Objectives
This Connecting Cultures program is youth-led and driven, designed to promote community engagement for hard-to-reach marginalized individuals and groups with fewer opportunities including those experiencing Socioeconomic Disadvantage, LGBT+, Traveller/Roma, and people with Intellectual Disabilities. The project aims to improve intercultural interactions and promote social inclusion of the target groups by breaking down barriers, tackling preconceived ideas, and combating discrimination, and prejudice through non-formal learning. We will implement participatory approaches through various methodologies, including presentations, discussions, group work, demonstrations, examples of good practice, hands-on session, and question-and-answer sessions. Other interventions include diversity awareness discussions, Ice-breakers, energizers, debates, quiz nights, and intercultural displays. To build participants’ self-esteem and self-confidence the program will be embellished by the following skills group work, organizational ability, planning strategies, newspaper article writing, presentation, and leadership roles. To develop their ability to manage personal and social relationships peer to peer-to-peer interaction is a vital component of the project. We will address the issue of discrimination and prejudice that inhibits the target groups’ participation in society. Along with this, we seek to find solutions to the lack of engagement of 18-30 -30-year-old youth in the various strands of the community by developing a sense of social awareness and giving young people a voice in decision-making to enhance their role as active citizens. This will be achieved by:
Make informed decisions and take responsibility
@ Providing a platform where youth are heard and listened to
@ Offering worthwhile and challenging new experiences
@ Enable young people to gain knowledge and develop new skills
@ Capacity building
@ Consider risks and consequences
@ Make informed decisions and take responsibility
ACTIVITIES
Exchange Activity Kilkenny: Through these delivered activities we will foster attitudinal adjustment concerning discrimination and prejudice. These changes will help youth understand how they can have a positive influence on their communities. Diversity Discussions, the delivery of this Diversity interaction will allow our Erasmus + project to be open and inclusive. Personal Development using soft skills will deliver attitudinal change, promote understanding, enhance the ability to problem solve and increase confidence and self-esteem. Evaluation & follow up: Evaluation of the project and discussion of the results of the project will include: –
Two-dimensional evaluation. Evaluation will be conducted on the youth exchange and organizational levels. – All participants of the project, partners, and local communities, as well as local media, will be involved in the process of spreading the information about the results of the program.. – Through peer support, participants will be passing on the knowledge, attitudes, and skills acquired during the project, to their colleagues and friends. Dissemination: The participants will take charge of the dissemination by creating their innovative ideas through a dissemination workshop, research, and brainstorming various ways to reach the largest and most influential audience. After setting tangible goals we will utilize the tools learned to help this project gain maximum visibility.
The project will cater to thirty participants aged 18-30 from five countries Ireland, Romania, Portugal, Poland, and Italy. Participants will be people experiencing Socioeconomic Disadvantage Traveller/Roma Youth, LGBTQIA+ Youth, and Youth with intellectual disabilities.
Connecting Culture participants form of opinion about your daily programme.