. NEWSLETTER 1 EMPOWERING YOUTH FOR EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL ACTION (EYESA) Why is EYESA project necessary The EU suffers from a dramatic situation concerning unemployment, especially among young people, doubling unemployment rates for all ages. In addition, the ramping poverty and inequalities figures, social segregation, the migration crisis and the rise of xenophobia in Europe are causing a race to the bottom regarding the pan-european solidarity and volunteering schemes.  Between 92 and 94 million of Europeans, according to recent reports, are engaged in voluntary activities, standing for a 3% of the GPD in developed countries. What are the objectives & aims of the project The general objective of the EYESA project is to provide capacity building opportunities to young volunteers to improve their social performance and undertake entrepreneurial activities, supporting new business creation in the social protection field.  Another key aspect of the EYESA project is to better identify and manage the availability of required skills, competences and qualifications for our young volunteers, and to help preventing skills gaps and mismatches that could undermine the EU business competitiveness. EYESA project aims to improve the performance of young volunteers’ social action whilst providing them the necessary skills to:  1) help them improve the performance of their social action.  2) improve their employability. What are the main topics addressed EYESA foresees training in basics, social, civic, cross-cutting and digital skills, as the ability to learn and initiative-taking. Furthermore, the project will provide specific professional abilities to take into consideration concrete needs of main vulnerable target groups (economic migrants and refugees, Roma people, homelessness, hospitalized children, elderly, disable people, poor families, among others). Intellectual outputs The project intellectual outputs consist in the design and development of a Self-evaluation tool, Curriculum, Workshops on skills and competences (implementation of the Curriculum), a Collaborative portal of young European volunteers, which will be developed in order to  better identify and manage the availability of required skills, competences and qualifications for our young volunteers, and to help preventing skills gaps and mismatches that could undermine the EU business competitiveness. Who is this project aimed to Main target are the young people already volunteering, interested in volunteering and youngsters who are not currently participating in social activities. Vulnerable groups will also be invited to participate, as well as other external agents active in the field of social protection and integration, self-employment associations and local business, education and training organizations, local, regional, national and EU authorities and stakeholders - a pan-European volunteer’s network. PROJECT PARTNERS: who is taking part ALTUM Fundacion  -  Project coordinator Organization’s Website: www.fundacionaltum.org Contact person: Lucila Oses E-mail contact: fundacionaltum.rpc@gmail.com Fundacija SURSUM Organization’s Website: www.fsursum.org Contact person: Lucia Kiriakidis E-mail contact: fsursum@gmail.com EYES Association Organization’s Website: www.eyesbg.blogspot.com Contact person: Bojidar Vasilev E-mail contact: eyesbg@abv.bg JUVENTUD Y CULTURA Fundacion Organization’s Website: www.juventudycultura.org Contact person: Gloria Jurado Sánchez E-mail contact: eu@juventudycultura.org eShopSystem Organization’s Website: www.eshopsystem.cz Contact person: Tea Mrozková E-mail contact: tea@eshopsystem.cz Institut FBI Organization’s Website: www.fbi.or.at Contact person: Dr. Gabriela Schroffenegger E-mail contact: gabriela.schroffenegger@chello.at LEB Organization’s Website: www.th.leb.de Contact person: Beatrice Bojarra-Schachtzabel E-mail contact: Beatrice.Schachtzabel@leb.de VKUC Organization’s Website: www.vkuc.lt Contact person: Isabelle Gaullier E-mail contact: info@vkuc.lt KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US Our website is available in English – www.eyesa.eu, so everyone across Europe can find information about the project and get involved. The site contains news, information about activities, Intellectual outputs, partnership, Collaborative portal of young European volunteers etc. If you like what we do, join us! J EYESA - Project Nr.: 2017-1-ES01-KA204-038221 This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] and all its contents reflect the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. www.eyesa.eu

EMPOWERING YOUTH FOR EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL ACTION (EYESA)

We started a new project - EMPOWERING YOUTH FOR EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL ACTION (EYESA), co-financed by the Erasmus+ Programme, Starategic Partnership  - Development of Innovation (2017-2-ES02-KA205-009762).

