SAMEN Capacity building youth and street children

The SAMEN-program has built the capacity of volunteers and their organization in Bolivia, Kenya, India, Ecuador, Swaziland and the Netherlands as well as the marginalized youth that they work with. This is accomplished by working on three objectives;Objective 1: improving the life skills of street children and youth of the project in the 5 partner countries.Result: Well-prepared Dutch volunteers spend 3-8 months at a project for (street)children and give life skills training to marginalized youth. Objective 2: Build capacity of local teams of volunteers.Result: Volunteers and staff in partner countries have more knowledge on methodology in working with marginalized youth, and best practices are developed and used.Objective 3: Increase the citizenship of Dutch volunteers and their social environment.Result: Dutch volunteers are active in society, and their social environment has a better understanding of volunteering and international development.This program worked in a consortium of 8 partner organizations namely; Stichting Don Bosco Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Surabi (India), Stichting Don Bosco Youthnet (The Netherlands), Proyecto Don Bosco (Bolivia), Salesians of Don Bosco (Kenya), Don Bosco Youth-Net ivzw (Belgium), Fundación Proyecto Salesiano Chicos de la Calle (Ecuador) and Manzini Youth Care (Swaziland). Stichting Don Bosco Amsterdam was the applicant and has functioned as coordinating organization within the consortium. The activities employed in the program include the following;EVS participants (18) have organized life skills training's to the marginalized (street)children and youth in partner countries; A youth exchange of Dutch participants (16) organized life skills training activities with local young people (5) in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; Seminars (2) on methods in working with (street)children and international exchange were held (Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia/ Chennai, India); Development of best practices on life skills training's and informal learning (40); Dissemination of best practices to partners in the Netherlands, Europe and partner countries. Stichting Don Bosco Amsterdam is proud to present the results of this innovative program as it enabled young people to make their voluntary activities more concrete, and it has not only impacted themselves but also marginalized youth, and local young people and their organizations.The SAMEN-programme is unique as it is organized by-and-for young people. Returned volunteers remain active in the organization after their EVS or youth-exchange. They continue to be active in all steps, preparing new volunteers. This can be in the key group, in organizing preparation weekends, and in coaching new young people before and during their departure. This peer-to-peer methodology is cost effective, it makes use of the expertise of returned volunteers and it keeps the organization dynamic. Total costs according to final financial statement:Capacity building activities: € 36.232,54Budget Youth Exchange: € 23.024,00Budget European Voluntary Service: € 57.870,00Total costs: € 117.126,54EU Grant: € 107.702,46