ID Talks!

ID Talks practice: ‘I am blue’ - What is the role of intergenerational dialogue in changing the social narrative around ageing? Why is it important to address ageing and women’s empowerment by involving representatives of different generations? Why is theatre a valuable tool for this work?Through the example of ‘I am blue’, we will explore methods and tips that enrich youth work and intergenerational dialogue for the benefit of the wider community. Guest speaker: Irati Moran, La Chivata Teatro, Spain

ID Talks practice: ‘Grandpa tell me more’ - How can intergenerational dialogue take shape in practice? Why is this topic important for youth work? What does it mean for a youth organisation and its partners? How can we work on this topic, and what added value does the international dimension bring?Looking at ‘Grandma, tell me more’, we will learn from a youth-led practice by exploring its key elements, main outcomes, and important lessons learned. Guest speaker: Ana Moutas & Cláudia Numão, Psientífica, Portugal

ID Talks ancestors & offsprings - How are we all connected and why is this important? What is human ecology and how does it relate to intergenerational solidarity? What can we learn from the Earth as an Elder? Why are memories and stories important and how can they help us reflect on existing narratives and reframe societal views?Let’s widen our understanding of age and time in relation to inclusion and social transformation, and explore what youth work can do to deepen young people’s sense of connection and belonging to a greater whole. Guest speaker: Juan Camilo, Iceland 

ID Talks ageism - What is age, how is it defined and what does it mean for different generations? How does age intersect with cultural, societal and religious norms, gender and personal traits? What are the common misconceptions and assumptions about different age groups and how do they affect us?We invite you to explore age and power dynamics and discuss how youth work can address existing issues and promote intergenerational understanding and solidarity. Guest speakers: Alice Latta & Juliette Laisné, Belgium

ID Talks intergenerational solidarity - What does intergenerational solidarity mean? What are its key elements? What’s in it for different sectors, and why is it important for youth work? What other concepts are relevant when unpacking intergenerational solidarity (intergenerational fairness, intergenerational dialogue etc.), and how do they differ and intersect with one another?Let’s discuss a topic that is becoming a priority in European discourse and explore what it means for the EU policy framework and future EU programmes. Guest speaker: Ismael Paez Civico, Confederation of European Senior Expert Services (CESES), Belgium

ID Talks Social Justice and Education: What is the role of (non-formal) education in actively countering injustice and helping to build inclusive democracy for the benefit of all? What kind of tools and resources are needed?Let’s discover examples of social justice education and peace education cases, and see how they are contextualised and targeted at young people with fewer opportunities. Guest speaker: Maria Sakarias, Estonia

ID Talks Social Justice and Activism: What is (youth) activism and what forms can it take? Why do young people engage in activism and what issues are they ready to “fight for”? Should youth work be “radical” and “political”?Let’s discuss the links between activism and youth work and see how activism contributes to creation of a just society. Guest speaker: Eimear Manning, Ireland

ID Talks Social Justice and Human Rights: How are human rights regarded in today’s society? Are there any new concepts and definitions, and how do they reflect the reality of human rights today? What is the role of youth work in promoting, advocating and defining human rights?Let’s see how young people are challenging the existing structures, advocating for new issues and breaking existing patterns. Guest speaker: Neringa Tumėnaitė, the UK

ID Talks Social Justice and Youth Work: How does social justice translate to youth work? What are the different models to ensure access and equity in youth work? Let’s talk about the focus of youth work as a value-based profession - should it be about societal change or individual integration?We will examine youth work on the crossroads of individual needs and structural changes. Guest speaker: Silvia Volpi, Italy

ID Talks Social Justice and Being Human (A Tale of Two Sophias): What does it mean to be human, who is included and who is excluded? What is social justice? How is the world - our environment, technology etc. - shaping today’s young people?Let’s look into some modern humanist ideals and theories, debate on societal dilemmas and their implications for youth work practice. Guest speaker: Maria Pisani, Malta 

2 April (13h CET) > ID Talks Quality Label – Discover how you can create a more systematic approach towards municipal youth work. What is quality youth work and how can young people with fewer opportunities access and benefit from it? With the “child-friendly city” label, Bataljong is setting a standard for municipalities in Flanders, Belgium. At the same time, this quality label could be adapted and replicated in other countries.Why not yours? Guest speakers: Tieme Verlinde & Hannes Vanmeenen, Bataljong, Belgium-FL

19 March (13h CET) > ID Talks Metropolis – Is it possible to provide “local” youth work in a “global” capital?Find out how you accommodate the needs and expectations of over 300,000 young people, and make them feel seen and heard. The city of Paris is keeping inclusion and diversity at the heart of its youth work practice, using the European charter on local youth work as a guideline to manage the complexity of youth work in a metropolitan area. Guest speaker: Thomas Rogé, France

