The main inspiration for this project is to answer the inadequacy of many youth workers in the use of advanced skills inspired by participatory artistic methods in order to promote positive aggregation and personal self-esteem.
We strongly believe that helping to create social aggregation amongst young people, but also among different generations, through the use of art is pivotal as we consider it one of the most powerful tools to generate group spirit and cooperation. It also fosters learning abilities, skills, and values that are able to emancipate young people from a social and personal point of view.
We also wish to spread the idea that art in a social and participatory perspective has positive effects on the quality of youth aggregation. What is more, it represents a work opportunity. The results of our research have shown that this inadequacy represents a limitation, in particular among those who work in contexts characterized by a high risk of youth social marginalization or from multi-ethnic and multi-cultural contexts, that need innovative techniques and tools to create and maintain participation.
The project aims to address the aspects of learning processes that are often underestimated, including the importance of moments of reflection and debate that are fundamental to deepen certain concepts. In many international projects, the learning sessions are carried out superficially and the artistic practice is not supported by real moments of reflection and other fundamental details that are pivotal if our aim for these type of activities is to have a real impact and bring about a positive change.
We have developed a model of good-practices sharing concerning aggregation and inclusion, through a methodology that includes non-formal education activities in the field of art, the use of Erasmus + and youth mobility, and in particular projects and facilitation methods designed for young people with fewer geographical, economic and social opportunities.
Through the project we want to stimulate the mobility of both youth workers and young people involved in the arts who will have the opportunity to approach educational ideas, experiences and methodologies that we face when we participate in a youth exchange especially designed for them.

The project structure combines closely related activities, including training meetings and exchange of good practices, international mobility, youth exchanges and local activities:

• Kick-off meeting for country coordinators (in Italy);

• Seminar for youth workers, in which will participate the country coordinators and 1 youth worker per country (in Italy);
• Training Course for youth workers (in Uruguay);

• Youth Exchange with participants from the European countries and with activities organized by the European youth workers/facilitators involved in the project (in Lithuania);

  
• Youth Exchange with participants from the South American countries and with activities organized by the South Americans youth workers/facilitators involved in the project (in Argentina);

• Local Practice Phase and Local Activities – for the youth workers/facilitators: put in practice the learning, methods and tools developed in a series of workshops in the local community with young people / for the participants in the Youth Exchanges supported by the youth workers: organization of 1 Local Event per country that includes artistic activities;

  
• Evaluation meeting for coordinators and some of the multipliers (in Brazil);

• Local dissemination and follow-up activities.
  
  

Through this experience, the goal of this project is to improve and strengthen the skills of the organizations involved, their staff members and youth workers.

In fact, they will develop their work competences and attitudes aimed at social inclusion and cultural integration throughout all the phases of the project; and in particular:
1. the project will strengthen and qualify youth workers by providing them with knowledge of international experimentation, practices and non-formal education methodologies, including artistic activities and methods of participatory art, intercultural and intergenerational skills and sensitivity with particular attention to adolescents and young people.
2. young people involved in youth exchanges, who will be selected on the basis of fewer opportunities, will have the chance to reflect on their talents and passions, with the aim of raising awareness and active participation in the opportunities offered by society. The connection with local realities and activities during the exchange will create synergy and positive contacts that will continue over time.

Through the cycle of activities, the project aims to build and improve the skills of the partner organization on different levels:

- working at a higher level of quality and in-depth analysis, developing skills that concern topical issues and pivotal problems in order to reach new target groups in their community;
- knowing how to organise and implement programmes, youth exchanges, activities of aggregation

- integrating new practices aimed at social inclusion and higher intercultural tendencies in their activities;
- knowing how to collaborate in an intercontinental project with different partners; The overall result will be a higher quality and professionalism of all the subjects involved in the work they carry out at a local and international level, providing greater awareness and skills inspired by modernity and successful educational practices.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.