Bob Arnkil Gothenburg September 2009

1. MY GENERATION PRODUCT LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGY Bob Arnkil Gothenburg September 2009 The My Generation project has been co-financed by the European Regional Development Funds, through the URBACT II Operational Programme.

2. PRODUCT LANDSCAPE Product = ”social innovation” = good practice

3. Educational community ACTORS The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices Local community Business community Promoting positive life transitions Good practices: OUTREACH > CAPABILITIES/EDUCATION >WORK/ SELF RELIANCE

4. Coordinating the whole, establishing new contacts, making good practice known and influencial Educational community and actors Connection to demand and business, providing perspectives, hands-on counselling, guidance and drop out prevention, enhancing employability The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices Business and employment community and actors Local community and actors Real input in design, execution and evaluation of activities, making the positive input of young visible Upstream involvement, providing perpectives to demand, engaging in enhancing employability, providing practice Providing ”doors” to positive activity, recreation & community engagement, champions, role models… Inactivity > positive activity > capability building > training/ education/practice > employment

5. Looking for Good Practices In engaging with those young who are ”hard to reach” and promoting positive transitions towards self reliance Working with local communities to establish this In transforming education to be better geared towards the lifestyles, aspirations and life-based learning of the young – and towards the demands of working life In establishing new connections between the young, communities, education and business In lifting the ”youth cause” on city agendas and establishing better coodination of interventions

6. MY GENERATION PRODUCT AND GOOD PRACTICE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMING EDUCATION Mainstream Formal Formal knowledge Incubators) TRANSITION TO WORKING LIFE Events Arenas Platforms Guidance/One stop shops (Drasyna) OUTREACH Events Arenas Platforms Communityschools Events Arenas Platforms World Worth Living Informal Life based Streetfootball From ”puzzlement” via mediation and co-creation…… …to self reliance

7. PRODUCT ECOLOGY Transforming our perception of products/ good practices

8. We need to transform our understanding of good practice and products • Good practice exists on many levels and in many forms. Quite often only the ”tip of the iceberg” is revealed and the different levels are not spelled out clearly • > We need a new kind of ”product ecology” so that we capture this better • 2) Good practice is always – at the end of the day – situated, local practice – so it has to be actively adapted/ modified/ learned in the particular context • > We need a new kind of learning process – enhanced with the new product ecology – to transfer good practice/products better

9. Forms/ or ”modes” of good practice/ product

10. Understanding/ approaching good practice and products Gives the basicconcepts, organises action, helpsplanning and organising Rational Plans Learning scripts Life stories Reveals ”how it was actually done and with whom” so that it is easier to reproduce Resonates to people’s lives, intuitive, helps to relate, to approach, to be interested

11. ”Tip of the iceberg” ”Management/ expert language: If only this is given, it is hard to understand/ approach/ reproduce Rational Plans Learning scripts Life stories Thesecan help to transfer the practice/ product Ifonlythis is given, it is hard to see the forestfrom the trees

12. PPlans Scripts Stories PPlans Scripts Stories Context B Learning process Context A

13. LEVELS OF PRODUCTS/ GOOD PRACTICE

14. Levels of good practice Good practice All levels must be addressed – otherwise the practice ”evaporates”

15. Product Ecology as a Matrix

16. Product ecology:Different modes and levels of product and tool existence Management/ governance products and tools in three forms: plan, learning plan and lively illustrations ”Middle management” products and tools in three forms: plans, learning plans and convincing illustrations ”Street level” products and tools in three forms: plans, learning programmes and lively illustrations

17. Product Ecology/ Group discussion brief • Use the Product Ecology Matrix as a ”mapping tool” • Start with one case example • First the ”owners of the case reflect: which levels does the case address? Where are its strong/ weak points? What are the next challenges? > then others join in with questions and comments comments • Second, the owners reflect on in which ”forms” does the case exist – do you have plans, manuscripts, learning stories, video…… > others join in with questions and comments • Try to roughly ”draw” on the matrix how the case now exists • Take another case… and now do the same with ”cutting corners” • Ideally each city case gets an opportunity to be discussed

18. MY GENERATION FIRST PHASE: ANCHORING/FOCUS IN CITY CONTEXT Halfway in Riga Jan 2010 SECOND PHASE: NETWORK LEARNING 1. CITY REPORTS/STATUS 2. CITY REPORTS/STATUS CITY REPORTS/FINAL GOOD PRACTICE CANDIDATES JOINT PRODUCTS GOOD PRACTICES/PRODUCTS LAP AND LSG START ”LAP MAP” LAPS

19. 2009 2010 2011… Network Sept 09 (with empl.) Gothenb. Steering group 09 May 09 (with Outreach) Glasgow Network ”halfway house” Jan 10 Riga Network closure Feb 11 Antwerp Network Jan 2009 Patras MG network level: the whole/ good practice of coordination (built around overall reflection) COORDINATION LESSONS Youth event April 2009 Rotterdam Employment review Sept 09 + hosting peer ws + network Gothenburg Employment report Oct 10 +hosting peer ws Valencia EDU-EMPLOYMENT LESSONS, case reports, methods Thematic level: good practices in Outreach and Edu-Empl. (built around peer reviews & task visits Outreach review May 2009 + hosting peer ws + steering group Glasgow Outreach report May 10 + hosting ws Gdansk OUTREACH LESSONS, case reports, methods 1. City Progress report Final City Report, with LAP-draft + final Nov-Dec 10 Operational level: City projects (built around LSG+network+ LAP FUTURE WORKSHOPS JAN- MARCH 09 2. City Progress report CITY PROJECTS LSG meetings LSG meetings LSG meetings LSG meetings

