Empowering Young Minds:
“The Voice of Youth of Kłodzko Region”
Discover a project that has made a profound impact on the young minds of our region: “The Voice of Youth of Kłodzko Region”.
Through a series of engaging training activities, meetings, debates, and interactions with decision-makers, this initiative has successfully empowered and amplified the voices of young individuals. Let’s delve into the journey and achievements of this remarkable endeavor.
Skill Enhancement: SKILLS I and SKILLS II Training
During the SKILLS I and SKILLS II training sessions, young people (30 people per training) aged 16 to 19 years old came together to participate in a wide range of activities. Facilitated by EFM, participants were able to enhance key skills such as self-presentation, public speaking, leadership, negotiation, non-verbal communication, effective communication, personal branding and time and conflict management.
In addition to the training activities, the project placed emphasis on cultural exchange. EFM volunteers provided unique insights into the traditions, habits, customs, and political systems of their countries, promoting a cultural exchange that broadened the participants’ perspectives, making the entire experience both unforgettable and eye-opening.
During the training, we also focused on personal development skills, especially on building our own brand. We gained knowledge on how to shape our image and self-presentation skills through various tasks. The biggest challenge for us turned out to be the so-called “Elevator pitch,” in which we had about a minute to present ourselves, in English, of course. Despite any doubts, everyone was pleased with the results and said that the task had a real impact on overcoming the language barrier. (…) The training proved to be not only a great learning opportunity, but also an opportunity to build lasting bonds and friendships. This experience has not only broadened my horizons, but also inspired me to further develop both personally and professionally.
Young Leaders’ Meeting
The third stage of the project consisted of a meeting of young leaders. Eighteen leaders from the previous training utilized their newly acquired skills to develop a questionnaire focusing on education, public transport, healthcare, culture, and the environment in the Kłodzko district. This questionnaire was distributed throughout the region, attracting an impressive 285 responses from people of the region. The valuable insights from these questionnaires provided a comprehensive understanding of the youth’s opinions regarding their community.
The project “The Voice of the Youth of Klodzko Region” was an amazing experience for me. During the project, in addition to meeting a lot of wonderful people, I learned a lot of things. I improved my language skills and broke down a lot of barriers. I got to know my region better and learned a lot of things that make my life easier now. I also overcame my fear of public speaking, which previously stressed me out a lot. I also learned about different cultures and traditions thanks to the foreign volunteers. I will certainly have wonderful memories of my time spent in Marianówka.
Engaging with Decision-Makers: The Debate
The next significant milestone of the project was the debate “Globalnie czy Regionalnie”, held in Polanica-Zdrój on November 21, 2023. This debate, conducted using an “Open space” method, actively involved 93 young people and featured a panel of representatives from the employment center, an NGO working on the Polish-Czech cooperation, the EU information point, the regional government, and EFM. The topics discussed ranged from local issues and employment situations to the EU perspective and EU-funded programs.
Read more here
Meeting with the Regional Government
The project concluded with a meeting with the regional government on November 30, 2023, at the governor’s office. This meeting served as a platform to present and discuss the questionnaire results. The demands, opinions, and perspectives of youngsters were voiced, providing invaluable insights to decision-makers. This meeting marked a significant step towards fostering positive change in the region.
I am glad that young people are willing to deal with problematic topics that concern various spheres of our lives – public transport, health care, education, environment and culture. They get to know and see the real problems that the local government deals with. Young people are also looking for good solutions. I hope that young people taking part in this type of project will be so prepared and educated that in the future they will be able to play responsible roles as councilors, mayors or governors.
Read more here
Paving the Way for the Future
Although “The Voice of Youth of Kłodzko Region” has reached its conclusion, its impact will resonate for years to come. The establishment of a youth council in the region and the participation of over 600 young individuals, directly and indirectly – in the trainings, the meetings, the debate, in the school visits, and by doing the questionnaires – have raised awareness about the issues and possibilities within our community. This project has empowered the young people of our region, showcasing their potential to instigate social and generational transformations.
Results:
After having all the answer to the questionairs, it was time to analyse the results that we share, here, with you 😉
Europejskie Forum Młodzieży
Plac Wolności 5/5,
57-500 Bystrzyca Kłodzka,
Poland
+48 74 811 13 99
efm@efm.org.pl