|
Data: 03/05/2011
NR.: 140
DATA: 03.05.2011
TITOLO PROGETTO: “Youth Workers conference: Vulnerable youth in the city”
RICHIESTA PROVENIENTE DA: Pieter De Schepper (Belgio)
TIPOLOGIA: Gioventù - Seminar
ARGOMENTO: Youth workers
PAESI PARTNER CHE HANNO GIÀ ADERITO: -
ALTRE NOTIZIE:
Activity date: 08th – 10th of June 2011.
Venue place, venue country: Antwerp, Belgium – FL.
Summary:
We plan to share lessons on how to organise emancipative youth work in an urban context and advocate for adequate youth policies. The seminar will focus on youth work with specific youth groups such as youth growing up in poverty, ethnic minorities…
Target group:
Youth Policy Makers, Youth workers, Youth researchers.
For participants from:
Belgium - DE, Belgium - FL, Belgium - FR, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom.
Group size: 50 participants.
Details:
Background
In light of the ongoing Antwerp European Youth Capital 2011, Uit De Marge and the city of Antwerp are hosting a European conference on Vulnerable Youth in the city. Through this event we plan to share lessons on how to organise adequate and emancipative youth work in an urban context. The seminar will be focused on youth work with specific youth groups such as youth growing up in poverty, ethnic minorities, youth with low education…. This conference will establish a sound European network in order to share expertise on youth work with vulnerable youth in Europe and to find a common ground to influence European youth policy. Participation offers a great opportunity to learn from good practices in other countries and establish European partnerships.
Content
Covering theme: Youth in a urban context. Engaging or entertaining vulnerable youth?
Youth work has always been accepted as a social practice, but its actual social role has changed greatly throughout history and given rise to multiple interpretations. Within this overall trend youth work with vulnerable youngsters has a distinct part. By its very nature it is forced to closely follow the surrounding social environment. The modern urban context and its possible adverse effects on certain groups in such an environment. This leads to the question whether youth work only offers entertainment (“an escape out of the restrictive environment”) or engages in changing the social position of these youths and maybe even changing society as a whole. This considerations will be a leitmotiv throughout the entire seminar and the different subthemes.
Within this overall theme we’ll look into four specific subthemes:
A. Youth work: confirming or overcoming social division
Youth work is generally appreciated for its empowering and pedagogical qualities. On the other hand there are strong doubts whether youth works is open to all. By being directed to specific better-off groups, it seems to confirm rather than to annul social exclusion. The question than remains whether we should direct our efforts to encourage vulnerable youth to join so called ‘mainstream’ youth work, or whether we should encourage made-to-measure youth work for specific target groups? What are the social implications of either choice? Does one form deny the other or can we find ways to build bridges between both forms of youth work?
B. Care for vulnerable youth beyond leisure
Youth work is traditionally focused on leisure. On the other hand, the characteristics of disadvantaged groups require work on other domains and within a wider context. A central question is whether youth work should engage with other actors as well, and if so, on which grounds?
C. Professionalization and volunteerism within youth work
The question of professionalization within youth work is receiving a lot of attention in Europe and calls for further professionalized youth work have become commonplace. Given the skills and expertise necessary to work with disadvantaged youth this seems a logic demand. On the other hand has increased professionalization been criticized for contributing to a more bureaucratic orientation within youth work. The question between professionalization and volunteerism is more relevant than ever and could be decisive for the future of youth work.
D. The place of youth work in society
While the methodology of youth work is never questioned, its status is far from enviable. For education and (youth) welfare the opposite holds true. Their methodologies are frequently criticized, but their status as basic provisions remains unquestioned. Maybe it’s time that youth work claims itself a stronger place in society. Should we look for a stronger identity based on our target groups, our practice or our vision?
Costs:
100 € (this covers all travel and accommodation costs).
Working language: English.
SCADENZA: 15th of May 2011
Pagina precedente
|
