JuniorXpress (A youth-led civic coaching driver for enhanced child-owned local governance)

"The Smile of the Child" is participating as a partner in the project "JuniorXpress (A youth-led civic coaching driver for strengthened local self-government)," which is funded by the European Union. The project is coordinated by the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government (E.E.T.A.A.) S.A, with a start date of February 20, 2023, and an end date of February 19, 2025.

The purpose of the JuniorXpress Project is to promote a child-friendly local governance, placing emphasis on elementary and middle school students, as well as children and teenagers at risk of poverty and social exclusion. This is achieved through the utilization of 6 Municipal Councils in the country (the municipalities of Larisa, Pangaio, Kavala, Thessaloniki, Thermi, and Volvi) and their connection with 9 Greek municipalities.

The main implementation axes of the JuniorXpress Project are:

- Investigation of the needs of local governance to respond to the needs and priorities of children in the management of local affairs and decision-making processes that affect their lives.

- Training of young people - members of the 6 Youth Municipal Councils: provision of knowledge on issues of protection and promotion of child rights in the design, implementation and evaluation of local policies - development of leadership, mentoring/guidance, and advocacy skills.

- Consultation of trained young people with elementary and middle school students from their home municipalities - role modeling: strengthening the dynamics of the Student Committees of the Youth Municipal Councils - motivation/inspiration for claiming participation in local decision-making processes.

- Mentoring by young women and men to children and teenagers, aged 11 to 16, of their municipalities who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion: strengthening their collective identity, empowerment, claiming their visibility as equal members of local societies and competent managers of local affairs

- Exchange of knowledge and sharing of proven challenges for the implementation of a child-friendly local governance, among the 6 municipalities of origin of the trained young people and 9 Greek municipalities that support the Project - Emphasis on the transfer of good practices from municipalities participating in UNICEF's "Child-Friendly Cities" Initiative (CFCI).

- Submission of policy recommendations to the Greek State and the European Commission.

33The Project is supported by the Ministry of Justice, the General Secretariat of Vocational Education, Training, Lifelong Learning and Youth of the Ministry of Education and Religions, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), UNICEF Office in Greece, and the 9 municipalities of Eastern Samos, Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni, Veria, Ioannina, Komotini, Neapoli-Sykies, Palaio Faliro, Pylaia-Chortiatis and Trikala.

The project consortium is composed by the following partner organizations: the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government (Project Coordinator), the University of Western Attica / Department of Social Work, ActionAid Hellas, The Smile of the Child, Municipality of Larissa, Municipality of Pangeo, Municipality of Kavala, Municipality of Thermi, Municipality of Volvi and the Public Municipal Enterprise of Thessaloniki.

For more information about the project and its deliverables please contact via e-mail at: projects@hamogelo.gr

Funded by the “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV)” program of the European Union.