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Don't wait. Participate!
Start date: May 1, 2016, End date: Apr 30, 2017 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Getting young people involved with decision making and acting for change, giving them possibility to be active - it is a big chance for development of local communities. Ideas of young people might bring a lot of innovations and positive changes for community life. What is even more important - it is a big chance for young people for their personal development. Youth participation helps to form active attitude of youth, it teaches them responsibility, self-reliance, gives them more self-confidence and helps them to become active citizen. It also gives chance to youngsters to learn and improve important skills, for example in communication and management. The project's name: 'Don't wait. Participate!' shows our main aim. It is to develop and support youth participation at local levels. We would like to convince young people that they have important role in the society, especially in local communities, and they are really able to change a lot. This is why they should not wait for change to come. They should make a change - be active and participate.The objectives of the project are:- to sustain motivation of young people to be active in local community and to encourage wider group of youngsters to this,- to develop competencies of youth which are needed to be active citizen,- to share experience and good practice in the field of youth participation among youth, youth workers and organizations,- to prepare youth and local community for setting up youth parliamentsThe project consists three youth exchanges.1. 'Don't wait – but why?' - the youth exchange will take place in the Czech Republic, the venue will be in camping base of SVC Decko in Viznov (next to Mezimesti). The mobility will last 7 days, from 18.07.2016 to 24.07.2016. This youth exchange will be sort of introduction. It will be focused on motivating youngsters to be active by leading them to understand the importance of participation.During this stage of the project participants will:- gain better understanding of democracy system,- gain knowledge about local governments, youth parliament and local communities- improve communication skills- develop in team workImportant part of this exchange will be ice-breakers and team building activities. 2. 'Participate – but how?' - this stage of the project will take place in Cascais in Portugal. The mobility will last 7 days, from 24.10.2016 to 30.10.2016. This stage of the project will be dedicated to practical skills which participants need to carry out their own initiatives.It will include fallowing topics:- speaking in public- PR- project managing- found-rising- examples of successful youth initiatives3. 'Don't wait. Participate!' - this part will be organized in Poland, in the one of mountain shelters located close to Kudowa Zdroj. The mobility will last 5 days, from 20.02.2017 to 24.02.2017. This part will be a summary of the previous stages. Participants will have time to reflect on their role in local community and to plan what they can do to bring positive change to their towns.This exchange will include:- work on the participants' projects- preparation for setting up youth parliament- evaluationIn every activity will take part 32 participants. It will be 8 teenagers form each organization and 2 leaders, moreover there will be 2 more facilitators from organization responsible for single activity.Methods used during the project activities will be different methods of non-formal education. It will be learning by experience as it is the most effective way to learn for youngsters. Methods will be adapted to the particular topics. The programme will be partly based on methodology Active Citizens which was created as a part of the programme of British Council.As the most important impact we find impact on the participants. It is a change in their attitude. We expected that thanks to the project they will have motivation to be active in local community, sense of responsibility for their situation, interest in the policy and willingness to carry out own initiatives, preferably by being part of youth parliament. The impact on the participants is gaining practical skills and useful knowledge, mostly about communication, project managing and democracy. Apart of it as important impact we find tolerance and openness for different cultures and people from different countries and different backgrounds. Moreover there is impact on organizations and local communities.Longer term benefits are: increasing a number of active citizens, development of local communities, development of democracy (especially at local level but not only), increasing tolerance and European awareness.

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