Glasovi mladih za društvene promjene

<< Background >>Partner organisations Pride Parade Association and LORI focus on advancing and protecting human rights of LGBTI+ persons. That includes working for the youth (workshops, trainings etc.), with and by the youth (public actions, campaigns…), with the emphasis on LGBTI+ young persons who often engage in various activities mostly as volunteers and beneficiaries. Both organisations have recognised the need to strengthen their capacities and increase quality of their work with LGBTI+ youth. Specifically, partners identified the need to build their capacities by educating and empowering LGBTI+ youth for active civic engagement, so that they would be more equipped to partake in various partner organisations’ activities. With this project we ensured space for them to increase their knowledge and skills in the field of understanding and protecting LGBTI human rights, the opportunity for personal and professional growth through education, exchanging experiences and connecting with other young LGBTI+ people, as well as for implementing concrete actions. Mutual learning and study visits among organisations increase their capacities in empowering and providing psychosocial support to LGBTI+ youth, community organising and youth work.<< Objectives >>The main project objective was to strengthen the capacities of partner organisations in youth work and to increase knowledge and skills of LGBTI+ youth for active civic engagement. With this project our desire was: 1. To exchange good practices and to improve the knowledge and skills of youth workers in partner organisations, 2. To empower and to educate LGBTI+ youth for active civic engagement and 3. To increase the capacity of organisations by engaging LGBTI+ youth in their work. The needs assessment showed that LGBTI+ youth often lack empowerment and networking to be the initiators of change and engage more actively in creating social changes. In the long-term, educating and empowering young LGBTI+ persons, engaging them in activities, all strengthen organisations' capacity development. Additionally, by exchanging good practises, experiences and knowledge, partner organisations aspired to build their capacity in 1. youth work and methodology of working with LGBTI+ youth and 2. empowering and providing psychosocial support to LGBTI+ youth.<< Implementation >>The main project activities were: 1. Study visit from LORI to Pride Parade Association (aimed at increasing LORI strengths in terms of youth work), 2. Study visit from Pride Parade Association to LORI (aimed at enhancing their capacities for providing psychosocial support for LGBTI+ youth and working on reducing LGBTIQ-phobia in education, 3. Training course for LGBTI+ youth on Human rights of LGBTI+ persons and active citizenship, 4. Study visit of LORI Youth Group to the Youth Group in Slovenia (PRIDE Connects), 4. Developing digital resources aimed at empowering LGBTI+ youth, 6. Implementation of one joint action of LORI and PPA youth groups in Rijeka, Croatia and 7. Project management.<< Results >>The main project results are: 1. Enhanced knowledge of youth workers on engaging the youth in active civic engagement (three persons from LORI), 2. Increased knowledge of youth workers on providing psychosocial support to LGBTI+ youth and combatting LGBTIQ-phobia in educational system (three persons from Pride Parade Association), 3. 12 LGBTI+ young persons from Croatia and Slovenia educated on LGBTI human rights and active citizenship through 5-day training (seven from Croatia and five from Slovenia), 4. Five LORI youth group members gained insight into good practices in community organising for LGBTI+ youth on study visit to Pride Parade Association youth, 5. 16 LGBTI+ young persons from Croatia and Slovenia engaged in organising one joint activity in Rijeka, 6. One action of informing the public about the position of LGBTI+ youth implemented by Croatian and Slovenian youth, 7. Four digital resources aimed at empowering LGBTI+ youth created.