Project title: Project Kickstarter (2020-1-SK02-KA105-002405)
Duration of the project: 01.05.2020 – 31.08.2021

“Project Kickstarter” is a dual training about the management of youth programmes that involve the topic concerning the preparation, the implementation and the follow-up of youth exchanges, for example, group dynamics, project writing, safety of participants, project planning. The aim of the two trainings is to provide the participants with knowledge and tools that improve their organizing skills. The project also provides an opportunity for the participants to find new partners and to build new partnerships. Thus Project Kickstarter is a training that is designed to support young leaders and (international) youth workers in organizing their activities. In the project we’d like to hold two interconnected trainings; the first training will be about the planning and preparation of international youth exchanges, while the second training will be focusing on the implementation and program methods. The primary aim of the trainings is to foster the participants to successfully prepare and implement international youth projects. We’d like to achieve this aim through the following four main objectives:

  1. Capacity building in project planning, project writing, basic budget-management.
  2. The improved group leading skills, group work competencies, remote work (e.g. keeping in touch with partners).
  3. Improve the intercultural-consciousness of the partners, and to enhance their attention towards intercultural learning.
  4. Support the partners’ understanding of how to establish good partnerships in a project, how to maintain these partnerships, and how to build a network of organizations of the same values in favor of future cooperation.

In order to improve the quality of youth work in Europe, the training of new professionals is a must. However, young leaders of organizations in the field of youth work don’t have the knowledge to successfully implement their own international youth project solely based on their local knowledge. Thus, they will miss out on gathering new, improved practices and their professional advancement will be much slower. Solely as a sending organization, they may have some information about the implementation of an international project but they will not be able to design one that fits their own target group.

Connection to objectives concerning youth, the project will:

  • improve the key competences and skills of young people, including the youth with fewer opportunities;
  • promote intercultural dialogue, promote social integration and solidarity, and strengthen the knowledge and acceptance of social diversity;
  • improve the quality of youth work;
  • support skill development in the field of youth work;
  • support youth workers in developing and sharing effective methods in order to reach the youth, including NEET young people;
  • provide the opportunity for groups of young people (via the participants) to put their ideas into practice

The two trainings will be carried out the following way: