Welcome to GENDERS project! In this page we would like to explain what we do and why.
GENDERS is the acronym for Platform for the Certification of Gender-Friendly Organisations in Youth Working, meaning that we want to support youth (and not only!) NGOs to be more gender-friendly and to raise awareness on the topics of equity and discrimination.
Why our activities?
The real weakness concerning gender mainstreaming in youth organisations is about a lack of awareness, competences, and a serious systematic self-reflection by youth workers/leaders with reference to their organisations, making gender mainstreaming not just a topic for training sessions/one-time workshops, but as a pivotal matter of work. It is not sufficient to state to agree with gender equality, but it is fundamental to set up an overall gender-aware management structure in order to organically implement gender as a set of measurable organisational parameters in youth organisations.
What have we done?
From one side, we have developed a self-assessment questionnaire for NGOs to reflect and “know where to start” and start making plans.
From the other side, we have thought of a complete and very practical online training that gives support to everyone willing to change their own NGOs. The training platform is seen as a sum of pills where one can pick and choose what to read and implement. Our tutors can be contacted to have on-going support!
We have also done some very good research on gender policies and resources currently checked in Belgium, Italy, Romania and Spain.
Look at the work by clicking at this link!
Training, training, training!
GENDERS has been also the unique chance for many youth workers and young people to meet up and exchange ideas, thoughts, activities, good practices and…frustrations! For us it has been also a great opportunity to test out our hypotheses and tools.
Who is Andrea?
Andrea is our beautiful mascotte! Why a seahorse? Because it is a unique being as the male of its species gives birth after the female has donated its eggs. A unique extraordinary example that can make us reflect more on gender issues 🙂