Council of Europe (2010). T-Kit No. 11 : Mosaic : The Training Kit for Euro-Mediterranean Youth Work [book review]

Abstract

T-Kit No. 11 – Mosaic: The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean Youth Work (2010) is a thematic publication authored by experienced youth trainers and experts and constitutes an excellent resource for non formal educational activities. The tool kit is a laudable achievement in the youth field because it researches and proposes non formal educational methodologies reflecting the realities of young people in the 47 member states of the Council of Europe and the 10 MEDA countries. The task set for the authors was however challenging since the Euro-Mediterranean area is a diverse one. While the risk of falling into generalisation and stereotyping is always present in such an enormous task, this is skilfully avoided in the text. Written by a multidisciplinary team, the T-Kit is an excellent intercultural production which and explores issues that are relevant to the different social and cultural contexts in this region. This T-Kit provides those involved in youth work and training projects with tools to enable the young people they work with to participate most effectively within the projects they are engaged in. However the text is more than a collection of activities. It also provides theoretical discussion and critical engagement with several important themes and poses some poignant questions for reflection. It aims to enhance the exchange of experience and good practice in the youth field and, to this end, contributes towards the actualisation of the Council of Europe and European Commission Youth Partnership agreement ‘to promote active European citizenship and civil society by giving impetus to the training of youth leaders and youth workers working within a European dimension’. The training focus of the kit is on intercultural learning, citizenship and human rights education and provides youth workers, trainers and project leaders with both theoretical and practical tools to address the common issues faced by young people participating in Euro Mediterranean youth projects.