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The network of Research and Practice in Dialogue generates important insights for the fields of International Youth Work and provides an unique opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange between science and practice. Participants engaging in the network derive added value for their own activities from this exchange. With two digital network events in spring and summer, as well as an analog project workshop in autumn, all individuals interested in the network are invited to gather information, exchange ideas, formulate needs, and actively shape future processes.

Person in charge: Nina Festing

In 2022, RPD organized a scientific conference at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg to address the need for scholarly exchange on International Youth Work. The aim of the scientific conference was to provide a platform for interdisciplinary discussions regarding International Youth Work and to contribute to a deeper understanding of this field in terms of work, discourse, and research. Central concerns included exploring the aspects of International Youth Work from various perspectives, examining the empirical subjects and theoretical assumptions employed, and identifying the specific disciplinary knowledge generated. The contributions from the conference will be published in 2023 as part of the series "Fahren, Reisen, Begegnen. Sozialwissenschaftliche Perspektiven auf Kinder und Jugendliche unterwegs – Camp and Mobility Studies" in the publishing company Beltz Juventa.

Person in charge: Stefan Schäfer

Since 2019, the AIM-Förderung supports students who engage in topics related to International Youth Mobility in their bachelor's or master's theses. The goal is to encourage more students to delve into the content of the field, provide them with an opportunity to contribute to the RPD network, and foster the next generation in the field of action and research in International Youth Work. This support is provided through supervising selected theses, active involvement in RPD events, research dialogues, and a network meeting aimed at the selected students' of the AIM-Förderung. Previously supported theses are listed here.

Person in charge: Rosaria Picone

In recent years, a both content and technical-related discourse under the heading "Systemische Wirkungen der Internationalen Jugendarbeit" has been continuously developed. In this one process, several independent expert opinions and analyses have emerged in the context of the German International Youth Work. With the projects "International Narratives" (2022) and subsequently "International Rationales for International Youth Work" (2023), structures and operational logics of the work field in different countries are made visible through expert interviews with professionals and by collecting valuable insights from an internationally comparative discourse and perspective. In a research workshop in autumn 2023, the findings of recent years will be consolidated and thoroughly examined. Next steps will be planned as well.

Person in charge: Peter Menne

The panel study on international youth encounters and child and youth camps now has a four-year history. The data analysis for the years 2021/2022 is underway and will soon be published here. The aim of the panel study is to provide continuous data on international youth encounters and child and youth camps. As part of the panel study, RPD is responsible for the acquisition and continuous support of the panel's youth service organizers participants. You would like to participate in the panel study with your international youth encounters or child and youth camps? For further questions, please contact Peter Menne.

Person in charge: Peter Menne

In the context of International Educational Work, various projects  already took place concerning the climate-conscious design of International Youth Work. This ranges from studies on sustainably designed pilot encounters to the collection of pedagogical good practices. However, there is still a lack of a structured overview of existing approaches to all dimensions of sustainability at the organizational level of actors in the German context of International Youth Work and related issues regarding sustainability. The project initially aimed to close this knowledge gap through a scientific approach, by systematically collecting solution approaches in form of description profiles, making them available online as a collection of good practices, and thus, demonstrating the possibilities of a sustainable handprint. Additionally, it seeks to derive support needs within the work landscape.

Person in charge: Nina Festing

The crises of recent years (climate change, renationalization, COVID-19, war in Europe) pose significant challenges for actors in the International Youth Work. At the same time, there is an increased need to think about the 'new era' we live in beyond the thought of crisis management. It is important to gain more precise knowledge about how the self-concept of all actors in various sectors of International Youth Work and Education has changed in recent years. The project aims to generate initial scientific insights into this research need and discuss them within the work environment. The project will be implemented in two steps: initially, experts in the fields of work will be interviewed through qualitative interviews, and the results will be discussed in a dialogue workshop. Subsequently, a quantitative survey in the field is planned to build up on the first step.

More... (German only)

Person in charge: Stefan Schäfer

Currently themes, questions, and developments in International Youth Work do not play a particularly prominent role in teaching and research at universities in Germany. The intention of the project Hochschulkooperationen is to increase the significance of the work field through cooperation talks with chairs and program coordinators. Collaboratively, events such as lectures or practical visits are organized. In this way, students can get to know the fields of work and develop professional perspectives. Here (German only) you can find the details entailing the collaboration opportunities between RPD and universities and colleges. Alternatively, you can contact us if you have further questions.

Person in charge: Stefan Schäfer

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