How to find the right career

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APLIC Association

Organisation:

APLIC Association

Country:

Romania

About organisation:

APLIC Association started to function since 2013 as informal group of young people, and after this we won a project through Youth in Action Program (1.2. Youth Initiatives), where we stipulated that we will start our own organization after its implementation. Our purpose is promoting and implementating of educational and cultural initiatives, social engagement for the cultural, educational, and social development in different areas of interest, localy, nationaly and internationaly, providing educational, communicational, informational, cultural and psycho-social support to children, youth, adults and elderly, without discrimination, in order to create an ideal framework for maximizing the intellectual, emotional, social and/ or artistic potential, as a premise for personal growth and improved quality of life.We also work with European youth information. Also, so far, we have been partners in some other European projects that developed different intercultural exchanges and trainings

Title of the project

How to find the right career

Start date:

1/3/2022

End date:

31/12/2022

Objectives:

The purpose of the project was to improve the lives of young people from Arges County through education, facilitating their integration into the labour market by developing their social and communication skills. More than that, we want to empower young people to be citizens actively involved in their communities. For that to happen, we developed the first 5 Euro-activism trainings from Eurodesk for young people in 5 cities and communes from Arges County, in order to find some youth willing to participate and create ideas for the project that can be implemented with their help. 15 youngsters from 3 communities wanted to join our association as volunteers and to create activities for other youth regarding how to define their professional road. This was the point where they put the basis of the `How to find your right career` project. The main objectives: The personal and professional development of at least 60 young people from Arges communes by organising workshops with non-formal exercises, strategies for professional growth and development, creating an interactive guide book with basic concepts and practical tests that indicate personality types for successful careers, creating 3 Reading Nests in the Public Libraries from the 3 involved communities.The young people empowered the participants included in this project to join these nests and to create further on activities or meetings, for socialising and communication, but also for reflection, research and learning.

Why the project was: empowering young people, adapting to changing realities, or thinking out of the box:

A part of the youngsters who participated in our Euro–Activism workshops were convinced that they can do more for society. They were 16 to 18 year old high school students who joined our association as volunteers and created by themselves all activities regarding how youth can define their professional road, based on their direct needs. This was the point where they put the bases of the project `How to find your right career`. We met frequently with them and helped them to turn their ideas into a concrete project.We think this is a strong example of empowering people to do as much as they can, to demonstrate their true European active citizenship.They were at first trained for obtaining the necessary skills to run this kind of project, they got involved in each stage of the project and helped for that obstacles during the implementation to be eliminated. Not only that they succeeded in their tasks but also they managed to convince other young people included in the project that they can be as them also. So other participants manifested their intention to continue our activities in the Reading Nests for other people. In this aspect, after the project was finished, some other activities were organised there with the help of librarians, but most of all, with the help of young people included in the project, who had the chance to meet our group of empowered youngsters. So, we can say we empowered young people from the rural area, supporting young people with difficulties.

How the project was inclusive:

Being a Eurodesk local point, we also have some different contacts with foreigners and some other friends from different European countries and, in order to give an European dimension to our local project, we involved them in organising together some activities within this project. For instance, at the Euro-Activism workshops we presented some European projects that we developed for the participants to realise how many opportunities exist in the European Union for them if they are getting involved in some associations` youth work. Also, we invited some Romanians students (Erasmus+ beneficiaries) to share their European learning experience to our project participants, in order for them to get familiarised with European citizenship, to what Europe has to offer as opportunities for them. In every stage of the project, we ensured the visibility and promotion of Eurodesk Network providing information about its channels on social media, website, European Youth Portal etc. The participants received promotional materials with the Eurodesk logo. We had the Eurodesk banner with us during the Euro – Activism workshops and the participants even subscribed to the Romanian Eurodesk newsletter. So in this manner they will be able to stay connected to European youth information further on, after the project is finished.

Green aspect:

The green component of the project was given by the fact that the participants used public transportation to come to our events. For that rural area where this was not possible, we went to meet them in their community and we did some of the workshops. Even some of our special guests used the bus to come from Bucharest to attend our events. Also in our activities we tried to avoid the use of paper, as most exercises did not require printing and when needed we adapted to digital forms. Also here we did not use so much electrical energy as we opted for direct presentations (not PPT). For all the materials that we needed for implementing this project, we bought eco-friendly products: eco pens and recycled paper, cartoon cups and plates, and local bio sweets.

How the project has given a European dimension to your event and ensured the visibility and promotion of Eurodesk?

Being a Eurodesk local point, we also have some different contacts with foreigners and some other friends from different European countries and, in order to give an European dimension to our local project, we involved them in organising together some activities within this project. For instance, at the Euro-Activism workshops we presented some European projects that we developed for the participants to realise how many opportunities exist in the European Union for them if they are getting involved in some associations` youth work. Also, we invited some Romanians students (Erasmus+ beneficiaries) to share their European learning experience to our project participants, in order for them to get familiarised with European citizenship, to what Europe has to offer as opportunities for them. In every stage of the project, we ensured the visibility and promotion of Eurodesk Network providing information about its channels on social media, website, European Youth Portal etc. The participants received promotional materials with the Eurodesk logo. We had the Eurodesk banner with us during the Euro – Activism workshops and the participants even subscribed to the Romanian Eurodesk newsletter. So in this manner they will be able to stay connected to European youth information further on, after the project is finished.

Impact:

The objectives of the project were fully accomplished by training the young people involved as leaders into their community. Their personal and professional development and their proactive attitude is of immediate benefit to project`s participants.The impact in local community was big because on long term, our empowered young people can carry out further activities for other young people from the communities involved, with the help of the resources from the Reading Nests launched in public libraries involved. They now even can change wrong perceptions of locals regarding European citizenship or some levels of discrimination. From now on, they will develop other initiatives in their communes about a more inclusive, green and participative Europe, they can get involved in future projects for the development of their communities. As results we mention: 15 youngsters empowered to be European active citizens; 5 Eurodesk Euro-Activism workshops for youth; 389 participants at Euro-Activism workshops and at the activities carried out within the project who learned about European citizenship and how to create their own CV, to write a cover letter or how to present themselves at a job interview; 5 interactive workshops held with young people from the communities; 1 commune and 2 small cities involved; 3 reading Nests launched; 3 developed public libraries; 1 guide for youth; 1 press release; 22 posts, videos, albums with photos and information on social media.