Description
The project aims to form two communities of high-school students with a higher level of civic participation as well as academic achievement. The project activities target an increase in the youngsters' levels of self worth and tolerance, as well as acknowledging their social role and power. The model is going to be duplicated by the target group in two other high-school communities, in a second stage of the project. We aim to develop responsibility and empower the students in order for them to solve a problem they identify within the school or in its close vicinity through community organizing. This will be accomplished by also involving the parents and the school administration, as well as other related institutions.
Summary of project results
The project is built on the need among young people in high school (especially from peripheral neighbourhoods) to connect and join extra-curricular activities, especially focused on community organising and combating discrimination. This is because generally this group is difficult to engage, is disappointed and demotivated. The project team managed to create an online youth network of approximately 130 members and an active group of 15 to 20 youngsters from six high schools (plus recently members from two secondary schools) that created projects in four of their high schools and are further working on new initiatives. This group is engaging their colleagues, teachers and principals, as well as other stakeholders (their parents and other friends) in their ideas of change and use them as a support net. In technical high school Petru Maior, the one with lowest school results, that fitted the target group the best, school administration and leadership failed to see engaged students as respectable partners, doubted their efforts and constantly discouraged and even bullied them. Because of the power relations and possible abuses in the school, it was considered it was better to engage and empower the participants further in project's activities, agree to a change in their project, than support them into taking on the system's way of functioning. In order to give students confidence, transfer skills and change attitudes, a series of activities and events were organised: weekly meetings, workshops and trainings, supplementary meetings to events (social theatre plays, participation at NGO fairs, scavenger hunts around the city etc.) and two camps, employing artistic methods such as stencils and street performances in order to convey social messages or to create an impact to support engagement. The promoter supported participants into creating four interventions in their community with the support of their colleagues. They created and acted a performance, came up with visual and informative material for a flyer for civic engagement and with content for an infographic. In the framework of the project, workshops were delivered to other vulnerable groups of children (Community Center Obor, Alternative Education Club Ferentari, children from the village of Budila, Brasov) and learning circles with other activists and organisations were organised. Other specialists were invited to Q&A sessions (on sexual education, resources for teenagers, responsible consumption).
Summary of bilateral results