The strategic partnership consisted of three partners organisations: People in Need Slovakia (PIN), Outward bound Slovakia (OBS) and Elmenyakademia (EA) from Hungary. The leading organisation People in need Slovakia is one of the most active NGOs in Slovakia working directly in socially excluded Roma communities mostly in Eastern part of Slovakia. The need of PIN was to increase competences of youth and social workers in using non-formal education methods, particularly experiential learning methods, to be able to create space and environment supporting personal development and empowerment of Roma youth. For Outward Bound Slovakia this partnership was an opportunity to start working with young people with fewer opportunities coming from marginalised group. The partnership was created in order to learn, inspire, exchange good practices, to increase personal capacities and expertise of involved organisations and to transfer and adopt innovative learning programme for Roma youth in Slovak environment, inspired by programme run in Hungary for the last 6 years. Elmenyakademia (from Hungary) was the organisation whose know-how was transferred and adjusted to Slovak conditions. For this organisation it was an opportunity to develop international cooperation and disseminate their best practice abroad and learn from this cooperation. It was also an opportunity for the youngsters from Hungary (from Roma minority) to be a role model for other young people from different country.The overall goal of the strategic partnership to improve cooperation and exchange of good practices between involved organizations to support and empower Roma youth through non-formal education methods was fulfilled. The specific objectives were: a. to increase personal capacities of involved organizations in non-formal education methodsResults:- 1 training of trainers for youth and social workers coming from PIN Slovakia and OB Slovakia to transfer the „theory” of the best practice of Elmenyakademia - 1 pool of ten trainers/instructors created - 10 youth and social workers with increased competences, motivation and inspiration for their workb. to increase the quality of youth work the involved organisations provide, particularly in adopting a new learning programme for Roma youth using volunteering action as a tool. Results:- 1 innovative learning programme adopted and tested called “Heroes”, consisting of 3 parts of 6 days for youth from marginalizes Roma communities (18 days togeher)- 1 methodology pack created in online form and disseminated (summary of used tools, methods and lessons learned) - 3 organizations that became more professional, increased their capacities and cooperation potential.There were together 20 young people coming from Roma settlements participating in certain parts of the 3 weeks long training programme. The young people as a group of volunteers prepared, run and evaluated their two volunteering actions. During the learning programme they had a chance to meet with Hungarian youngsters, who shared their experiences.

TART project emerged from noticing adults’ lifelong learning and wellbeing threat by the nowadays uncertainty, fast change of references, personal dilemmas that come with it and how artistic expression methodologies could contribute to answer this need. TART Targeted 4 methodologies in adult education that use Artistic Forms of Expression to provide self-development that help adults to face the reality’s challenge. The 4 methodologies were: The Factory of Dreams (PT), the Tamalpa Life/Art Process (UK), the Inside & Out (HU) and the Method Marchio - Patti (IT). TART provided the exchange of these methodologies and the connection among adult educators involved and interested in reflecting their artistic expression practices through the self-development topic. The main objective of the project was the exchange of the 4 methodologies involved, the improvement of them, the improvement of their adult educators and the creation of an international network for a dialogue on the topic of self-development for future cooperation and innovation on using Art as a lifelong learning opportunity into healthy lifestyles and community well being.In these project there were 4 organizations involved: the Portuguese partner and project coordinator the Descalças - cultural cooperative, a non-profit making cultural organization that is a public body; the Italian partner Associazione La Città del Sole, also a non-profit making cultural organization, but that is not a public body; the Hungarian partner Elmenyakademia a Non-governmental organization, that is not a public body and finally Tamalpa UK c.i.c a social enterprise, that is a nonprofit public body: The main activities were: a Website (A2), the TART PROJECT animated YouTube video; a Facebook page (A2) to support the project development and the network objectives; a training course period (C1) composed by 1/5 -2-day workshop of each methodologies for exchange; an Instagram & FB TART BAG PHOTO album for the project visibility challenge; a TART BLOG for educators’ exchange; an European seminar event (C2) for the educators’ improvement, the 4 TART methodologies promotion and network for new projects; a YouTube TART Results video; and a TART PARTY celebration event (A3) on each partner country to disseminate the results, the project experience and enlarge TART network on national level.The main results from the exchange of good practices were: the exchange, the dialogue, the internationalization and improvement of knowledge & practice of the 4 methodologies, of the adult educators and of the organizations involved. The other important result was the network creation to keep connected and working together educators interested in the use of artistic expression methodologies for self-development. New projects emerged already from TART: a monthly community gather through event called “TARTúlia” in Portugal; a pilot methodology called LIGARTE (that explore dialogues between inner & outer places using movement in nature); external educators with new methodologies are now