Keep on zooming

Initially portrayed as the “success story”, Latvia and Riga in particular has recently also experienced terrifying spread of infection, restrictions and struggles. Recognising the privileged position I am talking from, I have to admit that going remote, trying to find purpose and difference in oh-so-similar days has brought some conclusions and new initiatives in our youth work.

For us (Youth Division of the Riga City Council) inclusion and cooperation are not just guiding elements in our Riga City Youth Work Plan for 2019-2023, but also helpful daily principles.

We try to learn more about the needs of young people. Currently Riga Pupils’ council and the Department are working together with a researcher to create a survey for youth. The process itself is very involving – brainstorming ideas, learning how surveys are created – and we put big emphasis on reaching diverse young people.

We create activities that might not have happened otherwise. To create something more meaningful and regular, we developed the “Lab of pupils’ councils” online where pupils and their consultants connect every 2 weeks for few hours to learn more about the functions and development of pupils’ councils. As homework they explore the opinion of other pupils and reflect on their learning (badgecraft.eu). In the end of the course, we will meet with the mayor to represent these ideas and challenges.

To support youth organisations during the pandemics Riga Youth centre “Kaņieris” organises a cycle of activities on digital youth work (and other crucial topics, such as mental health, financial management and teamwork).

by Brigita Medne | bmedne3@edu.riga.lv

We continue supporting and encouraging the initiatives of young people. Riga Pupils’ Council continues to work in amazing ways: offering online discussions on quality of education, creating Instagram LIVE sessions on diversity and stereotypes, offering remote school visits. They also participated in a parliamentary session on exam-related topics, commented the law proposal on remote learning in the future, and much more.

We cooperate internationally. In the beginning of the pandemic, we submitted a youth workers’ mobility together with Kolding and Kiel on diversity and representation - this autumn will bring us our first (probably remote) youth workers’ training. Check out the new Erasmus+ and ESC programmes for yourself also!

Let’s keep zooming in and out of our work to better evaluate and develop it - to support diversity, to encourage involvement and to try to support those who need it the most!