Inclusion in Mobility Projects | Training Course on the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities

From 7 to 14 March 2023, took place the Training Course “Inclusion in Mobility Projects”, organised by the Associazione di Promozione Sociale Joint and hosted by the Ostello Parco Monte Barro, in their beautiful location in Galbiate, Italy.

In the light of the 3-year Erasmus Plus accreditation obtained by the Associazione Joint to develop a strategy aimed at the inclusion and empowerment of young people with the fewer social and economic opportunities in European mobility projects, the training was the first step towards achieving 3 objectives:

• Recruit young people with fewer opportunities, also by creating local networks of organisations working directly with them;
• Train youth workers active in the field of international mobility to work with young people with fewer opportunities and train educators to work in international mobility projects;
• Create standard preparation and follow-up activities to meet the needs of this target group.

Inclusion in Mobility Projects

The objective of the Training Course “Inclusion in Mobility Projects” was to train participants to their eventual involvement in Youth Exchanges financed by the Erasmus+ programme and organised by Associazione Joint and its network of partners over 2023, and in the following years. These projects will in fact involve vulnerable and highly vulnerable young participants with economic and social difficulties.

During the course, the priorities were:

• Train group leaders on inclusion and strategies to support participants with fewer opportunities before, during and after a youth exchange experience;
• Co-design the youth exchanges to be hosted by Associazione Joint in 2023 that will focus on inclusion;
• Establish cooperation agreements with organisations active in the field of youth mobility.

Testimonies of Participants

Curious to know how it went?
During the 8 days of work, Associazione Joint collected testimonials from the training participants!

“THE TRAINING COURSE WAS WELL THOUGHT AND I FELT LIKE I GOT PERSONAL GROWTH THAT HELPS ME IN MY CAREER AND ALSO IN MY PERSONAL LIFE.1 WEEK IN MONTE BARRO WAS EXCEPTIONAL.” – JAMI, FINLANDIA (ASSOCIAtion OIVANKI)

“NGO PROVIDING EXCELLENT SUPPORT AND IMPARTING VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE. OVERALL, IT WAS THE BEST-ORGANIZED PROJECT I HAVE EVER PARTICIPATED IN.” – MIRKO, SERBIA (ASSOCIAtion MOTUS ADOLESCENTI)

“EIGHT INCREDIBLE DAYS, BETWEEN SKY AND LAKES, EXCHANGING PRACTICES, KNOWLEDGES, LANGUAGES AND STORIES. IT IS HARD TO FORGET EXPERIENCES LIKE THESE.” – NICOLÒ, FRANCIA (ASSOCIAtion HORS PISTES)

“IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING WEEK. THANKS TO THIS TRAINING COURSE I HAVE LEARNT A LOT ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE MYSLELF AS A YOU THE EXCHANGE LEADER. I HAVE ALSO MET A LOT OF INCREDIBLE PEOPLE INSPIRING ME FOR MY PERSONAL LIFE AND MY PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS. I’M REALLY GREATFULL TO EVERYBODY THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE!” – ADRIÁN (ASSOCIAtion PARCOURS LE MONDE)

“THE TRAINING COURSE WAS PRETTY COOL, I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH FEWER OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE PRACTICAL EXERCISES WERE GREAT FOR PRACTICE.” – MIKKEL, DANIMARCA (ASSOCIAtion PASSION UDFLUGT)

“IN GALBIATE, ITALY. I REPRESENTED THE PRIENAI YOUNG MALTESERS GROUP AND THE PRIENAI PRIENAI PRIMARY SCHOOL.THE AIM OF MY PARTICIPATION WAS TO FIND PARTNERS FOR THE YOUTH EXCHANGE AND TO BE A YOUTH LEADER IN THE FUTURE EXCHANGES. IN THIS EXCHANGE WE PLAN TO INVOLVE THE BEST MEMBERS OF THE PRIENAI YOUNG MALTESERS GROUP AND THE BEST STUDENTS OF THE ISLAUZ SCHOOL. 22 PARTICIPANTS.10 COUNTRIES – PORTUGAL, LITHUANIA, FINLAND, SERBIA, GERMANY, POLAND, FRANCE, SPAIN, ITALY, AND DENMARK. WE LEARNT HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE YOUNG PEOPLE AND INVOLVE THEM IN MOBILITY PROJECTS. CONTACTS WERE MADE FOR FUTURE YOUTH EXCHANGES. I AM GLAD THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE ISLAUZ SCHOOL SUPPORTS MY DESIRE TO LEARN AND DEVELOP. AND ABOVE THAT CHURCH IS A 15TH CENTURY CHURCH. FRANCESCO SFORCA, GREAT-GRANDFATHER OF OUR SIGISMUND AUGUSTUS, HAD A FORTIFICATION WALL BUILT.” – RITA, LITHUANIA (ASSOCIAtion PRIENU JAUNIEJI MALTIEČIAI)

“IN THIS TRAINING COURSE I HAVE SHARED AND EXCHANGED EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER YOUTH WORKERS AND YOUNG FUTURE YOUTH LEADERS WITH DIVERSE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS.  THE SYNERGIES THAT I HAVE CREATED WITH OTHER PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND CULTURES IS AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY” – AIDA, SPAGNA (ASSOCIAtion MUÉVETE POR EUROPA)

“THE TRAINING COURSE REALLY HELPED UNDERSTAND OTHERS WITH SIMILAR GOALS AND GOT ME TO EXPEND MY VIEW OF THIS FIELD OF WORK. IT MADE ME EVEN MORE SURE THAT I WANNA KEEP GOING IN THAT DIRECTION, AND I HOPE THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO TEACH THAT EXPERIENCE TO OTHERS” – LOICK, FRANCIA (ASSOCIAtion PARCOURS LE MONDE)

“THIS TC HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY EMOTIONAL FOR ME. THE TOPIC TO BE DISCUSSED WAS INCLUSION AND WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED IS TO CREATE A GROUP OF VERY CLOSE TIES BETWEEN US, A TOTALLY HORIZONTAL COMMUNITY AND A SAFE SPACE IN WHICH EVERYONE FELT COMFORTABLE. WE HAVE UNDERSTOOD INCLUSION AND ITS IMPORTANCE AT THE DEEPEST LEVEL SINCE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IT ON OUR SKIN. IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE” – SANTIAGO, SPAGNA (ASSOCIAtion BRÚJULA INTERCULTURAL)