UPSHIFT successfully held in Medjimurje County, with 6 teams winning financial and mentor support to realize their ideas
UPSHIFT is a part of activities within the EU Child Guarantee
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From October 8th to 10th, a three-day UPSHIFT workshop for young people was held in Prelog, in the heart of Medjimurje. The workshop was organized by the UNICEF Office for Croatia and the Croatian Office for Creativity and Innovation (HUKI), as part of the activities of the pilot programme EU Child Guarantee, funded by the European Union.
Ten teams consisted of young people aged 13 to 19 from Medjimurje County attended the workshop, while six selected teams won financial support in amount of 7,500 HRK and mentoring support for the realization of their ideas how to achieve positive change in their local community.:
Team 1: Ema H., Valentina I. and Elvira O. want to set up an information board in the Roma settlement in Pribislavec to facilitate the information for parents of Roma children about teaching and extracurricular activities.
Team 3: Kristina O., Leon. O., Maja O. and Patricija O. want to remodel an unused space for learning in the Roma settlement of Orehovica.
Team 6: Lara B., Hana K., Ena K., Hana R. and Nela P. want to reduce discrimination in III. Čakovec Primary School.
Team 7: Fran Š., Petar H., Tin F. and Luka K. want to solve the problem of energy inefficiency of Čakovec High School
Team 8: Dina A., Ana J., Lea D., Greta S. and Sara C. want to create an educational trail from the school to the Vrba pond.
Team 9: Nera H., Josip Z., Marija D., Nina P. and Bojan H. want to reduce the drop-out rate of young Roma from secondary education.
“I never felt better! I am very proud of my team. We will transform the unused space into a classroom, which the Roma students will be able to use for writing homework and learning as well as playing board games. We plan to celebrate our victory first, and then we will start with the preparations. Our mentor Marina Horvat from the Association of the Roma Youth Organization of Croatia and Siniša Musić, but also the Head of our Municipality”, said Kristina.
UPSHIFT is part of the activities within the pilot-programme EU Child Guarantee, namely Phase III: “Testing the Child Guarantee in Croatia”, carried out by the UNICEF Office for Croatia in cooperation with implementing partners in Medjimurje County, and funded by the European union. UPSHIFT is a three-day workshop that combines entrepreneurial and team spirit, innovation, and practical knowledge as well as mentoring support to address the challenges faced by young people in their local community. To participate in the workshop, young people gather teams of three to five members and describe the problem they want to solve in their application.
UPSHIFT is jointly implemented by the UNICEF Office for Croatia and the Croatian Office for Creativity and Innovation within the unique program for youth and adolescents ZABUM – For the future of young people. The aim of the workshop is cooperation between young people and mentors who pass on new knowledge and skills needed for analysing and solving problems by design-thinking method as well as independent development of positive change in society.
The pilot program „Phase III: Testing the Child Guarantee,” funded by the European Union, is implemented in 7 EU countries, with the aim of ensuring that all children have access to basic services, such as healthcare, education, nutritious food, quality housing and childcare.
In Croatia, this pilot program is aimed primarily at children with disabilities, children in precarious family situations, and children of racial or national minorities. It is implemented in seven municipalities of Medjimurje County, and through the cooperation and knowledge of implementing partners, interventions are carried out in three areas: integrated child protection and family support services, early childhood intervention services, and access to quality pre-primary education.
© UNICEF, 2021 “The information and views set out in this document are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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