JouwDelft Youth Conference

Thursday 29th Nov 2012

From November 19th until the 24th Darlington sent over a team of young people to help improve the current economical issue of European wide of youth unemployment.

The team consisted of Jay Burgess, 20, Amanda Atkinson, 18, Katie Mummery, 14 and Matthew Mason, 22.

Everyday the congress participants, of whom there were around 60 present, were divided into smaller groups to help find possible solutions that could benefit Europe’s structure of education and workmanship. Once these groups were done the whole congress came together to share these thoughts.

The JouwDelft team, which brought 9 countries together for this congress, had planned the activities that were to be done day by day. After the days work they had set up an activity that would help bring the group together and help boost international relations.

Matthew Mason, who had shared his personal story of unemployment on the first night said, “I believe it helped to get a story out and show the other participants what the problem is over in the UK.

“Once I said my piece and a couple of others shared their stories it was startling to learn about the various situations young people are in”

The various activities that the congress had taken part in was: bowling, dancing and attended a music session. The general feedback from the group were of a positive manner and the whole congress was deemed a success by name.

Once the week had been complete the work was all handed in the JouwDelft team have been working hard since to create a final resolution document of which they are hoping to take to the European union in Brussels.

Following the weeks work and they had returned to Darlington the team have been hard at work giving presentations and telling the groups that funded the trip what and how the team got on with their personal experiences.

Another project after meeting with MEP Stephen Hughes has begun to implement some of these potential solutions on a more local scale and having potential meetings with the necessary people.

Report By: Jay Burgess

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