5 March (13h CET) > ID Talks Town – What is the key to an efficient local youth work strategy in a mid-size town? What do you need to take into account and how can you get all stakeholders on board? We discuss the most important issues young people are facing and how local youth work can address them.Find out about the specifics of municipal youth work development in the Western Balkans, where  youth work practice are not always backed by policies. Guest speaker: Dragan Atanasov, Republic of North Macedonia

19 February (13h CET) > ID Talks Village – Young people living in small rural communities are often overlooked and the local youth work offer is rarely accessible for them. At the same time, limited resources invested in small communities could have a significant, visible impact.Come and discuss the (dis)advantages and peculiarities of youth work development in a village. What does inclusion mean in such a context? Where do rural and international youth work intersect? Guest speaker: Victor-Catalin Toma, International Village, Romania

ID Talks EGL - Find out what is Europe Goes Local, its need, scope and vision. Discover important tools for the quality development of local youth work. What is the European charter on local youth work about?Let’s discover together how local youth policy can support inclusion and get an insight into the state of play of municipal youth work in Europe. Guest speakers: Judit Balogh, EGL, Belgium · Jonas Agdur, Sweden & Marko Kovacic, Croatia

ID Talks Inclusive Programmes (for youth from the European Union) - To conclude the autumn 2024 series of ID Talks, let’s connect the dots and draw some conclusions. How inclusive are the Erasmus+ youth programme & the European Solidarity Corps? How well have we been doing since the launch of the ID Strategy and throughout the current cycle of the EU youth programmes?This ID Talk identifies the programmes' strengths and weaknesses, and shares important ID lessons learnt for the future European youth programmes beyond 2027.It is based on the SALTO ID interim evaluation of the inclusiveness of the Erasmus+ youth programme and European Solidarity Corps and the contribution of the Inclusion and Diversity Strategy in enhancing inclusion in the youth field, in the period 2021-2023 (January 2024 Making EU youth programmes more inclusive - research report.pdf). Guest speaker: Gisele Evrard, Belgium

ID Talks Inclusive Learning (and programme design) - Getting in contact with other people and sharing experiences is a powerful way of learning. However, for this learning to happen, we need to plan it conscientiously. When organising inclusive international youth experiences, we should we create the space and give tools for young people and team members to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes. But we also need to support them to identify the learning and change they went through. How can we make sure that all participants of youth project have meaningful learning experiences?This ID Talk focuses on different ways to approach learning in inclusive international youth projects. Guest speaker: Aleksa Savic, Grupa Izadji, Serbia

ID Talks Inclusive Administration (from budget to logistics) - When we plan an international youth experience in an inclusive and diversity-sensitive manner, we are sometimes worried that this could mean extra costs, administrative burden and impossible logistics requirements. So what special funding exists to support inclusive Erasmus+ youth and European Solidarity Corps projects? And what are the rules to follow? Have you considered making your projects more inclusive, but are you worried about the financial implications, managing logistics and bureaucracy? Do you want to make the best use of the available inclusion support?This ID Talk explores project administration through procedures and real-life examples. Guest speakers: Elzbieta Kosek, Kreisau-Initiative & Hanna Schuessler,  JEUGEND fur Europa, Germany 

ID Talks Inclusive Preparation (of participants and teams) - Inclusion is a process that takes time and thought. In every activity, you can learn something new with and from the experts, team and participants involved. Though there is no one uniform model for all-inclusive and diversity-sensitive projects, one thing is uncompromisable: proper preparation of everyone involved in the project, from participants to experts, teams and local community. How to maintain inclusion as a core value when preparing our participants and teams? What can help us translate our values into practice?In this ID Talk, we will equip you with knowledge and tools to support participants and team members in developing their inclusion skills and working together for inclusive international youth projects. Guest speaker: Abderrahman Assorhani, Föreningen Framtidståget, Sweden 

ID Talks Inclusive Partnerships (and project initiation) - The beauty of international youth projects is that we can learn from and with other organisations about inclusion and diversity. And finding the right partners is important to organise quality projects: partnerships that are build around common values and that help us achieve our inclusion goals. How and where do we find partner organisations and build strong partnerships? What is the key to successful project initiation?This ID Talk brings you first-hand experience and practical tips on how to give your inclusive international youth projects a quality start.Guest speaker: Morgaine Green, Otra Escuela, Spain 

ID Talks Interfaith Dialogue and Identity - Ready for some introspection? In this session you’ll discover what is identity and the role religion and faith play in its creation. How do the religious identities of and individual and a community interrelate?Knowing that our religious and cultural narratives are as important to us and theirs to different other communities, is the clash of narratives inevitable?Guest speaker: Nyanchama Okemwa, Belgium

