Empowering European Citizens is an intercultural project co-funded by the European Commission, British Council and several civil society organisations across Europe. It incorporates the British Council’s Active Citizens programme, training and development methods, and global networks.
The Empowering European Citizens project will be delivered in 2011-12 in the following European countries: Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden.
In Croatia, the project will be delivered in partnership with the Croatian Youth Network in the region of Slavonia.
Empowering European Citizens aims to build trust and understanding between Europeans from diverse communities, connecting organisations and people in neighbourhoods and municipalities across ten European countries. It provides them with tools and assistance to develop leadership skills, intercultural competencies, to run social action projects in their local area as well as sharing ideas and practice with other networks in order to help them address their community and wider European issues. The four stages of the project enable communities to feel empowered to work with others in tackling the challenges of the 21st century Europe as part of a global network of active citizens.
Empowering European Citizens will be delivered in four stages:
Trainers ultimately deliver all training events and support cascading of knowledge in their local communities. They also act as a link to their community, making sure that specific local needs are taken into account and the project is adjusted accordingly. The first event, the ‘training of trainers’, takes place in October 2011 in Croatia.
Their aim is to increase understanding of the European citizenship, ability to engage in intercultural dialogue and motivation for social action. Content includes understanding multiple identities, developing intercultural communication and project management skills, and enhancing abilities to work with difference at a variety of levels, from municipality to pan-European level. 3-day. Training events will be held in eight municipalities across different European countries.
Participants of the international training events cascade the knowledge gained during the trainings to members of their home organisation and communities within their municipality. Cascading to local communities is supported by trainers and project partners.
The final international knowledge sharing event will bring together the trainers, selected training participants and project partners to assess progress made so far, identify examples of good practice, and develop recommendations for the future.
For more information please contact Rosana.Besednik@britishcouncil.hr
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