levanger (n) - orvieto (i) youth exchange: results

The Young Cittaslow project

A youth exchange cooperation between Levanger and Orvieto

2012-2013

Young Cittaslow (I) Youth exchange June 2012

o 24 youth from Levanger and 24 youth from Orvieto o 7 days youth exchange in Orvietoo Financed mainly by the «Youth in action» –program (80%),

the rest from Levanger municipality and the participating youth from Levanger.

o Initiativ by the youth council of Levanger o Wish of involving young people more in international

relations. o Wish of involving young people more in the Cittaslow work.

Goalso Experiencing Orvieto as a Cittaslowo Knowledge of the Cittaslow

movemento Knowledge of the youth aspects of

Cittaslowo To learn more about youth policy

and rural/urban development through the Cittaslow movement

o To increase young people´s interest and participation in the work of Cittaslow

o Getting international relations o Cultural competence/better

understanding of cultural diversityo Social competence.o Comunication and language

knowledge.

The Specific work concerning Cittaslow and youth

Practical work

Going through the Cittaslow criterias

Doing research in the municipalities concerning the criterias

Researching the youth dimention in Cittaslow

Discussing the research work together.

Conclusion

The language used in the criteria itsself is complicated. Not very easy for youth to understand fully.

Many of the criterias take care of values that also include youth´s, but none of the criterias mentions youth in specific. If youth were mentioned, that would obligate the members more concerning the youth issues.

Goals for the futureo Arrangeing a revisit, an exchange in Levanger with

the youth from Orvieto, summer of 2013.o Showing the Cittaslow spirit and the culture of

Levanger in the same impressive way we got to experience Orvieto.

o Comparing and discussing differences and similarities

o Develop suggestions of criteria containing a direct youth dimention.

o Further working with Cittaslow and youth through exchanges and other projects, including more nations and members.

Young Cittaslow IIYouth exchange, Levanger August 2013

o 24 youth from Levanger and 24 youth from Orvieto

o 7 days youth exchange in Levanger

o Financed mainly by the «Youth in action» –program (80%), the rest from Levanger municipality and the participating youth.

o Part two of the youth exchange «Young Cittaslow», held in Orvieto in June 2013

o The project started with an initiativ by the youth council in Levanger

o Wish of involving young people more in international relations.

o Wish of involving young people more in the Cittaslow work.

Goalso Experiencing Levanger as a Cittaslow

o Knowledge of the Cittaslow movement

o Knowledge of the youth aspects of Cittaslow

o To develop new Cittaslow criterias that directly include youth aspects

o To learn more about youth policy and rural/urban development through the Cittaslow movement

o To increase young people´s interest and participation in the work of Cittaslow

o To increase young people’s interest in and participation in society matters and politics.

o Getting international relations

o Cultural competence/better understanding of cultural diversity

o Social competence.

o Social capital

o Comunication and language knowledge.

Groupwork Cittaslow-criterias

Goal: To develop addittional criterias to the Cittaslow organisation, that include a direct youth dimention.

After experiencing Orvieto and Levanger as cittaslows, and done some reserach on the existing criterias, the group of youth worked out many different good ideas that can be summed up in three criteria suggestions:

The cittaslow cities should work towards:

The existence of youth activity areas, and a youth center.

A policy for involving youth i politics and decisions concerning youth topics. For example having a youth council.

Promoting cooperation and exchanges with other cittaslow cities, also on the youth level.

Goals for future Further working with youth exchanges, both through

Cittaslow and other projects

Working with the voluenteer program through «Youth in action» (Erasmus +).

Continue the cooperation with Orvieto in the above topics, but also in other fields.