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Description
The low participation of young people between 14 and 19 years old in civic activities generates inactive civic behavior also in adult life. Analyzing the low percentage of young people from Neamt county who participated in 2019 elections, how civic education is studied in high school, the opinion polls conducted in this age category, we identified the need for the young people to have a framework through which they can act civically.
The target group are 1,415 young people, of which 1,400 are from under-served communities in Neamt County, respectively Horia and Sabaoani villages and from two small urban cities: Bicaz and Targu Neamt and 15 active volunteers from the two organizations.
The main activities of the project consist of conducting a study on the needs of young people in Neamt county and disseminating the results through a conference, setting up and forming 4 new structures of the Local Youth Councils (LYC) in the villages Horia and Sabaoani and in two small urban cities: Bicaz and Targu Neamt and the development of two existing LYC structures in Roman and Piatra Neamt. In the last phase of the project, the six LYC structures from Neamt county will be set up in a network that will monitor the implementation of youth policies at local level to make them more efficient.
The implementation of the project will be ensured by two organizations: ACS Community Support Association, which will coordinate the project based on 20 years’ experience in implementing youth initiatives and 11 years in coordinating LYC youth structures and the Local Initiative Association Roman 2002, which, as a partner, brings into the project a consistent expertise regarding the accomplishment of sociological studies in marginalized communities and the experience in the projects addressed to the rural youth.
Summary of project results
The low participation of young people between 14 and 19 years old in civic activities generates inactive civic behavior also in adult life. Analyzing the low percentage of young people from Neamt county who participated in 2019 at the last elections, the measure in which civic education is studied in high school, as well as opinion polls conducted in this age category, we identified the need for these young people to have a framework through which they can act civically.
The project involved 1,903 people from underserved communities in Neamț County, including the villages of Horia and Sabaoani, as well as the cities of Bicaz and Târgu Neamț. The main activities of the project consisted of conducting research on the needs of young people in Neamț County, involving both young people, public authorities, and parents. The results of this research were presented at a conference organized on February 24, 2022, in Sabaoani, highlighting the fact that young people need recognition as dialogue partners and support from schools, families, and authorities to develop civic engagement.
As part of the project, four new structures of the Local Youth Councils (LYCs) established in the villages of Horia and Sabaoani, as well as in the cities of Bicaz and Târgu Neamț, following an electoral process informed by 1,400 young people. The two existing LYC structures in Roman and Piatra Neamț were also supported in their development. In April 2022, 33 of these young people participated in a meeting with experts in public policy in Bucharest, where they learned about the decision-making process at the government level and the opportunities offered by the Erasmus Plus and European Solidarity Corps programs. In May 2022, an awareness and education campaign on civic engagement was carried out in seven high schools in Piatra Neamț, culminating in the election of a new component of the LYC in Piatra Neamț. The young members of the LYCs in Neamț County were trained and equipped with leadership and communication skills through a training course held in two sessions in Vatra Moldovitei from June to July 2022, providing them with relevant skills and knowledge for civic participation. In August, the LYCs formed a county-wide network that implemented two initiatives with impact for the community: a treasure hunt organized simultaneously in Sabaoani, Târgu Neamț, and Piatra Neamț with 200 participants, and a public café.