We are absolutely thrilled to share the inspiring and overwhelmingly successful results from the launch of the new Youth Council in Setubal, Portugal! Held from October 10th to 12th, 2023, the “Official Start Session” marked far more than just a simple meeting; it was a truly dynamic and transformative three-day process of empowerment, collaboration, strategic planning, and the forging of a powerful new voice for youth within the community. This intensive session was meticulously designed to provide a rock-solid foundation for the Youth Council’s future work, focusing on equipping participants with the essential skills and knowledge they needed to become effective advocates for positive change and drive impactful initiatives within their communities. The program fostered leadership qualities, encouraged creative problem-solving, and emphasized the importance of collaborative decision-making from the very outset.
Day 1: Building the Foundation for a Powerful Youth Voice
The first day was intentionally structured to lay the groundwork for the Youth Council’s future success. The session began with engaging icebreaker activities that helped participants connect with each other, fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment that would underpin their work throughout the remainder of the session. The facilitators emphasized the significance of creating a strong foundation of friendliness and mutual respect among the diverse group of participants. A presentation outlining the council’s overall objectives, roles, and its vital importance within the community followed, generating excitement and a shared sense of purpose among the young people. The core of the day was then dedicated to a critical and interactive workshop entitled, “Creating Council Regulations and Structure.” During this workshop, the young people actively participated in the challenging process of drafting the council’s regulations and structure, taking ownership of this vital process and laying the groundwork for fair and effective decision-making processes that would reflect their values and priorities. This participatory approach ensured that every participant felt heard, respected, and empowered to contribute to this vital process. The afternoon concluded with a thoughtful group reflection session that focused on the importance of teamwork and the essential role it plays in achieving shared goals. This allowed the participants to reflect on their experience in the workshop, generating valuable insights about the dynamics of collaborative work and laying the groundwork for successful implementation of future projects.
Day 2: Honing Essential Skills for Effective Advocacy
Day two shifted its focus to empowering the young participants with the essential skills necessary for effective advocacy within their community. The morning workshop, “Effective Communication and Leadership Skills,” provided participants with a comprehensive toolbox for clearly articulating their ideas, confidently managing discussions, and exercising effective leadership. This training covered various vital aspects of communication and leadership, including techniques for public speaking, strategic planning, building consensus, and responding to questions or challenges effectively. The facilitators ensured that the session was both insightful and engaging, creating a supportive environment for participants to practice these crucial skills. This was followed by a dynamic interactive activity, “Role-Playing in Decision-Making,” which involved participants in role-playing exercises designed to realistically simulate decision-making scenarios relevant to a broad range of common youth challenges. This highly engaging activity emphasized the practical application of the communication and leadership skills they had learned, helping participants to develop personalized strategies and enhancing their ability to work collaboratively towards collective solutions. The afternoon session was a collaborative planning session where groups engaged in a focused brainstorming session centered on “Setting Priorities for the Youth Council.” This participatory process helped the groups prioritize the critical issues they were most passionate about addressing within their communities and lay the groundwork for creating concrete action plans. Preparation for the presentations to be delivered on the final day began, ensuring the young people had ample opportunity to refine their ideas and enhance the impact of their presentations.
Day 3: Showcasing Initiatives and Charting a Course for the Future
The final day of the “Official Start Session” showcased the remarkable culmination of the previous two days’ efforts: the presentation of the groups’ meticulously developed and refined prioritized initiatives. Each group delivered a well-structured and compelling presentation that clearly articulated the key issues they aimed to address within their communities and detailed their innovative action plans for achieving meaningful and lasting change. The presentations were exceptionally well-prepared and demonstrated not only the young people’s profound understanding of the challenges they faced but also their newly acquired skills in research, strategic planning, problem-solving, and effective communication. This was followed by a robust and constructive feedback session, providing an invaluable opportunity for participants to refine their ideas, improve their action plans, and further develop their confidence in presenting their proposals to a wider audience. The afternoon session was dedicated to finalizing their action plans, ensuring each initiative included practical, achievable steps, clearly defined timelines, and specific resource needs. The planning process involved identifying potential challenges and proactively developing strategies for overcoming them. The final stage of the session focused on establishing clear next steps for implementation, setting the stage for sustained involvement and ongoing progress in creating a more vibrant and engaged community. The event concluded with a celebratory closing ceremony that enthusiastically recognized the participants’ remarkable hard work and dedication, their innovative approaches to community development, and the truly inspiring vision they had developed for creating positive change in their communities.
The Future is Brighter Than Ever: A Legacy of Youth-Led Change
The “Official Start Session” was far more than just a successful launch event; it marked a pivotal moment in empowering Portugal’s youth to take charge of their future and meaningfully contribute to their communities. The energy, dedication, and creative thinking displayed by the participants were inspirational, and their thoughtful, well-defined initiatives clearly demonstrated their readiness to become active and effective agents of change. The council’s proactive approach, collaborative spirit, and well-defined plans clearly demonstrate their ability to build upon this foundation and continue to make a positive impact on their community. We are incredibly excited to witness the positive influence this dynamic Youth Council will have on their community for years to come and eagerly anticipate updates on their progress as they move forward to implement their initiatives and shape their community for the better!