connected to TART network and community for future meetings and work.The impact of the TART project was awareness of the methodologies and develop interest for deeper exchange on each one; the high motivation of participants involved in keep practicing and promote these methodologies noticing: the community strength outcome, how art overcame international multi language disadvantage context and transcended it into deep connection among each other; participants became active with the topic on their professional life’s and kept connected to the network that was formed and called a TART community; Finally the organizations were left with curiosity to deepen dialogue and development of projects on the topic, with special interest in innovation which they are applying for funding through Erasmus + KA2 follow up project;The long term benefits of TART are to inspire other local organizations to exchange, other educators and adults to get involved into awakening for importance of the topic and the power of art holistic health, quality of life, re connection with their life purpose for the community well being on a lifelong learning perspective.

Youngsters living in foster home institutions are are particularly vulnerable groups of our society, who will be permanently pushed to the edge of the society without the support of self-reliance development processes. Due to the poor family backround they have lack of self-esteem, behavioral and personality disorders, learning difficulties and reach lower educational level than their peers. Additionally, the deprivation level of the environment - unemployment, housing problems, health and mental deficits – are present in their lives in multiple forms. Without having development processes that boost their self-reliance and positive self-image, these youngsters will suffer even more from the earlier mentioned disadvantages by the time they leave the foster care institutions. This will result in higher rates of unemployment, drug use, homelessness and criminality of the youngsters living in foster care compared to their peers brought up in families. The aim of the project is to contribute to the provision of the youth in foster care (with a special focus on youngsters with special needs) with efficient development processes in order that they become responsible, creative and active citizens with entrepreneurial skills, so that their employability, social inclusion and well-being will increase in Europe.The partnership composed of 2 child care institutions and 2 youth organizations expert in non-formal education methods wishes to reach the set targets through the following steps: based on a collection of good practices two innovative development plans and methodologies will be elaborated targeting on one hand the youth workers of child care institutions with high multiplying potential, and, on the other hand, the youth living in child care institutions. Thus, the development process will result in the elaboration of easy to use handy guides presenting practical solutions (case-studies, success stories) and composed of practical tools/methods that are searchable by several dimensions (e.g. development need, target group, age).The innovative character of the project is due to the fact that both development plans and methodologies will be elaborated with an integrative approach contributing to the institutional learning that is with the active involvement of foster care workers (20 people) and youngsters in foster care (40 people) in all steps of the development, testing and finalization. Additionally, the outputs will be finalized based on the evaluations results of the test phase. The institutional and financial sustainability of the results will be supported by the development of an implementation and resources plan for both child care institutions, while the wide-spread promotion and dissemination (e.g. thematic conference and workshop) of project results, as well as the continuous international stakeholder involvement will also be the guarantee of sustainability.Results:40 disadvantaged youth living in foster homes with increased basic and transversal skills and higher capacity for social and labor market integration20 foster care workers with increased professional knowledge, higher motivated, higher recognition and with a more mature personality4 organizations with increased capacities, cooperation potentials and professionalismQualitative indicators :Improvement of the attitude and professional knowledge of the staff of foster homes;Increase of the social and labor market inclusion, self-esteem and self-confidence of youth living in foster homes, plus the decrease of their personality disorders;Contribution to the recovery of social deficits of youngsters living in foster homes (e.g. attachment, social relationships, social integration , communication, aggression and conflict management, less hospitalization, gender and ethnic group identity) and to overcoming learning difficulties and the development of basic and transversal skills;· Providing a positive lifestyle patterns;· Improvement of the attitude of society towards young people growing up in foster homes· Improvement of the recognition, prestige and professionalism of the youth workers. All in all, thanks to the elaborated development plans and methodologies and continuously collected best practices the quality of the youth work in foster care institutions will improve guaranteeing the sustainability of project results. Thus, the basic and transversal skills of highly endangered youthliving in foster homes will be continuously developed on a long term as well. Thus they will become active, creative and promoter citizens with entrepreneurial skills, so their employability, social inclusion and well-being will increase even after they will have left their foster homes.Moreover, the whole society will attain more knowledge and understanding about the youth living in foster homes and their special needs, that will also contribute to the social and labour market inclusion of this youth with fewer opportunities.

