Youth participatory for innovative education in the Zalewo commune – Study Visit in Portugal

Between 4th-9th June, we had the pleasure to host a study visit “Youth participatory for innovative education in the Zalewo commune” in Portimao. The study visit was an opportunity for the 4 participants from Forum Animatorów Społecznych (Poland), to explore a variety of practices and models of youth participation at the local level as well as mechanisms and structures that support such practices in Portugal.

During the first day of the activity we visited Faro, to explore youth participation practices of Escola Secundária de Pinheiro e Rosa and Youth Parliament of Portugal, supported by IPDJ – Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude.

During the second day, we explored different tools and methodologies of youth participation (such as Ladder of participation and RMSOS model), and we visited the amazing Projecto Novas Descobertas (Project “New Descoveries) in their retreat in Vale de Lama, where young people can learn how to empower themselves and contribute to their local community, instead of escaping to major cities.

The third day of the study visit was dedicated to learning more about the local and international practices of DYPALL Network we visited Loja .Ja! in Portimão, to finally learn about the local youth participation projects: Municipality Youth Council, Geração XXI Portimão and Inicjativa Jovem from the manager of the local youth centre – Mariana, and public officers responsible for the field of youth in Portimão.

The study visit is a part of a bigger project, that aims to increase the civic activity of youth from Zalewo commune by implementing the model of youth activation based on the examples shared by Portuguese organisations. Therefore, the last 2 days of the visit were dedicated to planning the local training and youth participation project, which will be held in Poland since the beginning of September 2021.

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