From 15 to 20 October 2023, representatives of eight youth centres in Ukraine took part in a study visit to the youth centre in Killarney (Ireland), which has the Council of Europe Quality Label. The delegation included representatives of the youth center "Hurkit" (Varash, Rivne region), the youth center of the Zhytomyr region #kreativ_space (Zhytomyr), the Youth Center of the Zhuravnensky village council (Zhuravno, Lviv region), NGO "Kremenchuk Information and Educational Centre European Club" (Youth Center "Space of Ideas") (Kremenchuk, Poltava region), the youth center "Hub Ideas" (Zmiiv, Kharkiv region), "Space of Equal Opportunities" (Sumy), Youth Resource Center "New Wings" (Novovolynsk, Volyn region), youth center "Youth Residence" (Chernivtsi).
This study visit was a response, in particular of the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III", to the needs of youth workers from Ukraine, which were discussed during the study visit and seminar for youth workers and representatives of youth centres carrying out youth work during the war in Ukraine (4-11 December 2022, Strasbourg (France) and 14th Platform of the Youth Centre with the Council of Europe Quality Label (9-10 May 2023, Strasbourg (France).
The purpose of the study visit was to support co-operation with the network of youth centres with the Council of Europe Quality Label (in particular with the Killarney Youth Centre in Ireland) by developing the competencies of representatives of youth centres in Ukraine in the field of child and outreach youth work and trauma-informed youth work.
The study visit was organised jointly by the Youth Centre in Killarney (Ireland), the NGO "Kremenchuk Information and Educational Centre European Club" (Youth Centre "Space of Ideas", Ukraine), the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
The Youth Centre in Killarney has the Council of Europe Quality Label, which demonstrates international recognition and allows for the improvement of youth work at the centre through the exchange of experience and involvement in the Council of Europe processes.
The first day of the visit began with an introduction to Berni Smith, Director of the Killarney Youth Centre, and Gareth Harteveld, Youth Work Development Manager.
The programme of the study visit is official began from a meeting at the office of Youth Work Ireland in Dublin with teams from the Killarney Youth Centre, Youth Work Ireland and Ms. Shauna Markey, representative of the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland.
Youth Work Ireland is the largest youth organisation in Ireland. It consists of 20 local youth services and a national office. The organisation supports its members in providing an integrated model of youth services to young people in their communities. This means that young people across Ireland can benefit from a range of services and support if and when they need them.
The delegation visited and met with the Ballyfermot Youth Service (BYS) team. lt is a limited liability company registered in Ireland as a charitable organisation with a board of directors made up of volunteers. Founded in 1985, BYS currently employs six full-time employees and four part-time employees. Here, the delegation got acquainted with the areas of activity, in particular, the experience of creating a skate park with the participation and advocating by young people for almost 10 years.
On the third day of the study visit, the delegation met with the teams of the Youth Centre in Killarney to discuss the role of youth work in the context of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the professional training of volunteers working in youth clubs. In particular, the Youth Centre Integration Team in Killarney presented their experience of working with young people and families with children from Ukraine who are temporarily residing in both the Youth Centre and the Kerry area.
On the fourth day of the study visit, the delegation participated in a workshop on trauma-informed youth work and explored practical exercises to work with young people, in particular those who have experienced loss.
The fifth day of the visit was devoted to meetings with local stakeholders involved in working with children and youth from Ukraine, including representatives of the Kerry Board of Education and Training, the Kerry Committee on Child and Youth Services, and the Kerry County Council.
The visit concluded with an assessment of the visit's learning objectives and a friendly dinner in the family lounge of the Killarney Youth Centre.
It should be noted that cooperation with the network of youth centres that have the Council of Europe Quality Label takes place within the framework of achieving the planned result of the Project, when youth workers and administrative staff of youth centres in Ukraine are competent in the practices and approaches of youth centres with the Council of Europe Quality Label.
- More news and experience can be found on the page – Co-operation with youth centres with the Council of Europe Quality Label – https://www.coe.int/uk/web/kyiv/cooperation-with-youth-centers-that-have-the-quality-mark-of-the-council-of-europe
The Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" was launched within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2023-2026. The project builds on the results and experience of the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine" in 2020-2022 and will expand the systematic impact by strengthening youth policies based on participatory approaches and strengthening youth work during the war and in the post-war context, taking into account the specific needs of young people.
The project highlights the importance of the Council of Europe's Youth Sector Strategy 2030 and reflects the National Strategy of State Youth Policy until 2030, the State Target Social Programme "Youth of Ukraine" 2021-2025.
The project encourages youth policy stakeholders in Ukraine to implement and disseminate the Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers to Member States: on access of youth from disadvantaged areas to social rights, CM/Rec(2015)3; on young people's access to rights, CM/Rec(2016)7; on Youth Work, CM/Rec(2017)4; on the participation of Roma youth, CM/Rec(2023)4; on the protection of youth civil society and youth and support for their participation in democratic processes, CM/Rec(2022)6.
News, Council of Europe resources in the field of youth and open announcements for participation in project activities can be found here.
