A growing number of young people drop out of school without any goals for further education or professional integration and spend most of their time wandering, feeling excluded and misunderstood. This increases vulnerability, including the risk to be involved in criminal offence or to become victims. Latvian Youth Policy, which was prepared as a part of the National Development Plan, foresees to support infrastructures and activities for young people. A prime condition for positive youth activities are meeting venues for youth where to gather and develop activities. Today in Latvia, there are only 39 youth centres to cover 109 amalgamated municipalities. The project will set up 11 new youth centers and will extend / renovate 6. In addition, trainings for persons involved in youth work including various methodologies will be provided under the project.

The goal of the project is to provide personal and professional perspectives to young people living in peripheral and disadvantaged regions of Latvia. A specific objective is to increase opportunities for young people to become socially active, through the development of infrastructures, activities, and exchanges specifically designed for young people.

Youth at age of 13 to 25 living in peripheral and / or disadvantaged regions; Personnel involved in youth work and work with youth groups at risk.

(i): to establish 11 multifunctional youth centres and to extend / renovate 6 youth centres; (ii): to organise 100 seminars and provide training for approximately 2000 young persons from all planning regions using peer to peer learning methodology; (iii): to provide trainings, seminars, exchange programmes and events for youth itself over almost 6 year period; (iv): to organise regional/national and international conferences and fora for young people and persons involved in youth work for approximately 500 participants.

Résultats obtenus:  

• 26 multifunction youth centers have opened. Initial target was 17 centers
• 74 seminars for youth workers were carried out
• 109 trainings for young people on topics such as self-development and critical and innovative thinking took place
• Experience workshops with Swiss youth workers took place
• 125 (out of 160) trainings and 9 (out of 139) events provided to at least 32’000 persons
• 12 (out of planned 15) methodological and learning material have been elaborated
• 5 video format methodological material are available on YouTube

Phase 1 01.09.2009 - 30.04.2017   (Completed)