Good Practices

by Senta J | Mar 30, 2020

Slovenia

Mastering active participation and knowledge of good practices in the field of youth work is key when working with young people.

First example of best practices in Slovenia was titled “Clean up Celje”. The aim of the project was to raise awareness of the importance of environmental protection among young people, to raise awareness of the “zero waste” philosophy and the importance of recycling, and to develop environmental values.

The most important goal was to clean the environment by collecting waste at five different locations around the city of Celje. Target group were students aged 14-20 years and teachers. 959 people participated.

Plan for implementation:

· First 5 minutes – Introduction and division into groups

· Next 15 minutes – Walk to the location

· 2 hours – Cleaning

· 30 minutes – Lunch break

· 1 hour and 45 minuts – Cleaning

· 15 minutes – Walk to the youth center

· Last 10 Minutes – Evaluation

Second example of best practices were “Preventive youth workshops”. The main aim of the project was to accelerate the development and socialization processes of young people and prevent social exclusion.

The most important goal wasto create a positive self-image, acquire social skills among students and involvement of primary school students in active social life. This was carried out by an interactive workshop conducted by previously trained volunteers. The methods of social games, role-playing and simulation games were used in the process.

Activities included around 20 students from elementary school, ie. eighth and ninth grade.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria presented example of best practices titled “Social Entrepreneuership Laboratory (SELAB)” with the aim to develop knowledge and practical skill about youth social entrepreneurship initiatives.

The goal was to develop:

– skills for validation of ideas,

– creativity and critical thinking for generation of innovative ideas,

– preparation of the ideas for the implementation,

– presentation of the ideas.

This was carried out by teamwork, brainstorming, presentations, visualization. Around 20 young people and youth workers participated. The participants were involved in different topic sessions, from the basics of social entrepreneurship to developing of concrete ideas. They presented their ideas and received a feedback on this.

The second case was “Social competences development training” with the aim to stimulate young people to develop their knowledge and skills on management and entrepreneurship and discover and develop their transversal competences.

Training provided participants with the information about the value of social competences for the labour market, with an example of individual training needs investigation and with the piece of evidence about the advantages and benefits of soft skills training. This was carried out by teamwork, brainstorming, group discussions, presentations, self-evaluation, interactive exercises. . Around 20 young people and youth workers participated.

Different session were carried out, like brainstorming session on market of competences, presentation session on social competences and labour market, self-evaluation session.

Tanzania

Tanzania presented two cases of best practices. The first is titled “Youth Farmers Field day”. The aim of the planned acitivites is to to expose youth to the opportunities available in the Agricultural sector.

The goals arte to impart agribusiness mindset to young people and to stimulate innovation and creativity in agriculture.

Methods used are sharing success stories from young farmers, role play from participants, questions and answers, songs and poems and field observation (visiting the well perfomed demoplot). This was designed for 60-70 participants (students), aged 14-17 years.

The team created detailed step by step implementation plan:

1. Preparation of demoplot in secondary schools ( 3/2 months before the event) -demoplots are to be managed by secondary school students and supported technically by youthworkers.

2. Meeting with school adminstration & Local Goverment Authorities to inform about the youth farmers field day

3. Setting the event organization comittees

4. Informing the agribusiness clubs to start Preparing of songs and poems, and innovation that are to be shared with others

5. Preparing a place for event ( must be in a school that a demoplot has perfomed welll than others)

6. Sending Invitation letters to Local government authorities , school adminstrations and to young farmers who will share the successful stories and other actors in agriculture value chain.

7. Prepation of material to be used :-stationaries, PA system and arrangment of transportation.

8. Event Day

The second example of best practices is “Youth in Agriculture Talk show”, which is actually a community radio programme.

The aim of this activity is to increase awareness and knowledge on agribusiness to the youth in Lindi Region. The goals are to motivate and encourage young people to engage in agribusiness by using the methods of Interviews and debates.

The plan of talk show:

· Introduction of the topic and the participants of the talk show (by radio presenter)

· Welcoming participants on social median pages of a radio station (by radio presenter)

· A brief description of the concept of youth in agribusiness ( by Youth worker from AMSHA)

· Talk show (Contributions from representative – Local government authority representative, youth farmers and other invited value chain actors)

· Break

· Contribution from Radio listeners ( through phone calls and SMS) and followers in social media

· Summing up and closing remarks

In addition, the team developed detailed implementation plan:

1. Preparing the topic of talk show and preparing budget of the program

2. Identify participants of the talk show based on selected topic

3. Organizing the program with a local radio station

4. Preparation and sending invitation letter to the talk show identified participants

5. Prepation of material to be used the program

6. Airing the Talk show

7. Evaluate of the comments made by followers on social medias and listeners

The reach of the activitiy is up to 500 young people (reached directly and indirectly), aged between 15 and 35. The important target group are also actors and decision makers in Agriculture sector and youth development.

Malawi

Malawi presented two cases of best practices. First is titled “Engaging Malawi Young Generation for Sustainablity”. The aim of this activity is to make sure that young people are engaged and taking active roles in shaping sustainable approaches, which would influence much on making SDGs a reality.

The goals are:

· To engage 60% of unemployed young in Chikwawa and Nsanje people in tackling the emerging global issues which are contributing more suffering globally;

· To create an awareness of sustainable natural resources management and sustainable agriculture as sustainable model of business;

· To create sustainable solutions to issues affecting the youth in Malawi and globaly.

The activity targets up to 30 young people aged 18-30.

Step by step implementation plan:

· Introduction: The facilitator introduces the topic to be discussed to the participants, and ask participants to explain the topic in the form of prenaly, group discussion or any other interesting form (20 minutes)

· The facilitator gathers all the information from the participants and then look at the similarities within the deliberation. (10 minutes)

· The facilitator in collaboration with the participants make their own common agreed definition about the topic (10 minutes)

· Then the participants are divided into groups to have a through discussion of the topic, as well as to explore more about the topic. During this moment the participants are also given their opportunity to decide whether to present their discussion in the form of drama, song, etc (30 minutes)

· The participants are given a chance to present what transpired in their group discussion, after the (30 minutes)

· Wraping up the discussion and agree on the action points (10 minutes)

· Developing action points (15 minutes)

Second case is focused on young people as available idle resources to tackle climate change. The aim of this module is to inspire youth to realise that they are the available existing manpower to address climate change.

The goals are to increase the youth participation to address climate change and to ignite the fire which could make the youth to realise that they have the right to participate in the decision-making processes that impact them especially focusing on climate changes. The activity targets up to 30 young people aged 18-35.

Step by step implementation:

· The facilitator gathers all the information from the participants and then look at the similarities within the deliberation. (10 minutes)

· The facilitator in collaboration with the participants make their own common agreed definition about the topic (10 minutes)

· The participants are given a chance to present what transpired in their group discussion, after the (30 minutes)

· Wraping up the discussion and agree on the action points (10 minutes)

· Developing action points (15 minutes)

Ghana

Ghana presented three cases of best practices. First was titled “Moringa Cosmetics Production” with the aim to make the youth self independed. The goal of the activity was to equip the youth to make moringa cosmetics, after the activity, each youth made a cream/balm.

This was designed for 10-30 participants (youth and youth workers), aged 15-25 years. The methods used are practical approach and demonstration.

The second case of best practices is »Permaculture Design Course«. Its aim is to get young people to understand permaculture and balance ecosystem.

The goals of the activities are for youth to develop observation skills, learn how nature respond to challenges and apply these ideas to human needs. In addition, to develop a deeper understanding of organic farming and food production. This was designed for 10-20 participants (youth and youth workers), aged 15-25 years. The methods used are DIY method and practical approach.

The third case of best practices is titled “Landscape restoration”. The aim of the activities is to teach youth how to protect the environment. The goals are to equip youth with skills and knowledge on how to restore a degraded land and to get young people to recognize and condemn the factors that pollute the environment

This was designed for 15-30 participants (youth and youth workers), aged 15-25 years. The methods used are DIY method, practical presentation and brainstorming.