Play. Engage. Participate.

Background As a main result of the project, we aimed to create innovative gamified activities practitioners can use in their educational programs in the topic of YOUTH PARTICIPATION. This project was following up on several of our KA1 projects on Gamification, where we tackled topics of innovative methods in education. We we were also consistently working on the topic of Youth Participation and aimed to work on it strategically through a transnational KA2 project. We were able to train "ambassadors" of NFE and gamification in all countries by gathering them in two international activities and involving participants in local Multiplier Events. NEEDS that have been addressed by the project are as follows: 1) To find a meaningful way to exchange best practices in areas each organization lacks expertise on. 2) To introduce effective and comprehensive approaches to youth participation 3) Transferring values and competences of participation and active citizenship to youth through youth workers by training them to deliver needed competences. 4) To share effective gamified tools to transfer these skills without having deep practical knowledge on the topic. 5) To get new, innovative methods in youth workers toolboxes Objectives The main aim of the project was to increase the youth participation in social and political life by increasing the organisation’s expertise in creating and implementing relevant gamified activities as well as creating a number of specific innovative gamified tools that aim to address different levels of participation: personal, interpersonal, organisational and societal. Objectives of the whole project were as follows: 1) To increase the youth worker’s and NGO’s competences and overall capacity to implement gamification methodology in youth work 2)To increase the competences of youth workers and NGO’s in the field of youth participation, its levels, challenges and strategies 3) To help youth workers increase participation and civic engagement of youth by creating innovative educational methods on Participation and Engagement. 4) To create a guide, which will enable educators to easily use these specific tools in their daily work. 5) To disseminate gamification and NFE methods to youth workers in participating countries, but also share it amongst our networks in the EU. Implementation TNM1 (TransNational meeting 1) - initial transnational meeting (held online due to COVID-19 pandemic) C1 - game-design training course, creating initial drafts of games TNM2 - presenting the beta versions and feedback from games, project management check-up, midterm evaluation C2 - YE for testing (almost) final versions of games, collecting feedback for final improvements 4xME (Multiplier Events) - local events for youth workers in our countries TNM3 - final evaluation, dissemination, financial arrangements finalization Achievements 1) INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS we produced 3 Intellectual Outputs (IOS): a board game, a digital game, and a bundle of "small games", altogether 6 high-quality educational games that can be used by youth workers who are approaching the topic of Youth Participation on different levels: personal, organizational, and community/society level. The tools are highly interactive and entertaining, but also easy-to-use, with a detailed guide for practitioners. All materials available in 5 languages. 2) Competences, skills and experience obtained through the project: MEMBERS OF INVOLVED NGOs we directly involved over 40 members of our organizations, who gained various competences. They range hugely from experience gained by running this project by key staff, up to our volunteers being part of the international residential activities and local multiplier events. YOUTHWORKERS Throughout the project, we involved 20 youth workers in international activities and 160 youth workers in national activities YOUNG PEOPLE Throughout the project, we involved 29 young people in international activities, and over 80 in local activities