The Network of Youth Engagement - Katerini

National Network
Greece
Address

Kountouriotou 12B
60100 Katerini
Greece

Telephone
+306989006457
E-Mail
info@diktyo-katerini.gr
E-Mail (2)
international@diktyo-katerini.gr
E-Mail (3)
president@diktyo-katerini.gr
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2018
Fields of Activity
  1. Democracy and community development
  2. Environment/Sustainable development
  3. Heritage
  4. Human rights
  5. International/Cultural relations
  6. Youth and education
General Information
Youth association consisted of 90 young volunteers age 18-30 Located in Katerini, Pieria, Greece Being operated by five board members and specific organizing committees Sources of funding: member fees, donations and public grants The projects are structured based on the following five thematic pillars Active citizenship Sustainable development Culture & Sports Education Phenomena of social pathogenesis  Based on those pillars we have designed and implemented the following projects:  City’s council simulation for the youth Public Consultation for the Greek National Youth Strategy 2017-2027 Youth City Council in Thessaloniki Participatory budgeting for the youth in Thessaloniki Public youth consultation for the city branding of Katerini Environmental actions including cleaning beaches and forests European Youth Mobility Projects  Partners:  Municipality of Katerini  Europe Goes Local  The informal network of youth local initiatives in Greece
Mission and Objectives

The main aim of our association is to create a safe environment for the youth of our community to interact and participate in the social and political reality of our city. In the direction of achieving this purpose, we design our projects based on the following guidelines: 
Objective n.1 : The research and development of proposals from Katerini’s young citizens regarding their needs and their ideas towards a more youth-friendly and sustainable city. Through this mechanism, we aim to create and publicize a youth agenda. 
Objective n.2: The active participation of the youth in the political scene of the city through projects and tools, which familiarize them with the concept of democracy and the decision-making process. This process is enhancing the opportunity of the youth to express their opinion and have an active role in reforming the society. 
Objective n.3: The promotion of a multicultural approach am the amplification of intercultural dialogue through European mobility projects, and international conferences and the exchange of good practises in an international level. 
Objective n.4: The creation of a safe environment which endeavours the design and implementation of ideas which are conceived by our members. At the same time through the process, we aim at developing the skills, competencies and theoretical background of our members in an approachable way.
Objective n.5: The promotion of the idea of a youth-friend, innovative, open-minded society.

Main Projects / Activities

Youth Consultation on City Branding
The Youth Consultation on City Branding is an action to identify strategic development proposals for the city branding and it took place in Katerini on March 23, 2019.
The young people expressed their ideas and suggestions during the discussion in which there was the presence of members of a Scientific Committee who submitted their own thoughts on the following topics:
1. Marketing and Branding as a Tool for the Development of the Cities of Pieria (architecture, urban design, communication design, logo design)
2. Participatory Design in shaping the brand/image of a City
3. Wine - Gastronomic routes
4. Religious tourism in Pieria
5. Monuments, Branding and Cultural Heritage Sites as  Means of Promoting Local Identity
6. City Branding through Festivals: Cultural Heritage, Creativity and Cultural Entities as elements of the brand of the cities
7. The role of media in shaping an image for a destination
8. Digital Cultural Design - Smart Cities
9. The prospects of highlighting Katerini's refugee status
10. Social innovation, solidarity policies and volunteering as a means of promoting a city
11. Sport as a mean of promoting an area
 
Youth Public Consultation in the framework of the National Youth Strategy 17-27
Starting in March 2018, in cooperation with the General Secretariat for Youth, we conducted a Youth Public Consultation in the framework of the National Youth Strategy 17-27 in Katerini. The participants expressed their views and commented on the priorities of the plan for that time frame of the National Youth Strategy, which was then voted on and ratified by the Greek Parliament.
The Municipal Youth Council of Thessaloniki
The Municipal Youth Council of Thessaloniki gives the chance to 15-30-year-old residents of the Municipality of Thessaloniki to take initiatives and become active through a standardized process designed by the Network of Youth Engagement - Katerini in collaboration with the Community Enterprise of Thessaloniki Municipality. Participants are able to propose and discuss issues affecting the entire youth population of Thessaloniki. Following the discussion, the topics are submitted to the Community Enterprise of Thessaloniki Municipality and presented to the Municipal Council in a consultative manner so as to effectively organize youth-relative events and activities.
SYN-THESIS | Municipal Council Simulation 
SYN-THESIS | Municipal Council Simulation of Katerini is a conference aiming at bringing youth in touch with the institutional procedures of the Municipal Council. It has been taking place for three consecutive years in Katerini, aiming at young people, high school students and public or resident students of Katerini up to 23 years old. By familiarizing them with the ways that the municipality operates, participants get to know the decision-making process, while acquiring administrative roles giving them the opportunity to discuss and decide on a virtual level on various issues related to local governance.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

We aim to contribute to the network through the following means: 
Cooperation with members of the Anna Lindh foundation in a direction of exchanging good practises and implementation of projects. 
Design and implementation relevant to the values of the foundation projects in local & national level based on the needs of each specific target group.
The familiarization of the youth of provincial urban areas with the vision of the foundation. 
The provision of our creative capital and human resources in the implementation of various projects of the foundation.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

Our association aims at long-lasting partnerships with reliable members of social and civic society which work towards a more sustainable and fair tomorrow. The vision of the foundation, as well as the quality of the implemented projects, demonstrate an actual impact. Besides that, it is really important the exchange of good practices in multidimensional level. Last but not least, we aim at presenting a new perspective to the youth of our community and our participation in the foundation is enhancing and broadening the horizon of Katerini’s young citizens. 
 

Contact (1) Full Name
Georgios Papageorgiou
Job Title
President of the Board
Head of the organisation
Georgios Papageorgiou
Contact (2) Full Name
Sofia Melissourgou
Job Title (2)
Vice President of International Relationships