European Solidarity Corps
Recently Halal Incorp (HI) completed a project called Build & Grow which was a part of the European Solidarity Corps programme a project funded by Erasmus +.
The project worked with local young people and aimed to:
1) Support young BME people & NEET to develop new skills & broaden horizons
2) Advance knowledge of practitioners working with BME youth & NEET
3) Create a platform for young people to share best practice when working with marginalized youth ie Facebook
4) Facilitate the sharing of stories using arts & cultural work around BME youth & NEET experiences to help the wider community understand their context
5) Promote non-formal education to work with BME & NEET youth who are from disadvantaged backgrounds
6) Allow professionals to exchange ideas and explore new working methodologies through the learning young people experience and disseminate
7) Facilitate young people with the experiences to work with BME & NEET youth in non formal settings, deliver workshops etc
8) Support BME & NEET youth to connect with contemporary European culture & explore issues they are facing.
The project allowed participants to visit businesses, social enterprises as well as charities. Participants visited social enterprise community organisations where they saw activities taking place such as sports, food bank distribution, food parcels for refugees and homeless as well as general service delivery.
We also undertook monthly mentoring session with each participant via platforms such as Zoom as well as in person. The young people also had opportunities to access employability support, skills development and confidence building opportunities.
Amongst other aims and objectives the projected was delivered successfully during a difficult period and global pandemic.
As part of our dissemination work one method we used shared the project background and outcomes in an internal meeting with our colleagues and practitioners earlier this week. Erasmus + is one of the strongest programmes available worldwide which can help make a difference in society and the lives of young people.