"HEARTLAND aims to address adult educators and other helping professionals with high risk of burn out to develop their competences through creativity and art embedded into the activities and the intellectual outputs of the 24 month collaboration.The phenomenon of burnout within helping professions - including educators - has been known since the 1970s, and by now a solid research and practical intervention basis exists linked to it. However, burnout continues to be a severe issue until today. Also experiencing the covid pandemic outbreak in spring 2020 and its effects on people in general but on health- and social care workers in specific ( post traumatic effects) we decided to further develop our toolkit HEART with a higher emphasis on creative tools: art and culture: common issue exhibition - to give a response of what the global world faces as a mutual challenge.To tackle above issues, a transnational partnership composed of 5 partners (PPs) concerned about burnout and resilience and art in the field of education of 5 countries developed the HEARTLAND project. Two PPs are experts in adult education using outdoor experiential educational methods Elmenyakademia (HUN) - who is the coordinator organization and additionally addresses solution focus coaching methods - and Outward Bound Romania (RO) who has expertise in psychoeducational tools due to academic connections as well), one PPs is adult education expert using artistic methodologies (LE PT), MARTA (LV) carries out courses for adults focusing on crisis management and mental first aid and PTS growth and Badgecraft Ireland has waste cross-sectorial practical, theoretical and research expertise in the topic of on-line learning modules for adult learners.To reach our objectives, the HEARTLAND partnership uses a methodology based on transnational, holistic and positive approach and the synergy of 7 methods, focusing on the resilience processing through arts of our main target groups: the adult learners, educators and social- and health care workers and their organizations Europe-wide. To achieve our goals, we’ll develop an Extended collection of Easy to Learn and Resilience Tools and Processes (including a Self-directed learning portfolio) and an innovative ExtendedCombined Modular Resilience Curriculum - Training Scheme to offer an innovative creative educational material at individual (personal and professional) level. These two outputs will use an innovative methodology, the HEARTLAND methodology (the synergy of 7 methodologies) covering the whole human potential addressing all: body, soul and mind and giving answers for crisis situations. The above 2 outputs will be channeled into a 5 module on-line course material in order to ensure Europe-wide application of HEARTLAND methodology as such. In addition, we’ll also work out Organizational Resilience Recommendations and Adaptation Strategy that offer alternatives for social- and health care workers and their institutions at grass root level. Moreover, the impact of the methodology will be summarized in an Assessment Report. As for the long-term work engagement of HPs and social- and health care workers we introduce a new innovative output - culural eventing: common issue exhibition IO6 ""Our Evereday Heroes"" in order to raise awareness about resilience of HPs within pandemic situation and in general. The event also supports HPs to raise their voice and to address their management and policy makers on the field.During HEARTLAND activities 2 staff trainings, 6 field tests, 1 discussion workshop and 2 international and 4 national dissemination events will be held for HEARTLAND staff/volunteers and social- and health care workers and for other external stakeholders. Thanks to the implemented project activities, we will directly reach 460 persons active in the field of adult learning and we’ll contribute to increase their competences to face burn-out, thus, their resilience, professional satisfaction, the quality of their work will increase. 5 organizations will have a more modern, dynamic, committed and resilient work environment and higher understanind of how arts and culture can have a positive impact on that.Moreover, we aim to share and disseminate our results at a European level as well. On a long run we plan to familiarize 30 adult educator organizations (incl. min. 900 persons) from the partner organizations’ countries with the developed outputs and methodologies Europe-wide. Additionally, we plan to introduce our outputs and results in 10 additional countries.Sustainability on a personal (professional) level will be backed by the “personal resilience shields” , on-line learning modules and exhibition webpage as best practice.This, plus the creative holistic approach used, covering the development needs at individual and organizational levels, are also expected to enhance the impact and sustainability of project results."

