Name of the organization: YouNet
Website: you-net.eu
Brief description of the organization
YouNet was founded in 2010 in Bologna by a group of young people with common experiences and interests in the field of learning mobility. The association has promoted various youth exchanges and other initiatives aimed at training and personal and professional development, collaborating with the National Agencies that coordinate the European Programmes Erasmus+, Europe for citizens and Lifelong Learning. Since 2010, YouNet has been accredited as a body for the reception, sending and coordination of voluntary projects through the European Voluntary Service of the Erasmus+ Programme (previously, Youth in Action).
Collaborations with numerous European universities in Poland, France, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Lithuania, and Greece have led to the accreditation of YouNet as a welcoming institution for students for Erasmus Placement and Leonardo projects.
Problem addressed by the good practice
The addressed problem is the integration through sport.
Target groups
The target group are 40 young volunteers coming from Spain, Czech Republic, Greece, Poland and Latvia.
Summary of the good practice
The project World Cup Volunteers 2017 (WCV), organized by YouNet, took place during Mondiali. The main goal of the “Mondiali antirazzisti” festival is to battle against racism and gender discrimination. In that way, the project promotes cooperation and equality values through sport. The project brought to volunteers an incomparable experience where participants could promote respect and tolerance for multiculturalism. Also, they developed more conscious about intercultural issues and they integrated sports activities in their daily basis as an encouragement of a healthy lifestyle. Besides, the participants gained new skills required in the labor market such as teamwork, autonomy, sense of initiative and self-confidence. As well, the project allowed participants to develop a proactive attitude towards EU projects. They can spread their experience and motivate others to join European mobility projects.
The activities performed in WCV had as the main focus the spreading of a healthy lifestyle for youth through integrating sport in their daily routine. This project also promoted the role of sport as an activity where participants can build up abilities like team spirit, fair play, intercultural sensitivity and other skills to fight against discrimination. The methodology used in the project included non-formal learning strategies based primarily on learning by doing modality. The users were the protagonists of the learning activities. The methodology included games, role-playing and peer-to-peer learning. All the activities were created on a cooperation approach and foresee the active engagement of volunteers in each of the daily activities. Mondiali Antirazzisti has experienced a great welcome since its inception. In 2015, the number exceeded to over 8,000 people and more than 200 volunteers from nearly all European countries.
Evaluation
The World Cup Volunteers 2017 project has been awarded as best practice and success story by the European Commission.
Recommendations
Sport and physical education can be used by NGOs as a method for developing intercultural skills for young people.
Resources
More information is available on the project website.