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Rural Youth for community volunteering as an alternative to unemployment and social exclusion.
Start date: Nov 9, 2015, End date: Sep 8, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Young people carry a disproportionate burden when it comes to unemployment. Youth from predominantly rural areas are especially hard hit. Not only do they have higher rates of unemployment but they also often lack the skills they need to procure the jobs that are available and the resources to obtain those skills. As a result we have an increasing number of young people with a sense of exclusion, disbelief in democratic institutions, apathy and disenfranchisement. The further social exclusion of youth from predominantly rural areas seems inevitable and the formal education system doesn't always supply the skills needed for sustainable employment. Our partner organisations addressed these issues in this multi-leg Mobility project, which was in line with the EU Youth Strategy tackling the fields of social inclusion, education & training, cross-sectorial cooperation, employment, & entrepreneurship. We used a peer-to-peer approach to encourage the active participation of young people, particularly those coming from rural areas to become contributors to their local, regional and national community and at international levels on the issues of employability by setting examples of good practice, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, direct participation in policy drafting, sharing experiences, volunteerism, and networking for a common result. The main objectives of this Mobility project were: - the facilitation of the inter-sectorial (NGOs, private businesses, state) networking process among participants and partner organisations; - understanding the big picture of “youth employability” and the potential of Erasmus+ programme and to motivate young activists to become project multipliers; - exchanging ideas and practices of youth participation and youth empowerment in a non-formal way to support grass-root initiatives and volunteering among young people from predominantly rural areas; - creating space for exchanging local project experiences; - to explore the skills and competences gained during the realisation of the project; - introducing participants to an array of new methods to create replicable presentations promoting the values and concept of active citizenship through grass-root initiatives as an alternative to unemployment and social exclusion. Participants involved: - For A1 (Contact making event in Bulgaria, 16-22 January, 2016): 32 youth peer leaders and representatives of the participating organisations (the UK, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Portugal) presented their profiles, shared experience, and brainstormed on ideas on the project theme. - For A2 (Youth exchange in Lithuania, 14-25 March, 2016): 64 young people, coming from predominantly rural areas, with some interest/experience in the topic and the desire to explore, sustain and disseminate the topic. - For A3 (Training course for Peer Educators and Multipliers in Portugal, 21-28 May, 2016): 40 youth peer educators motivated to act as Multipliers of the projects' achievements. The following working methods were used: research, interactive presentations, peer education techniques, simulation exercises, role play games and exercises on inclusion techniques; workshops on project management, best practice on employability and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people coming from predominantly rural areas, Erasmus+ Programme potential to motivate young activists to become project multipliers; inspiration visits and meetings with invited experts (employment and youth sector), youth workers and researchers of different levels including European. As a result of the Mobility project we have a European group of young motivated peer leaders and trained peer educators with necessary skills and competences to promote active citizenship, grass-root initiatives and volunteering to approach youth disenfranchisement and to facilitate employment skills and motivation of peers coming from predominantly rural areas. We will also further spread our findings and knowledge to other youth organisations active with the issues of promoting social inclusion and supporting employment opportunities of young people from predominantly rural areas. All youth exchange participants worked towards accreditation with a Youthpass certificate.
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