ASOCIATIA SPERANTA TINERETII

Asociația Speranța Tineretii (AST) , situated in Tulcea, at the gate of Danube Delta, UNESCO’s world heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/588/, was originally founded in 2011 but was taken over in December 2025 by a new board of directors through a modified and republished Articles of Association. Although the legal entity has existed for over a decade, the Association is essentially restarting on a new path with new leadership, new members on the Board of Directors, and a fresh group of volunteers. We took over the association driven by our deep concern for the needs of the local community in the south-east region of Romania, an economically and socially underprivileged area with a specific multiethnic population and with significant potential for development. The new leadership brings together specialists passionate about education and community development, with specific areas of expertise including media education, socio-emotional learning, cultural heritage, participatory citizenship, democratic responsibility, tolerance and diversity in multi-ethnic contexts, and the digital transition challenges facing contemporary society. The Dobrogea region, with its multi-ethnic character and unique geographical features including the Măcin Mountains and the Danube Delta, provides both specific challenges and extraordinary opportunities for our work.The name “Speranța Tinereții” (Hope of Youth) reflects the universal human aspiration to preserve youthfulness of spirit, mind, soul, and body throughout life and it reflects the associations’ vision & mission. Youth is understood not merely as an age, but as a state of vitality, curiosity, balance, and openness to growth. Through sports, recreational activities, social interaction, education, and culture, the Association promotes active living, lifelong learning, emotional well-being, and social connectedness. These activities support individuals of all ages in maintaining physical health, mental resilience, inner balance, and a positive outlook on life, fostering a community where hope, trust, and youthful energy are continuously renewed. We maintain the original name and, broadly speaking, the same field of activity, but we aim for an active and efficient presence in the community starting in 2026. From this point forward, we are committed to supporting and directly contributing to the personal, professional, civic, cultural and sports. The association's main focus centers on creating chances for everyone, supporting mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing, building trust in individual success, and advocating for a society where every citizen creatively and responsibly exercises their freedom of expression while benefiting from the protection of all human rights. Our organization operates mainly at local and regional levels while actively engaging in European Union-funded projects. The Association promotes cultural, artistic, educational, sports and environmental values and addresses current social challenges affecting young people and adults across all age groups, such as digital transformation, migration, inclusion, social isolation, and sustainability. Our activities focus on encouraging active participation throughout the lifespan, developing international perspectives, and supporting lifelong learning opportunities for all community members. What are the activities and experience of your organisation in the areas relevant for this project? What are the skills and/or expertise of key persons involved in this project? Asociația Speranța Tinerilor has experience in youth work, adult education, non-formal learning, inclusion, and European cooperation, brought by its key persons. The organization supports both young people and adults , including seniors, through initiatives that promote personal, social, and cultural development, improve quality of life, and respond to learning, rehabilitation, and wellbeing needs. The association's main focus centers on creating chances for everyone, supporting mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing, building trust in individual success, and advocating for a society where every citizen creatively and responsibly exercises their freedom of expression while benefiting from the protection of all human rights. Asociația Speranța Tinerilor promotes European values and actively aims to participate in Erasmus+ projects, training programmes, and international exchanges addressing lifelong learning, social inclusion, digital skills, and active citizenship. Our activities support people facing social, cultural, economic, or geographical barriers, helping them strengthen skills, confidence, and community participation. Education and Professional Development: The organization implements inclusive educational activities, environmental awareness actions, digital creativity workshops, and community-based initiatives. We provide educational and career counseling, organize training programs, courses, workshops, seminars, and summer schools. Special emphasis is placed on media literacy, digital skills, cultural heritage, and socio-emotional education. Media literacy, digital media , digital media education- AST is addressing programs related with safe and creating use of media, understanding of new media, filtering online information in order to resist manipulation, mis and disinformation. Sports and Physical Activities: A central place in our strategy is occupied by sports and physical activity. Our sports activities address all ages and promote an active and healthy lifestyle with special attention to seniors. Our collaborators include coaches and certified instructors in kayak, basketball, volleyball, SUP, yoga, Pilates, Kyokushin karate, swimming, aqua gym, power walking, orienteering, and Bowen integrative therapy. We want