Catalyst - Changemakers of Youth Environment and Perspective in South Baltic Area
CATALYST project will be treated as a pilot action dedicated to the development of an international network and platform to activate local institutions, authorities, organizations, or other entities (incl. politicians) working for engagement, better time spending, and involvement of young people in social, cultural, and business life in SB and to recognize how local areas could be a more friendly environment for the young generation. Joint actions taken by project members should allow participating organizations and their local supporters to become more active in the field of youth support/engagement, initiate cross-sectoral cooperation and help them in the future to revise their offer, consult it with young people - so it will be better suited to the needs and challenges indicated by youth. The project promotes the South Baltic area as an attractive place to spend free time and present different paths of activation of the young generation based on local resources. Revises different national and local approaches/ processes of building a targeted and dedicated youth offer. The South Baltic area has great potential as an attractive place to spend free time and activates young people, both in the field of tourism, culture, and art, startups (taking the first steps in a business career) or building an activation offer that is currently not fully used and adapted to the expectations of the young generation (confirmed in 5 projects implemented by partners). Currently, there is a lack of activation and leisure activities based on inter-sectoral dialogue and inclusion, joint building, and promotion of an activation and leisure offer focused on the needs of young people and contemporary challenges, such as digitization. Institutions of culture, art, tourism and activation of the young generation operating in the South Baltic area have not yet undertaken joint activities aimed at promoting and developing an activation offer in the entire South Baltic area.
PROJECT BRIEF:
Project area: Increasing the attractiveness of the Baltic Sea region for the young generation by creating a dedicated network. Initiating cooperation between entities in the area of: culture, education, innovation and tourism
Project scope: South Baltic Region
The role of STG ERB: Partner with own budget
Co-financing rate 85%
Project budget: 40.000 EUR
STG ERB budget: 5.000 EUR
Project consortium: 3 partners from Poland, 1 from Germany and 1 from Sweden
The SB YCGN project addresses the low participation of local actors in the South Baltic Region and their need for capacity building. By bringing together newly arrived local authorities, in cooperation with universities, NGOs and youth, the project aims to show the benefits of soft cross-border cooperation in solving common problems in the field of low cooperation. The umbrella organization, which is the Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic, which is part of the Euroregion Bałltic, will facilitate and will be an impulse for networking in the field of youth and involving new actors in internationalization. A YCG network will be established in 4 South Baltic countries. The main goal of the project is to increase cross-border cooperation that results in building the potential of local actors working with citizens.
The aim of the project is:
- strengthening cross-border cooperation, capacities and competences of local authorities and their representatives,
- engaging in civic dialogue with young people, thereby increasing citizen participation,
- exchange of experience and knowledge between partners,
- disseminating innovative project proposals and experiences,
- analysis, reflection on the future of youth participation in the Baltic Sea Region.
YCGN aims to broaden the knowledge of all stakeholders - partner cities together with the university network will conduct a joint survey among local actors in order to identify their needs and problems, providing comparable data. It is a form of sharing good practices (development and implementation of a survey in CaSYPoT). In addition, it will lead to the creation of joint knowledge-based youth modelling processes, enabling local authorities to involve young people in decision-making. YCGN will result in a new quality of the network that will promote the exchange of information on local, national and international levels, contribute to building leadership, fostering civic engagement and create opportunities to see and understand youth issues in a wider context. Finally, it activates the mutual learning process and establishes a common understanding of the entire participatory process at the international level through a practical campaign in 4 countries.
PROJECT BRIEF:
Project closed: in 2021
Project area: Youth, civic participation; innovative local government
The role of STG ERB: project leader
Co-financing rate: 85%
Project budget: 563.526,37 EUR
Budget of STG ERB: 129.000,00 EUR
Project consortium: It consists of 9 partners and 6 associate partners from PL, LT, DK, SE
ENGAGE project! is addressed to non-governmental organizations from the region of Pomerania and Warmia and Mazury. We encourage those entities that want to be open to international cooperation with the participation of partners from the Baltic Region to the group of international consortia. We invite inexperienced associations by showing the best practices / techniques / tools to build a strong local community.
The project leader is the BISER Baltic Institute of European and Regional Affairs. It is an Association that has been active in the Baltic Sea Region since 2001, implements national and international social projects, is active in the Baltic NGO Network, BS NGO Network. In the last 5 years, they have obtained funds for the implementation of many international projects related mainly to cooperation for youth and the social economy.
The Polish partner is the Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Bałtyk, which supports the local development of member communes (38) using instruments of international cooperation. It builds the potential of actors in cross-border cooperation as part of many EU initiatives. It is a member of the international organization Euroregion Bałtyk, which supports cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries through international activities.
The foreign partner of the ENGAGE! Project is from Norway - Agder County Office, Department of Co-creation and Internationalization, which took over the duties of the previous partner in full. The aim of the activities carried out by the Office is also to increase the participation of regional entities in international initiatives. They are working to make better use of the opportunities offered by the EEA Agreement, increase participation in EU and EEA projects, and strengthen European coordination. For 4 years, the Office has been actively looking, together with BISER, for cooperation opportunities for entities from Pomerania and Norway.
The project will provide Pomeranian and Warmian-Masurian NGOs with a long-term positive change in the context of starting the internationalization process, strengthening projects and processes that NGOs already undertake and creating an appropriate, friendly conditions for wide cooperation of local NGOs. The results of our activities will be felt by a wide range of non-governmental organizations that will either directly cooperate with us at ENGAGE! or they will use the "Book of Principles of International Cooperation" that is to be created, from our consultations as part of the international advisory office, or finally - by cooperating with new leaders of international cooperation educated by us from 3 key areas for NGOs in Northern Poland: ecology, local development and culture, and social entrepreneurship. The project aims to strengthen other non-governmental organizations, improve the quality of their services and international offer, and create favorable conditions for them to function in the international and cross-border environment. Raising the quality and standards of NGOs 'activities with an international component and experience will also positively translate into broad social groups that are recipients of our beneficiaries' activities - NGOs.
Within ENGAGE! project representatives of non-governmental organizations from Pomerania and Warmia and Mazury will receive the necessary knowledge, an international cooperation plan, access to numerous international contacts from 3 project partners and first international experiences (study visits, co-creation laboratories, heckathons, participation in the Baltic NGO Network Forum, etc.) . Thanks to this, we want to teach them to establish lasting international relations so that, after the end of the project, they can effectively act in their areas as leaders in their environment (as part of the project, we will choose three priority areas: ecology, local development, culture).
PROJECT BRIEF
Project area: Support for the NGO sector; Internationalization; Creating new cross-border projects and initiatives, the Polish area is: Pomerania, Warmia and Mazury
Duration: 28 months
Type of activity: Provision of services and organization of other activities supporting the institutional development of social organizations and civic movements
The role of STG ERB: partner with own budget
Project budget: EUR 140,250.00
Project consortium: three NGOs from PL and Norway - 2 partners from Poland
project leader - BISER - Baltic Institute of European and Regional Affairs
project partners: Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Bałtyk and one of Norway - Sørlandets Europakontor AS
Involved entities: NGOs from Pomerania and Warmia and Mazury, from the territory of the Association's member communes