<< Background >>Youth+ is a step toward destroying prejudices, negative beliefs and establishes successful inclusion of youth with fewer opportunities. It gives tools and recognition to youth work where the target groups are challenging. Youth + raises the quality of youth work with the development of an innovative online learning course (O1). It also creates a collection of guidelines for youth workers working with fewer opportunities and implements social media campaigns as best practices to adapt abroad (O2). The online course targets an effective youth work method which enables youth with fewer opportunities to work long-term in self-governed groups on local volunteer projects according to their own initiations.According to our experiences, youth with fewer opportunities get very little positive feedback on their qualities from the part of the society, communities they live in and their families. They do not know them and they do not own them therefore they often feel unworthy or useless.Within the current partnership we welcomed the initiation of Erasmus + programme to run long-term local youth projects (ESC) with the most difficult youth groups. This act inspired us to build up a youth work strategy within our partnership that works long-term, mostly at grass-root level and empowers vulnerable youth to create their own projects within their larger context and communities. However, with the target groups of most in need (poverty; traumatized family background; foster homes; segregation; low level of education; NEET youth; migrants) national ESC programme is not low-entry-leveled even with the extended support of National Agencies and the programme itself. We believe strongly that the establishment of empowered youth groups who are capable of initiating local volunteer actions are the best solution to break the negative circles of their life and make a step toward positive changes thus realizing “tangible” social inclusion. With the development of the Youth+ project we intend to fill this gap.The objectives of YOUTH + is to increase the competences of youth workers in the community centres of young migrants,of Roma settlements, of youth at risk with mild drug addictions and rural areas. This happens through using blended non-formal education methods, online learning course and tools, for the youngsters through: volunteering, role modelling, peer learning/leading, reinforced mentorship. In the partnership there is a wish to learn from good practices, transfer and adopt methodology from abroad, which is innovative in the context of youth work in participating organisations. Youth+ aims to increase the quality of youth work - specifically with youth of fewer opportunities resulting in O2 youth work guide - and develop digital competencies of youth workers and partner organisations through the O1 developed online course. Furthermore the purpose is to create an enhanced social media campaign and its best practice (O2) toward different stakeholders of society (governmental - and formal education institutions, companies and civil actors) in order to address the grass-root inclusion strategies and practices to all level of society, to start discussions and actions and sustain best practice projects.Working with challenging youth groups (drug addiction, NEET of rural areas, minority segregation, migrant background) is often stigmatized. When NGOs are reaching out for financial or other resources in the wider society to sustain these projects, organizations often receive negative answers from the public, or different stakeholders (e.g. companies, municipalities, local environments). However with targeted measures (Youth+ and similar initiatives) the trends can be returned. We want to spread a message about these youth groups that they are a useful and essential part of the society if they are empowered. They can offer volunteer projects to others that make them role models in the eyes of other stakeholders.<< Objectives >>Our vision is that, step by step, starting with implementing local actions, youth with fewer opportunities with increased sense of initiative, social and civic competences will feel more empowered, more involved in society and will play an active role in shaping Europe into a sustainable, non-discriminatory and inclusive society.The developed Youth+ online learning course (O1) aims to increase the quality, innovation and recognition of youth work. The quality aspect is ensured through the development standards of SALTO HOP Council and online platform. The innovation comes from the fact that such a result (online learning course to work with youth o.f.o) has never been developed before. We target a very specific youth work - to work with youth w.f.o but with those who are the lowest scale of to be able to reach with non-formal education tools (the next step would be therapy). We aim to find easy to use tools and practices for running workshops with the most difficult target groups of youngsters. The experience of the partnership is that the youth sector in non-formal education, especially the majority of civil organisations, are lacking the courage and the tools to approach, reach out and engage them into long-term learning relationships. The partnership owns the experience of the best