Web platform "Further together" to unite the Erasmus students and organizations around Europe
Our platform aims to revolutionize the way NGOs, and students collaborate on youth projects. By providing a centralized hub for communication and collaboration, we aim to streamline the process of finding partners and volunteers for Erasmus+ projects. Currently, the calls for volunteers and partners are scattered across various Facebook groups, making it difficult to find the right opportunities and partners. With Further Together, we aim to make this process much easier.
Cross-border/international
North Macedonia
Romania
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
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As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): NGO Further Together Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Renata Last name of representative: Penchova Age: 24 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Gender: Female Nationality: orth Macedonia Function: project coordinator Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Probishtipska 19 Town: Shtip Postal code: 2 000 Country: North Macedonia Direct Tel:+389 70 744 235 E-mail:renatapencova@yahoo.com Website:https://www.instagram.com/furthertogether.eu/
This project is of huge importance as we believe that helping NGOs connect with volunteers would make for a better society as we would have more youngsters who are thinking socially and are active as volunteers which would be beneficiary for society as a whole.
We have foreseen a need for a web platform where anyone can search for youth projects according to their interests and criteria. The problem with these projects is that they are hard to find because if you want to participate in one you must find exactly the right one that has an NGO as a partner organization from your own country. These youth projects are usually posted on Facebook, a heavily saturated social media, where it is hard to find a project with exact criteria that you can meet initially before the long process of applying begins. So, the idea is to organize all that information into a single web platform where anyone can filter the projects according to their interests and have a more clear view of the intellectual outputs of the Erasmus projects. Through our experience, we saw that some NGO organizations manipulate and use these European funds, but the results for youth are very small.
So, our platform will not only enable young people to search for education projects more easily, but it will also enable the connection of young people from European countries, who have similar interests and for whom this platform would enable their further cooperation, they will have a personal account and have a chance to join to different groups. Of course, they will jointly cherish European values and will be useful for creating a better society. The other benefit is for the non-governmental organizations themselves, who could search here for their partner organizations, which would be the most suitable for the chosen topic according to their expertise. This would be a toll to find the "perfect match" for your project.
youth
Erasmus
volunteering
networking
exchange knowledge
In addition to these efforts towards economic, educational, and social sustainability, the platform also has an environmental component. By reducing the use of paper, through the centralization of reimbursement tickets and forms, the platform makes it easier for organizations to review and process payment requests. This not only reduces waste but also provides a more streamlined and efficient process for all involved parties.
Moreover, the platform will also include a policy officer from each National agency who will have direct contact with the participants. This allows for easier monitoring and follow-up, reducing the risk of manipulation of EU funds by NGOs and ensuring the fair distribution of resources.
Additionally, the platform will offer various resources and opportunities to help the community grow and connect. The "Erasmus Library" will provide a space for students to share their knowledge and experience, while the ability to create personal accounts will allow users to share their stories and connect with others who share similar interests. The potential for job positions, such as career advisors and psychologists, will also provide valuable support for users and contribute to the overall success of the platform.
The key objectives of the concept in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people are networking, sharing European values.
Our proposed web-platform aims to provide an exceptional experience for individuals interested in participating in youth projects in Europe. Our objectives are to facilitate networking and promote European values through an organized and accessible platform. Users will be able to create their own accounts and access a comprehensive database of youth projects in Europe. With tens of thousands of projects and hundreds of thousands of participants, the NGO sector is facing an unorganized market, making it difficult for individuals to find relevant projects. Our platform will solve this issue by enabling users to search, filter, add, and modify project information, providing a user-friendly solution to finding relevant projects based on interests, skills, and goals. Our platform will also fight discrimination by providing access to anyone with internet access, bridging the gap between individuals and the projects that will help them grow and develop. Our platform will provide a unique and exceptional experience for users, enabling them to discover and engage with youth projects efficiently and effectively.
