AAA | Youth Workers and international meetings

AAA | Youth Workers and international meetings

‍Dear  ‍,

in this newsletter you will find out everything about the last seven months at AAA and what has been going on. Over the last months we have focussed on working with youth workers and providing resources for them. These resources were created with our AAA community and summarised by us in a practical handbook and in-service training. The consortium also had a hybrid meeting last year in beautiful Porto, Portugal. It was a great opportunity for the team to get together again and discuss the project further.

 

In the coming months, we will now focus on our final work with the youth workers, followed by the publication of the AAA results in the form of a joint policy paper, events at a national level in the respective project partner countries and the major AAA conference in Germany in July.

 

Also follow our social media channels, linked here as well as on our website. For questions, please write us an e-mail or contact us via social media!

 

Lutz Peschke (coordinator)

Noemi Kolloch for the AAA consortium

Handbook for Youth Workers

This activity centers on the development of the "Activism Against Ableism" handbook for youth workers. The handbook aims to systematize methodology and provide recommendations for adaptation to various contexts and target groups. Following initial drafting, pilot sessions will be conducted nationally, involving a minimum of five participants per chapter.

 

Ultimately, the handbook will be translated into seven languages, ensuring free access for all interested in exploring and implementing its methodology. Results will include the handbook itself, value propositions, and local working group reports, marking a significant step forward in empowering youth workers to combat ableism effectively.

Meeting in Porto

‍The partners of the AAA project convened in October in Porto for the 2nd transnational project meeting. During the gathering, they delved into discussions surrounding the development of the value proposition for the handbook and the In-Service Training Programme, alongside the corresponding materials and resources.

 

Looking forward, the 2nd LTTA is scheduled for April 2024, with Connectus set to host the event in Greece. The project's overarching goal is to raise awareness about disability and ableism, supporting young European citizens with disabilities to actively participate in social and political spheres. By promoting participation and activism on disability policies and challenging ableism in various aspects of society, the project aims to combat discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities.

Piloting and In-Service-Training

The second phase of AAA centers on the development of the In-Service Training for youth workers, building upon the groundwork laid by the handbook. Following comprehensive review and feedback from all partners, AAA will collectively develop resources, materials, and activities tailored to engage youth workers through innovative, learner-focused approaches. These modules will serve as a vital tool for training youth workers in effectively implementing the methodology, thereby fostering empowerment and encouraging civic, social, and political participation among their beneficiaries.

 

Moreover, the training program will delve into the developmental process of this methodology, equipping youth workers with valuable knowledge and skills in participatory intervention strategies. This, in turn, may inspire the creation of new projects through cooperative, participatory methods. Upon completion, implementation at the LTTA, and translation into partner languages, the training program will be accessible on the project website. This ensures widespread dissemination and future exploitation of project results, facilitating knowledge transfer and continued impact.

Policy Paper and Events

The final phase of the project focuses on Promoting “Activism Against Ableism”. This entails the development of a comprehensive policy paper summarizing the project's experiences and key conclusions regarding social, professional, and political inclusion of people with disabilities. The paper will highlight the detrimental effects of ableism, emphasize the importance of social and political participation among differently abled individuals, and outline strategies to promote their empowerment. In addition to the policy paper, this phase includes a series of promotion and dissemination activities, including multiplier events and a final conference.

 

These events will showcase the outcomes of AAA, including the methodologies developed before, the "Activism Against Ableism" handbook and training programs for youth workers, and the policy paper itself. Partner organizations will host multiplier events in their respective countries, while the partner coordinator will organize the final conference in Germany. Each event will feature presentations by project staff and youth participants sharing their experiences. A keynote speaker will be invited to the final conference to provide additional insights. Results from this phase will include guidelines for the policy paper and the translation of the policy paper into seven languages.

 

Overall, these activities aim to not only disseminate our project outcomes but also to contribute to meaningful policy discussions and promote lasting change in combating ableism.

 

‍‍AAA – Activism Against Ableism

This Project is funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union (2022-1-DE04-KA220-YOU-000087327)