ways to do youth work with the most in need, with various target groups who give a wide coverage of youth w.f.o. The most important goal we want to reach is to engage the most vulnerable youth with fewer opportunities to be involved in long-term non-formal learning activities initiated by themselves - the so called future “youth+ groups”. Partners want to empower them so they can form their own self-managed groups (with extended mentoring and facilitation support). To prepare them to be active citizens, initiate local ESC projects but also be able to reach beyond the Erasmus+ programme, empowering them to run their own ideas and manifest them into activities. We aim to increase the quality of youth work and promote social inclusion and active participation of youth with fewer opportunities by 1) creating an online course to share a best practice FUY method (including role modelling, volunteering and empowerment for the development of youth with fewer opportunities' competences, awareness and knowledge linked to integration) that facilitates the emergence of youth+ groups (self-governed groups of youth w.f.o. that carry out positive voluntary initiatives) and 2) elaborating a Guide and toolkit for youth workers and youth organizations to empower them to involve youth with fewer opportunities on a long run in (local development) processes and activities (sustainability of youth+ groups). O2 guide will contain all the necessary steps and approach that makes the long-term impact successful. The result of O2 is that youth workers learn how to engage youth w.f.o. in long term initiatives and to sustain their youth+ groups. The guide, among others, will contain easy-to-use approaches (solution focus coaching, mentoring and intervision) how to support and empower the youth groups and how to make it a mutual learning process for all parties.O2 social media campaign and template will increase the recognition and understanding of youth work for the wider society. Youth work will be shown as an effective tool for social inclusion and to reach the most “difficult ones”. The template helps other youth organizations to dare to start their campaigns, thus the results in youth work in general gain higher visibility.Moreover, the quality of youth work will be increased Europe-wide, the youth workers’ competences, awareness and knowledge linked to inclusion work, non-formal and digital educational methods will be developed, their job satisfaction and employability will be increased and they will be provided with high quality learning opportunities in a real lifelong learning context.<< Implementation >>YOUTH+ aims to increase the quality of youth work, digital skills and promote social inclusion and active participation of youth w.f.o. To achieve this, we’ll create a digital tool (O1), i.e. an online course (MOOC) to share experience and practices of partners (4 modules) and an adapted best practice FUY method (4 modules) which includes role modelling, volunteering and empowerment for the development of youth w.f.o.' competences; we’ll elaborate a guide and toolkit (O2) for youth workers and organizations to empower them to involve youth w.f.o. in a long run in (local development) processes and activities; and we’ll facilitate the birth of self-governed youth+ groups of youth w.f.o. to implement future own initiatives.O1 thematic work starts with the online course designing workshop (C1) for the developer team. This team will work out the design and content of the online course, including adaptation of the FUY method to different target groups of youth w.f.o. External/internal testing of the online course also incorporates the Youth + process: it starts with a kick-off training (C2), and then the online course starts - some modules of which will also imply the implementation of field tests in line with the parts of the FUY method ( Teambuilding & planning (C3-4), national volunteering actions (1 in each country), Evaluation (C5-6)). field tests will be implemented in country pairs (EA-ABD; NEM-VK).The field tests have several functions within YOUTH+: they contribute to the development of tried out project results, as based on them improvements of the final online course will be realizedthe tests are at the same time learning and development opportunities for the participant youth workers (residential parts of the blended learning process) and youth with fewer opportunitiesthey are the field of real input collection from youth with fewer opportunities target group for the development of O2 within a participatory methodOnce the external testing is concluded, final fine tuning of O1 will be realized based on the feedback and evaluation.O2 thematic work will start with focusing on the level of youth workers, and activities start before the field testing process with the elaboration of guidelines on participatory method and also the template for activity description for the Toolkit section. Field tests will serve to collect inputs from youth with fewer opportunities and to try out and collect non-formal engagement activities for the toolkit section. Based on the inputs from the youth target group and experience and knowledge of the transnational team, it will be outlined how youth workers can engage youth with fewer