Transnational Activity

On a transnational level, YEPP facilitates the following joint learning and working opportunities:

Conferences

Conferences are held to disseminate results and recommendations of YEPP addressing decision-makers on local, national and transnational levels.

The first YEPP conference was held in Lille, France, in February 2003. About 40 delegates from the participating Local Programme Sites and decision-makers of the public, private and independent sectors took part in the event.

2 years later the 1st Conference of the YEPP Community in Berlin from 25th - 27th January 2005 brought together about 60 representatives of foundations, scientists and researchers, young people, youth and community workers, members of the Local Support Groups and external experts from ten European countries, the United States and Brazil! The theme "From Innovation Towards Systemic Change" set the focus of the discussion on long-term, sustainable and systemic changes towards more inclusive and more empowering environments for young people. Prior to the Conference, the YEPP Youth Panel and members of the Local Support Groups had their first transnational meetings.

The 2nd Conference of the YEPP Community then took place in Turin, Italy, from 20th until 24th of March 2006. The Conference brought together about 100 young people, community workers, practitioners, researchers, representatives of foundations and the public sector from nine European countries, the US, Canada, and the Republic of Korea.

Parallel to the Conference, a Youth Meeting with some 30 young people from all YEPP sites took place. The two meetings were interlinked, and the young people communicated the outcomes of their work to the Conference participants through an interactive talk show and video messages.

The 3rd and largest, YEPP Community Conference was held in Dublin, Ireland from June 17 - 20, 2008. It was attended by over 120 people from 12 different countries, 45 of whom were under the age of 25. Meeting together under the theme "Leading the Way - Another Europe is Possible", delegated discussed the future of Europe, exchanged best practices, debated pertinant issues and examined ways to influence policies through youth and community empowerment and partnerships.

The 4th YEPP Community Conference is currently scheduled for Genoa, Italy in March 2010.

Local Team Meetings

Local Teams representing all YEPP Programme and Affiliate Sites come together yearly to discuss issues directly relating to YEPP's on site actions. These meetings are an opportunity for those who lead the Sites can exchange information, discuss challenges and seek inspiration and guidance for the implementation of their programme.

Workshops

Issues of common interest, like entrepreneurship, youth participation and community schools, are addressed and promoted through transnational Thematic Workshops. Additionally, Local Co-ordinators and Local Researchers meet regularly in transnational Group Workshops to exchange experience, for training, and joint development of new strategies.

Young people from the participating Local Programme Sites also meet in Youth Workshops designed to increase mutual understanding, creating personal links between the sites, and to facilitate joint action and learning experiences.

Youth Exchanges

Exchanging experience, learning from each other and planning joint projects are supported through bilateral Youth Exchanges.

Through Youth Exchanges, young people and local actors have the opportunity to get to know the situation and the local YEPP action in other Local Programme Sites. In a two/three day programme, the participants visit interesting youth and community projects, get to know the Support Group and other local actors and discuss developments and processes of common interest. For example, the youth newspaper projects and the youth councils in the two Local Programme Sites were important issues discussed during the bilateral study visits between Tuzla and Kristinestad.

For a listing of all YEPP Transnational events please download the pdf YEPP Community Transnational Activities 2002 - 2009

For an evaluation of these activities please download the pdf YEPP's Work on a Transnational Level