The official newsflash of Don Bosco Youth-Net ivzw

NF 104 (December 2009)

News from the network - News from the partners - European Youth Forum Calls & public information - Picture of the Month

NEWS FROM THE NETWORK

Speaking up - Youth Advocacy as Tool for Active Citizenship

"Advocacy is speaking up, drawing a community's attention to an important issue, and directing decision-makers toward a solution. Advocacy is working with other people and organisations to make a difference". This definition of the concept "advocacy" is the starting point of the seminar Speaking up - Youth Advocacy as a Tool for Active Citizenship. The role of young people in local, national and European communities is a constant issue in the political debates (voting age, education, unemployment, drug & health issues, ...). However the voice of young people itself is not always equally represented in these debates. This seminar wants investigate through different methods how Youth Advocacy can serve as a tool for young people to become recognised as active citizens. The seminar, which takes place in Prague, will bring together around 26 participants (staff and volunteers) from 13 EU countries. If you are interested in taking part in this activity please consult with your local DBYN responsible.

More info: http://www.donboscoyouth.net/node/598 [2]

Empower and involve - STEP 2 training course 2010

"Empower and involve!" is a training course (TC) which focuses on training and empowering participants to work together in an international team to organise, lead and evaluate international youth activities through the Youth in Action programme. The TC takes place in Germany (Aktionszentrum), and will bring together 26 participants from 13 EU member states. There will be a special focus on how the participants can keep on being involved after the TC. The participants are mostly experienced volunteers youth leaders who are motivated to take responsibility in youth organisations or the organising of international youth initiatives. By the end of the TC the participants will plan activities which they will implement both locally and on a European level. In short, the TC empowers its participants by training their competences to organise own YiA-projects, and prepares them to get involved in their local organisation to realise them. If you are interested in taking part in this activity please consult with your local DBYN responsible.

More info: http://www.donboscoyouth.net/node/597 [3]

Intercultural Crossroads in Europe

"Intercultural Crossroads in Europe" is a multilateral youth exchange taking place in Krakow. The youth exchange is a 7-day programme focussing on the topics of Intercultural learning and European citizenship through a series of non-formal and creative sessions . Before leaving for the exchange the participants will prepare through a session in their local organisation (promoter). At the youth exchange the participants will create a promotional tool of the project, which they will disseminate after the exchange is over, motivating new young people to take part in future exchanges. In total this youth exchange will bring together 40 young people and 10 group leaders from 10 different European countries. This mixture of people and cultures is the basis for the learning experience. This youth exchange is part of the training strategy of Don Bosco Youth-Net ivzw, and want to give young people from its member organisations an incentive for becoming active as European citizens through European youth work. If you are interested in taking part in this activity please consult with your local DBYN responsible.

More info: http://www.donboscoyouth.net/node/599 [4]

Hujambo, a valuable game

With the release of the website www.hujambo.info [5], Don Bosco Youth-Net ivzw presents its newest publication to the public. The website is home to the game HUJAMBO. This is an informative game which enables you to discuss with young people on values in their lives, and use this discussion as a method to work on intercultural and interreligious dialogue. The game aims at young people from 15 years of age upwards. It can be used in a youth movement, in a youth club, at international youth meetings, during youth retreats, in schools etc.

More info: http://www.donboscoyouth.net/node/589 [6]

NEWS FROM THE PARTNERS

From Experience To...Action! - Meeting of Ex international Volunteers in Munich

From the 19th till the 22nd of November ex international volunteers from 9 European countires met in Munich to take part in the Seminar "From Experience to...Action". This seminar wanted to be a platform for experienced volunteers who want to keep on being active at local and international level. Through different activities like discussions about the meaning of active citizenship in our society and practical workshops on project development the participants could reflect on the contribution they can give through their experience to our society. The seminar took place in the Jugendwohneheim Salesianum in Munich.

