youth engagement and empowerment anna maria grech b.a., m.a. (youth & comm. studies)
TRANSCRIPT
Youth engagement Youth engagement and empowermentand empowerment
Anna Maria GrechAnna Maria Grech
B.A., M.A. (Youth & Comm. Studies)B.A., M.A. (Youth & Comm. Studies)
OverviewOverview
Defining youth engagement Defining youth engagement Defining youth empowermentDefining youth empowerment Success stories - overseasSuccess stories - overseas Success stories - MaltaSuccess stories - Malta Way forwardWay forward
Youth engagement ….Youth engagement ….
is the sentiment is the sentiment young peopleyoung people feel towards a particular person, feel towards a particular person, activity, place or outcome. It has activity, place or outcome. It has been a focus of been a focus of youth developmentyouth development, , public policypublic policy and and social changesocial change movements for movements for at least forty years at least forty years
Process of youth engagement
MEET YOUTH IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT LISTEN TO
YOUTH
EMPATHISE WITH YOUTH
ONCE ACCEPTED BY YOUNG PEOPLEENGAGEMENT OCCURS
……youth empowermentyouth empowerment
is an attitudinal, structural, and is an attitudinal, structural, and cultural process whereby young cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority, people gain the ability, authority, and agency to make decisions and agency to make decisions and implement change in their and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other own lives and the lives of other people, including youth and people, including youth and adults adults
State youth services State youth services abroadabroad
United Kingdom – Northern United Kingdom – Northern IrelandIreland
Belgium - Flemish Youth CouncilBelgium - Flemish Youth Council Sweden – Gotland Youth CouncilSweden – Gotland Youth Council IrelandIreland
State youth services at State youth services at local levellocal level
Empowerment Centres Empowerment Centres experienceexperience
2000 – Birkirkara (Pilot Project)2000 – Birkirkara (Pilot Project)
2004 – Mosta, Qormi, Tarxien, 2004 – Mosta, Qormi, Tarxien, Fgura, Zurrieq, GozoFgura, Zurrieq, Gozo
2005 – Zejtun2005 – Zejtun
Mosta Youth Mosta Youth Empowerment CentreEmpowerment Centre
Coordinator
PR Team
Group Leaders
Team Meetings
EU Funded Projects
Mosta Youth Mosta Youth Empowerment CentreEmpowerment Centre
NGOs
EMPOWERMENT CENTRE
YOUNG PEOPLE
ExchangesExchanges
Malta - April 2009Toledo – Sept 08
Partnership Building Partnership Building Activity – Sept 09Activity – Sept 09
Unexpected benefitsUnexpected benefits
Mosta Dome FestivalMosta Dome Festival
TWO-STEP for success TWO-STEP for success for Maltese Local for Maltese Local CouncilsCouncils
STEP ONE
• COMMITMENT TOWARDS YOUNG PEOPLE
STEP TWO
•COMMITMENT TOWARDS A QUALITY SERVICE
The Deming Quality Cycle (adopted from Walton, 1992:85)
Process for success for Process for success for Maltese Local CouncilsMaltese Local Councils• COMMITMENT TOWARDS A QUALITY SERVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE• INDEPENDENT BASE
• ENGAGEMENT OF A PROFESSIONAL YOUTH WORKER
• NEEDS ANALYSIS (IDENTIFY TARGETS)
• BUSINESS PLAN
• BUDGET
• OFFER SERVICES TO YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH CAREFUL ENGAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS
•CONTINIOUS EVALUATION AND REPORTING
Way Forward…..Way Forward…..
Greater involvement and commitment Greater involvement and commitment of local councilsof local councils
Tangible central government structuresTangible central government structures Build on examples of good practice – Build on examples of good practice –
consolidate and expand servicesconsolidate and expand services NetworkingNetworking EU and locally funded programmes EU and locally funded programmes
towards the empowerment and growth towards the empowerment and growth of young peopleof young people
Constant evaluation – no stagnationConstant evaluation – no stagnation
RecapRecap
Explained the meanings of youth Explained the meanings of youth engagement and empowermentengagement and empowerment
Given examples of good practiceGiven examples of good practice Given hints of what could be done Given hints of what could be done
in your local councilsin your local councils
One key questionOne key question
what will YOU do?what will YOU do?
