Art practitioners, educators and youth workers met in Senegal for the purposes of Youth Going Live (YOUGO) hosted by DECLIC in Dakar and Zhiguinchor. 35 participants from three (3) African countries (Senegal, Nigeria, Togo) and three (3) European countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Poland) followed the ten-day-training which aimed to promote intercultural learning and build capacities of youth organisations through performing arts and non-formal learning.
The first days of the training focused on collectively establishing a group agreement; setting ground rules on how the group would operate and proceed. Guided by the hosts, the participants were able to gain insights of the communities surrounding them and attend intimate gatherings and celebrations just before Ramadan. Attending traditional African dance workshops, visiting local communities and artists’ workshops were only among the highlights of the first part of the visit in Senegal.
The second part of the training, held in Ziguinchor, shifted the attention to the necessity of systematising and professionalising youth work. DECLIC welcomed the group to their offices showcasing their work on reaching out to the surrounding community and promoting the social and educational development of youngsters through performing arts. The participants discussed extensively the ways into which the professional development of youth workers and the creation of networks can benefit the sector altogether but also the local communities and their youth.
Next thing to keep an eye for; a series of Art-Residencies taking place in the participating countries via mobilising African and European performers and practitioners.
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