2021 saw the beginning of a new seven-year programme period for the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) education programmes. In the new programme period, strategic objectives for increased inclusion and diversity have been formulated with the aim of making the programmes more accessible to both new applicant organisations and people with fewer opportunities for participation. The aim is to create equal opportunities for participation in the programmes for all those who wish to participate, regardless of the barriers they may face.
The Erasmus+ project YouthASD, focuses on providing youth workers and youth organizations with a new, innovative and accessible learning opportunity on ASD. More specifically, the project’s objectives are:
- To support the participation and inclusion of ASD youth in youth organizations’ activities
- To increase the attractiveness and accessibility of youth work for ASD youth
- To provide the necessary training methodology and tools to youth workers in order to include ASD youth in their work
- To provide organizational support to youth organizations to include ASD youth in their initiatives by upskilling their administrative and management staff
- To provide youth training opportunities adjusted to ASD needs
So far in the project, we have finished training modules for youth workers who has no previous knowledge of ASD, and the challenges participation in activities may entail for youth with ASD.
We are currently working on a methodology guide to help plan activities, focusing on inclusion of youth ASD with their neurotypical peers. In the near future, the partners in this project will pilot the methodology guide in cooperation with different relevant organisations, or other types of collaborators, to optimise the guide to ensure accessibility and quality.
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