Context:
This project is focusing on the culture of participation in Bratislava, Slovakia. Young people are often viewed as immature to take part in decision-making processes and civic activities. And yet, they are expected to be active citizens once they reach adulthood. Up to 70% of youth think their voice is not heard in society and 90% think they should have a say (research by IUVENTA, 2021).
Our project will address this gap between the expectations and the lack of opportunities for young people to learn and practice participation. We will reflect on barriers that youth from minorities face in participation and will work towards their empowerment and development of their skills and capacities to fully engage in society.
Objectives:
"A part of all" is focused on empowerment, inclusion and increased participation in community activities and policy making of youth from minority and vulnerable groups in Bratislava region.
The project's goals are:
- Empowerment of youth from vulnerable groups.
- Inclusion of youth from vulnerable groups.
- Increasing participation of youth from vulnerable groups in community activities and policy making.
Results:
Research: Young people from minorities – identity, trust, exclusion, and participation
The research involved conducting individual interviews with 23 young people from diverse backgrounds, including Roma, foreigners, LGBTI+ community members, individuals with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The interviews explored their perceptions of identity, their sense of belonging or exclusion in society, their relationships, and their trust in institutions. Additionally, the study examined the support networks available to them during difficult times and the barriers to their active participation in public life, as well as the factors that facilitate their engagement in these activities.
In the summer of 2022, CVEK conducted 23 research interviews with young Roma, foreigners, LGBTI people, young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and young people with disabilities. The aim was to explore how they perceive their situation and opportunities for participation from their position as members of minorities, which environments they feel safe in and whether they trust institutions.
It showed that youth from these minority groups do not feel safe in the world of mainstream society and are more likely to form bonds within their communities. They also identified a lack of support services that could address their needs.
At the same time, it became apparent that many of them would like to engage in community activities, but lacked information about the opportunities, found the process very complicated, and in some cases were even afraid to get involved in mainstream activities because of their minority status.
The project will further build on these findings in the work with the Diverse Youth Action Group, in which 15 youth from different minority groups have signed up. In 2023, they will have 10 meetings where they will strive to get empowered to gain the skills and confidence to actively engage in initiatives as well as local policy-making in the city of Bratislava. The first meeting took place on 15 December 2022.
In 2023 "A Part for All" continued its work with the Diverse Youth Action Group to empower its members to gain the skills and confidence to actively engage in initiatives as well as local policy-making in the city of Bratislava. Some of them have had no experience with participation and engagement but are interested in it, would like to be involved in some activities but do not know how to do it. Some already have had experience, e.g. they are members of student parliaments, they are involved e.g. in scouting where they work with younger children, etc. And some organise cultural and charity events themselves, have set up NGOs for this purpose and have some experience with applying for grants (at local level).
From the discussions with them so far, and also from the research, it appears that young people from diverse backgrounds face a number of barriers when trying to become active citizens. They often do not know how and where to start, how to communicate with authorities to be taken seriously. They feel that adults take them with a grain of salt because they are young, and that adults "allow them to participate" only pro forma, that their voice does not really carry weight. They also feel that certain barriers are insurmountable, e.g., the system of local government communication about grant opportunities.
The aim of creating the Diverse Youth Action Group was to help them overcome these barriers. The project dedicated sessions to topics such as different forms of participation, finding allies, informal education opportunities and benefits, crowdfunding and PR and communication of their activities. We wrapped up this year´s sessions with a production of a short promo video showing examples of participation of the Action Group members at different levels. The video targets other young people and should highlight the fact that participation is both very important and achievable.
The project also has an advocacy component. Based on the work with the Action Group, we are drafting a set of recommendations for youth policy makers in the City of Bratislava to be more sensitive to the needs of diverse and vulnerable groups of young people. The recommendations will be reviewed by the Action Group members who will then take part in an advocacy event with representatives of the City of Bratislava early next year.
Project details:
Action: Erasmus+ KA210-YOU - Small-scale partnerships in youth
Project coordinator: Centrum pre výskum etnicity a kultúry
Duration: 2022-2023