Our concept revolves around the idea of inclusivity, making sure that everyone has access to the same opportunities, regardless of their background or circumstances. We have taken great care to ensure that our platform is accessible to everyone, regardless of their level of technical expertise or financial situation. This includes making sure that the platform is easily navigable, user-friendly, and affordable. In terms of inclusive governing systems, we have designed the platform to be democratic and participatory, giving all users an equal voice. Design for all principles are at the forefront of our concept, ensuring that the platform accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. If we take into account all active entities that are involved in the whole Erasmus+ program which includes primary and secondary schools, universities, NGOs, volunteers, youth workers, youth participants, and policy makers, there are over million entities that are somehow working within the Erasmus program. So for that in the future, other features we plan on adding such as including schools, universities, and government institutions and creating an eco-system, platform, which would enable better communication between youngsters, youth workers, non-government, and government institutions to work together to implement projects which would benefit the local and regional society and environment. As we mentioned we already have a proof-of-concept which is a web platform with more than 120 non-government organizations who enlisted themselves and entrusted their information to us and are willing to start cooperating with other NGOs or start searching for youth workers, volunteers, and participants on youth projects. All of these objectives have been met through careful planning and research, and our platform can be seen as a model for inclusivity in the context of web platforms. By providing equal opportunities for everyone, we believe to create inclusive society.
Citizens and civil society play a crucial role in the success of our concept. We believe that by involving these stakeholders in the development and implementation of the platform, we can create a solution that is tailored to the needs and wants of the community. To involve citizens and civil society, we have taken a participatory approach, encouraging them to provide feedback, share their experiences, and contribute to the design and implementation of the platform.
The involvement of citizens and civil society has also helped to build trust in the platform, by demonstrating that it is created for and by the community. This has led to a greater sense of ownership and a more engaged user base, which is essential for the long-term success of the platform. In terms of impact, the involvement of citizens and civil society we plan to offer different segments for involvement as a mentorship program ( where they can search and ask for advice on their models about career and the way to pursue their goals), Erasmusurfing ( opportunity to offer, host homestay with Erasmus people who are interested to travel) and the toll called “Green transport” challenge ( to put the kilometers passed with a green transport while traveling for Erasmus exchange or other and to collect points) and the initiative "Volunteering clock" (collecting points based on their volunteering hours, which will be validated by the NGO organizations). Through the "Green Transport" challenge, young people can collect points for utilizing eco-friendly transportation and have a chance to win symbolic awards from partnering companies. The most important is that the youngsters will share news from their local communities to inform the global European society and that is the way to be connected. Overall, the involvement of citizens and civil society is crucial to the success of our concept.
The engagement of different stakeholders at various levels, from local to European, has been essential to the success of our concept. By involving these stakeholders, we have been able to ensure that the platform is inclusive, responsive, and relevant to the needs of the community. At the local level, we engaged with individuals and students, seeking their feedback and ideas on how the platform could better meet their needs. We contacted our Erasmus friends and partners that could contribute to the idea. This helped to ensure that the platform was accessible and relevant to the needs of the community, leading to a greater uptake of the solution. At the regional level, we engaged with regional authorities, seeking their support and feedback on the platform. This helped to ensure that the platform was aligned with regional priorities and that it could be integrated into regional initiatives, particularly in promoting the Western Balkans.
At the national level, we plan to engage with national authorities, especially the National agencies for mobility and the Erasmus program. With their support, it will be easier for us to search and connect with NGO organizations. Also, will help us to ensure that the platform is aligned with national priorities and that it could be integrated into national initiatives. At the European level, we plan to engage with European authorities and stakeholders, which are responsible for youth and the Erasmus program, we plan to connect with the European institutions, which can additionally encourage us and the platform to be aligned with European priorities and that it could be integrated into European initiatives. By engaging with stakeholders at different levels, we are able to create a platform that is tailored to the needs of the community, leading to a greater impact and a more sustainable solution. The platform could be inclusive, responsive, and impactful, benefiting the community as a whole.
