In an ever-changing world and labor market, it is becoming essential to equip young people – especially those with fewer opportunities – with tools and competences to express themselves, become more competitive and increase their employability.
As stated in the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 and in a resolution of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council issued in November 2018, competences and skills acquired through non-formal learning, including through youth work, will play a decisive role in the active engagement of young people.
It therefore seems necessary to train youth workers in innovative and non-formal working methods that can both facilitate interaction with youngsters and equip young people themselves with useful resources for their future.
Partners from Italy, Kenya, France, Senegal and Zambia are working together to achieve these objectives in the framework of the Erasmus Plus capacity building project “Draw your thoughts”!
The project is based on two innovative methods:
- the art of storytelling
- Graphic and/or visual facilitation
Both now used in a variety of contexts.
“Draw your thoughts” will be structured around 4 key moments:
1. A phase of desk research and interviews with professionals already using these two methods in order to build a graphic vocabulary in each partner country.
2. Training in storytelling and graphic facilitation methods for youth workers from Italy, Kenya, Zambia, Senegal and France.
3. Setting up local workshops for young people – to equip them with tools to strengthen their self-expression and inclusion in society.
4. An international exchange (also known as job shadowing) in one of the partner countries to observe and learn from our partners’ good practices.
The expected results will be:
A graphic vocabulary specific to each country – the aim being to identify images/symbols specific to the reality of young people in each country.
A campaign to raise awareness of societal issues in each partner country.
Visual diaries produced during local workshops.
A final manual collecting all the experiences and knowledge developed throughout the project.
Stay tuned to our website for more information on the project!