ID Talks Interfaith Dialogue and Peace - Peace and conflict are very often addressed in non-formal learning and youth work. But what sets interreligious conflicts apart from other types of conflict?Let’s see what is the role of interfaith dialogue in conflict prevention, conflict transformation and peace building, and how youth work and youth programmes like Erasmus+ support the work on intercultural learning and peace building.Guest speaker: Mamoun Khreisat, Jordan

ID Talks Interfaith Dialogue and Reconciliation - How can we create bridges between people? This session zooms in on reconciliation and the role of interfaith dialogue in this process.As religion and faith can be forces of cohesion instead of division in the society, let’s find out about possibilities to bring together different religious communities in post-conflict areas and the role of the youth work and youth programmes like Erasmus+ in reconciliation processes. Guest speaker: Nadežda Mojsilović, Bosnia and Herzegovina 

ID Talks Interfaith Dialogue and Community - It is undoubtedly important to foster dialogue and exchange between people and communities living side by side. But what does it really entail and how do you conduct it? What makes “good” interfaith dialogue, what conditions enable it, and who should be involved?Let’s analyse how the complexity of diversity affects interfaith dialogue and community building, and discover the role the city and the EU youth programmes can have in this process. Guest speaker: Fien Ingelbrecht, Belgium

ID Talks Understanding Interfaith Dialogue - Are you wondering what is interfaith dialogue and what we can learn from it? Why it is important and what is its value and relevance today?Let’s discover together the various concepts (such as inter-conviction dialogue, religion, faith, and spirituality…) and the differences between those, and have a closer look at the basic elements of interfaith dialogue, its potential, and limits. Guest speaker: Meg Villanueva, Philippines.

ID Talks: Solutions and Mental Health - When tackling the topic of mental health and well-being, we mostly focus on the shortcomings and barriers, offering external support. But it is even more important to focus on talents, inner resources, and giving perspectives.So how do you build resilience and support young people’s well-being using a solution-focused approach? To change (y)our perspectives, let’s shift the focus and talk about young people’s strengths. Guest speaker: Lize Abrahams, Arktos, Belgium - FL

ID Talks: Art-Story and Mental Health - How can creative processes give young people a way to talk about difficult issues? Visual arts and storytelling help to name, explain, and accept feelings and understand why they surface. Through objects and metaphors, it is easier to communicate about mental health concepts.So what potential does storytelling have for your youth groups? If you ever found it challenging to express your thoughts and emotions verbally, join us to discover the alternatives. Guest speaker: Laura Mellanen, visual art practitioner, Finland

ID Talks: Peers and Mental Health - Peer-to-peer work is nothing new: it is successfully used both in formal and non-formal education settings. But how can peer support improve young people's mental health and well-being? How does this peer-to-peer magic work in practice? How can you address bullying and do information and prevention work through this approach? And, last but not least, what is the role of you(th workers) in this process? Let’s learn about the power of peer support and its positive impact on young people’s lives. Guest speaker: Inge Esselen, Peer Support Vlaanderen, Belgium - FL

ID Talks: Movement and Mental Health - Can physical leisure-time activities help young people to take care of their body and mind? Movement and dance have clear benefits for your mental health and well-being. So how can youth workers incorporate movement and dance in their daily work or in their international projects?Let’s walk the talk and do something physical that can be easily replicable in your work as well. Guest speakers: Jagoda Idzik & Izabela Bejm, Sempre a Frente Foundation, Poland

ID Talks: Participation and Mental Health - How can you address young people’s mental health and well-being through participatory and democratic approaches? Having a role and being part of something bigger is good for your well-being. But how do you increase transparency about mental health and mental illness prevention at the idmunicipal level?Join us to discover a few simple yet effective solutions that have the potential to inspire policy change. Guest speaker: Martine Antonsen, Mental Health Youth, Norway

ID Talks Youth-Workers Wellbeing: In order to take care of someone else, you need to take care of yourself as well! But how do you take care of your self-care? What are the main wellbeing issues that youth workers are experiencing? How do you prevent and overcome (emotional) exhaustion and burnout?Listen to our guest speaker Natalja Gudakovska, and get to know the competences you need to take care of your own mental health and wellbeing (as a youth worker) so that you can continue to attend to the needs of young people.

