was developed by the EYC Braga in cooperation with the EYC Maribor 2013 and eight European partners from Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Latvia, Poland, Spain and Lithuania. Each partner organized a seminar on youth related issues: European citizenship, unemployment, creativity and 37
entrepreneurship. The closing seminar, where the final document was written and presented to European decision-makers, was held in Braga. Within the scope of the project several debates with young people, lectures, seminars, discussions on various topics, sharing of experiences were organized, where participants gained new skills in teamwork and the generation of ideas. Events were held between: o September 7 and 9, 2012; o September 10 and October 29, 2012; o October 25 and 31, 2012. 2. Youth exchange: ‘Discover the Diversity and Excitement through Sport’ This youth exchange took place in Maribor between May 11 and 19, 2013. The topic of the project was related to sports, therefore groups of young people from Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Malta and Turkey engaged in activities such as slacklining, climbing, archery, orienteering and several others. 3. Connect Youth – Connect Europe Between September 20 and 24, 2013, the training and networking project ‘Connect Youth – Connect Europe’ aimed towards individuals in the field youth work and youth organization was hosted and organized by the EYC Maribor 2013 under the Youth in Action program. This training connected youth leaders, EVS mentors and other participants, who are active in the field of youth work, from Slovenia, Romania, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Turkey and Spain.
The central themes of the training were the integration young people with fewer opportunities, informal learning and the promotion of mobility throughout Europe. 4. FEXUGA FEXUGA is an Association of Galician youth societies with extensive experience in the implementation of the Youth in Action program, not only in Europe but also in America. The main objective of the association is to ensure support to the members of the associations and assist in the development of activities, programs and projects. The FEXUGA association focuses on topics such as migration, discrimination, culture and the environment. o ‘The Creation of the European Youth Capital’ (April 23 to 28, 2013): This seminar promoted by Fexuga, Xunta de Galicia, several non-governmental 38
organizations, former, future and candidate cities for the European Youth Capital title was based on the exchange of experiences between former European Youth Capitals with emphasis on topics such as the achievements of the EYC project, but also tools for encouragement of young people to participate and attainment of a European dimension. In order to ensure diversity of experience within the project, participants from Varna, Maribor, Rotterdam, Turin, Braga and La Coruña were invited. The project was supported by the EU Youth in Action program. o ‘Young People with Opportunities, Young People with Future’ (September 6 to 11, 2013): This Youth in Action seminar was held and organized by the FEXUGA association in the city of La Coruña in Galicia, Spain. Due to the precarious situation of young people nowadays as a consequence of the economic crisis, various organizations decided to join forces in order to address this reality with all possible means. They wanted to respond to the needs of young people by utilizing one of the most valuable tools: the human capital of technical youth workers, youth leaders and cultural leaders, thus all these people needed resources and strategies before their first approach towards young people which may lead to the implementation of an individual or group action plan for and with young people.
Since in many cases working with public institutions does not proceed smoothly, resources do not always reach their recipients. Two municipalities with extensive experience in the field of youth have been invited for participation: the Municipality of Maribor and the Municipality of La Coruña. 5. European Voluntary Service (EVS) The EYC Maribor 2013 office obtained Youth in Action funding for the project ‘Cocreate the EYC Maribor 2013’ through the Action 2 – European Voluntary Service. Maribor was one of the first municipalities to obtain an accreditation for EVS. EVS is a program of the European Union in the field of European youth cooperation. The EYC Maribor 2013 hosted two EVS volunteers: Pedro from Portugal and Laura from Italy. Other organizations that participated in the EYC Maribor 2013 project also hosted EVS volunteers who helped to co-create the 39