RAY CAP » Research project on competence development and capacity building of youth workers and youth leaders

Basically, there are three research modules:

• a module on the competence development of participants in training/support activities within Erasmus+ Youth in Action;
• a module on the transfer into practice of what has been learned in training/support activities (use of competences developed);
• a module on the systemic effects (including long-term effects) of training/support activities, in particular on the organisations involved (youth organisations, training providers, National Agencies).

Module on competence development

As a first step, existing knowledge should be collected, reviewed and analysed, in particular

• outcomes of the RAY ‘Standard Surveys’ and ‘Special Surveys’ between 2009 and 2014, including a deeper analysis of the data collected;
• literature and studies on this topic, including literature on youth work competences;
• reports on monitoring of TCP activities (2007-2013), to be requested from National Agencies.

During this phase, a specification (framework) of ‘youth work competences’ (including for international youth work) should be worked out based on a literature review as well as on a survey (standardised interviews) with beneficiaries who are responsible for implementing TCA in Erasmus+ Youth in Action.
As a second step, a pre-study is planned, exploring basic dimensions of the development of youth work competences and their use in practice by interviewing participants involved in training and networking activities within Erasmus+ Youth in Action (2007-2013). This pre-study is aimed at contributing to the development of research instruments of the main study.
The research design of the main study is based on a self-assessment of competence development by participants in training/support activities through interviews before and after the training/support activity. The sample of participants should include participants with different levels of experience with training/support activities (‘newcomers’ as well as ‘repeaters’).
Additionally, the questionnaires for participants within the RAY research project on monitoring Erasmus+ Youth in Action (‘Standard Surveys’) will include a special section for participants in training/support activities (Youth Worker Mobility and Transnational Cooperation Activities) in view of their development of (international) youth work competences. The outcomes of these surveys will be taken into consideration in the analysis of the interviews of this study.

Module on the transfer of competence development into practice

As a first step, existing knowledge should be collected, reviewed and analysed, in particular from RAY surveys between 2009 and 2014, TCP monitoring by National Agencies and related literature.
The research design would include interviews with participants in training/support activities around 6 to 12 months after the activity (same sample as for the module on competence development). These interviews would also refer to effects on the organisations of the interviewed participants (see also next module on systemic effects). In this respect, the sample of participants should reflect a broad scope of organisations, including from organisations with no prior involvement in Youth in Action or Erasmus+ Youth in Action.

Complementary to the interviews, participants could be encouraged to write a diary concerning their youth work practice (optional), focussing on what they have done differently because of their participation in the training/support activity – and how their practice has changed.

Module on long-term systemic effects (organisational development)

This module would explore (long-term) systemic effects of training/support activities (including TCA) as well as of the overall involvement in Erasmus+ Youth in Action on the organisations involved.
As a first step, existing knowledge should be collected, reviewed and analysed, in particular from RAY surveys between 2009 and 2014 (including items related to effects on organisations and local project environments), from related literature, from national studies, from the interim evaluation of Youth in Action in 2010 etc.
The research design of the main study would include interviews with staff members of organisations involved in training/support activities and in other activities funded through Erasmus+ Youth in Action. Staff members interviewed would be directors of organisations and staff members working on Erasmus+ Youth in Action activities (focus on organisations involved in the modules on competence development and on the transfer into practice through youth workers and youth leaders interviewed for this study).
Optionally, the research design could include case studies of selected training/support activities as
well as of organisations with a multiple involvement in Erasmus+ Youth in Action.
A main indicator for organisational development would be the quality of (international) youth work, indicated by non-formal learning, intercultural learning, inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities and participation of young people in the activities of the organisations. Further indicators could be the “multiplication” of experiences gained in training/support activities, the sustainability of effects resulting from the involvement in training/support activities etc.

Further research activities
As in RAY surveys between 2009 and 2014, it is planned to include a special section/module for participants in training/support activities (including TCA) in the future ‘Standard Surveys’ within research-based analysis and monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth in Action. This section/module would include questions on the development of (international) youth work competences as well as on the profile, motivation, prior training/learning experiences in the youth field, prior involvement in Erasmus+ Youth in Action etc. of participating youth workers and youth leaders.