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H.E.Y! Heightening the Engagement of Youth, an innovative project co-funded by the Erasmus+, was launched during the kick-off partner meeting, organized in Cyprus, between 24th-25th May 2022. During the transnational meeting, partner organizations had the opportunity to discuss in person, Project Management and Coordination Procedures, the Project Quality Assurance Strategy, the Dissemination and Exploitation Strategy, as well as the distribution of tasks to be undertaken for the successful development and production of project results.
The H.E.Y! project, through the collaboration of 7 partner organizations from 6 EU countries, proposes a positive youth development approach focused on making young individuals stronger and more resourceful, as reflected in their behaviour and mind-set. The Coordinator of the project is the Social Policy and Action Organization (Cyprus), and the Partner organizations represent Promimpresa Societa’ Benefit Srl (Italy), Redial Partnership CLG (Dublin, Irealy), ALDA-European Association for Local Democracy (France), AGIS, Note et Innove (France), Asoc Grigri Proyectos Socioculturales (Spain), Associacao Juvenil Da Linha De Cascais Rota Jovem (Portugal).
The project, with duration 24 months, will contribute towards the empowerment of young people, by a) supporting their positive engagement in building more equal and inclusive communities through innovative and transnational youth initiatives, b) improving the existing local youth work practice of the youth leaders and operators, through quality and sustainability of digital youth work and online and blended training and the recognition of the vital role the youth sector plays in helping young people recover from detrimental effects, overcoming poverty of hope, and to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and c) improving successful school-to-work transitions, as a potentially powerful way of weakening the intergenerational transmission of poverty and reducing inequality.
It will target young people who are in the process of integrating into the society as active citizens, socially and financially independent, mainly a) returnees to their country of origin, including students, financial migrants and those who are regionally attached (financial economic financial migrants returning to their country of origin), and those who are regionally attached, who are in the process of re-integrating into society and becoming active citizens. b) NEETs, including unemployed, and others facing social/cultural or/and financial obstacles (youth suffering from substance abuse, youth from minority ethnic, racial, religious backgrounds, youth with disabilities. 2) youth workers and professionals working with youth, including job advisors, coaches, and their NGOs, including Educational hubs, youth NGOs, social services providers and other institutions.
Project activities and results will generate good practices exchange, local services and socio-economic opportunities mapping, youth work valuable skills and competences development, established networks with transnational youth organisations to strengthen collaboration for responding to COVID-19 more effectively, young people’s stories and experiences dissemination which will improve cross-disciplinary experiences, young people’s self-esteem, social connection, political participation and re-integration opportunities enhancing the role of young people themselves as catalysts of inclusive and resilient societies in crisis response, recovery, and in preparation of future shocks.