Intercultural Competences

Pictures slideshoow from the training course and dissemination activities

THE PROJECT

In the current immigration crisis we are facing problems arising from intercultural relations, the clash of cultures – a new wave of xenophobia, racism and social fears that seem to be touching most of Europe. This is a ‘new’ problem that arises from strong social fears and stereotypes that needs to be tackled especially as we are increasingly witnessing events of violence involving migrants and refugees that have the potential to evolve into more dangerous phenomena.

To face this problem, the project will provide international training event for youth workers from nine partner countries. They need to be better prepared to address European youths and to help them avoid both developing and being victims of acts driven by social fear, xenophobia, racism and other stereotypes. It will introduce new methods for efficient learning multicultural contexts. Experienced trainers from each partner organization will share their skills in the field of multiculturalism with all other participants who will also work on a common final publication containing the combined training methods.

OBJECTIVES

The project aims to promote intercultural dialogue and strengthen knowledge and acceptance of diversity in society. It wants to support youth workers in developing and sharing effective methods in reaching out to marginalised young people, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, and in preventing racism and intolerance among youth. It also aims at raising youth workers’ awareness, responsiveness and understanding of other cultures and countries, and to offer them the opportunity to build networks of international contacts, develop a sense of European citizenship and identity.

RESULTS, IMPACTS AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS

 The desired impact of the project are:

– decreasing power of xenophobia, racism among the youths, reduced power of radicalization, raised awareness of multiculturalism and empathy towards asylum seekers, refugees;

– measuring increased competences and abilities of youth workers;

– promote intercultural dialogue and strengthen knowledge and acceptance of diversity in society;

– the youth workers participating in the project will share the gained skills further during the follow-up training at home environment for youths to raise awareness of multicultural reality, decrease social fears, face stereotypes, xenophobia and racism;

– prevent radicalization among youth learners.

In the long term participants will have raised awareness about the problem, raised skills and gained examples of good practices from most experienced intercultural trainers. All that so they could better address the needs and combat social fears, xenophobia, racism and stereotypes among youth.