In less then one month, participants from our Association for Comunity Development will attend an Erasmus+ Training course called “EXTREmism EMEndation” in Magenta and Abbiategrasso near Milan, Italy.
Through this Training Course of 7 days 24 youth workers from partner countries – Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia will discuss the extremism phenomena in EU which nowadays threaten democracy.
Taking into account recent acts of extremism and terrorism in the EU we believe it is extremely important to bring together active youth, youth workers and activists to discuss extremist phenomena that today threaten security and peace in Europe. The “EXTRemism EMEndation” project aims to promote the active participation of young people in the prevention of extremist phenomena and find ways to combat them through youth work and non-formal education.
But how do these extremist movements emerge in Europe? Financial crisis, unemployment, violations of the rights of specific social groups, terrorism and bullying have created the best environment for extremism among young people. Overcoming this current condition requires the active participation of a heterogeneous group of key actors. The European Commission in its latest communication entitled “Preventing radicalization against terrorism and violent extremism” also reiterated that the involvement and training operators (such as youth leaders) is the key to effective prevention. According to the latest study conducted by Radicalization Awareness Network, the role of youth leaders is crucial: “Youth Workers can provide young people with the necessary life skills and values of human rights, contribute to a positive development of identity, make them resistant against extremist ideologies and guarantee their personal well-being “.
This project has the main objective of addressing the radicalization of young people by offering training courses on the understanding of the phenomenon, on the strategies and methods of prevention to be used and also by promoting cooperation among the key actors.