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Training Course

on Management of Non-governmental Youth

Organisations

03 – 14 June 2003

European Youth Centre

 Budapest

Background Information

DJS/TC/TCOM (2003) 1 eng

www.coe.int/youth

www.eycb.coe.int

Training Course on Management of Non-Governmental Youth Organisations

Why does the Directorate of Youth and Sport organise Training Courses?

Over recent years, training has become an increasingly important instrument to pursue the aims and principles of the Council of Europe’s youth policy. Similarly, within youth movements and institutions, it is nowadays acknowledged that the ever-growing complexity and diversity of youth work requires competent and motivated volunteers and staff members to secure quality and a maximisation of results. For those active in youth work, on a volunteer or remunerated basis, temporarily or permanently, the commitment put into and the experience acquired in youth work can be better valued in other professional circles if accompanied by training.

At the level of European youth activities – and what may be broadly defined as European youth work – training is necessary and important in order to prepare volunteers and professionals to act within an international and intercultural environment and, generally to develop their competence to work and act within a European framework. The priorities of international youth organisations and also those of the Council of Europe have traditionally been in this area, through the training of leaders to run international youth activities, youth projects, to run and develop European organisations and generally to participate in the definition of European youth policy.

Why Training Course on Management of Non-governmental Youth Organisations?

Active involvement in a youth organisation is one way for young people to participate in society. Therefore, well-developed and dedicated youth organisations are one of the prerequisites for greater participation of young people in society. It is fundamentally important to support the management of these organisations, particularly for those who develop and run international activities and where intercultural processes are daily reality. This will enable those young people actively involved in the running of youth structures to develop their attitudes, improve their skills and receive additional information and knowledge in order to manage youth organisations (programmes, units or boards) a more efficient and effective manner. Ultimately these improvements should result in an increase in the quality of the activities these organisations run, and better organisation of youth bodies and structures.

Managing non-governmental youth organisations is a tool for socio-educational and political purposes. Effective management in these organisations is not only about how they achieve their goals, but also how young people run them. Understanding of different concepts of management in the third sector and understanding of different realities of many youth NGOs are the basis of this course. In many of these realities, the managers are de facto elected people or volunteers who also have management roles. Therefore, in the context and spirit of youth work this course will assist organisations and their members in their development, consolidation and sustainability. The course is founded in the conviction that non-formal education and intercultural learning should be the basis of educational processes in youth work. Furthermore, these are very important for every process of organisational learning. Participants will analyse those processes in their organisations and identify appropriate use of non-formal education and intercultural learning in the organisations aiming at better functioning of the organisations.

Overall management of international youth organisations, raising awareness on and learning from different realities of youth NGOs, organisation and planning of work, exploring values and motivation for youth work, leadership, team work, managing and motivating volunteers, lobbying, funding, making democratic and quality decisions, knowledge of organisational structures, competently managing international teams, development of organisational strategies, organisational learning are just some of the topics that this course will address.

The emphasis put on young people – multipliers - secures concrete impact and a response to real needs in youth organisations. The course will empower participants to introduce changes in their organisations. These changes, if they can be multiplied and if effective, should contribute to the positive development of youth organisations and to greater youth participation in civil society, more generally.

Finally, the course will provide basic information on European organisations and institutions that support non-governmental youth organisations.

The Overall Aim

Within the principles outlined above, the training course on management of non-governmental youth organisations aims at:

Training and empowering participants to develop their attitudes, skills and knowledge to competently run and manage non-governmental youth organisations (and/or their units, bodies, boards, programmes and etc) and thus contribute to sustainable and developed participation of young people in democratic society. 

Concrete objectives

-          To familiarise the participants with commonly used concepts of organisational management and development in the third sector and on how best to use and adapt them to various contexts and realities of youth work

-          To review and address the essential competencies, skills and attitudes for youth leaders in running of their organisations

-          To develop the awareness of participants about the different ways of involving young people in the democratic management of their organisations

-          To explore the specificities of the non-formal education and intercultural learning in relation to the functioning of youth NGOs

-          To provide participants an opportunity to develop their competences for developing organisational strategies

-          To assist participants in developing and sustaining their youth organisations and projects

-          To provide information about the institutional and financial support possibilities existing at European level and how they can be of use for participants’ organisations

Methodology

            The course is designed as a mutual learning situation, where participants can experience and compare different approaches to managing youth organisations. Participants will be called upon to use their creative potential to experiment with existing and new working methods. The course programme and contents are organised so as to allow for the maximum participation of the group using active and participatory methods. A team of experienced trainers organises the learning process and provides guidance for the participants’ personal development during the course. Contributions from experts will help to create the theoretical and practical framework in which participants will reflect upon existing concepts, as well as attempting to develop new approaches with the assistance of the team of trainers.

