Grad Pazin
Družbe sv. Ćirila i Metoda 10, 52000 Pazin, Croatia
A practice of processes and methods
The aim of the project was to empower and support young people in the local community and create a stimulating environment for their inclusion in social life and decision-making processes in the city, by improving the competencies of young people, youth workers and decision-makers, all for the purpose of adopting and implementing the Local Youth Program of the City of Pazin 2023. – 2027. The specific objestives were: to inform young people about the results of the research and focus groups of the project “Watch(n) young people!: strengthening the dialogue between young people and decision-makers at the local level” from 2020/2021, to inform young people about the dialogue with young people and the goals and importance of active involvement in decision-making, to empower young people to participate in decision-making processes at the local level, to empower and strengthen the competences of youth workers and decision-makers in the field of involving young people in decision-making processes at the local level, to present different methods of dialogue between young people and decision-makers during the creation of LPM, to create a Local Youth Program of the City of Pazin 2023. – 2027.
The project was implemented through 12 activities for young people, youth workers and decision makers, divided into 5 sets according to content and time and logical sequence. The first activity was the Kick-off of the project, and it was carried out for the purpose of obtaining a clear vision of the project by all involved, as well as familiarization with the upcoming activities and presentation of the project to the public and the media.
The second activity was carried out with the aim of empowering young people and youth workers to participate in decision-making processes in the local community, and training was held for 5 members of the Youth Council of the City of Pazin, training for 5 representatives of the Student Council and training for 5 youth workers with the aim of empowering their competences in the field of involving young people in decision-making processes. The participants got acquainted with the principles of youth participation, advocacy methods and examples of good practice of advocacy activities of youth, especially during the implementation of the Local Youth Program.
As part of the project, 6 meetings of working groups were held for the development of the Local Program for Youth, according to different topics: Education and training of youth, Health, Housing and employment, Culture and youth free time, Youth participation and youth work, Informing and communication with youth. Young people, youth workers and decision makers participated in every activity. The aim of the activity was to define problems and needs in a particular area, and to define goals, activities and results, stakeholders, possible risks and indicators of the implementation of the LYP.
After the working groups, the working version of the Local Youth Program was presented to youth and decision makers, and the final version was published at a public consultation. Finally, it was then adopted by the City Council of the City of Pazin in December 2022.
The last activity of the project was “Action for 5”, which consisted of four activities aimed at engaging young people to contribute to the implementation of the newly created Local Youth Program. Young people took part in the “Action for 5!”, who, under the mentorship of youth workers, designed a project on the theme of space for young people, presented project ideas using the method of simulating the City Council, and selected one project for implementation. Together with the youth workers, the young people implemented a winning project: they arranged a corner for young people to socialize and they organized a pub quiz, a playing card tournament, and a chess tournament.The final activity of the project was attended by young people, decision makers, representatives of the Youth Council of the City of Pazin and the Student Council. The results of the Action for 5 are presented! as methods of involving young people in decision-making at the local level. Also, there were presented the overall results of the project.
As a result of the project, a cooperative relationship was established and strengthened among different generations of young people in the local community, among youth workers and between young people and decision makers. Such a relationship is based on trust and respect and the inclusion of young people in the public life of the city. The participants had the opportunity to express their opinion about the problems and needs of young people and also to make suggestions for improving the position of young people in the local community. The concrete results of this project, which can be implemented in other similar local communities, are: The process of creating a Local Youth Program and the method of involving young people in decision-making; Brochure of the LYP, which was distributed to young people and all relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the LYP; A video about the activities of the Actions for 5! project, which summarizes the activities of the project, especially the youth participation in Action for 5!; Handbooks for participants of the Action for 5!, an example of youth involvement in decision-making.
Youth work policy