EU4YOU

WHEN: NOVEMBER 09 - 17, 2023

WHERE: DOBBRIKOW, Nuthe-Urstromtal, Germany

WHO: 18+ age NGO staff, youth workers, youth leaders, educators, trainers and other relevant stakeholders.

We are delighted by your keen interest on the Erasmus+ project "EU4YOU" a 3-phase initiative dedicated to rising awareness about EU policy, decision-making process and promotion of the European Parliament Elections 2024 among young voters, first time voters and future voters.

We are excited to announce the 1st stage of the project - the upcoming Training Course, which will take place in Germany in November 2023. Mark the dater in your calendars for an enriching experience: the TC will be held from November 9th to 17th, 2023 in Dobbrikow, Nuthe-Urstromtal, near Potsdam, Brandenburg area.

Contained within this comprehensive Info Pack, you will discover details regarding the project, accommodation, hosting organization, and step-by-step travel instructions.

If any questions about preparation to the Training Course, your travel arrangements, financial queries, or any other aspects arise, please don't hesitate to reach out to Manuela Demel at demel@pewobe-ffo.de. We assure you of our prompt response.

With great enthusiasm, we are looking forward to meeting you in Germany, where we will have the pleasure of meeting you personally.

Best regards,
The Preparation Team.

The project "EU4YOUTH" was developed to support the partners attempts to promote the European Parliament Elections 2024 among young voters, first time voters and future voters.

The concept of the project is based on a rather old method - the U18, that is used in Germany since 1996 to educate young people about the importance of elections. The U18 initiative is a simulated vote that takes place nine days ahead of real 'adult' elections, either local or national. elections. Children and young people get involved with the political events and make a voting decision for themselves. Therefore this project is focused on sharing the methodology with other NGOs that can start to implement this election on the local level. The election is embedded in other political education activities that the participants will learn about and get to know. Together they will support each other in the implementation of their own activities and prepare future cooperation.

The project has a global aim at enhancing young people's awareness regarding the structure and functioning of EU policy, promotion civic responsibility, participation in election, understanding the mechanisms of making decisions on European and national level.
The project aims:
- to get more young people involved in the election;
- to equip partners with a new set of methods;
- to develop youth workers' competences in the field of local, national and international youth work, especially those who work with young people with fewer opportunities;
- to provide youth workers and organisations with the information access about European Parliament as the European institution, essential understanding of the importance of EP Elections, recognition of the voices of youth in decision-making process;
- to emphasise on the value of their active civic position.

1. November 2023, Germany

Professional development activities - Training Course "EU4YOUTH"

The participants of the 1st TC will learn a very useful tool for their youth work practice that enables them to offer political education. Rge participants will learn about participation, European Union, young people as well as simulation methods. They will discuss ethical issues related to political education and get better skills in supporting young people with fewer opportunities. The will develop and start the implementation of the strategic plans for the implementation of the mockelection and related events in their organisations.

Therefore this TCwants to attempt to share the methodology with other NGOs that can start to implement this election on the local level.

2. January 2024 - April 2024

System development and outreach activities - Local communities "LOCAL4YOUTH"

This activity connects the two mobilities of the participants. The outreach activity will support the participants in putting what they learned in practice. They are supposed to use the toolbox that they developed an implement a mock-election in relation to the European Parliament Elections in 2024. Therefore they will do the actual mock-election together with additional activities that should engage young people in political educational activities. This will be supported by online meetings between the participants and the trainers.

The youth workers will implement the activities and the young people on their local or regional level will participate. This will be done in cooperation with other stakeholders that the participants will identify during the first training.

3. July 2024, Germany

Professional development activities - Training Course "FUTURE4YOUTH"

We predict the same participants, who take place in the 1st TC. These participants should be related to the respective sending organisations and have some connections with them, which allows them to organize activities in their name. This means that they will be able to make decisions during the activity about the follow-up and the local work. The involved youth workers will be interested in political education, but don’t need to have a basis education in that field. They rather should be able to reach a lot of young people in their communities so that the new learned can be beneficial for as many young people as possible. It is necessary that they are motivated to take part in the TC and to be personally interested in the topic of the TC. They should also participate in the training course within the project as well as the additional online meetings in between.

PEWOBE GEMEINNUTZIGE SOZIALE BETREUUNGSGE SELLSCHAFT MBH FRANKFURT/ODER is a registered organisation in the youth welfare service in Germany. Since 1994 the organization runs several independent organisations which are all based on the federal law for youth and child service: kindergardens, youth clubs, truants projects, assisted living for youngsters and the child emergency service as well as assistance for families in need. All organisations within the Associsation have an international orientation and educate for tolerance.

The organisation hosts international youth meetings and projects since 1999. Young people from Frankfurt (Oder) and Slubice are volunteering to make these projects participatory. Within Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps the organization implements mainly KA1 projects for youth and youth workers, as well as volunteering projects. pewobe includes young people with fewer opportunities in our projects, especially young refugees.

The project wants to gather 43 NGO staff, youth workers, youth leaders, educators, trainers and other relevant stakeholders to reflect on the main requested competences, knowledge and attitudes a young peoron should possess, while also considering the values, ethics, boundaries, local contexts and youth’s individual needs. They will be at least 18 years old, but we expect most to be in their 20s and 30s. These participants should be related to the respective sending organisations and have some connections with them, which allows them to organize activities in their name. This means that they will be able to make decisions during the activity about the follow-up and the local work.

