YouthNET Program

YouthNET youth exchange is a phase of YouthNET-Creative Partnerships with SEE programme that happened in the period from 8th-13th May 2008, Khalkidhiki, Greece. The participants from the last two meetings of each YouthNET sub-groups (“Peace and Environment”, “Art and Culture” and “Tolerance through Local Participation”) met and had an opportunity to exchange their experiences, motivations and interests for the future work in the framework of YouthNET network. Concrete project ideas which will be implemented in the second half of 2008 and in 2009 were developed during this event. 35 participants from SEE and EU attended this exchange.

YouthNET

YouthNET has been active in South East Europe with a series of projects and activities since 2001. These initiatives have been supported by the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the European Commission and by all respective Ministries of Southeast Europe and coordinated by Interkulturelles Zentrum Vienna.
Since January 2007 a new project generation is on its way: "youthNET - Creative Partnerships with SEE". The three-year project is designed to strengthen regional cooperation in SEE through:

• Capacity building for South East European NGOs to strengthen them as partner and organiser of European youth projects and to foster regional ownership
• Development of regional networks and pilot projects in SEE in partnership with EU countries
• Promotion of the “Youth in Action” programme in SEE Three thematic sub-project groups from neighbouring SEE countries as well as EU partners are continuously working together for a 3 years period to cooperatively develop pilot projects and an action plan for regional cooperation.

The three general topics are “Environment and Peace” (Countries/Regions involved: Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, EU countries), “Art and Culture” (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, EU countries), and “Tolerance through local participation” (Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece, EU countries).

All activities will be prepared by one of the partner organisations in close cooperation with young people from the area where the activity takes place. Young people’s organisations will be invited to contribute their ideas already in the planning process, to visit projects in the respective municipalities, to meet local people in charge of youth issues, etc. Exchange visits between the groups and common project activities offer opportunities for young people to develop their own follow-up projects with partners from abroad. Information, advice, and trainings will be offered on how to make efficient use of the new “Youth in Action” programme and other support available on national or European levels.

BCYF has been coordinating the sub-group Tolerance through local participation and during 2007 have organised 3 regional events with over 150 young people involved. Next meeting in planned for June 2008.

reports:

YouthNET start up conference
Tolerance Through Local Participation- phaze 1
Tolerance Through Local Participation- Phaze 2