The purpose and core values of the laboratory

“It's easy to put people in boxes. There is "us" and "them". Maybe there's more that unites us than we think?" This is the text from the Danish TV commercial "All that we share", recommended to watch (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD8tjhVO1Tc) These introductory words well reflect the nature of the laboratory that we plan to conduct in Latvia .

The Lab serves as a platform for the various parties involved in youth work to come together with the common goal of promoting a more inclusive and diverse local community.

A set of core values or pillars is used as the foundation of the laboratory. The main values or basic pillars of our laboratory are as follows (click on the name to read more):

Community-based needs
(customer-oriented approach)

A community is a group of people who come together, guided by common interests.

It is often easy to confuse the two concepts: what we think the community needs versus what the community really needs, which can be determined by working directly with community members. This lab focuses on working with young people as the main beneficiaries. However, it is important to distinguish between the actual needs of young people and the views of support persons about their needs.

Co-creation

It is a safe space in terms of focus, boundaries, organizations, actors, roles, tools, evidence and access to lab results (Powerpoint presentation presented by the RD Center in Linköping on 30 September 2022).

System approach

System = Elements + Relationships

In practice, it is very important to take into account not only the physical aspects, but also the emotional, social, cultural and environmental factors that can affect stakeholders in society. Therefore, the proposed practices are evidence-based, tested in real contexts and rooted in non-formal education methodologies.

A solution-oriented approach

It's a way to focus on identifying and leveraging community strengths and resources to drive positive change. Instead of dwelling on problems or analyzing the root causes of problems, a solution approach focuses on short and targeted solutions.

Balance between the content of the Zemgale laboratory and the "LINK" project

Before delving into the activities planned in the laboratory, it is very important to emphasize that it is necessary to achieve a balance between the existing processes, initiatives and activities, as well as the values or messages that are conveyed within the framework of the "LINK" project. Since the laboratory is focused on meeting the needs of the community, a set of measures is provided. However, these activities can be adapted to the specific needs of the community. The LINK project expresses values and messages centered on social innovation and the role of the laboratory as a resource to support community needs.

What do we want to improve during the lab?

During the laboratory, the main objectives are:

improve cooperation between young people and those who support youth;
to empower those who support young people by improving collaboration between professionals and institutions so that they can function cohesively in the community.

How can cooperation be improved?

This can be achieved through:

gaining insight into the needs of young people from their perspective,
promoting understanding of the roles of different institutions,
identifying opportunities for cooperation,
using lessons learned to develop more effective solutions.

Through this approach, we aim to improve the quality of life for young people.

To foster collaboration between the diverse community of professionals involved in youth work, we want to:

Improve existing communication and cooperation channels.
Promote mutual understanding.
Identify common problems.
Develop joint solutions.
Promote transparency.
Facilitate networking opportunities.