CELJSKI MLADINSKI CENTER, JAVNI ZAVOD ZA MLADINSKO KULTURO, IZOBRAZEVANJE, INFORMIRANJE IN SPORT

The Celje Youth Center, a public non-profit institution for youth culture, education, information and sports, was established on 29 March 2005 with the aim of providing a space where young people and other residents of the local community and beyond, would acquire and strengthen diverse competencies through non-formal methods of education. One of the basic and main tasks of the youth center is to provide help and support to activities of young people to realize their own ideas. The center provides various target groups with organizational and financial assistance in the implementation of their projects, technical and infrastructural assistance in the implementation of projects, personnel assistance and advice in the implementation of projects and assistance in integration into national and international projects as well as mentorhip and coaching through out al phses of activities or project implementation. We offer a variety of interesting events and a wide range of activities: different workshops (photography, film, journalism, foreign languages, entrepreneurship…), cultural events (concerts, exhibitions, theater performances, etc.), initiatives for young people, etc. We are also known for non-formal MCC training, which we occasionally conduct online, which proved to be a strong point of the institution, during the epidemic, as we can adapt and implement content online, because we have the knowledge and infrastructure to do so. Our work also extends to kindergartens, primary, secondary schools and colleges, where we also regularly conduct workshops, especially in the field of EU content and presentation of opportunities for young people. Pupils, students, the unemployed and the elderly are involved in workshops on various topics as volunteers. We cover international activities with exchanges, voluntary and solidarity projects, training and strategic development projects in the field of quality of youth work, as well as training for youth workers. The activities of the youth center as a whole are aimed at providing information and promoting non-formal learning among young people. Since 2009, as an Europe Direct Information point for the Savinjska region, we have been covering the information processes of the European Commission and we are also a regional partner of Eurodesk Slovenia. The host structure of the Celje Youth Center is also included in the MaMA Network, which is an organization that unites and represents organizations that perform the activities of youth centers in Slovenia for the purpose of supporting young people and their quality leisure time and better life in society. We are involved in the Erasmus + program, European Solidarity Corps, Europe for Citizens, Erasmus for young entrepreneurs. We also have experience with the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, with which we built the Youth Hostel Celje in 2010. Through various projects at the local, regional, national and international levels, we are developing approaches to more active participation of youth, promoting the strengthening of informal competencies and raising the awareness of the general public about the opportunities offered by all these levels. Our vision is to become an organization that will successfully respond to the needs of young people in the future and co-create a space for socializing, fun, creating and acquiring new knowledge. Our mission is to create an environment where young people acquire competencies for integration into society and independent living in a creative and fun way.