Empowering at-risk young people
The UK government’s equality strategy focuses on two principles of equality; equal treatment and equal opportunity and emphasises the importance of devolving power so that people can take control and shape their own lives.
Research supports that when people are given the basic legal knowledge to deal with everyday situations not only do they stand a better chance in society, but they also avoid consuming public services unnecessarily (IARS, 2010).
'Abused no More: Safeguarding Youth and Empowering Professionals' is a Key Action 2 strategic partnership in the field of youth led by IARS International Institute. The project provides a free youth-led programme for service providers and young people with the aim of increasing their legal capability. It focuses on increasing legal capacity in the areas of gender-based discrimination, exclusion and abuse against some of the most marginalised youth groups. These include refugees, descendants from immigrant families and those facing social obstacles from their ethnicity or sexual orientation.
IARS Charity founder, Dr Theo Gavrielides, said race and gender inequalities, gender-based violence, as well as difficulties related to their immigration status mean that refugee, asylum-seeking and migrant women are particularly vulnerable groups in the UK.
He said: “The young women are experts on the issues that affect them, and the project gives them an opportunity to have their voices heard. With the support of Erasmus+, we are able to build on the project and widen its impact with a focus on young refugee, asylum-seeking and migrant women.”
Project outputs
The transnational strategic partnership will design and implement innovative practices and come up with a set of reference documents that will empower marginalised young people and increase the capacity of service providers, in the areas of integration, equity and inclusion, gender-based abuse and discrimination.
These resources include a free and user-led, face-to-face training package, a report on innovative educational and training practices in the participating countries and a book bringing together the three year learning and practical results which will be disseminated internationally.
The project will also improve services provided to young people, enabling them to acquire legal literacy skills in order for them to resolve daily issues.
We expect to help bring about institutional and cultural change, improve services provided to marginalised youth experiencing exclusion and discrimination, while fostering social equity and inclusion - Charity founder, Dr Theo Gavrielides
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