The European Year of Youth just ended, and its path is following within the European Year of Skills, where young people are, again, protagonists.
We met Maria Pia Napoletano during some stakeholders meeting and we believe that expanding our network is important towards the achievement of our shared goals.
Maria Pia is not only a Youth Worker. She is, among other things, the coordinator of the European network of Young European Ambassadors, of the EU NEIGHBOURS EAST.
You can discover more at this link: euneighbourseast.eu
And guess… among their activities, the YEA also has a Magazine (link in the interview)!
Enjoy our chat with her, followed by the contribution of another EU engaged young girl, Anastasia Papapetrou, part of this important network, which is currently composed by more than 900 active Young European Ambassadors.
«My message for the current and future generation will always be: get active!»
Maria Pia, what does it mean, nowadays, to be a ‘Youth Worker’?
«To me, to be a youth worker means to support young people in finding their direction in life and helping them understand how they can contribute to society.
These are very uncertain times in Europe, with the war raging, inflation, high youth unemployment rates in many countries and a post-pandemic society that poses new challenges. This brought to an evident polarization in many countries, that is undermining the progress done in terms of inclusion and pluralistic societies.
In this context, the youth worker has a very important role, strengthening local communities and being a support to a generation that has to deal with many issues at once».
When did you start this path? What drove you there?
«I discovered non-formal education in 2018, during University. I took part in my first Erasmus+ Youth Exchange and I was shocked by this new learning system that I had never heard of before.
Since then, I became passionate about it and got more involved in youth organizations and NGOs, learning how to be a moderator myself, how to manage events and projects on a local and international level, and how to support my peers.
Nowadays, I cannot imagine organizing any learning process without the use of non-formal education techniques and continuous innovation in processes».
Alongside being a Youth Worker, you are the coordinator of the Young European Ambassadors, the network part of the EU-funded EU-funded Regional Communication Programme for the Eastern Neighbourhood, EU NEIGHBOURS east. What is the mission of this initiative, also considering the geographical area covered?
«The aim of the network is to create mutual understanding, strengthen civil society, empower young people to make their voices heard in their communities and impact the changes happening in their communities, their countries, Europe and the world».
How many are you?
«There are currently more than 900 active YEAs in the whole network, of which 120 are from the EU and UK».
What are the main activities?
«We do many different activities, often based on the country’s needs and the partners on the ground. Some of them are informational activities about EU-funded opportunities, with a specific focus on rural areas; educational activities, focused on the topics of democracy, youth participation and soft skills; participation in international events; policy contributions and cooperation with media and podcasting.
We also organize many online events to understand specific topics connected to the Eastern Partnership and the culture and traditions of the countries that are part of it.
More information on the network: https://euneighbourseast.eu/young-european-ambassadors/».
Which is the sense of the hashtag #strongertogether?
«The hashtag highlights the importance of working together towards strengthening our democracies and civil societies. It underlines that big things can only be achieved working together, in local communities and on an international level».
How the Young European Ambassadors have been involved into the European Year of Youth?
«The network has organized many different types of events, mainly to shed a light on the needs of youth in the different countries that are represented in the network. One important focus has been (and still is) on the support to our Ukrainian peers and Ukraine’s fight for independence.
On a policy level, YEAs have taken part in the consultation for the Youth Action Plan, the EU’s operational roadmap for engaging young people in EU external action, that will improve the way we work for and with young people worldwide.
Furthermore, we have supported the Council of Europe’s campaign “Democracy Here, Democracy Now”, a Council of Europe project coordinated by the Youth Department and aiming at revitalizing democracy through strengthening mutual trust between young people and democratic institutions and processes.
We have also published the second edition of our Magazine, with which we aimed at making a statement: young people and their rights and needs are at the heart of society, they need to be at the centre of decision-making and to have the space they deserve. Meaningful youth participation is essential to a healthy and democratic society».
And now, how much is the European Years of Skills important for this kind of initiatives?
«The European Year of Skills is very important to underline the importance of lifelong learning and a commitment to always develop new skills and be curious about learning new things.
The EU is offering many opportunities to learn and develop oneself – and this is a great opportunity to involve more youth in programmes that are designed for them, but are not always well-known, such as the Erasmus+ programme and many others».
Which are, or should be, the most important skills for our future?
«Some skills will be fundamental, such as digital skills, like the ability to proficiently use digital tools and make work smarter and more efficient, but also all kinds of soft skills and abilities to relate with people from different countries and cultures. Critical thinking will be another important skill to train, always asking ourselves questions about what we see and remembering to analyze what we read.
Finally, learning to learn will be the most important aspect in a continuously changing society».
How should we (as a society) promote youth skills development and employability?
«I think we should always strive to make learning fun and demonstrate how learning in schools and formal education is just one of the ways one can pick up new skills and acquire new knowledge. The more learning becomes attractive, the more youth will want to learn new skills and consequently improve their profiles to easily find a job they like and that motivate them. Employers should also promote continuous development of new skills among the workforce».
Is it worth being part of such networks? What is your hope/message for the future generations?
«Being part of networks is a must. Individuals can achieve something on a small scale, but they will never have the strength that networks, groups and communities have. It is fundamental to come together to tackle common issues and to make sure our voices are heard.
I wish everyone to find the right community for them – in which they feel welcome, part of something and empowered by their peers!
My message for the current and future generation will always be: get active!
Do not expect someone else to fight for your rights but get involved for what is important to you».
