ESC: Informing youth about European Union and European Mobility

The Centre Régional Information Jeunesse Grand Est (CRIJ Grand Est) is a Youth Information Center that works on the Regional level of Grand Est which is a wide Region of France, from the German Border up to the Region of Paris (Ile de France). Its purpose is to provide information to young people (12 – 30 years old). Information has to be upadated, useful and understandable in order to enable them to be more autonomous. In some way, we can consider that CRIJ Grand Est works to empower young people and support them to become adult and selfdependant. Topics of Information are really diverse : scholar and career guidance, financial supports, transports, employement, social supports and European and international mobility through its Eurodesk label. CRIJ Grand Est is a member of the National network « Information Jeunesse ». In order to achieve its objectives, CRIJ Grand Est welcomes young people in its center based in Reims (city of 200 000 inhabitants located 150 km at the North East of Paris). It implements also digital information through websites and social media. It also implements workshops in its center, in schools or outdoor, and bigger events like jobs fair gathering 3000 youngsters in one day. Based in the city of Reims, CRIJ Grand Est coordinates 51 Youth information relays in the Region of Grand Est to reach all the youngsters in the Regions. All these relays are local partners active in the youth sector (NGO, Social centre, Missions locales, Youth department of Municipalities…)/ CRIJ Grand Est is particularly skilled and active regarding the information on the topic of European and international mobility of youngsters. It is Eurodesk and Europe Direct Center. Every year it implements an information campaign in the schools to explain the European mobility and its advantages. It also organizes an event on this topic of European mobility called « Time to Move ». CRIJ Grand Est is also experienced in supporting and implementing European voluntary activities. Since 2007, it has supports more than 150 French young people to live a voluntary experience in Europe and has coordinated more than 100 Hosts of European volunteers. Every year, CRIJ hosts one volunteer to support the different activities on European issues. The principle of this host project is to reinforce the peer to peer method to inform young people. Indeed, we are convinced that our projects have a real added value if they involved young people. Then the volunteer will support the strives to promote European mobility throughout the Region. This way, it can give confidenc to young French people who are sometimes afraid to live an experience abroad, especially in our Region. They are not especially aknowledge of the benefits to live such experience. Finally, this includes an Educative dimension in knowing differences, being able to share different views, opinions with people from different culture and background.