On 4 August 2023, the Quality Label’s team of experts visited the Timisoara Youth House (FITT) in Romania to evaluate the fulfilment of the 15 quality criteria of the Quality Label for Youth Centres which the centre has been holding since 2016.
The inspiring visit provided an opportunity for the expert team to meet with the leadership and teams of the Timis County Youth Foundation (FITT), a non-governmental umbrella of youth organisation responsible for the running of the centre, and to learn about the many improvements in their programme and facilities.
The visit also allowed for exchanges with the National Youth Foundation, the Timis County Council and key stakeholders, such as student organisations and local and international volunteers. FITT has undergone important changes and the expert team was delighted to see a new generation of young, vibrant youth leaders implementing an ambitious programme of youth work activities. They offer a diverse cultural programme for local youth participants and provide quality opportunities for young artists while managing a large and complex facility.
Most notably, FITT has become active in the development of local and national youth policies and centre has developed substantial strategic institutional relations at European and international levels with the Council of Europe, the EU, and UNICEF. FITT’s work has been particularly impressive through their facilitation of classes for 120 Ukrainian child refugees.
Following these fruitful discussions, the Quality Label Expert Team will propose a recommendation to the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ) to prolong the Quality Label for Timisoara Youth House (FITT), with the final decision to be taken at the next CDEJ meeting on 23 October 2023.
The Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres has 14 recognised centres across Europe, including the centre in Timisoara. The Timisoara Youth House primarily organises activities to benefit disadvantaged youth, with a focus on local and national policy development. In addition, the centre promotes cultural programmes and youth entrepreneurship through their initiatives to encourage active citizenship among various youth groups.
Expert Team:
- Gordana Berjan, Coordinator of the Quality Label for Youth Centres, Youth Department, Council of Europe
- Marcos Andrade, Deputy Director of the European Youth Centre Budapest
- Natalia Chardymova, Expert from the resource pool of the Quality Label Youth Centres’ Programme
