The Melting Pot

Project “The Melting pot!” started on 1st of March 2021 and it will last 14 months. Project is implemented across 3 countries (Croatia, Serbia and the North Republic of Macedonia), in partnership among NAPOR, Galerija Matice Srpske, Mreža mladih Hrvatske, Pogon – Zagrebački centar za nezavisnu kulturu i mlade, Sojuz za mladinska rabota Skopje and Opstinska ustanova Muzej na grad Negotino.

 It's funded by the Tempus Foundation through the ERASMUS + program.

The partnership overall aim is to bring cultural institutions closer to all young people through youth work programs by applying interactive, innovative methods and tools, as well as create preconditions for the professionalism of youth workers and employees in cultural institutions. Specifically:

• To increase visibility and recognition of youth work and cultural institutions’ potential to respond to the identified needs of various youth groups at local, national, regional and EU level.
• To raise the quality of youth work across the region by introducing innovative and creative methods integrated into culture and arts programs.
• To increase the professionalism of youth workers and employees in cultural institutions by creating curricula for their education.
• To establish cross-sectoral cooperation among youth workers and cultural institutions at the national and regional level.

At the level of outputs, the project will result in the development of:

• Comparative research on the needs of various youth groups related to culture conducted in 3 countries.
• Curricula for the education of youth workers in cultural institutions and development of six youth work programs applicable in various cultural institutions.
• In the testing phase young people (including those from fewer opportunity groups) will be actively involved in the youth work programs performed in cultural institutions by youth and cultural workers from 3 countries.
• Booklet “Melting pot of innovation in youth work and cultural institutions” containing up to 15 innovative and creative methods used in cultural activities for various youth groups, reflecting Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian and EU level.
• Study visit in Serbia for youth workers and cultural institutions representatives.
• National and regional multiplier events focused on journalists, youth with fewer opportunities, youth workers and cultural institutions from Croatia, Serbia and The Republic of North Macedonia.

Preparation meeting of partners was held via ZOOM platform, 26th and 27th of March 2021. Participants from each partner organisation attended the meeting dedicated to fine tune time frame of the project and each of the planned activities and to get common understanding of responsibilities of each organization concerning technical and financial matters and reporting. 

Melting pot of competences and programs was the second partners meeting organized in Novi Sad, Serbia, in the Gallery of Matica Srpska from June 9th to 11th, 2021. It provided an opportunity for all project partners to get acquainted with the capacities and experiences of associates, and to discuss methodology of project activities related to development of a curriculum for the education of youth workers in cultural institutions, as well as the development and testing of youth work programs in cultural institutions. As it is necessary to examine the needs of young people in advance for the development of youth work programs in cultural institutions, the meeting was an opportunity to also discuss regional research.

Study visit to Serbia was organized by the Gallery of Matica Srpska in Novi Sad (Serbia) from June 29th until July 2nd, 2021. It gathered 12 youth and cultural workers from partner organisations with the aim to exchange practices and experiences related to involvement of youth into programs of cultural institutions. During 3 intensive days, participants were also introduced with various organisations in the field of culture, such as KulturaNova, Omladinski centar OPENS, cultural spaces like Kulturni centar LAB, PROSTOR, activities and spaces within Novi Sad European capital of culture (Kulturna stanica Svilara), as well as the programs realised in the cultural institutions such as public art museum - The Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection and The Gallery of Matica Srpska.

PRODUCED INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS:

1. With an aim to determine the needs of young people in the field of culture and the reasons for their (non)involvement in the cultural institutions, a quantitative and qualitative research was conducted in North Macedonia, Croatia and Serbia, following the same methodology. The research results, based on responses of 567 youth and 28 cultural institutions are available in: National Report SER, National Report CRO and National Report MKD. National reports are also available in national languages: MACEDONIAN, CROATIAN, SERBIAN. The Comparative research analysis of the national research shows that there is a lot of space and opportunities for improvements in regard to the participation of young people in culture in all involved countries. The Comparative research analysis in Macedonian language you can find HERE, in Croatian language HERE and in Serbian language HERE. 

