Xwhy Launched Capacity Building for Educators and Policy Makers

In May 2023, the "Critical+ Xwhy" agency successfully implemented the Capacity Building for Educators and Policy Makers in Vilnius city.

 

This program had a dual purpose. Firstly, it provided an opportunity to introduce the theoretical foundations of youth participatory budgeting to the participants and showcased the best practices documented in the YUPAD "Food for Thought" videos. Secondly, the event served as a teambuilding activity for policy makers and educators, with the hope that they would continue to actively participate in the project's piloting activities, particularly during the YUPAD Bees phase.

 

The capacity building program consisted of two workshops, attended by representatives from the Vilnius City Administration, the Department of Youth Affairs, and municipal youth workers. Each workshop comprised both theoretical and practical components. During the first workshop, the theoretical part was focused on the core principles and concepts of Youth Participatory Budgeting, along with an introduction to the YUPAD project and the successful initiatives already implemented across Europe. In the practical part, brainstorming sessions were conducted to explore the needs, opportunities, and risks associated with implementing such a program in Vilnius City, following the methodology proposed by YUPAD.

 

In the second event, Xwhy provided a more detailed presentation of the YUPAD Bees methodology and invited participants to design a Youth Participatory Budgeting model specifically tailored for Vilnius, drawing upon the knowledge gained from both sessions.

 

The overall outcomes of the capacity building sessions were extremely positive. The policy makers not only acquired new knowledge on the subject but also confirmed the necessity of such a program in Vilnius. They actively participated in brainstorming sessions to develop a potential model for the city. Furthermore, the educators who work with youth expressed great enthusiasm about the potential impact of this program on the self-confidence, leadership skills, and understanding of democratic processes, civil rights, and duties among young people. They saw themselves as mediators between the municipality and youth. The collaboration with these two target groups will continue during the piloting phase of the YUPAD Bees methodology, scheduled for this upcoming fall.