"Eurodesk Junior Multipliers"

Media materials:

Download
Município de Vila Real

Organisation:

Município de Vila Real

Country:

Portugal

About organisation:

The Municipality of Vila Real has been part of the Eurodesk Portugal network since 2019.Through Eurodesk , the Municipality provides information services for young people and people about opportunities in the fields of education,training and youth in Europe, and promotes activities for the involvement of young people in European initiatives.Vila Real belongs to a low-density territory population,and has more than 8000 students, from preschool to secondary education and all higher education students. Over these 4 years, the municipality has developed, the campaigns proposed by the Eurodesk program,from the European Youth Week,Time to Move,DiscoverEu,SOFA,Online Sessions,Roadshow,Europe Day,European Youth Year and participated in all meetings held by the Eurodesk Portugal Network. In 2021,the municipality saw the approval of the Quality Label for the CES, and aproved 1solidarity projet (CES) "Bila Jovem Solidária"(2022).

Title of the project

"Eurodesk Junior Multipliers"

Start date:

24/5/2021

End date:

5/6/2021

Objectives:

“Junior Multipliers Eurodesk” was an initiative whose objectives were: to train and educate class representatives, young people from the parish (from local youth associations), young presidents of student associations, professional schools and school groups in the Municipality of Vila Real, who within their own school community they published the initiatives and programs of the European Youth Week 2021:Instil active and citizenship participation in young people, in response to the dissemination of European opportunities(YouthExchanges, Erasmus+programmes,CES);Strengthen the idea of citizens of the European Union, giving it positive reinforcement and responsibility through this dissemination task.This was the innovative solution to reach target groups from disadvantaged backgrounds (rural parishes) and reach young people with fewer opportunities. We reached around 750 young people, which made it possible to reach many young people without opportunities, who only in this way became aware of the European programs. All information, presentations and merchandising material were made available to inform young people about mobility opportunities and encourage them to become active citizens of the European Union. Thus, they publicised all the European activities and opportunities among the school/parish communities themselves. Because due to the pandemic, it was not possible to disseminate Eurodesk information, in accordance with the rules in force by the OMS.

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

Due to the pandemic in 2021, the Municipality of Vila Real was unable to facilitate the dissemination of information about the European Youth Week "European Union", among all young people, and thus with "the Junior Eurodesk multipliers", we were able to adapt to reality in a pandemic context. We met with 3 young people from each school (5 schools, 3 normal education and 2 professional education) and 2 young people from each parish council (which in Vila Real are 20 parish councils) and adapted strategies and tools facilitated (digital, Kahoot, webinars and merchandising) for young people to share. In order to innovate the transmission of knowledge, non-formal education methods were used (Kahoots and other games). We monitored each “Junior Multiplier Eurodesk” in order to guarantee the success of the initiative, to see the reach achieved. In addition, it was important to guarantee knowledge to young people. In order to carry out this initiative among young people, we train and provide them with training tools, as most young people have never had any contact with European mobility. For this, they developed new personal and social skills and innovative learning. Having internally, with the school public and young people from rural areas (parishes) the dissemination of European opportunities. They held online sessions between youth associations, young NEETs they knew in their rural areas, in order to include all young people.

How the project was inclusive:

The Municipality of Vila Real is the only Eurodesk Multiplier in the district, which is why we form and encourage the active participation of young people in the general community (among others) all the information we research and receive from the National Agency and the Eurodesk Network. Promoting the “Junior Multipliers Eurodesk” initiative, local young people were the disseminators and transmitters of all the information made available. All published materials (digital, posters, merchandising)were provided by the Eurodesk Portugal Network and contained all official logos.We believe that the greatest dimension achieved, that is, in addition to the dissemination of information by young people, during the pandemic, it achieved enormous reach and success within the scope of the European dimension. That is, a group of 10 students from a vocational school in the interior, who participated in the “Junior Multipliers Eurodesk” initiative, requested support from the Municipality to carry out an application for the European Solidarity Corps, which was presented in 2021 and approved in February 2022. This initiative called "BILA JOVEM SOLIDÁRIA" 2022-1-PT02-ESC30-SOL-000061177, CES application, was developed during the months of July, August and September and promoted knowledge and skills in two key areas: environment (sustainability ) and solidarity. The intention was to go to the meeting of the European Youth Plan, the objectives of sustainable development and the CES.

Green aspect:

This was a sustainable initiative as it fulfilled all the golden principles of green information services. All material used and delivered to junior multipliers for dissemination (Bags, notebooks, pens, bottles) were produced by the National Agency Erasmus+/Youth, Sports and European Solidarity of Portugal and complied with all sustainable standards. The digital materials produced for dissemination in schools and parish councils did not produce any environmental impact. Young people were encouraged and trained to use shared digital tools (powerpoints and kahoots) to promote the promotion of environmental sustainability, in order to reduce the ecological footprint. The "Eurodesk Junior Multipliers" were empowered on new forms of youth involvement, through non-formal education dynamics (Khoot and others). In this way, they collaborated with different stakeholders, civil society organisations, relevant public authorities and young people living in rural areas of the municipalities and young NEETs, who only through this disclosure became aware of existing programs in Europe for their ages (objectives, how to do it , where to do it, how to get help).There were no additional costs, budgets or travel expenses, as during the Covid pandemic contact was almost always online.

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

The Municipality of Vila Real is the only Eurodesk Multiplier in the district, which is why we form and encourage the active participation of young people in the general community (among others) all the information we research and receive from the National Agency and the Eurodesk Network. Promoting the “Junior Multipliers Eurodesk” initiative, local young people were the disseminators and transmitters of all the information made available. All published materials (digital, posters, merchandising)were provided by the Eurodesk Portugal Network and contained all official logos.We believe that the greatest dimension achieved, that is, in addition to the dissemination of information by young people, during the pandemic, it achieved enormous reach and success within the scope of the European dimension. That is, a group of 10 students from a vocational school in the interior, who participated in the “Junior Multipliers Eurodesk” initiative, requested support from the Municipality to carry out an application for the European Solidarity Corps, which was presented in 2021 and approved in February 2022. This initiative called "BILA JOVEM SOLIDÁRIA" 2022-1-PT02-ESC30-SOL-000061177, CES application, was developed during the months of July, August and September and promoted knowledge and skills in two key areas: environment (sustainability ) and solidarity. The intention was to go to the meeting of the European Youth Plan, the objectives of sustainable development and the CES.

Impact:

With the realisation of this project, "Junior Multipliers Eurodesk" came up with an innovative project: "Bila Jovem Solidária". The intention was to go to the Meeting of the European Youth Plan, the objectives of sustainable development and the European Solidarity Corps. Renew positive perspectives of young people, paying special attention to the negative effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on them, highlighting how green and digital transitions and other Union policies offer opportunities to young people and society at large. The realisation of this solidarity project allowed the group of young people to live solidarity experiences, through sharing, involving different target audiences, training and helping young people, especially those with fewer opportunities, to become active citizens and agents of change, inspired by a sense of belonging to Europe. Promoted learning about a more sustainable life (new attitudes and commitments) in solidarity with Europeans. Promoted a positive transformation in the local community and in the lives of young participants, as they got to know different more rural and distant realities; Promoted learning about a more sustainable life (new attitudes and commitments) in solidarity with Europeans; Promoted a positive transformation in the local community and in the lives of young participants, as they got to know different and distant realities; Approaching volunteers to local social networks.