With this project they will get to know a new method and succesfully implement it on the local level. All experiences will be collect in a toolbox that can be used by other organisations. It will bring specific competencies among the partners in EU project management and nonformal education. This synergy will guarantee a fruitful exchange of best practice, while also considering local needs inside EU countries in particular and the EU in general. The capacity of the involved organisations will increase by improving their youth work through NFE improving their capacity to include young people with fewer opportunities.

IMPORTANT!

1. Inform us till September the 4th, 2023 if you will be able to find participants for the TC or if you need any support from our side with searching for them. We will be able to announce the open call in SALTO-YOUTH webpage.

2. Please provide us the selected participants' details till October, the 1st, 2023.

3. Participants need to agree the tickets with Manuela Demel demel@pewobe-ffo.de before to purchase them.

The costs for the accommodation and the activities in Germany are covered by the fund of the European Commission. From our side there is no participation fee for this Training Course.

According to the rules of the Erasmus+ programme, we will reimburse the travel costs on the basis of the cheapest options (e.g. second class railway tickets, APEX-flights) upon receipt of complete and original tickets, invoices, bills, receipts, boarding cards etc. based on a certain “contribution to the travel costs of participants, from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return”.

This contribution is "based on the travel distance per participant. Travel distances must be calculated using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission”. Please keep in mind that in the final calculation the place of origin of each participant is used to calculate the maximum contribution to the travel costs. This means that the reimbursed amount can be lower than indicated here.

The reimbursement will be done via bank transfer in the period of maximum 4 weeks after the TC.

Please plan your travel according to the dates of the programme with a maximum stay of two additional days before or after the activity. It is not possible to arrive earlier or stay longer in the youth hostel. Additional days before and after the TC are not covered by us.

We will provide an insurance for everyone that takes part in the activities.

You will be staying in Haus am See, which is located in the village of Dobbrikow in Nuthe-Urstromtal, a municipality south of Berlin.

Surrounded by nature, Haus am See is ideal for both educational projects and free time activities. You will have access to a seminar room, dining room, playgrounds, campfire areas and the near-by lake.

You will share a room with 3 -6 people. There will be no gender-mixed rooms.

If you have any special requests regarding accessibility, please let us know as soon as possible.

There will be three meals offered per day. At least one of them will be a warm dish. Please let us know in advance if you have any food allergies or special dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, etc.).

Keep in mind: In Germany, it is common to eat a warm meal only once per day, usually for lunch. For the other meals, we eat a lot of sandwiches. You will not be able to prepare your own meals.

· Passport/ID;

· Travel and health insurance documents;

· Specific medicines if necessary;

· Sport clothes;

· Flip flops etc. for the shower;

· Cosmetics and other things for your daily needs;

· Towels! Bedding will be provided;

· Games and music for free time;

· Energy and motivation!;

· Good mood :);

During the Training Course, you will have the chance to share with others something about your city, region or country. Thus, it would be great if you could prepare short information in advance.Also you will have the chance to present your NGO/Association. Thus, promotion magterials, leaflets, business cards can be useful.

The Training Course will start on the 09th of November (arrival from 16.00) and end on the 17th of November (departure untill 10.00).

After booking your trip, please let us know about your exact arrival time in Berlin so that we can support you with a specific arrival plan for you.

On the day of arrival, you can reach us on this number: +49 173 4258016 (Manuela Demel, Project Manager of pewobe).

Please also inform us about your exact departure time so that we can plan for that day as well.

The youth hostel Haus am See is located south of Berlin in Dobbrikow, a village in the municipality of Nuthe-Urstromtal.

We recommend that you use the following apps or websites to find the best travel route based on your arrival time:

· DB (Deutsche Bahn, https://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en)

· VBB (Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg, https://www.vbb.de/en/)

After arriving at Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER Airport), you will first need to travel to either Potsdam or Berlin.

Below you will find 3 route options. The trip takes approximately 2 hours.

You take the Regional Train RB from BER Airport to Potsdam Hbf (direction Potsdam Griebnitzsee or Berlin-Charlottenburg). From there you take the bus line 608 to Dobbrikow Am Anger, Nuthe-Urstromtal (direction Dobbrikow). From the bus stop, you walk for about 700 meters to the venue.

You take the FEX train from BER Airport to Berlin Hbf (Berlin Central Train Station). From there you take the Regional Train RE to Mischendorf (direction Dessau Hbf). From there you take the bus line 608 to Dobbrikow Am Anger, Nuthe-Urstromtal (direction Dobbrikow). From the bus stop, you walk for about 700 meters to the venue.

You take the Regional Train RB to Berlin Südkreuz (direction Nauen). From there you take the Regional Express RE to Luckenwalde (direction Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbf). From there you take the bus line 755 to Dobbrikow Nettgendorfer Str., Nuthe-Urstromtal (direction Kemnitz (TF) Kemnitzer Hauptstr., Nuthe-Urstromtal). From the bus stop, you walk for about 800 meters to the venue.

At the airport, you will find red Deutsche Bahn machines from which you can buy your ticket. You can also choose the language in the machine. As your destination, select Dobbrikow Am Anger, Nuthe-Urstromtal or Dobbrikow Nettgendorfer Str., Nuthe-Urstromtal. The ticket currently costs 6,10 €. You can pay with card or cash.