Youth leaders from 18 coutries will meet in Baku

Background of the Youth Forum

Over the last decade the countries of the former Soviet Block are living through the transition from authoritarian regimes to the democracy. While changes are taking place, the young people are facing with new kind of risks and problems, which "traditional" approaches are not helpful.

The new well established national youth policies are very vital to support young people in changing society and to contribute into the democracy. The strong national youth organizations should be essential part of this policy. "The emergence of strong and independent non-governmental youth organisations and youth structures will be indispensable for the long-term development of stable democracies in the European CIS countries. As a key element of a strong civil society, non-governmental youth organisations can foster democratic ideas of tolerance, mutual respect and a culture of peace and prosperity, and promote economic and political stability." European Youth Forum Position Paper: Development of the Youth Sector in the European CIS Countries. June 22, 2002.

Recent years, the youth work of Former Soviet Union (FSU) countries have been considerably improved. The youth organizations became the reality of the countries society and they are playing some roles in the implementation of the national youth policies. Governmental youth structures begun to recognize the role of youth NGOs and cooperate with them. However, the national youth policies can not be considered well functioning today. Mr. Peter Lauritzen (Deputy Director for Youth in the Council of Europe Directorate for Youth and Sport) has propose 11 indicators of the well functioning national youth policy (11 Indicators of Youth Policy). If we analyse the youth policies of the European FSU countries, we can identify many shortcomings, especially in youth legislation, youth training, youth budget, youth information and multy-level policies. Most of the youth organizations are working in capital or other big cities. Youth work at regional level is weak developed. The financial support to youth organizations are not regular and well established. However, in some countries there are good models of financing of youth organizations.

Why a Youth Forum on "Youth NGOs in Development: The best experience of last decade"?

It is important to note that the advantages and shortcomings in the youth policies of different European FSU countries differ from each other. It is also obvious that non-FSU countries of former so-called Soviet block have much more development in youth work, than FSU countries. At the same time, the non-European FSU countries, such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have long way for establishing really well working youth policy, which is based on democratic ideas.

That is why it would be useful to have a forum where all the best experiences of the youth policies in Eastern European countries would be reported and discussed. This event will be helpful for the other countries to learn. The other importance of such Youth Forum will be involvement of the some non-European FSU countries, such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Aims and Objectives of the Youth Forum

 Highlighting the best experience in youth policy of the Eastern European countries in last decade
 Creating a forum for youth leaders of the target regions to exchange with the best experience in youth work
 Familiarizing the Central Asian youth leaders with youth polic instruments of the European countries

Main Content of the Youth Forum

 The place of youth organization in the national youth policy and civil society
 Financing of the youth NGOs or best fundraising tools
 Leadership and management in youth NGOs Relationships with governmental structures
 The role National Youth Council
 The role of non-formal education and youth training policy
 Youth legislation
 Regional youth work

Methodology

Posters prepared in advance which will be presented in the "Bazar" of the best experiences in youth work"

 Visits to the youth organizations office having stable successful performance in last two-three years. The meetings with governmental and non-governmental youth organizations will be organized aiming to familiarize the participants with the current state of youth work in Azerbaijan and to have exchange of ideas
 Distribution of publications or policy documents by organizers and participants that are dedicated to the topic Facilitated discussions
 Group work

Languages

English is the working language of the youth forum. However, to better evaluate participants’ language needs, candidates are kindly requested to mention in their application forms all the languages in which they are able to work. Candidates must have sufficient understanding of English language in order to comprehend and complete the application form without assistance from another person.

Profile of Participants

Active youth leaders, project carriers, voluntary or professional youth workers working in International Youth Organisations (INGYOs), National Youth Councils (NYCs), other national, local or international youth organisations, networks, or youth initiatives, governmental services and other partners, in particular those co-operating with the European Youth Centres or the European Youth Foundation, the Youth programme of the European Union will be selected for this Youth Forum.

All candidates should have a specific practical experience in the field of youth work and be working in or with multi-cultural youth work settings, inter-community projects, development projects, or in another relevant youth development fields. Additional experience in the field of intercultural education will be considered in the selection process.

Candidates who have experience on development of youth sector, but who are faced with the reality of barriers in their everyday practice of youth work will also be given priority.

In addition, candidates who will be responsible for projects / activities of relevance, with a multi-cultural and youth development over the next year or who have responsibility for issues of youth development at their organisation, are particularly welcome to apply.

All candidates should

 be aged between 18 and 35 years;
 be actively involved in a youth organisation or governmental youth related service, and in a position to take on responsibilities within multi-cultural or intercultural activities after the youth forum;
 be well informed about their organisation and prepared to exchange of successful experience and lessons learnt during decade at the youth forum;
 be able to work in working language of the forum in this case English Langauge;
 be committed to attend for the full duration of the forum and be supported by their youth organisation, governmental service or a national agency of the YOUTH programme of the European Union with a letter of recommendation from a responsible member of the staff or board of the organisation confirming their support for both the candidate and their ability to multiply the youth forum.

Preparatory Team of the Youth Forum

The preparatory team of the youth forum composed of the selected partner organization members’s and Trainers team of the European Youth Centre Trainers Pool and external training consultants.

Application and Deadlines, Procedure and Selection of Participants

 All candidates must apply using the enclosed application form. This form should be sent directly to the email address of Youth without Frontiers , together with a letter of recommendation from the sending organisation or service, no later than 15th of March 2005.

The preparatory team will make the selection of participants on the basis of the motivation, perceived training needs, experience and potential for multiplication within a viable youth work context by individual candidates and sending organisations. In addition, the team will try to ensure a balance between gender, geographical regions, and different types of experiences, cultural backgrounds and organisations.

Candidates will be informed by the end of March 2005 whether they have been accepted or put on the waiting list. Due to the large number of applications expected, the Youth without Frontiers is not in a position to confirm refusal to candidates not accepted for the youth forum.

Accepted candidates will receive all relevant youth forum documentation in advance of the forum by e-mail. The sending organisations and their successful applicants are reminded that once a candidate has been placed on the final list, they must make every effort to attend for the full duration of the forum. If, for any exceptional reason, they are unable to take up the offer of a place, they must inform the organizers immediately. Replacements, but not necessarily candidates from the same organisation, will be taken from the waiting list.

International travel, meal and accomondation costs of the Youth Forum

 Food and accomondation will be covered by the Youth without Frontiers. International Travel expenses will be reimbursed (upon presentation of the relevant receipts). Full International Travel Payment for international participants will be made at the end of the forum in cash (Euro) or, in exceptional cases, by bank transfers.