Project summary – Build Inner Peace – Bring Outer Peace

 Project summary – Build Inner Peace – Bring Outer Peace Learning for changeOne of the most pressing challenges to European countries is the fact that a violent radicalization becomes gradually an enormous threat. While thousands of refugees/immigrants flow into Europe, the extremism rises even to the extent of using terrorist violence against fellow citizens.

Young people become an easy victim of these behaviors. Lacking their own critical thinking and inner motivation for being active citizens, they indulge into manipulations and threads starting from violent behaviors in school. School crime, bullying and violence are major concerns and pose an increasing challenge for the European Union authorities. School bullying is a nowadays a widespread phenomenon which takes many forms, such as discriminatory bullying against minority groups, homophobic bullying and bullying against students with special needs. It can also concern any other students who seem vulnerable for or different from their peers.

In this context, there is a need to strengthen the common European values of freedom, tolerance, respect for diversity and non-discrimination. The 2015 Paris Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education comes to light the way to deal with them: education. Knowing though, that school system is overloaded with strict curriculum goals, out of school learning (Non-Formal Learning) can play a key role in this! Youth work can have a significant impact in cultivating critical thinking and fundamental values among young people, preventing extremism, violence and radicalization. In fact, the Youth Work Report 2014 has identified that youth work can result in a range of positive effects for youth which enable them to enhance competences, reinforce their network and social capital, improve particular behaviors and develop positive relationships. Given this, we want to develop this project in order for youth workers of today to acquire additional competences and methods that prevent the violent radicalization of young people, especially among to the hard to reach young people (minorities, migrants etc.).

The aim of this project is thus to develop the competences of youth workers for preventing violent radicalization of young people, particularly to the hard to reach young people

Its objectives are:

  • To develop understanding about the common reality all over Europe regarding violent radicalization
  • To raise awareness about the reasons for radicalization happens among young people in different parts of society
  • To increase the knowledge/awareness of youth workers regarding what young people need to develop fundamental values.
  • To develop skills to prevent violence and radicalization of young people, particularly to the hard to reach youth.
  • To equip with innovative methods and tools for working with hard to reach young people
  • To increase the fundamental values on youth workers themselves and motivate them to work for strengthening these values with their target groups
  • To develop follow-up activities targeting hard to reach young people

This project supports the professional development of youth workers and significantly improves the level of their key competences. Using methods from non-formal and experiential learning and innovative concepts in youth work, it aims at achieving a better future society, infused by human rights respect, active citizenship, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity. In the end of the project, youth workers will have improved competences and better quality in their work and activities in favor of young people.

Build Inner Peace – Bring Outer Peace project has one activity – a learning mobility of youth workers from the Programme countries. 28 people will participate in this mobility, 24 of which will be participants (learners), 3 will form the trainer’s team and 1 person will be administrative and logistic support. The training will take place from 06 – 14 November 2018, at the training center “Momina Krepost”, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. The main activity in the project is a training course for Youth workers. The TC will contain of 7 full training days. The participants will be from 8 countries – Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, UK, Italy, France, Greece and Estonia.

There are four competence areas that the learners (Youth workers) will develop through this project:

  1. Addressing the topic of violent radicalization
  2. Delivering workshops/activities against radicalization
  3. Working with hard to reach target groups (NEET, youth with fewer opportunities, refugees, and migrants)
  4. Performing high quality youth work based on professional expertise