IDEA - Intersectoral Dialogue, Empowerment and Actions for Inclusion of Youth in Europe

The project partnership has successfully strengthened efforts for youth inclusion by enabling cross-sectoral inclusion cooperation and creating and disseminating the methodology. A diverse range of actors from civil society, youth work, non-formal and formal education were part of the project. Depending on their target groups, local context and working settings, they address specific exclusion factors: migration, disabilities, social / educational disadvantages, etc with significant expertise in this field. The organizations gathered and successfully exchanged experiences, methods, approaches from different inclusion fields and work settings. A broader support network has been built: national inclusion platforms (with about 30 local participant organisations in the five partner consortium countries), increasing both the visibility of inclusion efforts and the overall awareness of the need for a more inclusive society. Practical tools were developed, enabling a sustainable approach to inclusion and giving the actors working in the field something practical and adaptable to work with.

The partnership has strengthened the exchange of good practices and cross-sectoral cooperation between organizations working with different target groups. The project has achieved the following objectives: • Establishing of a cross-sectoral inclusion networks: the networks facilitated the exchange of experiences and good practices, strengthening the inclusion of youth people and groups and their organizations at both national and international levels, within non-formal youth work as well as in formal education settings. • Developing a cross-sectoral methodology: Through the exchange of good practices and youth inclusion methodologies from different settings, we have successfully adapted and applied various methods that have been piloted and evaluated, leading to the development of a comprehensive and set of inclusive practices gathered in an online platform. • Approaching the visibility of the inclusion topic in public discourse: to ensure greater visibility of youth people and groups via improving communication about the topic, Guidelines for Inclusive Communication were created. Young journalists and media representatives were involved in the project, raising awareness about inclusion.

The partnership has successfully carried out all planned activities on multiple levels. Concrete Outcomes of the Project: National inclusion platforms were successfully established in each participating country, composed of representatives of organisations working with different groups of vulnerable youth in the fields of youth work, social work, psychological counselling, formal and non-formal education. Experts within the network have shared experiences, defined common needs for cross-sectoral cooperation, and provided input into project activities and outcomes. Based on the exchange among experts from different fields, a range of inclusion methodologies have been collected, analysed for their applicability in various settings, and adapted accordingly. To achieve this, three key learning and training activities has been successfully implemented: • A Study Visit was organized to collect and exchange initial insights and methodologies to be adapted for use in different settings. • A training for multipliers, called Boosting Inclusion Academy, was held, where representatives from different organizations were trained in cross-sectoral cooperation and new methodologies. The training consisted of two parts, Boosting Inclusion Academy I and II, with a piloting phase between both used for testing, feedback and finalizing the new collection of methodologies. These were compiled and processed into a comprehensive tool-box, presented in an interactive website: https://idea2.intercultural.ro/ • A series of multiplier events was organized to share the new collection of methodologies for cross-sectoral cooperation. To ensure a smooth progress five Transnational Project Meetings for project partners were held, both in-person and online, to ensure continuous exchange and monitor progress of the project. A comprehensive dissemination strategy has been implemented, sharing the project’s outcomes via various channels, including those of the project partners and institutions represented in the national inclusion platforms, education fairs, etc.

Concrete project results: Project Result 1: A comprehensive toolbox for cross-sectoral cooperation and inclusion methodologies in youth work and inclusive education has been developed: https://idea2.intercultural.ro/. This toolbox includes effective methods that can be used and adapted for different educational settings, organizations and target groups. Project Result 2: Guidelines for improved communication on inclusion have been developed. The Guidelines can be used to give a good overview on the topic of inclusion in the area of communication and provide instructions on how to professionally approach inclusion topics and engage with the media. This collaboration has led to a heightened public awareness of inclusion issues on the local level. Intangible Project Results: A strong network of cross-sectoral inclusion has been built during the project. The project has successfully raised awareness about the benefits of cross-sectoral cooperation and provided practical tools for starting similar initiatives in other settings and countries. The developed tools and methodologies significantly enriching their own methodological repertoires. As a result, the target groups (young people with fewer opportunities) are now benefiting from a more comprehensive support tailored to their specific needs.