Giosef Italy- Giovani senza Frontiere (Youth Without Borders), is a network of Organization and it was born in April 1998 to promote active European citizenship and youth mobility. It is committed in youth inclusion and participation in all forms and at all levels; it aims to create new spaces for participation in public life, it supports the construction of a Europe of solidarity and hospitality, founded on the ideals of democracy, peace, tolerance and acceptance of diversity;

Below is a detailed description of our structure and our main activities.

The Structure Thanks to this wide range of activities in these years Giosef - Italy is rooted at national and European level, thanks to a systematic networking activity. Today it is present in different regions, both in the north and south of Italy, and has partnerships in all EU countries. Giosef Italy then realizes projects involving young people from all over Italy, but manages to have a strong local impact thanks to local Organizations, even in smaller cities. The local organizations operate independently or in close cooperation with each other thus also ensuring cooperation with public bodies such as municipalities and provincial agencies.

Education. A tool for freedom. Giosef promotes paths of non-formal education and job training in an intercultural perspective for all: young people and adults. These goals are pursued through the implementation of intercultural exchange, seminars, training courses, work placements, active citizenship actions, town twinning, conferences, research and publications, solidarity, volunteering, cooperation and development projects.

Voluntary work. First tool of Active Participation. Giosef promotes voluntary transactional paths through the European Voluntary Service, as part of the Erasmus+ Programme. This includes the involvement of young people between 18 and 30 years who providing their commitment to the local destinations situations, can also acquire skills for their own personal, professional and language development and training. The organization has a vast network of European associations partners that compose the only partnership source of promotion and development of projects. Among future activities of the organization, are planning a series of projects in the fields of international voluntary work that will be carried throughout the Italian territory and will see the participation of young people from all over the world.

Job. Right and duty for every citizen. Giosef realizes many projects in order to promote the access in the world of work for young people. In addition to numerous local actions in this field, the association realizes projects within the European Lifelong Learning program. In particular, in addition to the “Focus On” project, has realized ​​mobility projects and apprenticeships thanks to the sub-program Leonardo da Vinci. Significant examples in this field are represented by the project “MA.NO-Managers for Non-Profit Organizations” which was carried out in order to provide professional skills of management in the third sector, through 4 months internships in 10 European countries, to 100 young people from all over the Italian territory - and by the project “YOU SUD” that will commit between 2013 and 2014, more than 90 young southerner people in 13 weeks internships in tourist, green economy and service sector companies in the UK, France and Germany.

European citizenship. Creating a new common identity. Giosef, promotes projects and campaigns to encourage the sense of belonging to a common European identity and, although it is present in all the activities, targeted actions are developed. The main idea is to stimulate a critical awareness of the meaning of active European citizenship, firstly fostering debates and discussions both among European citizens and between them and representatives of the political institutions. In this context is placed, for example, the project “Dialogue Watch”, held in Naples from 30th September to 3th October 2008. Financed by the program “Europa per I cittadini” (Europe for Citizens). The main objective of the project, which saw the participation of 100 young Europeans citizens and representatives from different political and institutional reality, was to restore the relationship of trust between institutions and citizens through the analysis of some criticalities of this relationship, the debate and discussion on possible solutions, definition of a new role of citizens and their representatives.

Another example of a project realized thanks to the program “Europa per I cittadini” (Europe for Citizens) and developed by our organization with the SUN- Seconda Università di Napoli (Second University of Naples) is “Ideas on the Move.” Planning which saw 80 young people from all over Europe talking about the issue of youth entrepreneurship and combination of innovative ideas that can be developed in start-up and growth paths for the participants. The project has also obtained the patronage of the Vice President of the European Parliament and includes among its partners several European stakeholders.

Initiative. A tool to become part of the society. Giosef, promotes projects that encourage the initiative of the younger generation, implementing activities designed to stimulate self-confidence, to seek value through engagement, to make commitments and responsibilities towards themselves and others. The many cultural exchanges, financed by the program “Youth in Action”, made during all the years of life of the organization represent a clear example. Moreover, is a good practice in this sense the project “Raising Talents”, developed in 2008 which aimed on the one hand to reward young people who have distinguished themselves in various fields thanks to their efforts, and on the other to support the most interesting and innovative ideas of young people.

Partnership, networking and representation. Giosef, considering crucial the concept of networking, offers for years always more concrete targets of participation and representation in different second-level organizations, forums, consultations and partnership networks useful for promoting and discussing the policies put in place by the association.

Indeed, since 2008 Giosef is a member of the National Youth Forum, a body recognized by the Law of 30 December 2004 no. 311 by the Italian Parliament, as the only National platform of Italian youth organizations, with more than 75 organizations at its core, for a representation of about 4 million of young people. Since 2012, Giosef was elected member of the executive of that body with delegation to matters of civil service, non-formal education and international mobility.

Since its formation, the association is part of the Regional Forums in Italy, where they are present, and acts as interlocutor in the other regions to start the creation of platforms representing youth organizations in the area.