ESC: Youth for solidarity

The Morena Association, established in 2002 in Gdańsk, Poland, has been active in the field of youth activation and its role in the local community for many years. The activities of the association are aimed at young people and people cooperating with them. The aim is to activate young people to actively participate in deciding on matters important to them and developing their skills. For years, we have been providing support to young active people, youth leaders through training, regranting and information. We provide comprehensive support to young people to help them realize their own ideas. We are one of the biggest organizations in the region. In addition to the counseling, information and training activities we also run an incubator for youth organizations. Thanks to the implementation of Youth Grant project many small youth projects in the region have been supported through small grants. We have experience in the implementation of volunteering projects (we hosted volunteers under the project "Youth in Action", Erasmus + and now European Solidarity Corps). We carry out projects targeted at a wide audience (youth, seniors, scouts, youth leaders, the environment at risk of exclusion). Since 2004 we have been running Eurodesk Gdańsk, since 2009 we have been running the Europe Direct Europe Information Point. Since 2016 we have been carrying out a project involving 16 thousand people and 100 schools in Gdańsk (14 thousand students and 2 thousand teachers). It consists in raising the competences of both groups through educational modules, entrepreneurship, maritime education, first aid, vocational training. Also from 2016 we have the RODM (Regional Center of International Debate). The purpose of the RODM network is to bring Polish foreign policy closer to Polish citizens and to strengthen channels of cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, local governments and non-governmental organizations. Support for information and education activities. From the city funds we run Neighborhood House. Where are the various types of activities and workshops for the local community. We also share the space with informal groups, other organizations that can use our facilities to conduct their social activities. Our organization also: - We head up the Center for Social Integration in Osówek city - to help unemployed people and to raise their social and professional awareness. - Supports non-formal groups organizing different kind of activities for scouts movement – working next to our association. - Provide learning opportunities for elderly. - Provide different activities (sports, educational, cultural and handicraft) for local society Our main target groups are young people, mostly high school students and university students. However, we also are active in job related skills and helping unemployed people and working locally with the community which makes our groups more wide and gives opportunity to also run intergenerational activities.