Date: 10 March 2025
Location: Mikkeli, Finland
Host organization: South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (XAMK)
The Youth Work in Schools (YWIS) project partners met in Mikkeli, Finland, on 10 March 2025, to review the project’s progress and plan upcoming activities. The meeting, held at XAMK’s campus, gathered representatives from Finland, Greece, Portugal, and Estonia, focusing on the development of the project’s digital learning tools, creative publications, and dissemination efforts.
The session opened with welcoming words from Marita Mattila and Veronica Hellström, who emphasized the importance of completing all project tasks on schedule as the YWIS initiative moves toward its final stages.
💶 Financial and Reporting Updates
The Finnish coordination team, led by Saila Heiskanen, provided an overview of the project’s financial reporting. Partners were reminded that all working days should be used by 30 June 2025, and the final financial reports must be submitted by 31 July 2025. No major issues were identified in financial management, reflecting smooth progress across work packages.
🖋️ Creative Publications and Media Outputs
Each partner is preparing four creative outputs (blogs, vlogs, or podcasts), one for each of the project’s core themes: Democratic Education, Well-being, Community Engagement, and Sustainable Development.
Written materials are currently undergoing language editing, and partners were asked to submit their finalized texts by 25 March 2025.
💻 E-Learning Platform Development
The University of Thessaly (Greece) presented an update on the YWIS e-learning platform, built on Moodle. The platform was successfully installed and configured to host the project’s two main online courses:
- Course 1: History of Youth Working (Portugal), Social Sciences and Youth Work (Greece), Youth Work Ethos (Finland), and Non-formal Learning (Estonia)
- Course 2: Youth Work and Democratic Education (Greece), Strengthening the Sense of Community (Finland), Sustainable Development (Portugal), and Youth Work and Well-being (Estonia)
Each partner has contributed multimedia-rich lessons, including videos, interactive presentations, and self-assessment tools. The first complete draft of all online courses is expected by 10 April 2025, after which a review phase will begin to test functionality and ensure a smooth user experience.
📄 Research and Dissemination
The Greek team announced that their academic article on youth work in schools has been submitted for peer review, marking a key milestone in the project’s research dissemination.
The Estonian team outlined plans for May 2025, designated as the project’s dissemination month. Each partner will publish at least five social media posts showcasing project results, success stories, and youth engagement activities.
🏫 School Visit and Closing Remarks
To conclude the meeting, participants visited Saimaanportti School in Mikkeli to observe Finnish approaches to youth work in educational settings. The visit provided valuable insights into practical ways to integrate non-formal learning in schools.
“The project is now entering its final and most creative phase. The digital platform and publications will ensure that YWIS leaves a long-term impact on youth work and education across Europe,” said Marita Mattila, meeting host from XAMK.
The next project meeting will take place online in June 2025, focusing on the completion of online courses and preparations for the project’s final reporting.