1. TRANSFORMING YOUTH POLICY Slides for working groups
Policy analysis and action development tools for managers and projects
TOOLBOX 1:
Slides for working groups

2. My Generation URBACT II project
This is a resource book for managers and project people working on transforming youth policies and projects in their cities
It gives ideas based on the experience of My Generation-project
My Generation was an Urbact project started in November 2008 and ended in the Summer 2011.
It was a learning network on good practices in connecting to the young generation, to design better youth policies and build tomorrow’s cities with today’s youth.
The partners in the project were Antwerp from Belgium, Birmingham, UK, Gdansk, Poland, Glasgow, UK, Gothenburg, Sweden, Patras, Greece, Riga, Latvia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Valencia, Spain, Warsaw, Poland and Tirgu-Mures, Romania

3. My Generation URBACT II project
A common challenge for many cities is disengagement of a great number of young from local communities, education and employment.
This had lead to the deterioration of neighbourhoods, gang-related violence, ethnic strife, rising drop-out rates and high youth unemployment.
This complex set of challenges is mirrored by the fragmentation of city policies and efforts trying to deal with the youth issues.
The young are often treated as a source of problems and not as partners in the solutions.
But My Generation set out to do things differently…

4. My Generation URBACT II project
My Generation has three main messages:
Co-creation: We need to move away from treating the young as a “target group” and a source of problems > to having them as genuine partners and co-creators of solutions
New ecology of engagement: In order to do that we need to transform our way of engaging with the young. We need to use all forms of action, not only text and speech, but also movement, sound, music, informal skills – creating events using all the senses
New ecology of youth policy: we need to move away from fragmented youth policies > to having a comprehensive approach, a connection between the young generations, local communities, education and business

5. Transforming your ecology of engagement and youth policy
What does it mean in practice?
Be where the young are – in the streets, in the communities, where the young hang out – you need to reach out
Have street smart ambassadors, coaches, role models – of the young themselves
Provide activities with a low threshold of engagement – like street dance, football, events
Transform your meetings, workshops and events – less lecturing, more co-creation and using all the senses!
Tap into the creative potential and informal skills of the young
Have experienced professionals to facilitate and help to build on creativity
Establish good connections between local, educational and business communities
Build a comprehensive youth policy

6. You need street smart ambassadors, coaches, role models
You need to be where the young are – in the streets, in the communities, where the young hang out
– you need to reach out
Pictures from: ”About You” - Short Comic for the Young about My Generation Ideas in Toolbox 4
You need street smart ambassadors, coaches, role models
– of the young themselves

7. You need activities with a low threshold of engagement
– like street football, dance,events

8. You need to transform your meetings, workshops and events – less lecturing, more co-creation and using all the senses!
Pictures from My Generation workshops

9. You need to tap into the creative potential and informal skills of the young!

10. You need experienced professionals
to facilitate and help to build on creativity
Professionals coaching young in My Generation Workhsops

11. Transforming Youth Policy with
YOUTH POLICY CITYSCAPE
Youth Policy CITYSCAPE is a tool to explore and develop policies and inclusive action with the young
It provides a quick synoptic view of the overall coverage of policies and practices

12. CITYSCAPE has three areas:
Outreach = Transforming measures and policies addressing those ”hard to reach”
Education = Transforming education to address better individual needs and tap better into informal learning
Transition to Working Life = Transforming connections and transition to working life
All areas are needed – and they need to be connected!

13. Three areas of youth policies and practices
TRANSFORMING EDUCATION AND CAPABILITY BUILDING
TRANSFORMING TRANSITION TO WORKING LIFE
TRANSFORMING OUTREACH

14. The CITYSCAPE has an ”underground” and a world above
Underground: Informal learning = spontaneous, ”life-based” learning and skills development
Above: Formal education = Learning and skills development in different educational institutions
We need both: tapping into informal skills and connecting this to formal education

15. ACTIVE TRANSITIONS IN THE LANDSCAPE
TRANSFORMING EDUCATION AND CAPABILITY BUILDING
”Above”: Formal education
TRANSFORMING TRANSITION TO WORKING LIFE
TRANSFORMING OUTREACH
”Underworld”: Informal” Life based learning

16. there are active transitions
In CITYSCAPE
there are active transitions
From disengagement…
via co-creation and mediation
to self reliance
From disengagement..
..via co-creation..…
…to self reliance
Pictures from: ”About You” - Short Comic for the Young about My Generation Ideas in Toolbox 4

17. ACTIVE TRANSITIONS IN THE LANDSCAPE
TRANSFORMING EDUCATION AND CAPABILITY BUILDING
”Above”: Formal education
TRANSFORMING TRANSITION TO WORKING LIFE
TRANSFORMING OUTREACH
”Underground”: Informal“, Life based learning
From inactivity and exclusion
via mediation and co-creation……
…to active life and self reliance

18. Key Questions in YOUTH POLICY CITYSCAPE
The most important question to be asked is: Are we really co-creating with the young?
Do we have good practice(s) in Outreach, i.e. reaching out to the disengaged?
Are we also tapping into the informal skills of the young? Find out what they can! Build on it!
Are we connected to the working life and the business community? Get the business community to tell what they need!
Are we covering the transitions from Outreach to Education and from Education to Employment? Do we have the next steps in place?
Do we have follow-up to secure our results? Do we have facilitators and coaches following up the situation well beyond the very first steps?
Are we covering the whole CITYSCAPE? Do we have good partnerships and practices in Outreach –Education –and in connecting to Employment?

19. YOUTH POLICY CITYSCAPE and key questions:
7. Are we covering the whole cityscape?
3. Are we tapping also into informal skills of the young?
4. Are we connected to the needs of working life?
2. Do we have good practice in outreach?
Transforming Education
Transforming connection to employment
TransformingOutreach
1. Are we really co-creating with the young?
6. Do we have follow-up to secure transitions?
5. Are we covering the transitions”?
From disengagement..
..via co-creation..…
…to self reliance

20. MY GENERATION LANDSCAPE
OUTREACH
EDUCATION
EMPLOYMENT

21. Examples from My Generation and beyond…
Street Games and World Worth Living from Birmingham
Community Schools and events in Rotterdam and elsewhere...
Youth Competence Centres, young role models, one-stop-shops and meeting places of Antwerp, Patras, Tirgu-Mures, Gdansk and others…
C-stick (CV on C-stick + database in network) in Antwerp
Voluntary work cooperation in Riga and elsewhere…
Hi5 and Dynamic Duos – young mediators and coaches in Rotterdam
Young Business Incubators in schools, Chambers of Commerce providing coaching for young business, young entrepreneur promotion in Gothenburg, Rotterdam and Valencia
Youth Mayors and Youth Councils in rotterdam, Warsaw and others…
Comprehensive cooperation partnerships in Glasgow

23. Look into other My Generation Toolboxes:
Need further ideas?
Look into other My Generation Toolboxes:
Toolbox 2: Transforming Youth Policy – working material for exploring the CITYSCAPE
Toolbox 3: Transforming Youth Policy – Ideas for Managers and Decision Makers
Toolbox 4: ”About You” – Short Comic for the Young about My Generation Ideas
My Generation material, see :