National Youth Group Methodologies
Re-GROUP started as an idea from the need partners identified to adapt, adopt and multiply the good practice of the Youth Group Methodology, which was itself created by young people for young people. The methodology so far has been proven to contribute lead to extremely positive effects in youth, including:
– raised self-confidence,
– increased ability to critically analyze and reflect on the world,
– acting in an informed way towards bullying and violence,
– making responsible and informed decisions about their emotional, mental and physical health and interactions,
– creating and maintaining healthy, respectful relationships with their peers, teachers, parents and themselves, and
– showing more interest and engagement in social processes on local, national and international levels.
The project partnership strongly believes that in order for the methodology to be effective and continue creating the effects it has before, it should continue being applied in the way it was created: to meet the reality of social and cultural context. This is why the methodology cannot be applied without change to other countries and communities, as well as why the specific approach to be taken has been chosen – extensive piloting, adjustments, and work with multiple youth workers and youth from various backgrounds.
The adapted YGM will be adjusted for the national needs of every country, with additional prescriptions of how to further adjust and adapt them for different communities within the countries when needed.
The target groups for the adapted youth group methodologies will be youth workers from the partner countries, with final beneficiaries being youth and society as a whole.
This will contribute to the overall research in the field of youth, related to violence, as this is a subject often under-studied by scholars, explained away with external factors such as violent video games or movies. The YGM and the conducted research will aim to understand violence in youth in better detail – its causes, societal pressures and responses to it, as well as its effect on the well-being of youth.
On the other hand, the youth group methodology applied will directly impact young people where it is piloted. Through engagement, in-depth communication, offered understanding and support, youth will be a vital part of the adaptation of the youth group methodology, and will benefit from the proven effects.
The adapted methodologies will all be available in English, to support this process of transferability, and every national adapted methodology, as well as the training materials, will be available in the respective language of the country.
The main elements of the Adapted Youth Group Methodologies when completed will be:
– Description of the project, project partners, goals and previous iterations of the Youth Group Methodology;
– Tips in the field of non-formal education and communication with youth;
– Topics, as adapted for use in the specific country, with information for youth workers;
– Non-formal education activities and tools to be applied for the topics discussed;
– A disclaimer for how best to create youth groups, who is best suited to be a youth group leader, as well as steps in possible future certification to be provided by project partners.
Download Youth group methodology manual in English, Latvian, Spanish, Romanian and Bulgarian.
Summary of the Youth group methodology manual and its achievements through this project can be accessed here.
