Scientist of the Faculty of Humanities of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” – Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation Anna Pavelieva joined the three-day conference on intercultural mediation as a way to include local youth and young people from the immigrant environment “Online Conference on Intercultural Mediation as a Tool for Youth Inclusion”, which took place on January 26 online in Germany. School teachers, lecturers, youth workers and young people from Europe and Ukraine joined the discussion. The international conference was held in the format of presentations, discussions, group work and individual tasks. Participants received certificates confirming the mastery of skills needed by a Youth Mediator.
The conference was organized by Jara Marder, Bachelor of Linguistics and Cultural Studies, Project Management Specialist with experience in adult education in educational and research institutions, volunteer of several NGOs, which are working with young people in the field of involving citizens in public life and integration. Jara Marder also works as a coach and assistant project manager at “Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V.”, where she helps implement educational projects, develops training materials, prepares and conducts workshops, trainings and seminars.
During the training, partakers deliberated on the ideas of interculturalism (intercultural interaction), intercultural mediation (intermediation) as well as the nature and causes of intercultural conflicts, the concept of “PRIORITY Hubs” – widespread communities in Europe that help provide an inclusive environment for young people. The coach spoke about online tools and methods of work, such as online courses designed for independent work and presented the results of three years of European project “PRIORITY – Promoting Open and Resilient Societies for Youth”, in particular, the difficulties of integration through cross-sectoral combination of voluntary and joint intercultural, sports, artistic events for young people. In addition, representatives of the European academic community learned about methodological resources that can be adapted to any context in order to long-term support the process of inclusion and combating social isolation and radicalization, got acquainted with the basic tools of “PRIORITY Hubs”, means of social integration such as the fine arts, intercultural mediation, civic education, sport evercises, which can help overcome social barriers and accelerate the social integration of isolated young people of immigrant origin.
Conference participants also reviewed researches and analytical reports, in which it was analyzed and assessed the best existing practices for promoting the integration of disadvantaged young people and building communities in the youth, cultural, artistic and sports spheres. In particular, Jara Marder analyzed the problem of social isolation and radicalization of young people who have recently moved to European countries.
Attendees looked through the e-book “How to PRIORITIZE eBook”, written for youth, sports and cultural organizations, local authorities and training centers as a step-by-step guide to building and maintaining a functioning youth-friendly society (on the example of “PRIORITY Hub”).
Scientists from around the world got acquainted with the electronic educational platform PRIORITY, which contains 2 online courses:
- “Young Mediator course”, designed for young people who want to become youth mediators (intermediaries) and, above all, for young people from vulnerable groups of the population;
- “PRIORITY Superhero course”, designed for educators, youth workers, “cultural mediators” (“cultural intermediaries”) who want to learn more about preventing social exclusion and radicalization that can lead to international terrorism as well as creating a youth-friendly environment in their communities.
Youth NGO “Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V.” is a non-profit organization that develops and implements educational courses on the basis of non-formal education and use of digital technologies along with online learning tools within the Erasmus+ project “PRIORITY – Promoting Open and Resilient Societies for Youth”.
Earlier, Polytechnic scientist became a laureate of the Volodymyr Vernadskyi Award, scientists were trained in effective eco-management at the Jean Monnet International Winter School, a student of the Faculty of Humanities took part in the Erasmus+ youth exchange in Istanbul, and lecturers of the Polytechnic took part in the Information Week of the European Union’s Erasmus+ Program.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
