The “Youth Worker in Debate” project was a Strategic Partnership (Key Action 2 – Exchange of Good Practices) funded by Erasmus+, with a duration of 24 months (June 2019 – May 2021). The partnership included Bluebook, a communication agency from Italy, United Societies of Balkans (USB) from Greece, and YEA from North Macedonia. The project primarily targeted youth workers active in non-formal education, while indirectly benefiting young people from diverse social, cultural, and educational backgrounds.
The main objective of the project was to enhance the skills of youth workers through the Debate methodology, providing them with specific tools to apply it in their work with young people. At the same time, the project aimed to promote active youth participation in public life, foster critical thinking, and strengthen young people’s sense of belonging as active citizens in a global context. It also contributed to bridging formal and non-formal education by promoting a culture of participation and democratic dialogue.
The project was implemented in three main phases. During the first phase, training activities took place in Italy, resulting in the formation of a group of motivated and skilled youth workers equipped to implement the methodology. In the second phase, workshops were carried out in each partner country, led by trained youth workers and supported by the project team. In the final phase, young participants and youth workers took part in a transnational mobility in Greece, where Debate activities and exchanges of experiences were organized.
Overall, the project involved 6 youth workers (2 per partner country) who participated in the training and mobility activities, as well as young people who took part in local workshops and the final international activity. Through this process, participants developed communication, argumentation, and active participation skills, contributing to the creation of more informed and engaged young citizens.