Trade Unions-New Impetus for Youth Participation

ended

Overall objective is to contribute to building a more democratic and inclusive Europe with genuine participation of youth, focusing on involvement of young trade union (TU) activists as numerous, but so far neglected sub-category of youth in the society. Our intention is to give a new impetus to strengthening of civic activism and participation among youth all over Europe, engaging young TU members as a new force in articulating needs and priorities of different categories of youth, by empowering them to use more actively their own well-developed organizational structures. Project is envisaged as a 24-month activity with the goal to start creating the network of young TU leaders/activists, raising their capacities to act as influencers and multipliers firstly among their peers and their own TUs, spreading it to different structures of relevance. It would include 2-phase research, education (based on research results) and information. After investigating main challenges young TU activists are facing with and development of new educational curriculum for work with young TU members in relation to the active citizenship, 4-month Trade Union Academy for 35 participants will follow, empowering them to develop individual plans of action and continue with knowledge transfer in their communities, reaching directly 700 more young TU members. Part of the learning process will also be a study visit to Slovenia, aimed at further exchange of knowledge and good practices. Information component includes extensive online and media campaign “Trade Unions are IN – engage, act, influence”, reaching 700000 people at least. Final phase will include visit of the consortium to relevant structures in Brussels,as an opportunity to map the space for TU youth sections to involve in development and implementation of European policies for youth, as well as the final conference for representatives of TUs across Europe aimed at presentation of new model developed, setting the base for follow-up.