20. MY GENERATION PRODUCT AND GOOD PRACTICE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMING EDUCATION Mainstream Formal Formal knowledge Incubators) TRANSITION TO WORKING LIFE Events Arenas Platforms Guidance/One stop shops (Drasyna) coordination OUTREACH Events Arenas Platforms Communityschools Events Arenas Platforms World Worth Living Informal” Streetfootball From ”puzzlement” via mediation and co-creation…… …to self reliance

21. Coordination • Activities and actors concerning youth are now fragmented • Of particular interest for us are actors and activities concerning outreach and education/employment • ”Defragmentation = better coordination = better connectedness of activities and actors concerning the young as a resourse of cities • Better coordination (= new/better connectedness) is a key outcome of MG in all cities

22. BETTER COORDINATION (”CREATING WELL CONNECTED SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT GENERATE TRUST” in practice can mean • - establishing new connections where they now don’t exist • - strenghtening weaks connections • - revitalising existing ones • healing broken ones • ….

23. Each city has its particular challenges concerning the coordination of actors and activities Establishing a new platform for a new activities – establishing a ”node” to coordinate better existing activities with some new activities > FOCUS > WHAT IS RELEVANT/MAKES A DIFFERENCE Derived from this MG can serve a different purpose in the cities (the importance/role as a platform of connections) The conclusions of coordination are based on the MG experiences of working with these (and also other) actors and activities

24. Educational community and actors YOUR UNIQUE AND LOCALLY RELEVANT LOCAL ACTION PLAN ADDRESSING THIS BETTER CONNECTED TO DEMAND, YOUTH LIFESTYLES AND LIFE-BASED LEARNING The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices Business community and actors Local community and actors BETTER CONNECTED TO EDUCATION, YOUTH LIFESTYLES AND LIFE-BASED LEARNING REAL ROLE AND ENGAGEMENT OF THE YOUNG BETTER CONNECTED TO YOUTH LIFESTYLES AND LIFE-BASED LEARNING PROMOTING POSITIVE LIFE TRANSITIONS

25. Product ecology: Different modes and levels of good practice/product existence

26. ENRICHING THE QUALITY OF YOUR SOCIAL FIELD = NEW CONNECT-IONS TRANS-FORMING YOUR ”ECOSYSTEM OF KNOWLEDGE” = LEARNING SPACES TRANSFORMATIONS TRANS-FORMING YOUR PRODUCT ECOLOGY SUSTAINING YOUR ACTIONS = LAP AS A ROADMAP

27. THANKS!

28. Lessons from City Progress Reports Even more practical: Consistent – but further focus and translation to practical activities is needed Inspirational: The work of MG (Participation/Patras, Youth/Rotterdam, Outreach/Glasgow has been inspirational for the cities, in terms of transforming workshops, being creative, adopting a more “hands on” approach Young as real partners: Particularly delighting is that real youth participation has been put more clearly on all agendas Enrichment and evolution of LSG:s. Finding natural roles. The business community is the weakest link, and needs creative attention in all cities Local Action Plan (LAP) progress: Most of the cities are here in a “mapping phase”. Particularly important is to find a real role and input from the youth perspective Ambassadors: In order to get the young aboard, a very intensive and “hands on” approach is needed, finding young “ambassadors”, inspiring them, finding real activities, and building on that. Linking education better to working life in all aspects – curriculum, transition from education to employment comes out strongly MG has been a platform, catalyst and facilitiator of new connections in all cities Realising potential by “small concrete successes” and milestones to celebrate and use them as examples for getting focus and finding the “breakthrough points” where MG can make a difference. Learning from others – studying the reports and feedback of others

29. Coordinating the whole, establishing new contacts, making good practice known and influencial Educational community and actors Connection to demand and business, providing perspectives, hands-on counselling, guidance and drop out prevention, enhancing employability The Young Promoting positive potential, image, lifestyles and choices Business and employment community and actors Local community and actors Real input in design, execution and evaluation of activities, making the positive input of young visible Upstream involvement, providing perpectives to demand, engaging in enhancing employability, providing practice Providing ”doors” to positive activity, recreation & community engagement, champions, role models… Inactivity > positive activity > capability building > training/ education/practice > employment

30. MG WORKING MARTIX: KEY ITEMS RUNNING THROUGH ALL ACTIVITIES AND REPORTING OF MG • NEEDS, IDEAS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE ACTORS/ STAKEHOLDERS • NEW CONNECTIONS AND ACTION • MAKING A DIFFERENCE: WHAT WORKS • SURPRISES, BARRIERS, AND NEGOTIATING THEM • KEY LEARNING POINTS, LOCAL AND TRANSNATIONAL • CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, NEXT STEPS

31. THE MG WORKING MATRIX 

32. CITY PROGRESS REPORTS • 1. City, name and contact information of the person(s) providing the report • 2. Main themes addressed • 3. Local Support Group progress • 4. Local Action Plan progress • 5. Overall assessment of new/better contacts and coordination • A. Use and Complete the My Generation MATRIX for the work you performed in your Local Support Group. • B. Is there progress in new/better contacts on the youth issues you are addressing? Where have you made most significant progress? How are the decision makers involved? • 6. Youth engagement • 7. Local community engagement • 8. Educational community engagement • 9. Business community engagement • 10. Local authority engagement • Political decision maker engagement • 12. Other, what • Possible other actors relevant in your city you have engaged with • 13. Possible visits to other MY GENERATION projects • 14. What material have you assembled on your MG? Have you kept a ”MG diary”? • 15. Overall assessment of progress in your MG project • Where do you feel you are making good progress? What obstacles have you met? How could you improve? • 16. Questions and requests for MY GENERATION • ANNEX • Entries and material of MY DIARY, as it has developed so far