Description
Intention of the Generation 2020 project is to activate young people into their own volunteer project initiatives, cooperation and involvement in the local and regional development via projects in cultural and creative sectors, thus supporting development of young people and both our regions as well. Boosting creativity and capacity for innovation of young people (in the fields like tourism, culture, and others) is of key importance for supporting their self-development, active inclusion, contributing to their social and individual wellbeing, developing their potential and opportunities to find (or create) a job. Involving young people in the cultural and creative activities contributes to the personal development and helping them feeling a part of a community. Accessing culture can reinforce their awareness of sharing a common cultural heritage and promote active citizenship open to the world, and in this way to promote positive attitudes towards multiculturalism and against intolerance. What is expected to achieve with the project (output of the project): To create partnership network - The Carpathian Regional Youth Council (CRYC) - as an innovative platform connecting young people actively participating in decision making process and their own development, with local and regional authorities, key stakeholders, including companies and public institutions to support better conditions for the young people to stay live and work in the region. Project as the pilot activity is aimed at young people from Ukraine - Zakarpatia and Eastern Slovakia. Primary target group: Young people aged 15-30 who are legally resident in one of the administrative units being considered a part in the SK-UA cross-border region: Students of secondary schools; Students of universities; Unemployed young people, including aged 25 and less.
Summary of project results
In September 2015 Carpathian Foundation, in cooperation with Creative Industry Košice and other partners, launched the ambitious cross-border project Generation 2020. Its goal was to mobilize and personally develop young people by supporting their own volunteer creative projects. At the same time, the project aimed to strengthen youth engagement in local and regional development and to initiate cross-border youth cooperation. The Generation 2020 project has gradually helped to create an international platform of young people interested in public affairs, decision-making processes and their own personal development - Generation WE. This international network was also created based on experience transfered from the Norwegian partner - Barents Youth Council. The target group were young people from Zakarpattia region in Ukraine and Eastern Slovakia - students of secondary and high schools or unemployed aged 15-30. The secondary target group were adult project participants - teachers, artists and professionals from the cultural sector and creative industries. Our common goal was to create a cross-border network of young and active people - Generation WE, which would be the bearer of the vision of the project in the future. Generation WE acquired legal personality as a separate civic association by the end of project implementation. Carpathian Foundation continues to support this youth network and works to involve local and regional institutions in youth work.The main outcome of the project is Generation WE - a non-governmental organization based in Eastern Slovakia focusing on youth empowerment in the Carpathian region. Currently operating in Presov and Kosice regions in Slovakia and Zakarpattia region in Ukraine, but there is a plan to involve later also bordering areas of Hungary and Poland.
Summary of bilateral results
All the activities of Generation 2020 project have brought a variety of benefits to their actors. A strong inspirational experience brought together all cross - border workshops where we were able to create the conditions for mutual sharing, learning and inspiration between groups and individuals from Slovakia and Ukraine. The youngsters shared their experiences with our partner from Norway - Basen during our study trip in Norway. The basis for further creative co-operation is a network of useful contacts, which was created at the level of the involved organizations as well as individuals during the trip. The bilateral partnership between Carpathian Foundation Slovakia and Basen contributed to the project by transfer of know-how and experiences of Barents regional youth council and it helped to achieve the main goal - estabishment of cross-border network of youngsters - Generation WE. Partnership with Carpathian Foundation Ukraine is long term and implementation of this project brought it to a higher level and enabled closer cooperation in activities specially oriented to young generation.