More info: http://www.donboscoyouth.net/node/588 [7]

EUROPEAN YOUTH FORUM

European Youth Forum adopts Position on A Renewed and Updated Youth Pact

The European Youth Forum Bureau has adopted a Position on A Renewed and Updated Youth Pact. The European Youth Pact is a cross-sector policy instrument which was adopted in 2005 and which ensures that a set of policies and measures which concern the needs of young people are a fully integrated part of the Lisbon Strategy. As the Lisbon Strategy will be revised in 2010, young people in Europe want to make sure that youth related policies will still be integrated in the renewed Lisbon Agenda. Throughout this document, the European Youth Forum points out the significance of having a renewed and updated European Youth Pact, which must be an integral part of the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy.

More info: http://www.youthforum.org/en/system/files/yfj_public/strategic_prioritie... [8]

CALLS & PUBLIC INFORMATION

The European Charlemagne Youth Prize

‘The European Charlemagne Youth Prize' aims to encourage the development of European consciousness among young people, as well as their participation in European integration projects. The Prize is awarded to projects undertaken by young people which foster understanding, promote the development of a shared sense of European identity, and offer practical examples of Europeans living together as one community.

More info: http://www.charlemagneyouthprize.eu/ [9]

PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE EUROPEAN CITIZENS' INITIATIVE

The Lisbon Treaty introduces a new form of public participation in European Union policy shaping, the European citizens' initiative, which enables one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of Member States to call directly on the European Commission to bring forward an initiative of interest to them in an area of EU competence. Before citizens can start exercising this new right, a few ground rules and procedures have to be laid down in an EU regulation. Given the importance of this new tool for citizens, civil society and stakeholders across the EU, the Commission has opened a broad public consultation in order to seek the views of all interested parties on how the citizens' initiative should work in practice.

More info: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/citizens_initiative/index_en... [10]

Drug Prevention and Information Programme

There has been a call for the Drug Prevention and Information Programme 2010. The general objectives of the Programme are to:

• to prevent and reduce drug use, dependence and drug-related harms.
• to contribute to the improvement of information on drug use; and
• to support the implementation of the EU Drugs Strategy.

More info: http://www.eurodesk.eu/edesk/SearchDb.do?go=2&progId=EU0010000391&countr... [11]

UNICEF: Launches new website in commemoration of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

On 20 November 2009, the world will commemorate two decades of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).UNICEF invites you to visit a special CRC website dedicated to this occasion. The website contains human interest stories, world wide events, videos, photo essays, a Goodwill Ambassador PSA campaign, and much more. To commemorate this anniversary, a special edition of UNICEF's flagship State of the World Children report, dedicated to children's rights will be launched on 19 November.The official commemoration of the Convention at Headquarters will take place on 20 November at the UN Trusteeship Council. The event! is being convened by UNICEF and organized in collaboration with civil society partners. The programme will include statements by high-level United Nations officials, the President of the UNICEF Executive Board, testimonials from youth advocates, and a moderated panel featuring civil society leaders from around the world.

More info: http://www.unicef.org/rightsite [12]

"Draw me a right!" Poster Competition

Mr Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner responsible for justice, freedom and security, has launched the 4th edition of its poster competition for young people to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  European children and teenagers wishing to take part in the competition will have to design a poster illustrating one of the rights presented in the Convention. Participants will be divided into two age categories (10-14 and 15-18) and will have to work in groups of four members at least (supervised by an adult). The entries will be judged first at the national level and prizes will be awarded to the three best teams in each age category during ceremonies to be held in their home country at the beginning of April 2010. The winners of the first prize in the national competitions will compete in a second round at European level. The three top teams in each age group will be invited to visit Brussels from 8 to 10 May 2010, for a weekend and a tour of the European institutions, as well as to attend the European award ceremony. The best posters will be posted on the websites of the Commission?s representations in the Member States and on the Europa getaway. They may also be used for future European campaigns.

Read more: http://www.europayouth.eu/ [13]

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

The picture of the month is our new publication HUJAMBO !