Languages

            English and French are foreseen as the working languages of the course.  However, to better evaluate participants' language needs, applicants are requested to mention in their application form all the languages in which they are able to work. Applicants must have sufficient understanding of either of the working languages of the course to comprehend and complete the application form without assistance from another person.

Participants' Profile

Active members of International Youth Organisations (INGYOs), National Youth Councils (NYCs), other youth organisations or networks, governmental services and other partners, in particular those co-operating with the European Youth Centres or the European Youth Foundation, will be selected for this course.

Applicants should have specific practical experience managing youth organisations in an intercultural setting. Priority will be given to candidates who are, or will be, responsible for the management of their youth organisation, particularly those from recently created and emerging European non-governmental youth organisations and networks.

In general, candidates should:

-          be aged between 18 and 30 years

-          be actively involved in a youth organisation or governmental service, and in a position to take on managerial responsibilities within their organisation after the course;

-          be well informed about their organisation and prepared to explain its activities to the other participants;

-          be able to work in one of the two working languages of the course - English and French;

-          be committed to attend for the full duration of the course and be supported by their youth organisation, governmental service or a national agency of the YOUTH programme of the European Union.

Preparatory Team of the Course

The preparatory team of the course will be composed of members of the educational team of the European Youth Centres and external training consultants.

Procedure for applications

All candidates must apply using the enclosed application form. This form should be sent, by e-mail, fax or post, directly to the European Youth Centre in Budapest, together with a letter of recommendation/support from the sending organisation or service, by 1 April 2003 (at the latest).

The preparatory team will make the selection of participants on the basis of the motivation, perceived training needs, experience and potential for multiplication of individual applicants. In addition, the team will try to ensure a balance between gender, geographical regions, and different types of experiences, cultural backgrounds and organisations. The EYCs promote the participation of young workers or unemployed people, young women and candidates from environments and countries with lesser-developed training structures, members of minority communities and peripheral regions in Europe. The accepted candidates will be informed by the end of April 2003 and will subsequently receive a course file with additional information and the draft programme. The sending organisations and their successful applicants are reminded that once a candidate has been placed on the final list, they must make every effort to attend for the full duration of the course. If, for any exceptional reason, they are unable to take up the offer of a place, they must inform the Directorate of Youth and Sport immediately. A waiting list will be established.

Financial conditions

·          Board and lodging are provided at and paid for by the Council of Europe at the European Youth Centre Budapest;

·          Travel expenses are fully reimbursed according to the rules of the Council of Europe;

·          An enrolment fee of 54 EURO due from each participant. This fee will be deducted from the amount to be reimbursed for travel expenses;

·          The Directorate of Youth and Sport operates a system of compensation for the cost of living for young workers and young unemployed people under the age of 30 who are obliged to take unpaid leave in order to attend one of its activities. Accepted candidates will receive further information and details once they have confirmed their participation.

Other Training Courses run by the Council of Europe, Directorate of Youth and Sport

If you are interested in a training course in international youth work, but your profile does not fully correspond with the requirements of this course, please note that the Directorate of Youth and Sport organises other training courses, such as

o        Training Course on Introduction to Organising International Youth Activities

o        Long Term Training Course for Projects with an Intercultural Dimension

o        Training Course on Conflict Transformation in Multi -cultural Youth Activities

o        Training for trainers working on Human Rights Education

o        Training for Trainers working with young people

o        Training Courses and Seminars in the framework of the DJS Assistance Programme

o        Training courses within the framework of the partnership of Council of Europe (Directorate of Youth and Sport) and the European Commission.

 Further information about these courses can be obtained from the Directorate of Youth and Sport Secretariat (www.coe.int/youth or www.eycb.coe.int).

Deadline for applications:  01 April 2003

Council of Europe Directorate of Youth and Sport

Applications must be sent to:

European Youth Centre Budapest

Zivatar utca 1-3

H-1024 BUDAPEST, Hungary

Tel: + 36 1 438 1035

Fax: + 36 1 212 4076

e-mail: Erzsebet.Banki@coe.int

http://www.eycb.coe.int

http://www.coe.int/youth