According to our research, 70% of youths in the eastern part of Wielkopolska do not feel they are an important part of the local community, and 99% of them claim that they have no impact on local decisions concerning them. To address these challenges, we will run a series of workshops for 48 youths to develop their creative and logical thinking skills, to teach them creative approach to problems, active civic attitude, entrepreneurship, and skills needed to implement grassroot initiatives. We will also organise project management workshops, teaching participants the basics of management, planning tools, and project timetable creation. We will set up the ‘Summer Knowledge Academy’ – a coaching camp the participants of which will generate proposals and plans for initiatives engaging youths in public life in their locations. When they return, they will run social consultations of their ideas in cooperation with local authorities and will discuss possible ways to engage young people in the life of their communes. Selected initiatives will be implemented, allowing youths train their newly acquired skills.
Our partner in the project is the Centrum Wsparcia Rzemiosła, Kształcenia Dualnego i Zawodowego in Konin that has for years been working in eastern Wielkopolska in the field of youth education and will provide us with know-how and promotional support at each stage of the project.