The
Centre for European and Regional Youth Studies-CERYS
The University of St.Cyrillus and Methodus in Trnava, The Slovak Republic Ladislav Machacek, Prof.Ass. Nám. J.Herdu 2, Postal code 917 01 Trnava, SR e-mail:ladislav.machacek@ucm.sk
, www.changenet.sk/slyica
, www.sociologia.sav.sk/mladez
_____________________________________________________________________ The Scheme of State Youth Policy up to the year 2006 (designed and approved by the Slovak government in the year 2001) declares a necessity to intensify the co-ordination of activities of civil associations of children and youth with the activities of other subjects belonging to the non-governmental voluntary sector. This is in agreement with the message delivered in The White Book of the Youth of EU. This book caused in Slovakia a wide discussion on the issue of participation of youth in the democratic governance. The White Book of European Commission: New impulse for European Youth (2001) is a stimulus for creating new relations and interconnections among young people, civil society and local agents. The professional competence of youth leaders is a prerequisite
for strengthening the socialising functions of youth associations, movements and
initiatives. This requires a better cooperation between youth associations
and respected accredited institutions of education that are active in the
process of professional training of young people for youth work. The Scheme of State Youth Policy in the Slovak
Republic also expects the intensifying of scientific reflection of education
towards citizenship in schools, and of civil participation of youth in public
life. A special attention should be
given to a request that teachers of humanity school subjects (e.g. history,
philosophy, political science, sociology) should have a better knowledge of
the system of civil youth policy as well as of youth work covering youth
leisure time activities. In Slovakia, it is a complex system: Education towards citizenship in schools
– selected school subjects, a specialised school subject “Civics”, class
and school councils of youth, student deputies in academic senates of
universities. Civil participation in extra-class activities – interest associations of citizens with the participation of youth and children, children and youth civil associations, non-formal civil youth movements and associations, local-municipal parliaments of children and youth.In
Europe, and also in Slovakia, the cooperation between sociology of youth and
educational sciences (especially social pedagogy and pedagogy of leisure time)
develops very well traditionally.
This fact has been demonstrated in a remarkable way after the year 1989,
when there has been a dynamic development of youth work in Europe. The project of education towards European citizenship
is also a challenge for formulating and realising research tasks for the
field of non-formal education: 1.
to examine pedagogical-sociological interconnections of the professionalisation
of youth workers in the field of European youth work, 2. to define the common professional standards for
teachers of civics in schools, and for youth workers in civil youth
associations, 3.
to initiate research analysis of the best projects in the field of non-formal
(but also formal) education in the scope of European civil youth policy, 4. to explore the potential of mutual “learning” of
young people of the same age(peers) coming from various cultural environments of
EU countries through their participation in projects Youth, Socrates, Leonardo. The aim of these analyses is to overcome an existing
gap between two professions- teachers and youth workers- these
professions work with adolescents, and their primary goal is to assure a successful
transition of young people to adult society in circumstances of integrating
Europe. Some of these tasks will be incorporated into the
programme of The Centre for European and Regional Youth Studies – CERYS at
the Faculty of Arts of UCM University Trnava ( www.ucm.sk
) The Centre will provide following types of information for professionals and students as well: 1. information on European Youth Policy (Council of
Europe and European Commission) 2. information on civil youth policy in Europe
(European Youth Forum). 3. establish and maintain a documentation centre
for teaching manuals and projects of youth work in cooperation with EYC in Strasbourg
and NAFYM IUVENTA in Bratislava. 4. carry out sociological surveys in cooperation
with NAFYD IUVENTA in Bratislava 5. organise accredited education courses for workers
who are active within the structures of youth work system in Slovakia. *** The project of European integration requires also investments into ethos
(basic values, views of world, rights and obligations of a democratic
citizen), and into epos (great personalities and events presenting the European
heritage of art, science and culture). It provides a chance for all
national states to make more effort in incorporating their values and
personalities into the treasury of European culture also through the content
of educational process of young generation.
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