The dark side of youth: theory & practice of violence for youth workers

CONTEXT According to EUROSTAT and the WHO violent behaviours of European youth have increased since 2009. Youth violence was never consistently addressed by youth work's practitioners due to the discourse dominance of psychologists and sociologists. A critical review of theories and methodologies of violence prevention in the youth sector is thus urgently needed. The training course "The dark side of youth: theory & practice of violence for youth workers" addresses needs of youth sector's stakeholders to better analyse both risk and protective factors of youth violence. This TC offers a learning experience - based on non-formal education methodologies that enable participants to better counteract and prevent youth violence on a local level. OBJECTIVES - To analyse and understand risk factors (RF) leading to youth violence: individual RF, family RF, peer and social RF, and community RF. - To acquire NFE methodologies to foster protective factors (PF) against youth violence: individual PF, family PF, peer and social PF, and community PF. - To explore push- and pull-factors, root causes and forms of intersectional discrimination linked to violent behaviours. - To assess and reshape cross-sectoral strategies of NGOs to prevent and counteract youth violence in local communities. PARTICIPANTS' PROFILE Youth workers and youth leaders who are: - interested to analyse the phenomenon of youth violence focusing on both the individual and societal level; - motivated to experience and learn educational tools to foster youth resiliency towards forms of violent behaviour; - making use of the knowledge, skills and competences gained in their own organisations and in their work with youth; - fluent in English.