opportunities for a longer period of time.2nd part of O2 focuses on organizational level sustainability, supporting youth organizations with the elaboration of tried out methods and scripts to increase their funds and visibility through efficient low budget sensitizing social media campaigns. For this we’ll prepare the 1st version of the script that we’ll test in 4 countries by running 4 sensitizing social media campaigns. Based on the evaluation and feedback of the tests the general script and guidelines will be finalized.Also to support sustainability of project results (i.e. existence of an active peer leader group of youth with fewer opportunities who will be the motor of further active participation) a youth leader training for sustainable local actions will be held (C7) linked to E1 ” Be the change yourself” multiplier event.To share, promote and disseminate project results to a wider professional audience, the youth target group and the general public, the Source conference (E2) will be carried out as the 2nd major multiplying event (E2) and will be held for 200 international pax.Regular project, financial and thematic management as well as monitoring activities (5 project meetings) will be carried out in order to support successful implementation of YOUTH+ and sustainability of its results.<< Results >>The two main project result are O1 “YOUTH+ online course: a practice and guide on how to prepare youngsters with fewer opportunities to implement their own local projects (e.g. ESC)” and O2 “YOUTH+ Guide and toolkit on Sustainable Local Youth Engagement (special focus on how to increase visibility and funds)”O1 is part of a blended learning event within Youth+ but it is designed to act as an individual learning process (MOOC) that can be done as a self-directed learning by learners at any time in the future.It has 2 main parts:youth work of youth w.f.o (4 modules) in the first part based on a well-thought structure where partners give inputs about their experiences, best practices and approaches. adapted From Us to You (HU) best practice (4 modules) - this part is about acquiring the necessary knowledge to run FUY with different target groups of youth o.f.o O2:The guide will contain all the necessary steps and approach that makes the long-term impact of youth work with youth with fewer opportunities successful. Youth workers learn how to sustain their youth+ groups. The guide contains easy-to-use toolkits and approaches on how to support and empower the youth groups/youth workers and how to make it a mutual learning process for all parties.For the civil actors or any other stakeholders we provide a concrete template/flow of how to run a low budget social media campaign. So called impactful messages relating matters of youth w.f.o. This challenging task will be split into easy-to-follow tasks, with the contribution of y.w.f.o.The two main results YOUTH+ online course (O1) and YOUTH+ Guide and toolkit on Sustainable Local Youth Engagement (O2) supported by the following activities:workshop on online course creation (C1) with 9 participantsblended learning process for youth workers (YWs) carried out linked to O1 online course testing (within that residential trainings: 1 training of youth workers (C2), 2 Teambuilding & planning field tests (C3-4), 4 Volunteering days field tests, 2 Evaluation field tests (C5-6); and 1 online course participation; 4 webinars; 3 meetups; 12 online mentor meeting; 12 participants)blended learning/development process for youth w.f.o carried out (within that residential trainings: 2 Teambuilding & planning (C3-4); 4 Volunteering days, 2 Evaluation field tests (C5-6); plus 20 mentoring/coaching/per country (individual or group); 18 residential training daysa “Youth leader training” for sustainable local actions (C7) carried out for 20 yw.f.o.R7- 4 local volunteering projects carried out by youth w.f.o for communities with fewer opportunities (4x5 days, 80 + 400 participants)These will be supported by dissemination tool and events:set of dissemination tools (project logo, website, FB&insta pages, 2 short promotional videos, F2F exhibition, 4 podcasts) 2 international dissemination events (E1-2, 200 participants) Face to Face exhibitions held in 4 countries (4000 visitors) local YOUTH+ parties (4) dissemination events (YOUTH+ parties) (200 participants)social media campaigns (4) carried out (280.000 pax. reached)5 Transnational project meetings execute, that the project reaching the set objectives.As a final long term result 4 local Youth+ groups will be formed, who are empowered to run local volunteer projects in their communities.As an impact 9 youth workers familiarized with online course development; 80 youth w.f.o with increased sense of initiative, social and civic competences and more active participation in society,and improved digital skills and 200 youngsters with fewer opportunities (via volunteering days) with increased social competences, 12 youth workers with improved digital skills and professionalism; 200 youth workers with improved digital skills and professionalism (actively involved in YOUTH+ and dissemination events) and 4 organizations with increased recognition and visibility thus approx. 300.000 ppl reached and sensitized about social inclusion.