Annual Report 2019 Contents
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www.agenzijazghazagh.gov.mt Annual Report 2019 Contents Foreword by Dr Clifton Grima, ........................................................................................................................................................... 04 Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Introduction by Miriam Teuma, Chief Executive Officer ........................................................................................................ 06 The Mission of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ ................................................................................................................................................... 09 Implementation of National Youth Policy, Towards 2020 ..................................................................................................... 11 Calendar of Activities and Events at Aġenzija Żgħażagħ 2019 ........................................................................................... 28 Financial Statements 2019 .................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Aġenzija Żgħażagħ Annual Report 2019 Published by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ St Joseph High Road St Venera SVR 1013, Malta Tel: 00356 2258 6700 Email: agenzija.zghazagh.gov.mt Website: youth.gov.mt ISBN: 978-99957-878-9-9 Photos: Aġenzija Żgħażagħ Foreword 2019 was a year that saw a number of significant long-term developments in implementing the national youth policy Towards 2020 as well as in meeting key government objectives. of addressing changing circumstances and profile of local communities but also invigorate needs. All effective policies must be capable of locally democracy and democratic accountability. change, exploring new possibilities and availing At the same time, the young parliamentarians of unforeseen opportunities. This annual report programme, an extension of the Vote 16 measure, provides us with a number of examples of such would engage with young people, foster their policy. debating skills and critical thinking, and enable them to learn how parliament and democratic governance Our national youth policy needs to incorporate , on an works at both national and European level. ongoing basis, government priorities in addressing ur national youth policy Towards listening to the voices of young people, as well as youth and youth-related issues. In 2019, Aġenzija These new and other initiatives undertaken by 2020 - A shared vision for the future implementing initiatives for their engagement and Żgħażagħ commenced the implementation of two Aġenzija Żgħażagħ in 2019 will, I believe, have a of young people, which is being empowerment are all being actively pursued and important youth-related budgetary measures: to lasting effect on the future prosperity, well-being implemented by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ rigorously implemented. The number of young organise youth services on a regional basis and to and democratic commitment of all our young over the period 2015-2020, is clear in people participating in the Aġenzija Żgħażagħ’s initiate a young parliamentarians programme. people. Oits vision and strategic aims and how these are to programmes, projects and initiatives is a testament be realised through effective and coherent action to its success. Both of these parliamentary measures had specific plans. As we see from this annual report, action but interlocking purposes. Organising youth services Clifton Grima plans to create new spaces for young people at However, our national youth policy is not, nor was at a regional level would not only strengthen and Parliamentary Secretary community level, heighten awareness raising and it meant to be, a policy straight jacket, incapable focus services on the specific needs, character and for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations 6 7 Introduction A focus on school and community based initiatives as well as an important new report on young people’s attitudes and experience of education, employment and lifestyles were among the many developments in 2019 in the ongoing work of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ. hile Aġenzija Żgħażagħ continued which gives young people in middle and secondary its implementation of the national schools the opportunity to develop their skills in youth policy, Towards 2020 - A song writing in Maltese. shared vision for the future of young people, during 2019, there Other new initiatives in 2019, such as the Young Wwere a number of developments, which while Artists Development programme and Song Craft an important feature of national youth policy, are also complementary and supportive of existing nonetheless marked significant reorientations in initiatives to foster young talent and creativity. how and where services and supports for young people and youth organisations are delivered. 2019 also saw significant changes in how Aġenzija Żgħażagħ’s programmes, services and initiatives are A number of new school based initiatives were delivered and promoted. The first local or regional undertaken that both complement and further based youth service AŻ@Kottonera, was initiated in develop and expand our ongoing programme of 2016 to strengthen and coordinate youth services at civil education seminars in schools. local school and community level to both effectively implement the national youth policy and to engage The Students Council Democracy Awards is a with and promote the active participation of schools programme for all secondary schools that aims and communities. Following the experience and to incentivise schools, involve students and invest success of the Kottonera pilot project, Aġenzija new regional youth services: South Youth Services, people, their needs, aspirations and concerns, and in communities through supporting student’s Żgħażagħ, in November 2019, established three North Youth Services and Gozo Youth Services. to develop and implement innovative non-formal councils in secondary schools to attain Democracy learning approaches to transform their experience Awards for their schools. The programme is To mark International Youth Day 2019, Aġenzija of education. underpinned by the values of democracy, active Żgħażagħ launched Mirrors and Windows 2: citizenship, participation, dialogue, leadership Maltese young people’s perceptions, experiences I want to thank all my colleagues in Aġenzija and equality. Schools are incentivised through an and expectations of education, employment Żgħażagħ for their dedication and commitment annual grant, a toolkit to guide the process, and and lifestyles, the report of a survey of young and our colleagues in the Ministry of Education youth work support for student’s councils. Young people conducted by the National Statistics Office and Employment as well as in the Parliamentary Parliamentarians is a programme for students in for Aġenzija Żgħażagħ. This report is a follow- Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary years 9, 10, and 11 designed to give participants up to Mirrors and Windows: Maltese young Organisations, other relevant ministries and the opportunity of representing their school as its people’s perception of themselves, their families, agencies for their continuing support. Young Parliamentarians team and aims to develop communities and society, which was published in responsible citizenship in the young students 2012 and was the first report of its kind in Malta. The involvement and foster democratic environments report is part of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ’s ongoing efforts Miriam Teuma in schools, while Għanj’Għalik is a new programme to listen and have regard to the voices of young Chief Executive Officer 8 9 The Mission of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ The mission of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ is to: Manage and implement the National Youth Policy Towards 2020 and promote and safeguard the interests of young people. he agency now has 31 full-time staff, and initiatives for youth engagement and youth including 25 professionally qualified empowerment. New spaces at local community youth workers. The agency also has 8 level for young people have been opened which are professional youth workers on a service operating in strategic locations. contract basis to work in the evenings Tand weekends in youth cafés and conduct detached There is a strong focus on reaching out to young youth work and 10 educational trainers on a service people to learn more about their views, concerns contract for the Youth.inc programme. and aspirations and in promoting their democratic participation and intercultural and social awareness. Aġenzija Żgħażagħ has also developed and Cooperation at European and international level implemented a wide range of programmes, projects continues to be prioritised and promoted. 11 Implementation of National Youth Policy, Towards 2020 Towards 2020 is being implemented over the period 2015-2020. This was the fourth full year in implementing the policy and saw the development of a number of new initiatives, collaborative cross-sectoral projects as well as the expansion of existing programmes. NEW SPACES AT LOCAL COMMUNITY LEVEL FOR Żgħażagħ offers a space where youth groups and YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUTH ORGANISATIONS youth organisations can organise their activities, including live-ins and sleepovers and also one day ġenzija Żgħażagħ aims to create new events, at an affordable subsidised rate. spaces and facilities at local community level to support the development of In 2019, Marsaxlokk Youth Activity Centre hosted young people through their active 50 activities organised by or for young people with