Section 1
Introduction
Welcome to this internet edition of DOmino
When DOmino was produced back in 1994-95,
access to the internet was restricted basically to academics,
big business and governments – none of us had e-mail
and we contacted each other using the post, fax and telephone.
Nowadays, access to internet is still not available to everybody
and we need to be doing more to combat this new form of
exclusion. Still, things are improving and the opportunities
to use the internet to share ideas and make publications
more accessible are – thinking back to 1995 –
incredible. Contributing to an evolving community of practice
on human rights education throughout the world certainly
assists in creating links and solidarity.
With the successful launch of Compass
on-line, it made sense to update the publications which
formed the core of the educational effort of the "all
different – all equal" campaign and to make them
more widely available within the context of the Human Rights
Education initiative. And it made sense to use the possibility
to make relevant links between Compass,
the Education Pack
“all different all equal”, Alien
93 and this one – as you click through
them you will find much which is complementary. Especially
exciting is the chance to make links between more reflective
pieces and activities, so that each enhances the other.
DOmino was produced back in 1994-95 in the framework of
the Council of Europe Youth Campaign "All different
- All equal".
With the successful launch of "Compass, a Manual on
Human Rights Education with Young People" it made sense
to update the publications which formed the core of the
educational effort of the "all different - all equal"
campaign and to make them more widely available within the
context of the Human Rights Education Programme of the Directorate
of Youth and Sports of the Council of Europe.
So what has changed here? The bulk of the text remains
unchanged. We have updated references and examples; and
deleted ones which are now irrelevant.
We hope you will find this edition easy to use and challenging
to put into practice!
The Council of Europe Youth Campaign "all different
- all equal" aimed to mobilise the public in favour
of a tolerant society based on the equal dignity of all
its members. Young people played - and continue to play
- an important role in promoting the messages of the campaign.
The potential of young people in acting for other young
people and adults to create the societies of tomorrow is
often underestimated and rarely taken into consideration
by adults. The marginalisation of the 'youth' as a particular
sociological and easy-to-define group in society often leads
to the assumption that young people's action is taken only
in a protected, isolated space within European societies.
The value of education for young people by young people
has always been a central concept of the youth work within
the Council of Europe and the co-operating youth organisations.
The strong influence members of peer groups insert on each
other determines both formal and informal education to a
great extent. Planned and conscious application of these
mechanisms in educational approaches and concepts have proven
particularly successful in the fields of health education,
sex education and drugs prevention.
However, only few elaborate programmes exist on peer group
education as a means to promote tolerance and accept diversity.
This publication 'DOmino' tries to promote peer group education
within formal and informal educational settings. DOmino
is aimed at youth and social workers, teachers and youth
leaders, as well as young people wishing to get involved
in such programmes.
How to work with DOmino
Recipes for educational work do not really
exist, particularly not recipes of similar value for all
European societies. Youth and social workers, youth leaders
and teachers most constantly adapt and react to the special
requirements of young people and their particular social
environment. DOmino tries to give some assistance to those
working or planning to work with young people on peer group
education projects.
The different sections of DOmino contain
some theoretical background on peer group education as well
as different project descriptions, methods and quotes and
stories from young people. The references to resources used
have been put in brackets and the sources can be found in
the bibliography at the end of this publication.
DOmino is the result of different youth
work practices in several European countries, both, in the
formal and informal educational sector. The editors have
drawn from experiences in youth organisations, youth initiatives
and schools. The existing diversity in Europe is also reflected
in the presentation of different practical approaches, aimed
at enriching the dialogue between and amongst young people
and adults.
It is up to you to choose the most appropriate
way to implement a programme in your own social environment
and the editors of DOmino hope to have been able to assist
you in your important work in empowering young people to
build the Europe of tomorrow with dignity for all its people.
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