Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali ENSA Youth thematic network meeting Tackling poverty and promoting inclusion Youth in Action Programme, Open Door project: follow up and collaborations initiatives Madrid, 31 May 2010 Claudia BONTORIN Observatory on Family, Childhood and Youth affairs Project Area Veneto Region

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali THE PARTNERSHIP Veneto Partners Madrid Partners Evaluator Partner Sweden Partners Greek Partners

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Background of the contest/competition The OPEN DOOR contest/competition was an European project funded by the Youth in Action Programme of the European Commission. The aim of the project, and the contest/competition itself, was to promote active participation of young people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The project was developed and implemented in 4 European Countries: Italy (Padova), Spain (Madrid), Sweden (Vaxjio) and Greece (Athens – Alimos) Central aim of the contest The main aim of the contest is to create the opportunity for young people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods to propose ideas to be developed and implemented in their communities. This will be possible thanks to the economic and technical support provided by the local organizations involved in the OPEN DOOR project.

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali What ideas were we looking for? Promote participation of young people in the selected areas Bring positive change to the communities involved Are feasible Could be continued in the future Could be reproduced in other areas

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Some project ideas developed

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Open Door Succesful aspects 1 The project really provide an opportunity for a group of professional people belonging to Public Bodies and Youth NGOs to work together through the activation of concrete actions involving young people, exchange of good practices and commencement of a long term cooperation process within the context of non formal education

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Open Door Succesfull aspects 2 The importance of good communication and the distribution of responsibilities among the partners facilitated the work of all the agencies involved. The idea of a crossnational partnership within the context of an established network (ENSA) appears to have enhanced the project and made it more attractive for participants and stakeholders

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Open Door Succesfull aspects 3 Close working - among NGO’s and Public Bodies – improved the work of both sectors thanks to the exchange of information and the mutual knowledge of each other’s reality. This collaborative process contributed to enhance and facilitate the development of ideas proposed by young people and also the delivery of the successful proposals in each country

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Open Door Succesfull aspects 4 The data from the Evaluation Report show that young people in each of the partner countries have been highly motivated in the development and delivery of projects and ideas that they have proposed.

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Open Door Succesfull aspects 5 The data from the Evaluation Report show that young people in each of the partner countries have been highly motivated in the development and delivery of projects and ideas that they have proposed. And the evidence suggests that young people who participate in youth groups or associations are more active than people who don’t participate.

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Open Door Succesfull aspects 6 Experience in the Open Door project suggests that dissemination of information in places where the young people routinely spend their time and in youth centres/organizations seems to have helped to develop an effective communication system. Attractive and well-designed posters also helped to improve the delivery of information to young people.

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali What future for Open Door in Europe? The long term impact of the Open Door project depends on a number of factors. The experience of the partners and young people suggests that involvement of the local organizations and youth groups in their neighbourhoods has been key to achieving the aims of the projects. These local groups and organisations work directly with disadvantaged young people and have complemented the work undertaken by the public bodies and NGOs in the project. It is vital that ongoing work in this field continues to harness the participation and collaboration of these local groups. Young people who participated in the Open Door project valued their experience and wish to see this initiative sustained. As one young person says; “Everything is possible, one just has to want it” /

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali What future for Open Door in Veneto Region? The experience carried out in the Veneto Region was very positive. A very important network has been established between Public Entity partners and young people who participated in the project Open Door. For this reason Veneto Region has decided to continue and expand the project during this year and the first 6 months of The project will be developed in Padua and 3 other regional territory Bassano del Grappa Thiene Vicenza Padova

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali What future for Open Door in Veneto Region? In this case the project aims to activate in 4 "suburbs“ a process of involvement of significant adults, informal youth groups present and active on the territory and institutions, aimed at overcoming the conditions of "disadvantage". A tutor for each local situation is foreseen, to support community groups in the design and implementation of project ideas for developing skills and creating opportunities for young people

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali What we are now asking at European level? 1 We would like to develop a learning/training experience with and among young people who participated in the European Open Door project 2 To organize a “technical” european meeting focused on “youth participation”. The meeting will have the aim to verify if at European level there is any successful model that guarantees the participation of youth

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION! And …THANKS TO ALL PARTNERS AND to Joe Francis for the Evaluation Report!

Assessorato regionale ai Servizi Sociali Claudia BONTORIN Observatory on Family, Childhood and Youth affairs Project Area Veneto Region OSSERVATORIO REGIONALE NUOVE GENERAZIONI E FAMIGLIA SEDE LEGALE: c/o Ulss n.3 - Via dei Lotti, Bassano del Grappa - VICENZA SEDE OPERATIVA : Via Asiago, San Zeno di Cassola - VICENZA LINEA 1: LINEA 2: FAX: SITO WEB: