Youth festival "KOPUMS"

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Jurmala Youth iniciative centre

Organisation:

Jurmala Youth iniciative centre

Country:

Latvia

About organisation:

Jurmala Youth Initiative center is a municipality institution which works with youngsters from 13 till 25 years, based upon LV Youth regulations, but provides Erasmus+, EU Solidarity corps and other projects for youngsters till 30 years. JYIC is responsible for planning and organizing the job with youngsters in our municipality. We work with the Youth council, student parliament leaders group, organize interest based group activities, workshops and learning groups. Also we provide opportunities for youngsters with fever opportunities, from risk groups and others a safe space to be, consulting and mentoring.As the only youth center in our municipality, we are the only Eurodesk point, providing information and introducing our youngsters with opportunities in our city, country and all around the EU. We write, participate and organize different types of projects, including youth exchanges, training, camps, volunteering and others. We are a place for youngsters to meet, create, do and b

Title of the project

Youth festival "KOPUMS"

Start date:

12/8/2022

End date:

13/8/2022

Objectives:

Youth festival “KOPUMS” (transl. TOGETHER) was the biggest event for youngsters, celebrating the European Year of Youth and providing youngsters with all kinds of opportunities. The main focus was young people and their needs and interests. Our goal was to create an event that would reach as many youngsters as we can around Latvia, that’s why we gave youngsters opportunities to participate in the making of the program. About “KOPUMS” - it was a two day festival, gathering more than 2 000 youngsters that were participating, working as volunteers or in the organiser group, but if we count all the people that went through our festival area, it was around 7 000. Our main objective was to inform and give youngsters a chance to learn and even try some opportunities that they have. We had a main stage that held discussions about hot topics in youth work, for example, how youngsters and their needs change, what are the risks and challenges in this field and open discussions with our government leaders. We held an opportunity market with Eurodesk point, youth podcast, Youth agency with information about exchange and different projects, leadership improving tents, summer job opportunity tents, scouts, university tents etc.

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

The event was organised by a team of young people who put a lot of effort to make the festival topical and relevant for other young people. The organiser team had never yet organised a youth event of such a big size, so the task, when it was done, served as a huge empowerment that they are able to do such great things.This event empowered other youngsters to take chances, make new contacts, participate in processes, try new things and get peer to peer experience. Youngsters were the main character in this event - the information givers and getters. We gave them a chance to advise, lead, organise, represent activities that are important and actual for them, because we do believe that youngsters know better about their needs and interests. Young people represented their own NGOs, led activities and workshops, participated in discussions about the future of Europe, shared their opinions, created art, found new friends and asked questions that were of interest to them, therefore afterwards feeling more empowered to raise their voice and believe that they are special, worthy and important to the society.The volunteers were empowered by tailoring their work duties according to their interests and needs and doing the best in organizers’ power to try and make sure everyone feels included and works at a position that gives space for growth and also spending time in a nice, fun way.

How the project was inclusive:

We had Eurodesk tents and banners around the area. Activities and organisations that were talking or informing about EU and opportunities: Youth podcast, board game designed by NGO Creative minds of Culture, Europe's house, European commission from Latvija etc. We used the European Year of Youth logo. We held discussions about processes and youth opportunities in Europe. We gifted youngsters with presents from Eurodesk like T-shirts, bags etc., that served as a long time commercial for Eurodesk, because they use these things on daily bases. The event was visited by youth delegations from neighbouring countries Lithuania and Estonia. The NGO fair of the festival was broadcasted live with the help of a local youth podcast studio, therefore digitally available to anyone who could not make it to the event.

Green aspect:

We arranged recycling bins all around the area. We had informative posters about how to recycle correctly. Scouts held an activity where they informed youngsters about how to correctly take care or nature around us. All the food and drink was provided in boxes and containers that you can recycle. We had a volunteer team that was responsible for the area and environment around us. Their main goal was to inform people about correct ways how to treat area and nature around us with respect- We held discussions about zero waste, living green and recycling.

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

We had Eurodesk tents and banners around the area. Activities and organisations that were talking or informing about EU and opportunities: Youth podcast, board game designed by NGO Creative minds of Culture, Europe's house, European commission from Latvija etc. We used the European Year of Youth logo. We held discussions about processes and youth opportunities in Europe. We gifted youngsters with presents from Eurodesk like T-shirts, bags etc., that served as a long time commercial for Eurodesk, because they use these things on daily bases. The event was visited by youth delegations from neighbouring countries Lithuania and Estonia. The NGO fair of the festival was broadcasted live with the help of a local youth podcast studio, therefore digitally available to anyone who could not make it to the event.

Impact:

The event gathered around 2 000 youngsters from different parts of the country. 80 young people developed their skills by doing voluntary work at the festival. Local NGOs had the chance to popularise themselves to the young people of all the country and the youngsters learned more about youth work, youth participation, European opportunities as well as possibilities to join NGOs. Approximately 10 000 people as the secondary target audience both digitally and face-to-face got acquainted with the project, the fact that it was the European Year of Youth, as well as information about all kinds of opportunities that are being organised and implemented everyday especially for youth. The city of Bauska, who is the capital of youth for the year 2023, saw the festival as a good practice, and is planning to implement a similar one in their city in August as the start of a tradition. The event was a very good chance for the local youth professionals to meet, network and discuss further opportunities to work together and form new alliances to be able to work more efficiently and reach bigger goals.