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September 2011 – Erbach, Germany Information for New Partners Over the years this project has helped to promote and support a more positive transition from school into further education, training and or employment for a high number of young people. “Spinach for Popeye” The congress is part of a co-operation programme called “Spinach for Popeye” which has run for 12 years. It involves a residential congress for practitioners and a follow on youth exchange for young people. 1
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“Spinach for Popeye”
International Exchange Programme
September 2011 – Erbach, Germany
“Youth Migrants- Successful integration of young pe ople with migration background”(draft)
Information for New Partners
The congress is part of a co-operation programme called “Spinach for Popeye” which has run for 12 years. It involves a residential congress for practitioners and a follow on youth exchange for young people.
Participating countries are Falkirk (Scotland), the Odenwaldkreis (Germany) and Gothenburg (Sweden). Each year one country hosts a 6 day congress (5 nights) and all countries are involved in planning the content and structure. The next congress (September 2011) will be held in Erbach, Germany. Funding is through its own National Agency for Youth in Action funds.
The Objectives of “Spinach for Popeye”
When the programme started 12 years ago its objectives were to explore, develop and sustain new and innovative programmes of practice in order to support work with vulnerable young people who:
� Are at risk of exclusion from school � Are not achieving their full potential � Are lacking confidence and motivation � Are experiencing additional issues in their family and community life � Have fewer opportuntiies
The benefits
Over the years this project has helped to promote and support a more positive transition from school into further education, training and or employment for a high number of young people. Over the years a number of new initiatives, resources, collaborative projects and approaches have been explored and developed as a result of this
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programme. These have made a difference in the lives of many young people. The Congress element of the The “Spinach for Popeye” project encourages networking, exploration of issues / challenges and opportunities, co-operation, understanding of the broader needs and issues facing young people within this target group. Participants are offered the potential to learn about and try new ideas and methodologies and apply if appropriate beyond the Congress …. back in the workplace. The project challenges and changes attitudes around work with young people / pupils within its target group. It opens new dimensions and opportunities which have in turn created a more integrated and co-orindated approach and have helped to develop more local support systems and responses within the youth field.
Who is the Congress targetted at? Workers who attend the Congress can be from schools, youth servcices, social work, partner organisations, police, employment and training and social services. We aim to have 8 delegates from each country to allow a range of disciplines to attend. Each country has their own way of selecting a delegation – it can be varied or there can be multiple representation from 1 or 2 agencies – it all depends on the make-up of the local area.
Congress Programme and Methods The Congress starts officially on the Monday evening with a gathering and informal activities and ends on the Friday evening with a farewell event. Methods and approaches include – inputs from each country around showcase practice, key note speakers – national perspectives and challenges, short taster workshadows, cultural activities, networking, national and international group discussions and reflection, action planning, project visits, & youth exchange planning.
The next Year’s Theme –“Youth Migrants- Successful integration
of young people with migration background”(draft)
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The objectives of this year’s Congress (2011) is based around the importance of the role of the the family / careers in supporting the young person through the transition period and how to build and sustain quality support systems for these groups both independently and jointly. It will focus on examples of good practice around this theme, particularly those which promote collaboration between agencies. Youth Exchange
The Youth Exchange is part of the overall Spinach for Popeye programme and the next one will take place in June 2010 in Falkirk. For both the Youth Exchange and the congress a Co-ordinator is identified from each country. The role of these co-ordinators is to meet together and jointly plan the content and structure of the youth exchange and co-ordinators. A planning meeting is usually held prior to each event. The Youth Exchange helps to foster a mutual understanding between young people locally and across different countries. The young people who participate in the Youth Exchange are those who will be linked to the theme of the Congress and linked to the transition projects of the delegation members from each country. They are likely to be young people who have few opportuntiies. The exchange experience is developed and delivered in a way which promotes participation as a learning process, it promotes mutual respect and understanding of others, and encourages the developments of skills and confidence with inbuilt support as required.
The project has evolved over the years but has continued because of the co-operation between European partners and the shared belief in the ongoing need to tackle the challenges that young people face in the transition years. It recognises that issues, needs and challenges continually change and that we need to share, learn about and develop new ways of working. Members share the belief that if given the right support and opportunity – young people can be helped to reach their potential, and work towards their goals and aspirations.
Request for New Partner
Den Helder finished their partnership in that programme. Whether this is the case or not we would like to seek a new partner to join our programme. In order to support this we would like to offer the opportunity to send two or three delegates to our Congress to experience what it is like with a view to agreeing whether to join or not. Delegates should be those working with the
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target group or could include a local politician who would have the authority to commit to future involvement. If you would like to join our Congress you would need to pay for travel over and a contribution towards the cost of accommodation. We would however pay for all the activities, visits, transport and internal hospitality etc.
What would it involve if we decided to join
Proposed Programme of Spinach for Popeye 2009 till 2016
2009 Congress Falkirk – November
2010 Youth Exchange Falkirk – June
2011 Congress Germany- September
2012 Youth Exchange Gothenburg
2013 Congress New Partner
2014 Youth Exchange Germany
2015 Congress Sweden
2016 Youth Exchange New Partner
The hosting country is responsible for making the funding application to it national agency. Each country is required to pay a lump sum of 2500 Euros towards the additional costs incurred for the Congress to the hosting country. 500 Euros for the Youth Exchange. Each country has to pay 30% of travel costs however the balance is refunded by the funding agency. Arrangements for advance planning meetings are the responsibility for the hosting country. Each country pays own flight for co-ordinator. For further information or a copy of a sample Congress programme please contact [email protected] or telephone 00 44 1324 504450 – Elenor Macdonald or to Maria Zeitler, Germany, Odenwaldkreis, telephone 0049 6062-70462 or [email protected]
