This Round-table demonstrated how youth organisations are concretely combating youth exclusion. EU must urgently invest in a strategy for the inclusion of marginalised young people and support all the actors that work for the integration of young people. The development of skills and competences through education is key for the integration. Youth organisations and volunteering use non-formal education to develop skills and competences of young people, increasing their employability. A volunteer engagement also builds self-confidence and a feeling of belonging to a wider community. For young people most at risk, opportunities to engage in a youth organization can be a way to break the vicious circle of exclusion.
Don Bosco International intervention was coordinated with Don Bosco Youth Net and Youth Ministry Department (School and VET office) and focused on two main aspects:
- The contribution of Don Bosco Youth Net in the inclusion of refugees and excluded young people through two concrete experiences “Don Bosco Youth Incubator” on Social Entrepreneurship, so that young volunteers are able to dream, prepare and execute new projects in their communities and “Speak Up” focused on preparing young people of Don Bosco organisations to advocate for Human Rights.
- The progress done in the field of T-VET mobility developed by the Project Managers’ group coordinated by Fr. Miguel Ángel García, that has allowed many young people in difficult situation to have international experience within this technical formation, thanks to the cooperation of Salesian VET Centres and companies from different EU countries.
This activity was part of the 6th Lifelong Learning Week (LLL Week) from 10th October to 13th October 2016 in Brussels, organized by the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP), this year in partnership with the European Youth Forum. Don Bosco International has also taken part in other interesting activities such as:
- Reforming Erasmus+ Budgetary Constraints
- Rethinking Education: towards a global common good?
- Refugee and Migrant challenge: turning commitment to inclusive education into reality
- Regional and Local measures to develop the potential of refugees
- Citizenship Education finding inspiration in youth organisations
- Validation of skills gained through volunteering: a contribution to the new EU skills agenda
