Training seminar “50/50” for specialists from authorities and public organizations of the Russian Federation working with youth (archive event)

From June 7 to 11, 2021 in Novosibirsk in person within the framework of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy the training seminar “50/50” was held for specialists from authorities and public organizations of the Russian Federation working with youth.

The training seminar “50/50” is a part of the Action Plan for 2021 of the Framework Program on cooperation between the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy. It is currently one of the most popular and relevant projects for both partners.

The purpose of the event this year is to increase the role of youth centers and open spaces for youth in the system of youth policy and youth work contributing to the expansion of youth participation at the municipal and regional levels.

Tasks:

• To consider the experience of youth centers and open spaces for youth in the Russian Federation in the development and implementation of youth policy at various levels, 
• To familiarize participants with principles and approaches of youth sector of the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy and youth work and their possible application in the work of youth centers and open spaces for young people (in particular youth work, youth participation, human rights education and intercultural learning), 
• To analyze strengths of youth centers and open spaces for young people and identify growth points for further development in terms of inclusiveness, accessibility, attractiveness for young people as well as the relevance of the content and forms of work, 
• To discuss necessary competencies of the staff of youth centers and open spaces for young people and the recognition of their work in the system of youth policy, 
• To develop draft recommendations for authorities at various levels on the more active involvement of youth centers and open spaces for youth in the youth policy agenda, 
• To support the creation of a network of youth centers and open spaces for young people in the Russian Federation for the further implementation of joint initiatives including the development of standards and criteria for the quality of work, 
• To facilitate dialogue and cooperation between representatives of the public sector and leaders of youth organizations for the implementation of joint youth policy at the regional and municipal levels using capabilities and resources of youth centers and open spaces for youth.

The dynamic development of various forms of locations for young people today requires an understanding of the need to apply unified approaches to working with young people in these locations, the development of quality standards for the work of youth centers, the creation of educational platforms for systematic training and advanced training of employees of these institutions. Issues related to the role and influence of youth centers and open spaces for youth in the system of youth policy and the place of civil society in the organizations of these places remain topical.

As a part of the training seminar program, participants:

• Got acquainted with institutions of the Council of Europe, discussed its approaches and standards in the field of youth policy, in particular, considered the role of youth centers in the system of youth policy of the Council of Europe,
• Discussed the role of youth centers in Russian youth policy and youth work, the diversity of realities and practices, 
• Considered youth centers in the context of interaction between the public sector and youth organizations and associations, 
• Visited open spaces for youth of the Novosibirsk Region and much more.

Participants met online with Ruy Gomez, the Head of Training and Education Programs of the Youth Department of the Council of Europe with whom they had the opportunity to discuss the topic “Youth Center and Human Rights Education: a rights-based approach based on the needs of young people”, and Gordana Berzhan, the Director of the European Youth Center in Budapest, told participants about the Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres.

A separate part of the program was devoted to preparing recommendations on standards of work of youth centers and increasing the importance of their role in the formation and implementation of youth policy.

Participants were 30 people – representatives of youth public associations and non-profit organizations working with youth at various levels, representatives of youth centers, youth clubs and open spaces for youth and other initiative youth groups of this type, state civil servants of the subject of the Russian Federation and municipal employees who in their daily work are connected with issues related to work with youth and / or youth policy. Representatives of state and municipal youth centers, representatives of open spaces for youth created under these institutions also participated there. 

Results: Preparation of a set of recommendations on standards of work of youth centers and increasing the importance of their role in the formation and implementation of youth policy, taking into account the methodology and resources of the Council of Europe as well as the positive practices of the Russian Federation and other countries.