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The suitcase, the map and the voyage of a youth worker

For details please see the project website - www.thevoyage.eu 

The idea of the Key Action 2 of Erasmus+ Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices project ‘‘The suitcase, the map and the voyage of a youth worker” came from the following necessities identified in the field of youth work by the coordinating team: no structures offer in Romania training course in the field of youth work, no structure in Europe offer online training course for persons interested to become youth workers, there is not any clear process of training, evaluation and certification of a youth worker; in other words, there is no professionalization in the field of youth work.

In addition, a research conducted in Romania by the applicant organisation, Predict CSD Consulting, concluded  that guidance in projecting professional plan, the assistance of a person in choosing the suitable profession, is generally realised by the psychologist, but here the problems appear because:  there is a limited access at tests of good quality and connected with the realities of the current labour market; there are also high costs  required for the performance of these tests that do not allow a large scale development of career guidance; even though the access exists on rare occasions, the tests alone cannot show a range of shades that can be discovered only through practical work and real connection with the labour market; regional limits set by reduced possibilities offered in some communities and limited access to other outside options; deformations of reality in the public information sources as some professions are presented romantic meanwhile others are presented in a negative manner. The consequences of this precarious career guidance reflect not only on the performance of the youth workers, but also on their potential to replace the role of a job counsellor in some circumstances and to guide efficiently the young people towards their desired careers.

Starting from this assumption, the Romanian consortium -composed of Predict CSD Consulting, Millennium Center youth organization, “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad and SC Schultz Development SRL - along with five partners from 5 different EU countries (Dacorum Council for Voluntary Service from the United Kingdom Asociacion Cultural Integra from Spain, Organization for Promotion of European Issues from Cyprus, Fundacja Centrum Aktywności Tworczej from Poland and Euro-Net from Italy) aim to create some online tools which can facilitate the process of planning the professional life, the non formal learning, informing young people and professionalise the occupation of youth worker.

This project proposes the following objectives during its length of 24 months (1st September 2015- 31 August 2017):

1. To prepare a full range of 3 necessary tools for youth workers, in 2 years of the project;
2. To build and test an online training course for 50 people interested to become youth workers, in 2 years of the project;
3. To allow 200 young people to test a full range of innovative, created tools in order to project their personal and professional life plan with the support of  youth workers, during 2 years of the project;
4. To create and test an online training courses for one key competence from the Reference Framework, by 200 young people, during 2 years of the project; 
5. To certificate 42 people interested to become youth workers on the Romanian Occupational Standard;
6. To build an international partnership network of 9 structures, in the ground of youth work during 2 years of the project;

 ‘‘The suitcase, the map and the voyage of a youth worker” was designed to have a major impact on:

• At least 50 youth workers from the project’s partners – participants in the online training course;
• At least 200 young people (13-30 year old) from 30 Programme countries – participants in the learning to learn – online training course and user of the SIMULATION BOX of JOBS and Career box;
• At least 50 youth workers from 25 Programme countries – participants in the online training course and multiplier event;
• At least 42 persons interested to become certified youth worker according to the Romanian National Qualification Standard;
• At least 30 European structures to integrate the products results in their regular activities;

This project will come with at least the following innovative new elements:

a) Youth worker online training course, available in English and for all the interested people;

b) Concrete tools useful for the youth workers during and after the project: THE SIMULATION BOX of JOBS, interactive career guide, online training course for one key competence – learning to learn.