Local youth-led projects are an important part of the INCLUSION project. They were implemented in 13 communities of 11 European countries. In the Youth Exchange in Berlin, Germany, in October 2019, 60 young people learned how to map their community and socially excluded groups and how to come up with project ideas to solve these issues. They also learned how to pitch their idea, how to look for partners and funding for their project ideas, and how to involve their peers to participate in community projects.
Young people created action plans as the basis for the local INCLUSION! projects in their communities.
Action Plan – Mixed Group: Portugal, Greece & Italy
Action Plan – Slovakia
Action Plan – Slovakia
Action Plan – UK & Northern Ireland
Throughout the INCLUSION! project, project countries implemented local inclusion projects. These projects were youth-led, community-based, and community-oriented.
ideenfluß e.V. – Germany
In Görlitz, “Happy Hands” promoted awareness of deaf culture through a concert supported by the Görlitz Sign Choir. Lead by sign language teacher Nicole Friedrich, they sang both popular and less well known songs to promote awareness of the beauty of sign language and how this could be used as an artistic means of expression. Sign language uses all your senses: the whole body is in action, therefore developing creativity and connection with yourself and others. Moreover, this project aimed to convince interested parties of all ages, regardless of ethnic, social and religious origin, to learn sign language.
Institut za kreativno obrazovanje (IKO) – Croatia
Institut za kreativno obrazovanje, Croatia took part in the Inclusion! Photo and Arts Challenge with several entries. One highlighted how we can learn about inclusion from nature, and another featured photos from the workshop “Awakening of female energy and strength” to demonstrate that there are no limits for creativity and togetherness.
Hellenic Youth Participation, Greece
The “Fight with Pride” project aimed to promote the No Hate Speech movement through international, national, and local actions. Moreover, it sought to strengthen the role of young people in peace-building activities and combating hate speech. The result of this project was a music video entitled “Fight with Pride”.
ICON, Ireland
ICON Ireland worked with extremely marginalised youth and families through after school services with hard to reach youth, harm reduction and anti-violence programmes, English language support, and counselling of 150 young people and their families, as well as 60 Roma families.
YEPP Porta Palazzo, Italy
In the context of the pandemic and with the aid of the Municipality of Turin, YEPP Porta Palazzo implemented local projects in the context of the pandemic and with the aim to assist affected groups and individuals. They had a project on food-emergency, which consisted of personal and small business contributions, distribution of pacchi solidali/care packages, and food-surpluses recovery at the local market.
YEPP Bivongi, Italy
Partnering with Coras, an organisation helping people with mental illnesses, the Alzheimer cafe project was implemented. Through this project, they took care of people with Alzheimer’s disease and old people. During those days, they made cookies, sang, and danced together with the participants of the project.
DYPALL, Portugal
Young people from DYPALL implemented the project “Dia Sem Genero”, wherein young people were encouraged to wear clothing without the stereotypical expectations of male/female clothing. This was to promote gender equality and inclusion.
YEPP Kecerovce-Olsava, Slovakia
In order to promote the awareness about the importance of Roma inclusion, young people of YEPP Kecerovce-Olsava built a giant ladder called the “Ladder of Inclusion”. Participants were youth workers, young people from the Kecerovce community, and young people from the Roma community. During the actvitiy, they had shared activities such as singing and sharing meals. The ladder was painted very colorfully and embellished with inspirational texts such as “Diversity is Power”. After a few months, they planted a tree below the ladder to symbolize that just like a tree, society has to grow to be able to support inclusive ideas.
Youth Action, Northen Ireland
Youth Action Northern Ireland used the photos from the Inclusion! Photo and Art Challenge and shared them with the staff team, young people, members of the local community, and other partner organisations.