The VOICE Action: Our KA3 Project Kicks Off in Lisbon!
20th and 21st of October 2021
This week EProjectConsult Director, Nino Pietrini, and Project Writer, Viktor Miloshevski, travelled to Lisbon, Portugal, to attend the kickoff meeting for our first KA3 cooperation project, The VOICE Action. The meetings were hosted by Aproximar, the preliminary Project Coordinator, and over two days, each partner discussed their role and what is next in the progression of this far-reaching and purposeful project.
The VOICE action is a cross-sectoral cooperation project which addresses issues concerning young people deprived of their liberty and from disadvantaged backgrounds. The VOICE action puts the voice of these young people at the centre of the formation of EU policies which concern them by engaging them in policies and strategies, connecting them with others and giving them tools to empower them further. There are several steps in the form of working packages in place to reach the objectives of the two-year long project. Each partner is responsible for the progress of a specific work package, and so, the meetings were divided into presentations and Q&A sessions on each one.
Wednesday’s session began with a welcome to all partners and an overview of the working agenda for the two days presented by the project coordinator and host, Aproximar. The organisation then outlined what WP1(work package)-the Project Management, Coordination & Internal Communication involves. After a short coffee break, the rest of the morning was spent discussing WP2-the creation of a toolbox to engage young adult offenders in EU projects and values by Merseyside Expanding Horizons, a youth charity operating in the UK. The meetings resumed in the afternoon after a lunch shared by the partners al fresco. EProjectConsult presented WP5-the external communication and dissemination plan for the project which included information on the media strategy, newsletter and outlined the partners varying roles in it, as well as plans for press releases and social media communications. The objectives of the project dissemination are to promote awareness of the project among work colleagues, networks of associates and project participants. Next up was 180 Foundation who presented information regarding WP6 – Quality, Evaluation and Sustainability, before events for the day adjourned and the partners shared a dinner together
Sessions on Thursday were predominantly concerned with WP3 Participatory Action – the bottom-up approach by YiP (Youth in Prison) and WP4 Participatory Action – the bottom-up approach by Fundación Diagrama. The meetings wrapped up with a general Evaluation and Debriefing, in addition to information on the reporting schedule and financing proceeding clarifications. The kick off meeting marks the beginning of a fantastic project, thank you to Aproximar for hosting such a great event!
You can follow The Voice Action on Facebook or visit the project website.