Human Rights Education Youth Network
Study session
Social Cohesion and Quality of Life – Human Rights Education contribution
European Youth Centre Budapest (Hungary), 8 – 14 February 2010
Call for participants and the application Form
Introduction
: none; tab-stops: -36.0pt;">Human Rights Education Youth Network aims at developing co-operation between local and regional organisations in Europe and providing support to the development of the human rights education strategies and activities. The experience the network got within the past 2 years show the emerging needs of looking for the way of tacking such issues like employment, health, education and housing, which to a big extend contribute to the quality of life of people. Human rights education in a long-term perspective, in our understanding, should contribute to the development of the culture of human rights, where all people’s rights are respected and human rights violations do not occur. It is not only about making people aware of their rights, it is also, and maybe first of all, to make them take responsibility for their own rights and the rights of the other people. All in all, it is very difficult to talk about certain ideas, when basic rights are not guaranteed – people have nothing to eat, suffer from poverty, are homeless, do not have access to social services and health care or do not have income to sustain their own life and own families. Human rights education carries responsibilities in this respect – how can we reduce disparities between people, how can we create equal opportunities (in employment, health or education), how can we contribute to social cohesion – the state when tolerance for differences is demonstrated in the day-to-day interactions across social groups within that society? Can human rights education really contribute to increasing the quality of life of people? We strongly believe it can – by co-operation and developing new strategies to deal with social and economic rights – where people’s basic problems are addressed and solutions are sought for.
Human Rights Education has already run several local and national projects in addressing the issues of equality. The result of these projects is that the concrete proposals are needed to bring human rights and human rights education even closer to people, when they will feel it is something meaningful for their lives when they face real challenges. The role of empowerment is crucial in this sense, however it is not enough. This study session will try to look for such responses and solutions. We know it is not easy, but we strongly believe that human rights education makes sense when it only addresses the issues that are relevant for people’s lives.
Aims and objectives of the study session
The main aim of this study session is to identify the ways how human rights education can contribute to social cohesion and young people’s well-being.
This aim is followed by the concrete objectives:
- to identify and anaylse the current challenges to social cohesion, such as unemployment, health problems, lack of equality
- to learn how social and economic rights can be tackled by human rights education
- to reflect on the concept of quality of life
- to identify and build partnerships and develop co-operation between different stake-holders needed to address the challenges to social cohesion
- to develop educational strategies in order to empower young people and equip them with necessary competences to be able to tackle problems in their lives
- to strengthen the network
Profile of participants, application and selection procedures
The study session will gather 30 youth workers, youth leaders, volunteers and trainers who actively work with young people in their local communities in the area of human rights and /or human rights education. The potential applicants should also:
- be motivated to contribute to the content of the study session
- be committed to the values of human rights
- work or want to work with young people especially in the area of social cohesion
- work actively in formal or non-formal settings
- use in their work the educational approaches of non-formal education
- be able to work in English and/or Russian
- be in the age of 18 – 30 (exceptions possible)
- attend the whole study session
- come from any of the Council of Europe’s member state