The EU suffers from a dramatic situation concerning unemployment, especially among young people, doubling unemployment rates for all ages. In addition, the ramping poverty and inequalities figures, social segregation, the migration crisis and the rise of xenophobia in Europe are causing a race to the bottom regarding the pan-european solidarity and volunteering schemes.

Between 92 and 94 million of Europeans, according to recent reports, are engaged in voluntary activities, standing for a 3% of the GPD in developed countries. In this context, the general objective of the EYESA project is to provide capacity building opportunities to young volunteers to improve their social performance and undertake entrepreneurial activities, supporting new business creation in the social protection field.

General objective of the EYESA project is to provide capacity building opportunities to young volunteers to improve their social performance and undertake entrepreneurial activities, supporting new business creation in the social protection field. The EYESA project team will identify and managing the availability of required skills, competences and qualifications for our young volunteers, and help preventing skills gaps and mismatches that could undermine the EU business competitiveness.     

EYESA foresees training in basics, social, civic, cross-cutting and digital skills, as the ability to learn

and initiative-taking. Furthermore, the project will provide specific professional abilities to take into consideration concrete needs of main vulnerable target groups (economic migrants and refugees, Roma people, homelessness, hospitalized children, elderly, disable people, poor families, among others).

Main issues to be tackled are:

1) The low awareness of youth volunteers work.

2) To prevent early school leaving.

3) To seize unused young workforce.

4) To generate transfers of knowledge in this field.

5) To improve social action and soften the EU civic life.

The project will enhance a much-needed pan-european culture of solidarity and will provide a set of common skills to young volunteers. This approach would also help preventing the creation of an unbalanced European workforce between regions or the emergence of new asymmetrical shocks.

Removing these barriers is essential to solve the EU employment and social action crisis, whilst taking advantage of the European values.
Transnational exchange of knowledge will contribute to improving capacity-building activities at a future national, regional and local level. 

To sum up, EYESA project aims to improve the performance of young volunteers’ social action whilst providing them the necessary skills to:

1) help them improve the performance of their social action.

2) improve their employability.

3) transform them into active members of the European society.

The Education and Youth Empowerment Society (EYES) is an NGO, located in Sofia, Bulgaria.
EYES is an educational institute working to empower young people for their active role in the society.

EYES provides learning opportunities for the development of its members through non-formal education and informal learning. By participating in trainings courses, workshops, and active involvement, our members improve their competences (such as leadership skills, communication skills and team management) which will be useful for their future lives.

Our experts have experience in the field of VET, research and services offered by covering the main functional areas of informal training, innovative training methods, materials and modules fostering social inclusion, vocational training, development of training tools, transfer of innovation etc. and are very experienced in EU projects.

Aims

EYES strives for a democratic and diverse Europe, which is socially, economically and politically integrated, and values the participation of young people in its construction and development.

EYES empowers young people in Europe to take an active role in society. It creates a space for dialogue and learning opportunities as well as acts as their representative towards decision-makers. Moreover, it strengthens mutual understanding and brings Europe closer to young people.

Activities

EYES creates a space for members of different backgrounds to meet and learn about cultural differences, in order to foster mutual understanding. EYES supports mobility and encourages young people to cross borders and make new friends, to break stereotypes and strengthen tolerance, respect and solidarity.

EYES provides learning opportunities for the development of its members through non-formal education and informal learning. By participating in trainings courses, workshops, and active involvement in the organisation, our members improve their competences (such as leadership skills, communication skills and team management) which will be useful for their future lives.

EYES gathers the opinions of young people and represents them towards stakeholders through campaigns, lobby actions, conferences and membership in bigger advocacy platforms. In addition, EYES informs young people about the impact which European policies have in their lives and opportunities they offer.