School Participatory Budget (SPB)
Within the Bilateral Initiative, the Lublin Municipality is conducting two editions of the School Participatory Budget (SPB) program during school years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. The program initiates a process in which the entire school community decides how to allocate some part of the school budget. This process serves integrative and educational purposes, providing an experience of democracy in practice. Working on the budget also engages students, teaches them new skills. As a result, they become co-responsible and they co-decide about things that matter to them.
SPB aims to foster students’ self-governance, increase their sense of genuine power over school life, and nurture collaboration when designing school facilities.
In the 2022/2023 school year, within the Program, over 200 projects were submitted in 20 educational institutions, with 37 of them implemented. Each institution was given PLN 4.000 to spend for SPB projects, along with substantive, organizational, and promotional support. In the 2023/2024 year, another edition of the School Participatory Budget is being conducted with the participation of 20 institutions selected in open call. In total, for both editions of SPB, PLN 160.000 from the EEA and Norwegian Funds has been allocated for school projects.
More information about the SPB can be found on the szkolnybudzet.lublin.eu website.
Youth Space
In 2022, an open youth space "Hej!" was established at Peowiaków Street 11 in Lublin within the Initiative. Since the very start it has been co-created by a group of young people who actively participated in designing the interior and planning the activities. All the ideas have been submitted by the young people involved in "Hej!" everyday life. As a result of this collaboration, an open and safe space was created where everyone can follow their ideas, and receive substantive support from coordinators and the necessary materials. At "Hej!", one can participate in the meetings, workshops, lectures, find a quiet place to study, or meet with friends. Study visit opportunities to Oslo, Kraków, and Wrocław are available for young people where they can learn about other youth spaces.
As part of the activities of the youth group, the "Youth Space Standards" were developed, defining the basic principles and guidelines for running such places. These standards have become the foundation for non-governmental organizations working with young people in terms of creating new youth spaces in Lublin. By the end of 2023, a total of 8 open youth spaces will be operating within the network.
Each month, the "Hej!" is visited by an average of 700 people, who have the opportunity to participate in over 30 diverse events.
The schedule of space activities is available on Facebook and on the city's website.
Youth Information and Development Centre
Under the Bilateral Initiative, the Youth Information and Development Centre of Sempre a Frente Foundation supports young people from the age of 13, as well as those who work with them. To date, it has provided access to its services to more than 1,500 individuals from the entire Lublin region.
The Center provides personal development workshops, consultations, and career counseling, as well as information on social and civic engagement, well-being, volunteering, and opportunities offered by the EU. It has already completed dozens of workshops and training sessions for hundreds of young people, and has hosted two editions of the Youth Activity Festivals. Nearly 300 young people, educators, and representatives of NGOs participated in the festival, networking, building relationships, and gaining new educational experiences through a specially designed team game. Acquiring new competencies useful in the labor market and fostering the initiative of young people is also achieved through the Academy of Local Animators program. Here, young participants become leaders of their communities, implementing their first project for the local society. The first group of animators organized an intergenerational event, and the next group will soon have the opportunity to bring their creative ideas to life.
International cooperation
The "International Cooperation" component within the Bilateral Initiative has gathered hundreds of young people and youth workers, ready to take on new challenges in the local and international area!
Congress, workshops and study visits
Within the Initiative, approximately 1,000 people from Poland, Ukraine, and Norway have been participating in international activities, gaining knowledge and developing new skills. Participants are sharing good practices in youth work and establishing valuable contacts.
Ten study visits and one workshop have been organized, focusing on the themes of youth work and youth policies. The meetings took place in Polish cities (Lublin, Warsaw and Kraków) and abroad: Oslo (Norway) and Ghent (Belgium).
During two editions of the Cross-Border Cooperation Congress in 2022 & 2023, numerous panels and workshops were held on topics such as creating youth-friendly cities, combating discrimination, the job market, and many other subjects. Opportunities for networking with organizations and institutions, as well as practical knowledge about grant programs, were provided to participants during Grants Fair and Partners Forum.
Youth exchanges
The Wergeland European Center is also responsible for some of the international cooperation activities, conducting youth international exchanges in Oslo and on the island of Utøya, as well as online exchanges targeted at youth from Ukraine, Poland, and Norway with the aim of supporting and promoting tolerance, dialogue, and inclusion.
Promotional video
Below you can watch a video about the activities undertaken as part of the initiative:
