The project will be developed in collaboration between 5 universities and universities of applied sciences (HEIs) from five different countries and 4 local practitioners from each country with vast expertise in working with marginalised youth in practice. Furthermore, marginalised youth from these institutions will be involved in the development as well. 

The number of marginalised youth is growing in Europe. The partner consortium has found that the partner countries despite different welfare systems have the same problems finding solutions to “wicked problems” involving marginalised youth. Much research shows that “wicked problems” need to be solved by engaging all stakeholders: social workers and social pedagogues, students of social work/pedagogy and marginalised youth. It is therefore necessary for the students to practice collaborating with the other professions and engage with both marginalised youth and practitioners during their education. 

The aim of the project is with a consortium including all relevant stakeholders to develop a flexible Module Concept to qualify students and staff to work innovatively, inter-professionally and inter-organisationally with “wicked problems” for the benefit of social work with marginalised youth. The project will develop: 

• A Module Concept 
• A Guide for Lecturers 
• An Anthology to be used as teaching material 
• A project website with free downloadable products 
• A flyer presenting the project

Both HEI's of the consortium and other HEI’s all over Europe will receive a well tested inter-professional and inter-sectoral module easy to implement in different educations. This will benefit students all over Europe. Social Services of the consortium and other Social Services in Europe will be able to influence what their future staff (current students) will learn during their education and current staff will develop new competences and skills and learn new solutions to wicked problems. Marginalised youth participating in the consortium and from other Social Service institutions will have direct influence on what future social workers/pedagogues learn during their studies and assure that the learning fits the needs of marginalised youth. The project will qualify social workers and social pedagogues to be able to work across sectors and professions as a team. 

Read a short article about the project in Journal de l'association comenius (pdf) 

See a presentation about HEI Inter-Professional module (HIP) (pdf)

• VIA University College, Denmark (Coordinator) 
• Institute of Technology Sligo, Ireland
• University of Bucharest, Romania - find more here 
• University of Valencia, Spain 
• Hogeschool van Amsterdam, University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands 
• ASV Horsens, Denmark 
• North Connaught Youth Services, Ireland 
• General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection, Romania 
• Iniciatives Solidàries, Spain

The project has produced a variety of products.

A main product is an anthology with theoretical perspectives on co-creation and empirical case studies discussing and explaining issues related to wicked problems and marginalized youth.

HIP Anthology (pdf)

In order to make the results of the project available to as many interested as possible, a summary of the anthology has been translated into five different languages. These can be found below:

• WICKED PROBLEMS Y JÓVENES: Enseñanza co-creativa para las profesiones de los social. (pdf)
• WICKED PROBLEMS I JOVENT:  Ensenyament co-creatiu per a professionals d’alloò sociald (pdf)
• WICKED PROBLEMS & JONGEREN: Co-creatief onderwijs voor sociale professionals. (pdf)
• Vilde problemer og unge: Samskabende undervisning til sociale fagprofessionelle. (pdf)
• Problemele critice si tinerii- Co-crearea formarii pentru profesiile sociale. (pdf)
• Wicked problems and young people. Co-creative teaching for the social professions. (pdf)

A Module Descriptor including a Guide for Lecturers which explains the background of the teaching elements as well as gives examples and instructions on how to teach creatively is available here.

Read the Module descriptor and Teacher's guide (pdf)

The journal can be viewed online here: Anul XVII-NR. 1: "Social Protection of Child"

The project consisted among other things of partner meetings in all five countries participating in the project. The meetings were engaging and educating. Reflections on lessons from the partner meetings and the workshops held at the partner meetings are expressed by Caroline Costello from Ireland in this short article:

Reflections (pdf)

A short leaflet produced in 2014 introduces the aims of the project, the partners and the expected outputs.

Leaflet about the programme (pdf)

In addition to the materials produced as outputs of the project, other related materials have come out of the project as well. The following article is based on cooperation between a researcher from the Institute of Technology Sligo and the local practice partner, North Connaught Youth Services. 

Read the article in the Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies