Deadline: as soon as possible by 21 February 2013
Open to: National/local authority representatives from EU Member States responsible for migration/integration/youth issues; National youth (umbrella) organisations from EU Member States; Participants in national iYouth events, including migrant youth representatives; European Commission representatives; Members of European Parliament; Representatives of European youth umbrella organizations; Civil society representatives and Academics
Venue: 21 February 2012 at Marivaux Hotel Congress & Seminar Centre in Brussels, Belgium.
Description
The purpose of this EU-level seminar hosted by the International Organization for Migration, office in Helsinki, in cooperation with the iYouth Steering Committee, is to disseminate project results, in terms of advancing youth integration and prevention of exclusion (including a range of practical examples of how youth organisations successfully engage with migrant youth), as well as concerning the application of peer review methodologies on an EU level.
In addition, the seminar is meant to foster discussions on the opportunities for further empowering youth organisations and migrant youth themselves at EU, national, and local levels.
The seminar will take place on 21 February 2012 at Marivaux Hotel Congress & Seminar Centre, Boulevard Adolphe Max 98, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
The seminar will last for half a day (12.00-18.00), followed by an informal gathering/dinner for networking and exchange of ideas. Please refer to the preliminary programme HERE for further details.
Cost
Participation in the event is free of charge, lunch and dinner will be provided by the organisers. Upon request, the organisers can cover travel costs, provide hotel accommodation and a daily allowance for participants from EU Member States (number of sponsored participants subject to availability of resources). Participants are kindly asked to indicate whether they will require financial support for travel and/or accommodation in Brussels when registering.
Further Information
The European Commission-funded Models for Integration and Prevention of Exclusion: Empowering Migrant Youth (iYouth) is built on the assumption that the role of youth organisations could be better utilized in the integration practices for migrant youth in the European Union. The iYouth project aims to empower youth organizations to work towards young migrants’ integration and the prevention of their exclusion.
Implemented during 2011-2013 in partnership with youth organisations and institutional partners from five EU Member States, the iYouth project has explored the role and potential of youth organisations in integration processes through three major activities.
Firstly, through a ‘peer review’ process, iYouth partner organizations compared their integration activities and exchanged good practices across five partner countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, and Poland. Among the most important findings of this process is that more efforts must be done, through substantive cooperation between authority and civil society actors, to empower migrant youth to become full and equal members of their new home societies. Furthermore, the process confirmed that youth organisations play a crucial role in empowering migrant youth through improving their understanding of their rights, responsibilities and opportunities, acquiring new knowledge, learning new skills and having the possibility to practice being an engaged adult.
Secondly, based on the findings of the peer reviews, the project created a public Online Training Platform to support capacity-building in a wide range of youth organisations. The Online Training Platform includes training materials, case studies, videos, useful tips and self-assessment tools for youth organisations and other actors working with migrant youth. The Online Training Platform is available in six languages HERE.
Thirdly, national workshops and symposia further supported awareness raising and mutual learning on migrant youth integration among a wide range of stakeholders. These activities aimed to advance integration by promoting exchanges of ideas and knowledge, building the capacity of youth organisations, supporting multi-stakeholder networking, and producing joint recommendations, among others.
Eligibility
Approximately 75 participants are expected to attend the seminar, including:
- National/local authority representatives from EU Member States responsible for migration/integration/youth issues
- National youth (umbrella) organisations from EU Member States
- Participants in national iYouth events, including migrant youth representatives
- European Commission representatives
- Members of European Parliament
- Representatives of European youth umbrella organizations
- Civil society representatives
- Academics
Application
Participants are asked to register as soon as possible online at the website HERE.
For further information or inquiries about the seminar contact iYouth Project Coordinator Tobias van Treeck at tvantreeck@iom.int or by phone at +358-9-684 11 533. You may also contact iYouth Project Assistant Lauramaria Havu at lhavu@iom.int or by phone at +358-9-684 11 554.
Further information is available at the call for applications HERE.
