Bob Arnkil Gothenburg September 2009 MY GENERATION PRODUCT LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGY

PRODUCT LANDSCAPE Product = ”social innovation” = good practice

Local community Educational community Business community The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices Promoting positive life transitions Good practices: OUTREACH > CAPABILITIES/EDUCATION >WORK/ SELF RELIANCE ACTORS

Local community and actors Educational community and actors Business and employment community and actors The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices Inactivity > positive activity > capability building > training/ education/practice > employment Providing ”doors” to positive activity, recreation & community engagement, champions, role models… Connection to demand and business, providing perspectives, hands-on counselling, guidance and drop out prevention, enhancing employability Upstream involvement, providing perpectives to demand, engaging in enhancing employability, providing practice Real input in design, execution and evaluation of activities, making the positive input of young visible Coordinating the whole, establishing new contacts, making good practice known and influencial

Looking for Good Practices In engaging with those young who are ”hard to reach” and promoting positive transitions towards self reliance Working with local communities to establish this In transforming education to be better geared towards the lifestyles, aspirations and life-based learning of the young – and towards the demands of working life In establishing new connections between the young, communities, education and business In lifting the ”youth cause” on city agendas and establishing better coodination of interventions

MY GENERATION PRODUCT AND GOOD PRACTICE LANDSCAPE Informal Life based Mainstream Formal Formal knowledge OUTREACH TRANSFORMING EDUCATION TRANSITION TO WORKING LIFE Community schools World Worth Living World Worth Living Guidance/One stop shops (Drasyna) Guidance/One stop shops (Drasyna) Incubators) From ”puzzlement” via mediation and co- creation…… …to self reliance Street football Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms

PRODUCT ECOLOGY Transforming our perception of products/ good practices

We need to transform our understanding of good practice and products 1)Good practice exists on many levels and in many forms. Quite often only the ”tip of the iceberg” is revealed and the different levels are not spelled out clearly > We need a new kind of ”product ecology” so that we capture this better 2) Good practice is always – at the end of the day – situated, local practice – so it has to be actively adapted/ modified/ learned in the particular context > We need a new kind of learning process – enhanced with the new product ecology – to transfer good practice/products better

Forms/ or ”modes” of good practice/ product Planning it – having a plan Learning it – having a learning ”script” Living it – experiencing it, having lively material Written and spoken plans, ”directives” what to do and how ”Good outreach means 1,2,3..” Written, spoken and modelled/depicted learning stories, ”scripts” ”This is what we learned.. We invited so and so..had a dialogue… Written, spoken and animated stories/ vignettes… Videos, faces, pictures, stories, events

Understanding/ approaching good practice and products Rational Plans Learning scripts Life stories Resonates to people’s lives, intuitive, helps to relate, to approach, to be interested Reveals ”how it was actually done and with whom” so that it is easier to reproduce Gives the basic concepts, organises action, helps planning and organising

”Tip of the iceberg” Rational Plans Learning scripts Life stories ”Management/ expert language: If only this is given, it is hard to understand/ approach/ reproduce If only this is given, it is hard to see the forest from the trees These can help to transfer the practice/ product

P Plans Scripts Stories P Plans Scripts Stories P Plans Scripts Stories P Plans Scripts Stories Context A Context B Learning process

LEVELS OF PRODUCTS/ GOOD PRACTICE

Levels of good practice Overall management/governance, decision making/ New kinds of programmes/ plans/resources/agendas Mid-management/ horizontal cooperation New kind of cooperation between social work, police, recreation, local communities… Operational levelNew outreach in the ”front line”, like ”street football” All levels must be addressed – otherwise the practice ”evaporates” Good practice

Product Ecology as a Matrix Mode of existence Level of existence Plans: Mainly written plans/ analyses/ ”texts” Learning: How it was done and with whom revealed Living: Stories, animation Governance/overal l management level product/practice/l Description of governance/ management initiative/ plan Recommendations / plans of learning culture ”Sound bites” of politicians/ managers ”testifying” Horizontal/ middle management level product/practice/ Description of horizontal networking/works hops with stakeholders Descriptions/ ”handbooks” of how to run multi- actor workshops and what we learned Multi-media and story material of multi-actor workshops and networking Front-line level product/practice/ Description of action with customers/ young Front-line training material and examples Multi-media and story material of front-line activities, citizen input

Product ecology:Different modes and levels of product and tool existence Mode of existence Level of existence Rational planningLearning infrastructure Multi-media material, illustrations, stories Managing, setting frameworks, Vertical contact Local action plan as a written plan Local action plan as freamework of learning Locan action plan as illustrations and stories Horizontal Networking & contact Events worshops Multi-actor workshop and networking plans, directives and schedules Multi-actor workshop and networking dialogue and learning concepts and methods Multi-media and story material of multi-actor workshops and networking Front-line contact Operational level Services Service concepts (street football…) Front-line training material Multi-media and story material of front-line activities, citizen input Management/ governance products and tools in three forms: plan, learning plan and lively illustrations ”Middle management” products and tools in three forms: plans, learning plans and convincing illustrations ”Street level” products and tools in three forms: plans, learning programmes and lively illustrations

Product Ecology/ Group discussion brief Use the Product Ecology Matrix as a ”mapping tool” Start with one case example (1)First the ”owners of the case reflect: which levels does the case address? Where are its strong/ weak points? What are the next challenges? > then others join in with questions and comments comments (2)Second, the owners reflect on in which ”forms” does the case exist – do you have plans, manuscripts, learning stories, video…… > others join in with questions and comments (3)Try to roughly ”draw” on the matrix how the case now exists Take another case… and now do the same with ”cutting corners” Ideally each city case gets an opportunity to be discussed

FIRST PHASE: ANCHORING/FOCUS IN CITY CONTEXT SECOND PHASE: NETWORK LEARNING MY GENERATION LAP AND LSG START GOOD PRACTICE CANDIDATES 1. CITY REPORTS/STA TUS LAPS GOOD PRACTICES/PRODUCT S CITY REPORTS/FINAL 2. CITY REPORTS/STA TUS JOINT PRODUCTS ”LAP MAP” Halfway in Riga Jan 2010

Operational level: City projects (built around LSG+network+ LAP Thematic level: good practices in Outreach and Edu-Empl. (built around peer reviews & task visits MG network level: the whole/ good practice of coordination (built around overall reflection) … Network Jan 2009 Patras Outreach review May hosting peer ws + steering group Glasgow Outreach report May 10 + hosting ws Gdansk Employment review Sept 09 + hosting peer ws + network Gothenburg Employment report Oct 10 +hosting peer ws Valencia Steering group 09 May 09 (with Outreach) Glasgow Network ”halfway house” Jan 10 Riga Network closure Feb 11 Antwerp CITY PROJECTS OUTREACH LESSONS, case reports, methods EDU-EMPLOYMENT LESSONS, case reports, methods COORDINATION LESSONS FUTURE WORKSHOPS JAN- MARCH City Progress report Final City Report, with LAP-draft + final Nov- Dec 10 LSG meetings LSG meetings LSG meetings LSG meetings Network Sept 09 (with empl.) Gothenb. Youth event April 2009 Rotterdam 1. City Progress report

MY GENERATION PRODUCT AND GOOD PRACTICE LANDSCAPE Informal” Mainstream Formal Formal knowledge OUTREACH TRANSFORMING EDUCATION TRANSITION TO WORKING LIFE Community schools World Worth Living World Worth Living Guidance/One stop shops (Drasyna) Guidance/One stop shops (Drasyna) Incubators) From ”puzzlement” via mediation and co- creation…… …to self reliance Street football Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms Events Arenas Platforms coordination

Activities and actors concerning youth are now fragmented Of particular interest for us are actors and activities concerning outreach and education/employment  ”Defragmentation = better coordination = better connectedness of activities and actors concerning the young as a resourse of cities  Better coordination (= new/better connectedness) is a key outcome of MG in all cities Coordination

BETTER COORDINATION (”CREATING WELL CONNECTED SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT GENERATE TRUST” in practice can mean - establishing new connections where they now don’t exist - strenghtening weaks connections - revitalising existing ones - healing broken ones ….

Each city has its particular challenges concerning the coordination of actors and activities Establishing a new platform for a new activities – establishing a ”node” to coordinate better existing activities with some new activities > FOCUS > WHAT IS RELEVANT/MAKES A DIFFERENCE Derived from this MG can serve a different purpose in the cities (the importance/role as a platform of connections) The conclusions of coordination are based on the MG experiences of working with these (and also other) actors and activities

Local community and actors Educational community and actors Business community and actors The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices PROMOTING POSITIVE LIFE TRANSITIONS BETTER CONNECTED TO YOUTH LIFESTYLES AND LIFE-BASED LEARNING BETTER CONNECTED TO DEMAND, YOUTH LIFESTYLES AND LIFE- BASED LEARNING BETTER CONNECTED TO EDUCATION, YOUTH LIFESTYLES AND LIFE- BASED LEARNING REAL ROLE AND ENGAGEMENT OF THE YOUNG YOUR UNIQUE AND LOCALLY RELEVANT LOCAL ACTION PLAN ADDRESSING THIS

Product ecology: Different modes and levels of good practice/product existence Mode of existence Level of existence Expert based learning ”Plan” Work-based learning ”Script” Life-based learning ”Story” Managing, setting frameworks, resourcing Local action plan as a written plan Local action plan as framework/script of learning Locan action plan as illustrations and stories Horizontal Networking Events worshops Multi-actor workshop and networking plans, directives and schedules Multi-actor workshop and networking dialogue and learning concepts and methods Multi-media and story material of multi-actor workshops and networking Front-line contact Operational level Services Service concepts (street football…) Front-line training material Multi-media and story material of front-line activities, citizen input

ENRICHING THE QUALITY OF YOUR SOCIAL FIELD = NEW CONNECT- IONS TRANS- FORMING YOUR ”ECOSYSTEM OF KNOWLEDGE” = LEARNING SPACES TRANS- FORMING YOUR PRODUCT ECOLOGY SUSTAINING YOUR ACTIONS = LAP AS A ROADMAP TRANSFORMATIONS

THANKS!

Even more practical: Consistent – but further focus and translation to practical activities is needed Inspirational: The work of MG (Participation/Patras, Youth/Rotterdam, Outreach/Glasgow has been inspirational for the cities, in terms of transforming workshops, being creative, adopting a more “hands on” approach Young as real partners: Particularly delighting is that real youth participation has been put more clearly on all agendas Enrichment and evolution of LSG:s. Finding natural roles. The business community is the weakest link, and needs creative attention in all cities Local Action Plan (LAP) progress: Most of the cities are here in a “mapping phase”. Particularly important is to find a real role and input from the youth perspective Ambassadors: In order to get the young aboard, a very intensive and “hands on” approach is needed, finding young “ambassadors”, inspiring them, finding real activities, and building on that. Linking education better to working life in all aspects – curriculum, transition from education to employment comes out strongly MG has been a platform, catalyst and facilitiator of new connections in all cities Realising potential by “small concrete successes” and milestones to celebrate and use them as examples for getting focus and finding the “breakthrough points” where MG can make a difference. Learning from others – studying the reports and feedback of others Lessons from City Progress Reports

Local community and actors Educational community and actors Business and employment community and actors The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices Inactivity > positive activity > capability building > training/ education/practice > employment Providing ”doors” to positive activity, recreation & community engagement, champions, role models… Connection to demand and business, providing perspectives, hands-on counselling, guidance and drop out prevention, enhancing employability Upstream involvement, providing perpectives to demand, engaging in enhancing employability, providing practice Real input in design, execution and evaluation of activities, making the positive input of young visible Coordinating the whole, establishing new contacts, making good practice known and influencial

MG WORKING MARTIX: KEY ITEMS RUNNING THROUGH ALL ACTIVITIES AND REPORTING OF MG NEEDS, IDEAS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE ACTORS/ STAKEHOLDERS NEW CONNECTIONS AND ACTION MAKING A DIFFERENCE: WHAT WORKS SURPRISES, BARRIERS, AND NEGOTIATING THEM KEY LEARNING POINTS, LOCAL AND TRANSNATIONAL CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, NEXT STEPS

THE MG WORKING MATRIX Needs Ideas New connec- tions and action What works Sur- prises Barriers Learning Points -Local -MG Con- clusions Next steps/ Way ahead Youth Edu- cation Busi- ness Local Comm. Local authority Other OverallNeedsCoordi- nation Good practice BarriersLearningConclusi ons Way ahead

CITY PROGRESS REPORTS 1. City, name and contact information of the person(s) providing the report 2. Main themes addressed 3. Local Support Group progress 4. Local Action Plan progress 5. Overall assessment of new/better contacts and coordination A. Use and Complete the My Generation MATRIX for the work you performed in your Local Support Group. B. Is there progress in new/better contacts on the youth issues you are addressing? Where have you made most significant progress? How are the decision makers involved? 6. Youth engagement 7. Local community engagement 8. Educational community engagement 9. Business community engagement 10. Local authority engagement 11.Political decision maker engagement 12. Other, what Possible other actors relevant in your city you have engaged with 13. Possible visits to other MY GENERATION projects 14. What material have you assembled on your MG? Have you kept a ”MG diary”? 15. Overall assessment of progress in your MG project Where do you feel you are making good progress? What obstacles have you met? How could you improve? 16. Questions and requests for MY GENERATION ANNEX Entries and material of MY DIARY, as it has developed so far