to value the Dobrogea region—the Măcin Mountains and Danube Delta—to organize sports camps, outdoor learning experiences, and intergenerational programs promoting physical and mental health, social integration, and prevention of isolation. RELEVANT ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCE Cognitive resilience is at the heart of our current strategy. Our organization operates the 'EU Voices Club,' a youth hub with 70 members (aged 16–20) established in collaboration with CNSH where we directly address online manipulation, disinformation, and media literacy. Our leadership team includes specialists in media education, psychology, and democratic responsibility, focusing on helping youth recognize and manage cognitive biases, digital language of persuasion.. The association promotes mental resilience, emotional well-being, and social connectedness as vital components of modern life.AST supports youth and adults through non-formal learning initiatives that promote personal and civic development. Currently, our focus is on building cognitive resilience through the following areas: • Digital Media Literacy: We lead programs related to the safe use of media, understanding new media, and filtering online information to resist manipulation. Our President is a specialized trainer who delivers content on cognitive biases as part of these courses. • Interactive Youth Work: Through the 'EU Voices Club,' we hold weekly sessions using interactive, discussion-based methods to explore critical thinking and media messages. We are actively moving towards immersive, simulation-based methodologies to deepen this impact. • Psychosocial Support & Inclusion: We work with specialists to provide vocational counseling and emotional support, ensuring that educational activities are inclusive and account for the emotional dynamics of the participants. • Sports and Outdoor Learning: We utilize the Danube Delta and Măcin Mountains for outdoor experiences that promote physical health and social integration, creating a balanced foundation for cognitive and emotional resilience. International Cooperation and Partnerships: We support transnational partnerships focusing on adult rehabilitation, mental wellbeing, employability skills, and intercultural dialogue. We establish collaborations with public and private institutions, sports clubs, senior centers, federations, and NGO Cultural Initiatives: We develop and implement cultural, artistic, and heritage projects that celebrate the multi-ethnic character of the Dobrogea region. We organize cultural events, artistic workshops, and activities that promote tolerance, diversity, and intercultural dialogue. We utilize local cultural resources and traditions to strengthen community identity and social cohesion. Volunteering: We promote and organize volunteering activities for all age groups, encouraging civic engagement and social responsibility. We support volunteer initiatives in education, sports, environmental protection, and community development. We facilitate participation in local and international volunteering programs, including European Solidarity Corps projects. KEY PERSONS Mrs Mihaela Condrat, president of the association brings extensive experience in project design, having coordinated the application and implementation of more than 15 different types of Erasmus+ projects in the school education field, including KA101, KA121, KA229, KA210, and Jean Monnet initiatives. She serves as our key resource person in media and information literacy education and is a highly engaged to advocate for educational innovation, introducing creative approaches such as book trailers and digital storytelling . She is a certified trainer for the national program "Digital media education ," coordinated by CJI (Centre for Independent Journalism) under the Ministry of Education,having already trained 14 generations of teachers on the topic of media education, and works as an international trainer for EMA (Erasmus Mobility Academy), delivering courses on digital and media information literacy (DMIL), cultural heritage, and AI educational tools, non formal outdoor education . With a master degree in communication, she is specialized in organizational communication, she holds certifications as an authorized trainer and project manager, and serves as a media literacy trainer for both youth and adults. She is an active member of a network of digital and media literacy teacher trainers at the European level, bringing valuable expertise and international connections to the association's work.She is the co-founder of the EU Voices Club (70 members) a local youth club (16-20 years old) where youth workers conduct activities approaching media literacy as a tool to build democratic values Mrs, Carmina-Lidia Butoi, the vice president of the association, is an integrative psychotherapist, school counselor and teacher with 20 years of professional experience, specializing in vocational guidance and the personal development of children and young people. She holds a degree from the Faculty of Psychology and Sociology and a Master’s degree in School Counseling, and she is also a certified trainer, delivering various training courses for adults. Since 2018, she has gained solid experience in educational management and people management. She currently serves as Director of the Tulcea County Center for Educational Resources and Assistance (CJRAE Tulcea), where she coordinates the activity of psychologists, school counselors, speech therapists, and school mediators across educational institutions in Tulcea County. In this role, she works closely with the local community and public institutions to promote quality, inclusive education and the well-being of all beneficiaries. At county level, she is also the SNAC Coordinator (National Strategy for Community Action) in Tulcea County.