Grand Conference in Porsgrunn, Norway, 1-4. June 2023,
“Youth Advocay Alliance “YOUTH NOT AS A PROBLEM, BUT THE SOLUTION!” aims to raise awareness across youth organisations of the Nordic & Baltic Sea Region about the benefits of youth advocacy and the youth advocacy network. The project aims to create a sustainable “Youth Advocacy Alliance” network that brings together youth, non-governmental youth organisations (CSOs), decision makers of the Nordic & Baltic Sea Region to share experiences and combat joint challenges faced by young people of today in the regions.
The aim of the conference is to explore the implementation of the Child and youth participation strategies during crisis and recommendations for decision makers in the Nordic region and to raise awareness about the importance of involving youth people and vulnerable groups fully in the decision making process at different levels and to support youth communities in exercising their rights and responsibilities in society and enhance their feeling of belonging to the community, both local and European (Nordic-Baltic).
The Youth Conference will be a series of events that will happen during 3-days and will include an intensive program of official discussions in frame of international conference*, workshops conducted by international partners and local hosts, study visits and development of new project proposals plus networking. Special attention will be dedicated to presentation of Youth Advocacy toolkit prepared by international partners in frame of the project programm what will be one of the major outcomes of the program, together with youth local Citizens’ action plans, which will be submitted to the Nordic Council and various national, international and governmental organizations, and the media.
Agenda
Date: 1nd – 4th of June 2023
Venue: Porsgrunn Culture School (Dance Hall)
Title: “YOUTH NOT AS A PROBLEM, BUT THE SOLUTION!”
DAY I – 2nd of June 2023
09.00 – 10.00 Registration and meeting with each other
10.00 – 10.20 Welcoming words and project timeline
– Morten Hagevik, Porsgrunn Kultuurskole, director
– Mariann Eriksen , Cultural Director of Porsgrunn
– Vassili Golikov, SSCW, project initiator
– Hatem Atallah, moderator
10.30 – 11.30 Panel discussion I „Youth advocacy in combating common challenges faced by young people“
(protection of the children rights, youth unemployment, bullying and discrimination, education questions etc)
– Christian Hansen, Copenhagen Business Academy
– German Morris, Peace Child Estonia
– Balqis Khattab, IKF (Sweden)
– Roosa Amanda Ramberg, Luksia (Finland)
– Vivianné Bucio Bach, Young Ambassadors and Europeisk ungdom (Norway)
11.30 – 12.00 Coffee break
12.00 – 1300 Child and youth participation strategies during crisis and recommendations for decision makers in the Nordic region”
(3 working groups)
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 15.30 Panel discussion II: Youth peoples and vulnerable groups in the decision making process: mapping of barriers and opportunities to achieve inclusive society
– Ingrid Raudsepp, Tartu University (Estonia)
– Leo Kober, Europeisk ungdom (Norway)
– Ivan Vasilevskikh, Folkevirke (Denmark)
– Haron Timoyaro, IKF (Sweden)
– Tuomas Auvinen, Luksia (Finland)
15.30 – 15.45 Coffee break
16.00 – 17.00 Visiting Porsgrunn City Town Hall and conducting a debate “Youth and City Government: good governance in time of equal partnership”
17.00 – 17.30 Conclusions of day I
18.00 – 21.00 Dinner in Hotel
DAY II – 3rd of June 2023
10.00 – 11. 30 Panel discussion III: “What course are Nordic and Baltic youth sector taking?” (Digital youth work, youth in decision process, youth as stakeholders, youth and non-formal education)
– German Morris, Peace Child Estonia
– Iulia Halangescu, IKF (Sweden)
– Heli Karolina Halonen, Luksia (Finland)
– Vivianné Bucio Bach, Young Ambassadors or representative of Porsgrunn City (Norway)
– Ivan Vasilevskikh, Folkevirke (Denmark)
11.30 – 11.45 Coffee break
11.45 – 13.15 Workshops selection
- Workshop I : “Changing patterns in the field of youth” (Vassili Golikov)
* In the workshop, we will discuss changes in the youth field and what opportunities and risks can be seen in it (after COVID, in time of crises etc). The keywords are services in the youth field, introduction of digital opportunities, needs and expectations of the field.
- Workshop II : “Mental Health and support training” (Laura Rajala)
* The aim is to create and maintain physical and thus intellectual and mental health. The knowledge, tools and practical exercises have a direct effect on mind and to make you calmer, more balanced and happier in time when you need to find solution how to overcome mental disorders and depressions..
13.15 – 14.00 Lunch
14.45 – 15.30 Children and Youth Parade
15.30 – 16.30 Working group on “Child and youth participation strategies during crisis and recommendations for decision makers in the Nordic region” (finalisation of the document)
15.30 – 16.30 Working group on Youth Advocacy Statement (final version)
15.30 – 16.30 Presentations of the toolkit and webpage (including useful materials for Youth advocacy work)
16.30 – 16.45 Coffee break
16.45 – 17.30 Developing a collaboration projects (3 working groups) in the field of youth participation, youth and sustainability, youth and volunteer work, youth and decision making etc for (Nordic Culture Point, Erasmus+, other funding)
17.30 – 17.45 Presentation of the “Children and youth participation strategies in regards of youth advocacy” recommendations for decision makers
17.45 – 18.00 Conclusions of day II
18.00 – 21.00 Dinner
DAY III – 4th of June 2023
9.00 – 10.00 Summary of the conference
Departure
* The Organizer reserves the right to amend any part of the Event format, agenda or programme if necessary at any time.
Project is supported by
