Challenged!

Background After the research made in rural youth centres and long discussions between psychologists and youth workers/trainers, the Management of Challenges was selected as the best method for low-performing youth with low self-esteem. It lets youth move from a passive emotional state (problem) to an active, motivated attitude (challenge) to create the foundation for successful action. Erasmus+ project "Challenged!" is covering EU Youth Strategy and focuses on three core areas of action, around the three words: Engage, Connect, and Empower. Objectives Strategic partnership CHALLENGED is devoted to rise the self-esteem of low-performing youth, learn how to deal with problems, focusing on positive thinking, be more active in their social life. Besides this, CHALLENGED goes together with the 6th European Youth Goal "Moving Rural Youth Forward", also with Sustainable Development Goal ensuring equal opportunities and rights to all, which means that conditions are created to enable young people to fulfil their potential in regions. Implementation 58 youth workers were trained as CHALLENGED facilitators and 410 youth from the regions participated in the project's educational activities, and 277 various representatives as youth workers/youth leaders, organisations working with youth, educators, psychologists, staff of educational institutions (e.g. schools, universities, etc.) and other stakeholders took part in multiplier events in Lithuania, Italy, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland. They were introduced to developed intellectual outputs of the CHALLENGED project, accumulated experience, and best practices to motivate participating organisations to accept a CHALLENGE and implement the CHALLENGED methodology in their daily activities, in this way creating Youth Challenging Community in Europe. Achievements Psychologists, youth workers and experts in non-formal education from Lithuania, Italy, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland have joined their experience and knowledge highly focusing on the target group's needs, in collaboration have developed these intellectual outputs: - Methodology for youth workers “Challenge Management: from problem to challenge!”; - Digital Diary of Challenges. All results are provided in English, Lithuanian, Italian, Portugal, Bulgarian, Romanian and Polish languages. Although the Erasmus+ project CHALLENGED is developed in the youth field, also all project results could be easy to be adapted to adult, higher education, and VET fields.