Project

The partnership implementing the Youth IMPACT project comprises 5 key organizations: the Croatian Blind Union, the Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovenia, the Union of the Blind of Montenegro, the Herceg-Bosna Union of the Blind, and the Emphasys Center from Cyprus. By pooling their efforts and expertise in working with visually impaired youth (VI youth), this collaboration aims to achieve its primary objective of building the capacities of organizations active in the youth sector, as well as the VI youth themselves.

The Youth IMPACT project encompasses four main capacity-building activities. Capacity building for organizations in the youth sector occurs on two levels:

Micro Level: This involves strengthening the capacities of project partners through training and the creation of the “Bridging Differences Programme” Toolkit.

Macro Level: This level aims to enhance the capacities of local VI organizations to integrate young people into their management and operational structures. It also focuses on improving the capabilities of organizations in the youth sector regarding the correct approach and communication with VI individuals, enabling better inclusion of VI youth in their programs. This component includes an Awareness and Capacity Raising Campaign that will impact a total of 104 organizations across both levels.

The fourth capacity-building activity focuses on VI youth through the implementation of two mobility program cycles. This includes supporting project partners with less experience in developing and implementing youth mobility programs by testing the “Bridging Differences Programme” Toolkit. Additionally, it involves enhancing the capacities of 24 young VI individuals in various areas crucial for increasing their employability, active participation, and inclusion in society.

Visibility activities are integral to the project, including five initial conferences, one final conference, a multiplier event, and a “Bridging Differences Programme” EU-dimension event. These efforts will aid in disseminating the Toolkit and fostering broader integration of the discussed strategies in future programs and activities targeting youth.

Objectives

Primary objective

Building the skills of young people with visual impairments (VI) and strengthening youth organizations. It directly supports the goals of the Erasmus+ programme, particularly the priorities of Inclusion and Diversity and Participation in Democratic Life,Shared Values, and Civic Engagement.

Specific objectives

1. Build capacities of organizations of VI people through multilateral partnership, with an emphasis on not associated third countries with less experience, in the field of work with young people and outside formal learning through the exchange of experiences, examples of good practice and improving already existing knowledge and skills.
2. Improve the knowledge and level of competences of young VI people and their active participation through the development of mobility programs and non-formal learning methods and activities.
3. Empower and encourage organizations/institutions/national bodies working in the field of youth, education, and employment, to include youth with fewer opportunities (VI youth) in their programs by reducing prejudices and increasing knowledge on correct approach and communication with VI people.

Activities

Strengthening the capacity of organizations working with young people with visual impairments

1. Comparative analysis on the current state and capacity of non-governmental organizations, including those working with young people in partner countries, and the identification of best practices at the organizational level within the EU. The collected good practices serve as benchmarks or models to guide improvements and innovation in identified areas.
2. BDP Toolkit that offers comprehensive methods, tools, and examples of activities for working with young VI people in all key areas necessary for their active participation and inclusion: everyday, social, employability and entrepreneurial skills, as well as digital skills. The guidebook will be available in languages of all partner counries in both digital and printed versions, and will be presented to a wide range of organizations working in the fields of youth, education, and employment across all five countries.
3. Trainers Training for raising capacities of professionals in partner organizations, including the dissemination and transfer of knowledge to local organizations, through multi-day training sessions for them.
4. National Raising awareness campaigns targeting organisations working with young people, institutions, and public bodies active in the field of youth on correct approach and communication with VI people with the aim of breaking down prejudices and increasing capacities to include young VI people in their structures and programs aimed at young people.

Strengthening the capacities of young people with visual impairments

1. Creating a "Transnational Inclusive Horizon Handbook" that will contain an overview of the rights and opportunities in partner countries for youth with visual impairments and young persons with disabilities, as well as an overview of EU opportunities for mobility and inclusion for young persons with disabilities. The guidebook will be available to VI people in various accessible formats and distributed through mobility programs, the project’s website, and local organizations’ channels. It will also be promoted through newsletters from the European Blind Union (EBU).
2. Participation in two international events – mobility program cycles. These events will facilitate non-formal learning,enhancing their daily inclusion and employment prospects.

Key outcomes

Short-term outcomes

• Increasing the number of experts in non-governmental VI organisations who participated in the training of trainers,
• increasing the number of visualy impared young people who participated in the activities and
• increasing the resources of youth work organisations and materials affected by the spherical needs of VI young people (Toolkit and Handbook).

Medium-term outcomes

• Contribution to improving the skills of organisations' staff in managing youth activities through practical knowledge testing in mobility programmes,
• the availability of quality programmes and activities tailored to VI youth,
• the availability of quality resources and materials to increase awareness and reduce prejudice and discrimination against VI youth in the labour market and society in general.

Long term outcomes

• Enabling integration of the project outcomes into regular activities of the involved organisations and contribution to increasing the number of activities and support for VI youth in youth organisations,
• more tailored regular activities and the inclusion of VI young people in regular youth programmes,
• the increase of active participation of VI young people and
• their increased employability through the possession of skills that make them more competitive in the open labour market.