Call for Mentors

Implementing advocacy actions at the local and regional level

The Assembly of European Regions together with the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) are looking for 8 mentors to guide and support 8 groups of young activists from across Europe in the finalisation of advocacy plans and in the consecutive implementation of local and regional advocacy actions. The latter will be run throughout the months of April and May 2021, as part of the project “Y-FED: Europe is what we make of it” co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme. 

About the Assembly of European Regions

The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is the largest independent interregional organisation in broader Europe, with around 140 regional authorities as members from 30 countries. Established in 1985, AER is a forum for regional politicians to engage in interregional cooperation and to advocate regional interests on the European stage.

About the project

The project “Y-FED: Europe is what we make of it” aims to bring the EU closer to its young citizens by developing a proposal for an improved institutional framework of the Union in line with the European Youth Goals. The initiative, supported by an Erasmus+ “European Youth Together” grant, will be implemented in the years 2020-2021 through a series of capacity-building training courses, public policy hackathons, a large-scale simulation of a reformed EU and advocacy actions. The project partners comprise 18 civil society organisations as well as 2 networks of European and regional decision-makers.

The main aims are to:

    • Bring the EU closer to its citizens by raising awareness of the EU institutional framework and advocate for its reform based on young people’s recommendations.
    • Raise awareness of the European Youth Goals (EYGs) and support their implementation by embedding them in the reformed EU institutional model and bringing them from the European to the local level.

To achieve these objectives, the project offers young citizens the possibility to develop proposals for a reformed EU that embeds the EYGs in its institutional framework and decision-making model. At the same time, it provides youth with the necessary skills and tools to advocate for their rights and priorities at the local, regional, and European level.   

About the advocacy actions

In order to enhance youth’s knowledge of the European Youth Goals and its Youth Strategy and provide them with necessary competencies and resources to boost their active citizenship and advocate for their rights and priorities, the AER, in cooperation with JEF Europe, held a three-days online training on advocacy for young European Activists. The training seminar was attended by 24 young activists from Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Spain, Malta and Poland.  

Throughout the training, young citizens have enhanced their knowledge of: 

    1. The European  Youth Goals and the European Youth Strategy 2019-2027;
    2. How to actively participate in the democratic and political life at regional and local level, and what are the major obstacles that hinder youth participation;
    3. Key advocacy aspects, steps in the advocacy cycle, and how to develop and implement advocacy actions.

As the main result of the training session, young activists – in groups of 3 and 2 – have developed 8 advocacy plans, each of them addressing one of the key obstacles to youth participation at the regional and local level that they identified. 

Young activists are now given the possibility to finalise their advocacy plans and implement them towards their regional and local authorities throughout the months of April and May 2021 by means of micro-grants, the support of 8 mentors and their JEF sections, and under the coordination and expertise of the AER and JEF Europe

Services and responsibilities of the mentors, and time commitment

The AER is looking for 8 mentors to guide and support the 8 groups of young activists in the finalisation and implementation of the advocacy actions at local level, as well as to regularly report about the status of the implementation and to outline the actions undertaken and outcomes achieved by each group in a final report. Specifically, mentors will be responsible for: 

    1. Supporting the group of young activists in the finalisation of the advocacy plans. Each mentor will be assigned to a group of young activists that worked on the development of an advocacy plan. As first service, the mentor will review the advocacy plan of her/his group and provide inputs and support in the definition and validation of the final advocacy actions ensuring that the latter are both effective in their advocacy goal and in line with the time-schedule and resources provided by the project.
      All advocacy plans are expected to be finalised within the first two-weeks since the beginning of service.
    2. Mentoring the group of young activists in the implementation of the advocacy actions. Mentors will be the main reference for young activists by means of their advocacy competences. They will ensure guidance and support to the group of young activists throughout the implementation of the advocacy actions towards local and regional authorities and in compliance with the guidelines provided by the AER and JEF.
      Mentors are expected to support and guide young activists in the implementation of the advocacy actions from April to the 11th of June 2021.
    3. Ensuring the coordination between the AER and the young activists. Mentors will act as the main contact for the coordinator of the activity (the AER), presenting the finalised advocacy plans and ensuring regular updates on the status of the implementation of the advocacy actions through both email exchanges and regular online coordination meetings every two weeks.
      Mentors are expected to ensure coordination with the AER from the beginning of their services until the end of the contract.   
    4. Outlining the final report on the implementation of the advocacy actions.  Each mentor will be responsible for detailing the main advocacy actions and outcomes achieved by the group of young activists under her/his mentorship in a comprehensive final report that will be sent to the AER for validation.
      Mentors are expected to send the final reports the week after the conclusion of the advocacy actions (20th June 2021).

Requirements

Mentors must demonstrate:

    • Knowledge and understanding of advocacy strategies and tools
    • Good understanding of the roles and functioning of regional and local authorities, as well as the principles of subsidiarity and Multi-level governance
    • Proven record of successful advocacy actions and especially towards regional and local authorities 
    • Previous experience in mentoring (groups of) young people (age range 18-30)
    • Ability to work in an intercultural team of young people
    • Responsiveness, reliability, and autonomy to perform the services 
    • Ability to respect deadlines
    • Proficiency in English (oral and written).

Expected time commitment and financial compensation

Mentors are expected 

After the completion of the last service (submission of the final report), each mentor will be paid a total 900,00 EUR (all taxes and charges included) for the services provided within the six working days foreseen by the call.

How to apply?

If interested, send your CV and Motivation Letter (max one page) to b.sandu@aer.eu AND elitsa.hadzhieva@jef.eu by 24th March 2021, including in the subject of the email ‘Call for Mentors – Implementing Local and Regional Advocacy Actions’

Please, list and provide references of previous mentoring works you have performed and any relevant advocacy work you have done (campaigns, demonstrations, projects).