ID Talks Supporting Young People’s Wellbeing: You probably (hopefully) feel that youth work supports young people’s mental health and wellbeing. But what are young people’s needs, and how can you identify and support those needs better? What kind of (extra) support do young people with fewer opportunities need for their mental health?Listen to our guest speaker Ana Perović, and get an insight in coping and resilience strategies and learn how to create a sense of belonging and safe spaces (among others) in international projects

ID Talks Social-Media Addiction: You probably know (young) people who are constantly glued to their phone. Maybe that’s you? Let’s zoom in on social media addiction.Listen to our guest speaker Katja Mankinen, and discover how can you identify it in yourself and in others? Find out what are the main issues, causes and consequences. And how does it impact the mental health and wellbeing of the young people? Find out what practical tools and support youth work can offer.

ID Talks Climate-Change Anxiety: If climate change and the environment make young people take to the streets, these global challenges obviously have an influence on their mental health and well-being. What kind of approaches help you to address their climate-change worries?Listen to our guest speaker Anna Pribil, and discover how can you promote climate resilience, both at an individual and a societal level. Come and discover what role youth work can have to tackle climate change.

ID Talks Mental Health Explained: You increasingly hear about mental health in the media. But what is mental health really about, and what not? Listen to our guest speaker Maria Agorastou, and discover how is mental health perceived and interpreted. How are young people today doing regarding mental health and well-being? What should we know, pay attention to, and be prepared for? Put your assumptions to the test and gain a common frame to look at mental health.

ID Talks Practising Anti-Racism: Find out how EU youth programmes provide opportunities and formats for anti-racism youth work. Listen to our guest speaker Miriam Petra Ómarsdóttir Awad, and discover how to learn from the existing experiences. We give you tips and tricks you can use in your youth work practice locally and internationally. Find out how you can make the best use of youth work to promote and practice anti-racism.

ID Talks Intersectionality & Racism: What if you don’t only have a minority ethnicity, but also a disability, a different religion or sexual orientation… Listen to our guest speaker Lydia Gratis, and discover how multiple discrimination makes it more challenging to defend your rights. We zoom in on the intersectionality between disability and race, and where you can find support and inspiration for activism. Ready to challenge discrimination and racism and their negative personal and professional impact?

ID Talks Invisible Racism: Racism is often hidden behind closed doors. Hate speech, fake news, and lack of critical thinking contribute to new forms of racism. Listen to our guest speaker Balint Jósa, and discover how can youth work address this invisible racism. Learn about good practices from the field and join this important and urgent mission.

ID Talks Combating Racism: Several EU policies and national instruments are in place to combat racism. But do you know about them? Listen to our guest speaker Cătălina Olteanu, and discover how institutional and policy tools to combat racism can help your work at grass-root level. And is there space for personal stories in combating racism at policy level?

ID Talks Everyday’s Racism: For many young people, facing racism is a daily struggle, affecting their well-being and mental health.Listen to our guest speaker Mohammad Omar, and discover how racism affects health, housing, education, employment, political representation, and many other not-so-obvious aspects of daily life. What are the main challenges and why can youth work be the answer?

ID Talks Visibility: Communicating about our work becomes increasingly important. How not to “fake” it for the sake of giving a better ID impression? What are the ethical dilemmas?Listen to our guest speaker Pavel Vassiljev, and discover why and how to disseminate and exploit project results (DEOR), both to convey the relevant messages and to remain useful and appealing to the larger public.

ID Talks Local: One size does not fit all. What new, open, easy and inclusive projects and initiatives could be more suitable for young people with fewer opportunities? Listen to our guest speakers Ieva Kaupaitė, Daugvydas Diksa & Karolina Lipnickienė, and discover why it is important to propose EU-funded local project formats and how they compare with international mobility projects for young people.

ID Talks Language: The main function of language is to make communication simpler. But is the language we use (in international youth work, in the related programme documents and application forms) reducing or increasing barriers for participation? Is it inviting or discouraging?Listen to our guest speakers Petra Plicka, Heidi Mackowitz & Barbara Eglitis, and discover how we communicate about our work at local and international level to appeal to and attract diverse groups of young people.

ID Talks Outreach: Even projects that “tick the inclusion boxes” often fail to reach to most vulnerable young people. What keeps young people with fewer opportunities from participating in European projects? Who is already on board then? And who is left behind? Listen to our guest speaker Andreas Rosellen and discover why and how can you reach out to organisations doing inclusive work locally and connect them to the EU level, and what are the obstacles and what is the way forward?

ID Talks Strategy: Following on from the European Commission’s ‘Inclusion and Diversity Strategy’, the new ‘I&D Road Map’ details the road we need to travel together to make inclusion & diversity easier and better in the Erasmus+ programme and the European Solidarity Corps. Listen to our guest speakers Susie Nicodemi and Tony Geudens (SALTO ID) and discover what tools help you get there and how to develop an Inclusion and Diversity strategy for your organisation.