The design and development of our concept was a collaborative effort that involved a wide range of disciplines and knowledge fields such as youth work, the Erasmus program, and mobility, IT science and data, career advising, etc. This interdisciplinary approach allowed us to bring together a diverse range of perspectives, ensuring that our platform was comprehensive, well-rounded, and effective. The interaction between these different disciplines and knowledge fields was key to the success of our concept. By working together, we were able to share their perspectives, overcome challenges, and find innovative solutions. The expertise of each discipline was leveraged to ensure that the platform was accessible, user-friendly, and tailored to the needs of the community.
The interdisciplinary approach to the design and development of our concept has been a critical factor in its success and development.
Our concept covers many aspects as environmental, social, and educational. Regarding the environment, the most important is the challenge called "Green transport". Once fully integrated with all of the features we have planned to integrate into the platform, it would have a huge environmental impact as it will reduce paper usage by NGO organizations for their documentation as we plan to digitalize many processes that now are only wasting paper for documents such as travel documents, notes, etc. The social impact would also be huge as it would eliminate discrimination based on lack of information, economic status, race, and gender as it is present now in mild form due to a lack of knowledge within these communities and people. Another huge sphere that would be impacted would be the employment of new workers directly to the organization, but also indirectly as it would help organizations NGOs create more projects thus more project managers would be needed, but also mixed with the social impact we would create a huge number of youngsters who would work as volunteers thus having a greater social impact in the society as well.
The platform would fill in the need of having a centralized data center for all NGOs, projects, and youth workers. Unique UI & UX design with an algorithm that presents filtered information to the user’s interests is a value proposition. Non-governmental organizations, youth workers, and youngsters. The potential size of the entities involved in the Erasmus+ program is more than one million. The educational aspect of the concept is to motivate young people to study abroad, discover other cultures, and learn true European values. We want to create an "Erasmus library", which will collect the intellectual outputs from projects and resources for self-development and the mentorship program. We plan to establish an Erasmus European Academy, where young people can share their opinions on creating a united Europe.
Creating a strong virtual Erasmus community can serve as a model for replicating and transferring these initiatives to other communities around the world. By fostering a sense of belonging and unity, we can create a global network of young people working together to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and create a better future for all. Networking and creating a strong virtual Erasmus community can be a powerful tool in unifying different European cultures and communities. By providing a platform for individuals to discover, accept and belong to each other, we can create a sense of unity and belonging that transcends national borders. This sense of belonging is crucial as it empowers young people to work together and create positive change in the world.
The "Green Transport" challenge is an innovative way to motivate young people to adopt more sustainable modes of transportation, reducing their carbon footprint and promoting environmentally conscious behavior. This challenge serves as a catalyst for young people to become active members of society and give back to their communities.
Volunteering is an excellent way to encourage young people to become engaged in their communities and make a positive impact. With the "Volunteering Clock" initiative, we aim to increase the number of volunteer applications, thus challenging organizations to make the right selections and diversifying the participants involved in their local and international activities. This will create a more inclusive and diverse community that represents the different voices and perspectives of young people from all walks of life.
The concept is addressing global challenges such as climate change, democracy, and managing the digital revolution. Additionally, the platform could be used to organize community initiatives and encourage local involvement in addressing environmental concerns., connected to the challenge of "Green transport". The virtual Erasmus community could also be a great platform for young people to share their ideas and experiences on a global scale and inspire each other to take action.
Moreover, the platform could provide a space for young people to connect with NGOs and participate in projects that align with their interests and skills. This could help bridge the gap between organizations and young people, allowing them to work together towards a common goal. Furthermore, the platform could provide a digital portfolio of the participants' experiences and achievements, helping them to build their professional profile and increase their chances of employment.
In conclusion, the platform could serve as a valuable tool in addressing global challenges and promoting sustainable development. By providing a virtual space for young people to connect, learn, and take action, it could help inspire them to make a positive impact on the world and shape their future.
