[About]

Illustration credits: Inês Oliveira @Ilustracionáro, à minha maneira 2015DSC09280.jpg

Lab of Collaborative Youth is a platform based on youth-driven codesign with the stakeholders of the local communities.

Mission  Establish a platform within the Framework in Active Citizenship: Active Learner is an Active Citizen* through:

/ Educational codesign programs in the school context;
/ Research through codesign;
/ Capacity-building initiatives;
/ Collaboration with local authorities in charge of youth policies and education;

Vision  Young people recognize the value in learning and self-organization. They are engaged and represented by themselves in the things that directly influence their wellbeings, such as education and youth policies. Bring new more inclusive education methodology to the school system and contribute to the reconstruction of youth policies for, with and by youth. Other stakeholders are being empowered throughout the process, too. They learnt how to transform their practice and further support youth by creating conditions for mutual empowerment.

Values  Collective learning opportunity and recognition of each other’s expertise. Young people perceived as equal citizens who can contribute to the society with their genuine role and agenda.

Principles  Voluntary, Learner-centered, Non-hierarchical, Based on individual needs, Empathic, Collaborative, Respectful, Transparent, Flexible/Phenomenological.

Partners PhDDesign International Program (U.Porto), Institute for Design, Media and Culture (ID+), UPTEC PINC, NGO MEDesTU, Artistic and Vocational School Árvore, Elementary School of the Second and Third Cycle of Miragaia, House of Youth NGOs – FAJDP, Elementary School of the Second and Third Cycle Maria Lamas.

*Framework in Active Citizenship: Active Learner is an Active Citizen is based on a learner-centered methodology in a safe learning environment. The process of co-creation one young individual together with the peers and adults can raise self-awareness towards oneself as a citizen through one’s identity as a learner. In Portugal, the schooling is mandatory until 12th grade or by turning 18 years, so youngsters of age 11 to 18 years have a duty and responsibility to master their learning by learning to learn. Thus, school is perceived as a window to society, and the time spent in its structure influences in a great matter the development of one individual. As such, school is the social space in which individual can get to know about oneself in a relation to others, grow the sense of belonging to the class, school, local, city, country and beyond and learn to become responsible for one’s lifelong learning.