The Eurodesk Awards started out in 2011 with a mission to collect Eurodesk youth workers' (multipliers) most relevant, innovative, empowering and impactful projects from the local level and highlight them to European Union institutions and other European level youth organisations as good practices. In 2020, the initiative received 50 projects from 15 countries in 3 main categories. The winners of the 3 categories were decided by a jury panel. The additional prize, called the Eurodesk Network Prize was decided by the Eurodesk network.
Member of the European Parliament (EPP), Chair of the CULT Committee
Policy Officer, DG EAC, European Commission
Eurodesk President
Board Member, European Youth Press
Vice-President, Erasmus Student Network
Eurodesk Tour
Europe4Youth
Poland
Europe4Youth Association has been established in order to create the platform for young people for participation in civil society on the local, national and European level, to broaden their horizons and to help in their self-development by enabling them to participate in national and international youth projects, and also encouraging them to organising such projects by themselves.
Eurodesk Tour was a part of Eurodesk's Time to Move campaign based on a literal approach to mobility - they organised a road trip with a Eurodesk bus driving young people around 4 Eurodesk information points in Poland for 4 days. The bus stopped in Kraków, Mińsk Mazowiecki, Lublin and Rzeszów. Europe4Youth aimed to make youth information closer to young people so they directly engaged a group of young people to coorganise the information event in each city. Each city hosted a different event with different focus and the Eurodesk bus was collecting 5 young people in each city, culminating in Kraków with 25 people.
The aims of the project was to promote youth mobility, civic engagement and social initiative among young people in the cities, as well as produce online materials to carry out social media activities within the Time to Move campaign. As a result Europe4Youth talked to over a 500 of young people directly informing them about youth opportunities, they developed a movie, they created their photo stock to be used by all Eurodesk information points. After the last day of the trip after the project management workshop in Kraków they arried out 5 youth projects aimed at promoting youth information developed by young people.
PerGioVE! Suburbs, Youth, Volunteering, Europe
Associazione Volontariato Torino (Vol.To)
Italy
Volontariato Torino (Vol.To) is the Volunteer Support Centre of Turin. Vol.To is an umbrella non-profit organisation with 160 member organisations and a network of more than 1.300 voluntary associations. Their mission is to qualify and support volunteers in order to enable them to seize opportunities and take individual paths of development. For this purpose they develop projects to increase the interest in voluntary works as well as build tailor-made learning paths on the needs of volunteers.
The “PerGioVE! Periferie, Giovani, Volontariato, Europa” project had the objective of creating innovation and social development in a specific area of the City of Turin, the so-called “District 5”. It is a suburban area with problems of marginalisation, poverty, and high youth unemployment rate. The vision of the project was to invest in the “urban resilience” of young people, especially those who are disadvantaged, and to boost young people’s capacity of creating spaces to develop relationships and social exchanges and thus promote equality, social emancipation and self-determination.
The specific objectives of the project were:
Youth, Volunteering and Europe were the keywords from which the “PerGioVE!” team started to outline four specific actions with different activities, but linked one each other:
The project resulted in 2981 consultancies and bureaucratic procedures at the “Welfare desk”; 221 disadvantaged young people asked information at the “Vol.To and Eurodesk Point”; the street art workshop involved 24 girls and boys aged 13 to 28, all residing in the “District 5” of Torino; 6 Eurodesk presentations were held in the high schools of “District 5”, totally involving 255 students; a group of 12 young people involved in the Solidarity Project within the European Solidarity Corps, already submitted, which is expected to have a positive impact on 1.000-1.500 people; 539 young people generally involved in the various activities of “PerGioVE”.
Breaking the barriers!
Alfa Albona
Croatia
Association Alfa Albona is a non-profit and non-political association of young people, established in 2011 to promote the interests and activities of youth. Their main fields of focus are youth information, mobility of young people and youth workers and social entrepreneurship. Beside that the NGO is active in the sphere of youth work in general, non formal education, human rights, culture and volunteering.
The project “Breaking the Barriers” was revolving around a 30-minute timed strategy game where a group of young people (teams of 3 to 6) were presented with puzzles, riddles and codes to crack within the given timeframe. The escape room was set up in a very particular space, a Eurodesk van. The main topic of the activities were human rights, migration and youth information.
Given that each activity was built on the previous task and they were also time-sensitive, the players needed to work as team, build a strategy together, and apply several different skills such as critical thinking, active listening and creativity in order to finish the game. The activity aimed to be fun, thrilling and encouraged thinking outside the box while tackling the main topics. It gives the space for debriefing process and knowledge transfer with the aim to empower young people to raise the level of their involvement in community life.
FCM Youth Mobility Makers
CRIJ Hauts-de-France
France
The CRIJ (the Regional Youth Information Center) in Hauts-de-France informs young people on different matters affecting them including studies/training, job, accommodation, health, rights, every day life issues and leisure activites, volunteering, transport and international mobility. For that purpose, the organisation produces, edits and distributes many traditional information materials such as guides and booklets as well as digital information (website, social networks, mobile application) and animation tools (exhibitions, games etc.).
FCM Youth Mobility Makers is a platform thatunites different resources for young people in order to prepare their project to go abroad, such as placement offers, other young people’s feedback on their international experience, accommodation, agenda of events encouraging international solidarity, list of organisations providing different services.
The overall ambition with the project was to involve and connect 3 communities they call “makers” (young people, supporting organisations and citizens) in order to contribute to international mobility projects. Young people who already had an experience abroad are invited to share their stories on the FCM website and get contacted by those who are looking for similar opportunities to travel. Others who have a clear idea of where they want to go or what they want to do, may submit their project on the website (by indicating a topic, a destination, their availabilities, etc.) and even upload their CVs or other supporting documents to be able to apply directly for a placement proposed.
The hosting maker community of accomodation providers (such as youth hostels, young workers' residences, social housing organisations, associations and citizens having a spare room or an appartment to rent) is invited to offer foreign young people (students, volunteers, travellers, etc.) a place to stay on their own conditions.
The 3rd maker community group invloving the organisations that send young people abroad or provide other types of supporting services (e.g. organising intercultural events, language workshops, pre-departure preparation, trainings, administrative assistance, language exchanges, city visits etc.) is invited to submit their mobility placements, services they offer and events they organise.
In October 2019, the platform had 20 different stories of previous experiences, 40 mobility placements mainly of European Solidarity Corps, civic service volunteering and EU aid volunteers, and 20 accomodations proposed in Northern France. In order to promote the platform all around Europe and involve international organisations in the animation of the 3 maker communities in their regions, the organisation is to apply for Erasmus+ Strategic partnership grant and looking for partners giving the preference to Eurodesk network members.
PlayIN’clusive
Tudatos Ifjúságért Alapítvány in cooperation with AC Amics de la Biblioteca de la Fonteta and Yaygin Egitim Merkezi Dernegi
Hungary, Spain and Turkey
PlayIN’clusive was a 25 month long strategic partnership project initiated by young people that aimed to promote the importance of gamification within youth work across Europe through developing innovative games for quality improvement of non-formal education in one of the most relevant and up-to-date topic of the field: social inclusion.
Taking under consideration the needs of the target group, the ideas and initiative of young people as well as the growing problems in Europe of societies where social inclusion does not appear such an important value, the three organisations joined forces and created the PlayIN’clusive project to provide a creative, innovative solution to these issues.
The project provided the opportunity for groups of young people to put their ideas into action and create innovation tools for inclusion to be used in non-formal education. Groups of young people were invited to participate in a long-term challenge and using their own creative side to develop games which will be used in non-formal education across Europe. There were 10 teams competing with different games developed by them until the final selection of the 3 best ones were selected for further dissemination in the European youth field.
A handbook has been edited and designed by young people to young people about how gamification and game development process can be used to turn ideas into actions and to support the development of individuals’ learning paths and youth work in general.
Boost your future
Sempre a Frente Foundation
Poland
Sempre a Frente Foundation carries out programs in the area of prevention, psychological education and promotion of active citizenship for young people since 2010.
The "Boost Your Future" youth exchange project was organised around a game where 21 participants from Spain, North Macedonia and Poland learned about different Role-Playing Games techniques that will help them develop themselves and determine their role in the labour market. Young people might have difficulties finding “their place” on the labour market and choosing the right career path for them. The game helped them to discover their professional potential and cultivate tolerance for cultural diversity.
The project included workshops (teambuilding, techniques of role-playing & LARP, improvisation in theatre/dance, storytelling, personality archetypes), discussions panels (about labour market, future skills, career path), filling individual “Characters Journals” to evaluate personal progress, the creation of a role-playing city game for the inhabitants of Lublin and the organisation of the Final Game Event in the centre of Lublin city. Thanks to dissemination activities, the results reached almost 8,000 inhabitants of all Europe. Over 150 people from Lublin participated in the Final.
Museo Facile da Leggere
Youth Policy Department of Cinisello Balsamo Municipality
Italy
Cinisello Balsamo Eurodesk is a service linked to the Youth Policy Department of Cinisello Balsamo Municipality. It is placed inside the “Il Pertini” Cultural Centre, an important socialisation place for the citizens (students, youngsters, families, etc.). The Youth Policy Department organises and manages actions with/for young people between 16 and 30. The activities promoted are aimed to develop soft skills, as well as active citizenship and youth participation. As a public body the organisation works on youth policy shared strategies that lead to sustainable development projects of the territory.
In 2019, Cinisello Balsamo Eurodesk collaborated with the local association Arcipelago - ANFFAS, that work with people with moderate-severe disabilities (both intellectual and physical). The aim of the project was to empower them and make them independent as much as possible. Through a 4-months-long path (one meeting weekly), together with 2 educators, they have been supporting a group of 10 youngsters with disabilities to write and apply for a project in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps Programme.
The project that they applied for was about local museums and the ability of the guides to use a language that is understandable for people with intellectual disabilities, foreigners and children. Sometimes the barriers for inclusion are not only “physical”, but they are also caused by the lack of competences or awareness of people working in different services.
Another important goal of the “classes” was to make the participants understand the importance of being active citizens in the local community. The most common perception in the society is to see people with disabilities only “users” or “clients” in volunteering and solidarity activities. The challenge of the project was to flip this view, and to raise awareness about the potential of these people in the communities as active participants.
The project 'Museo Faccile di Leggere' ('Easy to read museum') was actually sent in to the Italian National Agency, but unfortunately it was not approved. Nevertheless, in January 2020, the educators have been invited by the NA to Rome to a workshop to improve the rejected project proposal. They had the opportunity to work in mixed groups to receive suggestions and support from the evaluators. The project will be resent to the next deadline.
https://www.comune.cinisello-balsamo.mi.it/spip.php?rubrique194
European U
Kildare Youth Services, Youth Information Service
Ireland
Youth Information Service provide a free & confidential information service to young people and those who work with them. Catering for 12 - 25 year of age, on a wide range of subjects including career, education, employment matters, rights and entitlements, leisure, sport, travel and European opportunities.
Kildare Youth Services is a partnership of young people, volunteers and staff working together to respond to the emerging and changing needs of young people, their families and communities. Together with a wide range of community and statutory agencies, Kildare Youth Services is committed to the development of comprehensive youth, child and family services throughout County Kildare and West Wicklow.
The Eurodesk Ireland networks created and EU online survey that provided a valuable insight into the topics of young people and the EU. One outcome resulted in young people saying, if they had more information about the EU and the European Elections, they would be more likely to vote. This formed the basis for the local activities.
The “European U” workshop aimed to create a fun and interactive learning environment where young people could learn about EU opportunities, the EU in general and the importance of democracy in voting in the upcoming European Elections. The workshop aimed to explore the importance a democratic voting that provides an opportunity to have people's voices heard.
The organisation created a real EU atmosphere with EU flags bunting and a voting booth. First in small groups young people got a change to workshop different topics under twelve different headings: Our Prosperity, Our Borders, Our Safety, Our Rights, Our Health and Happiness, Opportunities for Young People, Our Planet, Our Food, Our Future in the EU, Our Privacy, Our Sense of Justice, and Our Way of Life. Each group discussed the topics/issues they care about the most in their future. They then made their individual vote in the mock polling station. Some made a delectation “I’m voting because I care about ….”. Voting results were announced at the end of the workshop. The mock polling station created a real sense of active citizenship, learning how every vote counts.
Lost in translation
Eurodesk Andria
Italy
The objective of the 'Lost in translation' project was to help young adults to translate their CV into English. In fact, at Eurodesk Andria, they realised that for many young people, sending a CV in English to apply for EU projects was a deterrent - they often they give up doing the application and they never try again. So Eurodesk Andria decided, thanks to the voluntary involvement of two retired English teachers, to encourage young people doing applications in English, while offering them support.
Eurodesk Andria therefore asked the students to proceed, each for themselves, with a first draft of their CVs in English, using an online translation software. After that, they have planned the translation laboratory, where the participants, led by the teachers, created a final version of the CVs. The result in this first edition of the project was to have 5 translated CVs ready to apply for the various European mobility projects.
One of the most encouraging unexpected result was the friendship between the students and the teachers that ensured that the teachers remained available, on a personal basis, for any future additions to the CV, or to help the students with their motivational letters. After the conclusion of the project, as often happens, several other people wrote to the Eurodesk branch to ask for help with their CVs or suggesting a second edition of "Lost in Translation".
Europe4Youth
Associazione Volontariato Torino (Vol.To)
Tudatos Ifjúságért Alapítvány in cooperation with AC Amics de la Biblioteca de la Fonteta and Yaygin Egitim Merkezi Dernegi
Sempre a Frente Foundation
Alfa Albona
CRIJ Hauts-de-France
Youth Policy Department of Cinisello Balsamo Municipality
Fundacja Centrum Aktywności Twórczej, Eurodesk Leszno
Kildare Youth Services, Youth Information Service
Youth Information Center of Agros
Eurodesk Andria
Támaszpont Mentálhigiénés Oktatási és Prevenciós Közhasznú Alapítvány
Youth and Civil Initatives in the Rose Valley NGO
Eurodesk Movidindi - Agenzia Locale Eurodesk Genurio
GOEUROPE! Europäisches Jugend Kompetenz Zentrum Sachsen-Anhalt
Momentum World
Informagiovani - Eurodesk Iglesias
PlanBe Plan it Be it
D2 Youth Center
Centre of Technical Culture Rijeka
BDK Bodrum Youth Culture&Art Centre
Mladinski center Zagorje ob Savi
Bureau Information Jeunesse of the municipality of La Ciotat
Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC)
Malik Cultural Association
Youth Information Centre of Paphos
British Youth Council
Informagiovani di Sarezzo
Association ZUM
Utena Youth Information Center
Cross Culture International Foundation Cyprus
Progetto Giovani Valdagno
County Directorate Sport and Youth Constanta
Fundacja Alternatywnych Inicjatyw Edukacyjnych
Donegal Youth Service
Carpe Diem udruga za poticanje i razvoj kreativnih i socijalnih potencijala djece, mladih i odraslih
Agenzia Eurodesk – Europe Direct Comune di Trieste
Jugendinformationsstelle ABdate - Youth Information Service ABdate
Europe House Slavonski Brod
Eurowerkstatt Jena e.V.
Point Info Jeunes Esch
Silale open youth centre
Youth Development Center Mutual Aid
CINAZ - The Center for extracurricular activities
IARS International Institute
Youth Development Center Mutual Aid
Abdullah Gül University
IARS International Institute
Youth Information Centers (YIC)
Istanbul Technical University
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