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Brežice Youth Centre, 7-10 May 2013
Involving Youth Centres in the youth policy & youth work of the Council of Europe
The promotion of the educational philosophy and approaches practiced in the European Youth Centres in member states of the Council of Europe and beyond has been a priority for the Directorate of Youth and Sport (called Directorate of Democratic Citizenship and Participation as from October 2011) since the 1990s. Over the years, numerous member states have offered to host a European Youth Centre in their country, but the Council of Europe could not take on the management and costs of further European Youth Centres. At the same time, the Council of Europe youth sector would like to support initiatives of public authorities that are inspired by and committed to the educational and political philosophy of the European Youth Centres.
The European Steering Committee on Youth (CDEJ) developed a project to promote the European Youth Centres of the Council of Europe as standard-setting instruments and examples of good practice for youth policy, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe welcomed the initiative for an initial pilot phase of three years, starting in 2010. The CDEJ prolonged the project for an undetermined period in November 2012 and decided on awarding the first two youth centres with the Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres.
This project aims at knowledge sharing and networking among youth centres across Europe. It consists of two main activities:
• a Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres, to be awarded to youth centres that meet the standard; and
• an annual meeting of a European Platform of Youth Centres to ensure networking among centres recognised with the label and those aspiring to its acquisition.
The Council of Europe Quality Label and the European Platform for Youth Centres represent
– an opportunity for existing or planned youth centres in signatory states of the European Cultural Convention to associate to the values and youth policy priorities of the Council of Europe;
– a means of encouraging quality development among youth centres on the basis of established standards for educational and policy approaches in the youth sector of the Council of Europe;
– an opportunity for international networking and exchange between residential educational youth centres and their stakeholders;
– a mechanism for the promotion of quality standards in non-formal education and international youth work.
Eligibility criteria, Procedures and Conditions to acquire the Quality Label:
A detailed description of the eligibility criteria is published in the 2012 revised edition of the brochure “The Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres”, downloadable from the website of the Youth Department:
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/eycb/Source/Quality_Label_brochure_EN_2012.pdf
Applicants – including participants of former Platform meetings – to the 4th European Platform of Youth Centres are kindly requested to study this brochure in detail before applying.
The European Platform of Youth Centres
is organised annually and is a platform for exchange and knowledge sharing among the centres associating to the Council of Europe. It ensures networking amongst centres recognised with the Quality Label and those aspiring to its acquisition.
The former Platform meetings from 2010 to 2012 were held in one of the two European Youth Centres of the Council of Europe (in Budapest in 2010 and 2012 and in Strasbourg in 2011). The 4th Platform meeting is the first occasion where a labelled youth centre, the Brežice Youth Centre from Slovenia hosts the meeting.
Objectives of the Platform 2013
• to present the ‘Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres’;
• to exchange on management and educational practices in youth centres;
• to deepen participants’ knowledge on non-formal education with young people;
• to promote Council of Europe values in youth policy and youth work standards;
• to establish contacts for networking and cooperation amongst participants.
Participants
The Platform will bring together:
– leaders of youth centres aspiring to receive the Quality Label and those already have obtained it
– decision-makers planning to establish a youth centre with Council of Europe philosophy and quality standards;
– members of the statutory bodies of the Council of Europe youth sector;
– selected experts.
All participants should:
be prepared and competent to present the structure and concept of the centre they are representing, and/or
be in the position to place the plan for the establishment of a new centre in a youth policy framework;
be available for the full duration of the Platform;
be able to work in English.
Working language
The Platform meeting will be held in English. Please note that all official communication regarding the project will be done in English.
Practical arrangements
The Platform meeting will be held from 8 to 10 May 2013 at Brežice Youth Centre, Brežice, Slovenia. Participants are requested to participate for the entire duration of the meeting and are asked to plan their arrival for 7 May and their departure for 10 May after 1pm. Accommodation in single rooms will be provided for the duration of the Platform at the
Brežice Youth Centre
Gubčeva 10a
8250 Brežice
Slovenia
Phone: +386 (0) 590 83 790
www.mc-brezice.si
Board and lodging at Brežice Youth Centre and group shuttle from and to Zagreb airport (Croatia) on 7th and 10th May will be arranged and covered by the Council of Europe and Brežice Youth Centre.
Participants are expected to cover their travel costs and other subsistence expenses.
As the number of the participants in the meeting will be limited, those interested in participating in the Platform are requested to complete the application form and return it by 27 March 2013 by e-mail to: [email protected] Participants selected will be informed by 5th April 2013 and receive an official invitation letter together with a detailed programme, background documents and technical information.
