Dear friends,
Thank you for your trust and support. I am happy to address to all of YOU who make YEU so unique and inspiring and, as the YEU President, to communicate the priorities that we, as the new GB, have set.
We acknowledge that being part of the GB demands great commitment and responsibility for the growth of the organization and its core mission, and we are aware that each contribution YEU makes towards it is a milestone in improving the lives of youth across Europe and further.
The main goal of this GB is to build the capacity of YEU to deal with the challenges and changes by sustaining and upgrading the practices and outcomes started by the previous GB. With their commitment and work during the past year, YEU has enlarged as a network of 38 organizations, developed new administrative procedures, set up an educational structure and expanded visibility and representation. In a few words, YEU has grown, setting a lot of new potential.
The working priorities of this GB are mainly set around the agenda of conveying this potential wider and upgrading it for new growth. Within this mandate the new GB will work towards:
• Diversifying fundraising and partnerships (Fundraising strategies for new challenges in the global youth work)
• Empowering Member Organizations (Capacity Building, Networking and Communication)
• Education (Promotion and Development of PET, Sustaining Quality Assurance of NFE)
• Policy and Research (Evidence- based youth work as a milestone for the practices in YEU)
• Improving guidelines and procedures (Sustaining administrative guidelines, Developing new transparent and accessible procedures)
• Visibility and Image of YEU International
The set agenda is based on the youth work reality we face today, the needs of member organizations that were clearly expressed during the last GA, as well as the idea of sustaining the good practices and results achieved by the previous GB. It is a demanding and diverse agenda of priorities that requires tremendous efforts from the GB, but also stronger cooperation within the Member Organizations.
YEU as a network and its Member Organizations have done incredibly innovative and effective work that needs to be shared and be appropriately recognized. Within this process we also need to work on improving ourselves and our work. It is our common commitment to strengthen the network and to provide it with the best of what we can offer and to be ready to overcome the challenges of exchange and understanding that arise in Europe and globally. This is why thinking globally and acting locally is not only a quote but should become our reality that goes hand in hand with the process of strengthening the Member Organizations.
Our reality is best voiced out by the MOs and the youth workers, and the volunteers and activists that implement different projects and programmes in a variety of communities (from a small village to a metropolitan urban area). YEU will provide support on these efforts and I will work on ensuring diverse partnerships with European Institutions and Organizations that will enable us to diversify our funding, knowledge and technical resources. Furthermore, YEU will remain committed to cooperating with the European Youth Forum where we envision our platform for action on a European level.
I am sure that our network will be able to overcome the challenges because it is built on active and innovative young people. With your active work and contribution, YEU will continue to spark with beneficial youth work for all in Europe and beyond. And for that is important to work TOGETHER.
Ivana Davidovska
President of YEU International
