Selector: 3 European Commission publications for youth art work

This is a short listing of good information and research tools that can help understand and correlate youth art work practice through/with the European dimension. And of course help write future applications for funding. The best part is that they are all free. Happy reading!

1. The latest: “Youth work and non-formal learning in Europe’s education landscape“

This is the latest publication of the EU Publications Office, published at the end of 2015. Fresh of the presses, the publication, financed by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture, outlines the current status of education, reflecting evolving challenges and opportunities and the way the formal education sector is becoming informalised, while non-formal learning is simultaneously becoming more formalised. It looks at the significance of Europe in young people’s life and at the progress triggered by EU youth programmes and policies and their contribution to quality of youth work in Europe, collaboration among stakeholders and recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning.

The publication can be freely downloaded in pdf format from http://ec.europa.eu/youth/library/reports/youth-work-nonformal-learning_en.pdf

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2. The most comprehensive: “Working with young people: the value of youth work in the European Union“

The study, commissioned in 2013 and concluded in 2014 provides information about the value of youth work, and how it results in a range of positive outcomes for young people, enabling them to:

• develop skills and competences
• strengthen their network and social capital, and
• change particular behaviours.

The study analyses the specific situation of the 28 EU Member States, highlighting the situation of youth work and its contribution to the well-being and development of young people. Various actors and organisations are delivering youth work in Europe, such as youth clubs, youth centres and youth associations. In addition to street workers’ activities, youth workers are providing support within schools, libraries or hospitals.

The publication can be freely downloaded in pdf format from: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/library/study/youth-work-report_en.pdf

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3. Policy commitments. Because… policy

The European Commission supports young people’s creativity and innovation through access to and participation in culture via 3 main mechanisms:

1. studies (like the ones mentioned above)
2. its funding programmes, like Creative Europe the program that supports Europe’s Cultural and Creative Sectors) and Erasmus+  that supports also creativity and innovation in youth projects
3. and also trough policies.

In the case of policies there are at least two statements of intent, rather than policies, than can come in handy in the context of youth art work. These are:

• “Council Conclusions on access of young people to culture from 2010“ – http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2010:326:0002:0003:EN:PDF
• “Council Conclusions on fostering the creative and innovative potential of young people“ from 2012 – http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2012:169:0001:0004:EN:PDF