Exciting year for YUWG!The beginning of December saw a seminar take place entitled “Developing Best Practice in EVS Short-term for social inclusion of young people” in Greystones, Ireland hosted by VSI Ireland and attended by member of YUWG and partner organisations in Ireland. Representatives from a number of SCI branches and partner organisations came together and took the chance to evaluate the past years events, and look forward to the months ahead. Over the past few years YUWG has mainly focused on multilateral youth exchanges as a tool for social inclusion. However, this meeting saw the return to other activities for the YUWG target group: short-term EVS placements. It has been apparent for a while now that his could be a significant next step for YUWG and the young people involved.
The first day Trena Ratcliffe, a social worker working with young people in care in Dublin, gave a presentation. She previously coordinated the Youth Programme of VSI and has been an active member of YUWG. She came along to share her experiences of sending young people with fewer opportunities on short- term EVS. She stressed the importance of thorough preparation of the young people, and showed the possibilities and positive results of EVS. It was a valuable session at the meeting. Many YUWG members and partners are now hoping to send and host Short-term EVS placements geared towards the YUWG target group.
It is an exciting time for YUWG as we aim to further develop our methods for social inclusion. One very interesting task was the preparation for the summer 2010 season. YUWG really has a full-packed year ahead: SCI branches and partners are aiming to send well over 200 young people with fewer opportunities on multilateral exchanges in 2010! With all these exchanges it seems that we have the great task of organising two leader training seminars.
A warm farewell was said to some departing Steering Group members - Pieter Tierlinck, Paolo Pagano, Romina and Virginie Guillotin. They will be missed very much! Grace Walsh and Giorgio Nasillo were elected to continue in their positions and this was followed by the election of four new people to the Steering Group of YUWG - Jana Gruden, Eva Veroli, Katrien Meeussen and Aimee Goddard.
YUWG is looking ahead to a bright future, and to what promises to be an exciting year! |
