The project targets youth leaders with an immigrant and refugee background. The general objective is to create and implement with them a civic education program about the institutions, the administrative structure and the parties that fill the political life of the region of the Basque Country enabling them to promote civic engagement and social inclusion and integration amongst the youths they work with.

The project is taking place in the Basque Country (an autonomous region in the north of Spain).

In the region, immigrant and refugee youth face racism and xenophobia in various forms. They are depicted as thieves, criminals and lazy people who are here just to benefit from social services. Some political leaders, especially those from the right wing, go to the extent of associating immigrants and refugee youth to sexual crimes like rape and assassinations of women and young people. Some institutions and authorities, consider immigrant and refugee youth as mere “elements” for consumption and labour force. Immigrant and refugee youth are often not considered as citizens with voice, talents and skills that can and should be involved in the decision-making processes. Unfortunately, little is being done by institutions to build the capacities of immigrant and refugee youth organisations.

We are doing this for immigrant and refugee youth organisations, to support them to access information and to develop their skills on active participation, civic engagement and the institutions in the region. According to recent studies and reports conducted by the Coordinating Group of Civil Society Immigration, immigrant and refugee youth organisations are not represented or involved in the decision-making processes because they lack information and knowledge. In our daily work we also realise that these organisations are not involved in decision making processes. The project will have as direct beneficiaries 60 youth leaders from immigrant and refugee organisations. In turn, they will act as multipliers in their various organisations or groups.

The steps in the implementation will as follow:
• Internal meetings of the project team to review and bring needed adaptation to the designed implementation plan (month 1)
• Launching of calls to recruit trainers and experts. We would use our social media and those of our partners to do so (month 1)
• Creation of the contents of the training and capacity building sessions (month 2)
• Contacts with the local organizations, explaining the project and inviting them to join and to discuss how effective and active they can contribute to the project (month 3)
• Receiving feedbacks from various stakeholders on the initiatives and incorporating their suggestions to the implementation plan and training and capacity building sessions (month 3)
• Organize and conduct the training and capacity building courses (month 4)
• Round tables with the local authorities and political parties (month 4)
• Dissemination of the outcomes and results with other youth organizations in the Basque Country and beyond (the project will have a web page and Facebook page with the logo of Civic Europe and other partners) (month 5)
• Evaluation and reporting by the project team (month 6)

• More than 60 leaders of immigrant and refugee youth and their organizations will have been trained
• An educational program on the institutions, the administrative structure of the Basque Country will have been conducted, and the program made available to whoever willing to pursue a similar program
• The knowledge, and advocacy skills of immigrant and refugee youth leaders and their organizations will have been built on how to analyze the policies, debate them and be able to make suggestions for improvement.
• Immigrant and refugee youth organizations and other stakeholders will have cooperated to promote the civic and political participation of immigrant and refugee youth.
• Civic Europe will have gained visibility in the Basque Country and in Spain.

One of the biggest challenges facing immigrant and refugee is their lack of knowledge and skills when it comes to the institutions, the political administration and organization of the region. Therefore, it hinders their civic and political participation and social inclusion. The project will contribute to creating space of civic education and training around those topics emphasizing their relevance not only for the leaders of immigrant and refugee youth and their organizations but also for the region. It is demonstrated that people learn better by doing. The project will give birth to a network of youth organizations dedicated to promoting civic engagement in the region. The actions to be carried out will nurture acceptance, peaceful coexistence, and social inclusion.

Koudjo Mawuli KLEVO, expert in political participation and Human Rights
Iraide Fernandez Aragon, Doctor in Sociology, Responsible of Programs in Ikuspegi
Paciencia Okon Poco, expert in intervention with marginalized collectives
I am motivated by my own story. When I arrived here, I had to work hard make a way for myself. Now I am affiliated to a political party with the aim as I explained during the acceptance interview “to bring immigrants and their civic engagement in public life at the center of the debate”. As team we believe in an inclusive society where youth no matter their origin can play a significant role in local development. Immigrant and refugee youth a valuable asset. This is the first opportunity ever for immigrant, refugee youth leaders and their organizations.

Participants transport: 2000
Participants accomodation and meals: 8000
Travel trainers and Team: 1000
Trainers accomodation and meals: 1500
Fees for traimers and experts: 5000
office supply: 300
Design posters: 700
Printing: 300
Phone charges: 300
Video recording and post production; 1500
Public relation and advertisement: 3000
Administrative and personel costs: 12000

We would like to receive feedbacks and comments from organizations that have implemented suchlike ideas. We will be glad to incorporate suggestions and new ideas to our proposal.