SPINACH FOR POPEYE STATEMENT OF INTENT THE PURPOSE OF THE STATEMENT OF INTENT The purpose of the Statement of Intent is to provide a framework for the continuation of the Spinach for Popeye project for the period 2009 till 2016.
THE AIM OF SPINACH FOR POPEYE To promote European trans-national approaches to developing new and innovative approaches and interventions that respond to the social, emotional and economic needs of vulnerable and excluded young people who are failing to fulfil their potential. This will be achieved by:
Identifying and exchanging best practice
Sharing new and innovative research and theory
Informing local practice and partnership work arrangements
Developing and sharing key success criteria which can be measured and evaluated
Sharing innovative methods and tools
PARTNERS The partners presently involved in the Spinach for Popeye project are:
Falkirk Council, Scotland
Odenwaldkreis, Germany
Gothenburg, Sweden
One additional partner will be invited to join and enhance the existing group. The project requires a minimum of 4 countries.
THE PROJECT STRUCTURE The project will be supported by each of the partners and involve them in the following: 1.
Bi - Annual International Congress (flexible) The bi-annual international congress aims to promote best practice within the Spinach for Popeye project by:
A bi-annual congress which will focus on specific innovative theory based practice to inspire and inform policy makers and politicians and provide continuous professional development and inspiration for practitioners.
Sharing the experience of practice and working with social and economically excluded young people within each of the partner countries.
Identify issues and trends which affect young people’s access to education, employment and training.
Introducing holistic approaches to working with socially and economically excluded young people which include a broad range of support structures and effective joint working arrangements.
Developing innovative methods focussing in the social and emotional competence of socially and economically excluded young people. Promoting the effective transition from school to the labour market and or other training or lifelong learning opportunities.
Monitoring and evaluating the progress of the Spinach for Popeye project.
Developing local programmes and supportive documents and products.
Developing outcomes in forms which conform to key success criteria which are Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic and Timescaled and can be measured and evaluated.
English will be the language of communication; the use of interpreters will be limited.
Delegations will be made-up of a mix of teachers, youth social workers, youth workers and policy officers.
The continuity of the composition of the delegations will be ensured however representation should be relative to and reflect the Congress themes
Where possible the benefits and outcomes of the Congress aims and experiences should be disseminated and extended to others
Themes for the development of national and or local projects will be agreed at the international congress. The implementation of the themes for each of the partners will be determined by local priorities and existing strategies and structures.
2.
Practitioner, Policymakers and Politician Study Visits Study visits provide professional development opportunities for practitioners by enabling them to examine and share the practice and methods of a partner country. Politicians and policymakers will also be encouraged to undertake study visits to enable trans-national discussion / awareness raising on a range of cultural, environmental and Spinach related issues. The Spinach for Popeye project also intends to maximise the use of IT to facilitate the sharing of information between practitioners within the Spinach for Popeye network
3.
Youth Exchanges The Spinach for Popeye project will offer young people involved in the national projects the opportunity to participate within Youth Exchanges. The Youth Exchanges will be offered between Congresses on a rotating basis between partners in order to enable targeted young people to:
Develop skills, confidence and self awareness
Engage in international co-operation and understanding
Experience new cultures
Broaden horizons and knowledge
Better understand their cultural and European heritage
THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION The Spinach for Popeye project is implemented by: 1.
A National Spinach for Popeye Core Group within each of the partner countries. All partners of the Popeye Core Groups are encouraged to:
2.
Share of information on existing and new projects and funding opportunities
Develop joint training
Support guidelines development
Develop joint working initiatives and practice
Monitoring and evaluating the use of outcomes in practice
Encouragement use of good practice
Acknowledging and recognising innovative practice
Disseminating the outcomes of best practice from Spinach for Popeye
An International Spinach for Popeye Co-ordinators Group The International Spinach for Popeye Co-ordinators Group consists of one representative from each of the Spinach for Popeye partners. The Group offers support in the following areas:
Access to funding
Access to European networks of practitioners in the field of social and emotional competence
Access to training / study visit opportunities
Acknowledging and recognising good practice
Access to innovative research
A key function of this group is to plan and co-ordinate the Congress and Youth Exchange. The International Spinach for Popeye Co-ordinators Group will support positive action to ensure that there is a gender balance within the Group.
3.
Funding The Spinach for Popeye project partners place high priority on working in partnership to secure appropriate funding from the European Union that will enable the project to develop. The Spinach for Popeye project partners agree to identify and secure a level of match funding that will be required to secure European Union funding.
3.1
Funding for Bi-Annual Congress This will be the responsibility of the host partner who will be expected to access appropriate European funding for the programme and hosting costs. Visiting partners will be required to contribute €2,500 and arrange and pay 30% towards travel costs. (current “Youth in Action” criteria).
3.2
Funding for the Youth Exchange Visiting partners will require to contribute €500 and arrange and pay 30% towards travel costs. (current “Youth in Action” criteria).
3.3
Funding for Co-ordinators Planning Meetings This will be the responsibility of the host partner with the exception of travel costs which will be underwritten by the individual partners.
3.4
Funding for Study Visits This will be the responsibility of individual partners through negotiation and mutual agreement.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION / EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Partners involved and committing themselves to the Spinach for Popeye initiative are fully committed to the principles of equal opportunities and anti-discrimination and committed to embedding these principles within any practice undertaken.
JOINT STATEMENT OF INTENT The partners of the Spinach for Popeye project, namely Falkirk the Odenwaldkreis, and Gothenburg agree to support the implementation of the Spinach for Popeye Action Plan 2006-2009. Proposed Programme of Spinach for Popeye 2009 till 2016 (NB the bi-annual nature of the Congress and timelines are flexible) 2009
Congress
Falkirk – November
2010
Youth Exchange
Falkirk – June
2011
Congress
Germany
2012
Youth Exchange
Gothenburg
2013
Congress
New Partner
2014
Youth Exchange
Germany
2015
Congress
Sweden
2016
Youth Exchange
New Partner
Signing of Statement of Intent Falkirk, Scotland
Provost Pat Reid
Spinach for Popeye Co-ordinator Elenor Macdonald
Kreisausschuss des Odenwaldkreises
Dietrich Kübler, Landrat
Spinach for Popeye Co-ordinator Maria Zietler
Gothenburg, Sweden Katarina Othelius Head of Härlanda City District Council
Spinach for Popeye Co-ordinator Monika Tingskog