Donegal Youth Council will travel to Romania shortly as part of a newly funded European Youth Democracy project.
The Youth Council, along with regional partners Letterkenny YIC, have partnered with the “Romanian Youth Movement for Democracy” (RYMD) and “A Smile” Organization from the Bacau Region in Eastern Romania, to develop their “Democracy Builders” project, which will be financed by the European Commission through the Youth in Action Program.
The “Democracy Builders” project will see the Donegal group travel to Bacau in Romania from 16th-24th July for a “Democracy Boot Camp” – a week long workshop in which 24 participants will learn and experience the concepts and methods related to activism and e–democracy through non-formal methods such as Forum Theater and digital storytelling.
The project aims to raise awareness of young people in Bacau and Donegal on participatory democracy tools and to evaluate methods of youth participation.
As part of the project each group will undertake research at regional level in order to identify how connected and able young people are to participate in democracy in their region.
Following the Romania trip the partners involved will then work together to create “Tools & Skills for Participatory Democracy ” – a support material for young people who want to make their voice heard in public authorities and other forums.
The project will also lead to the development of a “Participatory Democracy Hub” – a network of youth NGOs, which will provide a space for organisations who are open to the development of new projects on participatory democracy and the sharing of best practice between them.
This project is funded with support from the European Commission. Donegal Youth Council is funded by Donegal County Council, HSE Health Promotion and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and aims to provide young people with opportunities to identify, prioritise and work on topics and projects which have been identified by the wider youth population of the county.
For more information on the Donegal Youth Council, you can contact Council Co-ordinator Marty Keeney on 087-6806676 or email youthcouncil@donegalyouthservice.ie.
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