2. Education Curriculum for Application of non-formal approaches through the principle of Youth Work was developed with the aim to increase the capacities of youth workers and cultural workers to understand different approaches and principles in both  sectors and increase the cross-sectoral cooperation in the creation of joint programs  and activities that support young peoples’ personal and social development and inspire them to be active consumers of culture, in order to promote active involvement and ownership of youth in planning and creation of cultural content for youth. Curriculum in Macedonian language you can find HERE. Curriculum in Croatian language you can find HERE. Curriculum in Serbian language you can find HERE. 

3. Development and testing of youth work programs in cultural institutions  - Following the “Walk the talk” principle, project consortium joined together to develop 6 educational youth work programs in the field of culture. Three were tested by pairs of youth and cultural workers from each country, involving 60 youth from different groups, over a period of about 4 months. Each of the tested programs was evaluated and all lessons learned were integrated into a detailed explanation of the program that can be applied in different cultural institutions. Educational programs in cultural institutions in English you can find HERE. Programs that were developed in Serbia you can find HERE. Programs that were developed in Croatia you can find HERE. Programs that were developed in North Macedonia you can find HERE. 

4. Booklet "Melting pot of innovation in youth work and cultural institutions" contains a brief overview of youth work and culture in Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and EU. It provides information regarding digital youth work and lists more than 50 digital platforms, tools and methods. It shows examples of innovative and creative methods in working with young people from Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Europe, with a focus on digital platforms, tools and methods. In addition, there are 9 inspiring interviews with young people, youth workers and cultural workers, which aim to motivate and stimulate interest in the development of similar activities across the region and the EU. Booklet in in Macedonian language you can find HERE. Booklet in Croatian language you can find HERE. Booklet in Serbian language you can find HERE. Summary of Booklet findings is available HERE. 

MULTIPLIER EVENTS 

1. Melting pot: served as breakfast to journalists - The multiplying event was created with the aim to share and disseminate the results of the Regional research on youth in cultural institutions. It was held 31st of August 2022. in Novi Sad (Serbia), Zagreb (Croatia) and Negotino (North Macedonia). The main target group of the event were journalist from local, regional and national media. It gathered 30 journalists from three partners countries. 

The main objectives of the event were:

• Informing journalists about main research findings in order to reach wider public via media and introduce the needs of young people.
• Setting the ground for fruitful cooperation for dissemination of forthcoming outputs and results within the project.
• Sensitization of the media and media associations to the challenges and needs of young people and understanding of the role youth work and cultural institutions play in the system of providing support to young people.
• Media motivated to report on youth, youth work and cultural institutions at national and regional level.

SERBIA	CROATIA	NORTH MACEDONIA

2. Melting pot: demonstration of innovation! - The multiplying event that has been dedicated to dissemination of the various methods collected to the Booklet Melting pot of innovation in youth work and cultural institutions. The event took form of an interactive demonstrations, followed by the discussions and resulted in the set of recommendations. Its was organized 15th of September simultaneously in Novi Sad, Zagreb and Negotino and gathered 30 participants: 1. youth; 2. youth workers and 3. representatives of different cultural institutions. Participants had opportunity to test 5 methods/tools/platforms (Filmora, Jamboard, Padlet, World Wall, EyeJack) and to get familiar with numerous other which has been collected in Booklet. 

The main objectives of the event were:

• Introducing participants on national level to the methods collected within the Booklet by giving them opportunity for the first hand experience;
• Motivating youth workers and cultural institutions to access the Booklet and use described methods in planning activities for various youth;
• Setting the recommendations for applicability of the presented methods from 3 different perspectives (3 target groups from 3 countries).

3. Regional melting pot: innovations, culture and youth work - a one day conference, took place 9th of September in Osijek for 30 participants from Serbia, The North Macedonia and Croatia. The main target groups of the conference were: youth workers, representatives of cultural institutions and decision-makers.

Aims of the conference were:

• Presentation of all outputs developed within the project (Regional research findings, Booklet Melting pot of innovation in youth work and cultural institutions, Curricula for the education of youth workers in cultural institutions and Youth work programs in cultural institutions);
• Foster exchange of experiences and innovative practice as well as cooperation among participants coming from different fields at the national and regional level;
• Opening the floor for discussions on the applicability of lessons learned during the project to national, regional and European level.

Partners evaluation meeting - was held from 28. to 30. of September 2022. in Negotino (North Macedonia). During two days meeting, project partners discussed about impact of the project activities, reached indicators in order to measure the impact of project in general. Besides that partners discussed about space for improvement and future cooperation.