Conference Program

Updated program, November 30, 2023

December 4: 14. 00 – 17.00  

Nordic House, Brussel, Rue du Luxembourg 3 / 5, 1000 Brussel

Pre-conference Workshop and Exhibition  

Update! First part of the workshop from about 14.00 – 14. 45 CET will be hybrid.
Link to the zoom webinar: https://oslomet.zoom.us/j/67322175440?pwd=TXExZzR6MnlPNmtld0tzWlhNNWxBQT09

The pre-conference workshop and exhibition is targeted for those interested in learning more about how to conduct hands-on citizen social science in practice, in general and with a special focus on young people. The workshop is based on the project’s multiple case study which includes ten local case projects in nine countries across Europe, and the exhibition will provide more concrete descriptions from the cases. 

The workshop will consist of a short introduction to the YouCount project and a conceptual framework for youth citizen social science. This will be followed by a short overview of key aspects of hands-on youth citizen social science as detailed in the agenda below.  

We will then invite participants to “take a journey throughout Europe”, select the places they would like to explore, and then visit our café tables with researchers and young citizen scientists from the ten cases, focusing on special aspects of doing citizen social science in practice. 

Our café tables will feature posters from the cases, including our many Oops and Aha moments to trigger sharing of experiences and discussions. 

During the workshop, we will also present and discuss a first draft of the upcoming Handbook and Toolkits for youth citizen social science for further refinement based on the participant’s feedback. 

Exhibition (onsite and virtual)

The exhibition is part of the workshop. Co-designed with co-researchers, it represents their own story, essential findings, and experiences. At each "station", young citizen scientists will guide participants through the case country's findings and possibly offer a small taste experience. 

Those participating online will have access to a simplified visual representation of the onsite exhibition. They will be able to investigate the different "stations” through the case countries and their findings. The exhibition will also be part of the interactive session about the potential for youth citizen social science and its challenges, a topic that will be discussed in the second day of the conference.

Link to the virtual exhibition: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVNRkFnbk=/?share_link_id=680278430138

Agenda and time schedule for the workshop

Welcome reception 18.00 – 20.30 

Nordic House, Brussels, Rue du Luxembourg 3 / 5, 1000 Brussel

Please stay with us after the workshop for the Welcome Reception from 18.00 – 20.30 hosted by the Oslo Region European Office (ORE). 

At 18.30, we will have a greeting by Director of ORE, Gunnar Selvik, the Counsellor for research at the Mission of Norway to the EU Geir Arnulf and Reidun Norvoll, YouCount Coordinator, OsloMet.

December 5: 09.00 – 17.00 

(Exhibition lasts to 18.00)  

Final Conference (hybrid)

NH Brussels EU Berlaymont, Boulevard Charlemagne 11 - 19, 1000 Brussels 

The Final Conference will focus on presenting and discussing the main learnings from the YouCount project together with participants and key stakeholders from Europe and globally concerning our three main strands of inquiry: 

• To develop and validate a conceptual and methodological framework for hands-on youth citizen social science.
• To use this framework to empower young people and co-create new knowledge of social inclusion and social innovations with policymakers and other stakeholders.
• To increase knowledge of the actual outcomes and costs- and benefits of youth citizen social science, broadly understood. 

Streaming link (Vimeo) for the conference day

The program is split into four main sessions: 

Session 1: Introduction to the YouCount project

After a short introduction to the YouCount project by Project Coordinator Reidun Norvoll, Project Adviser and Project Officer Katharina Buse from the Research Executive Agency (REA) will connect YouCount to the overall ambition of the H2020 Science with and for Society programme. Our keynote speaker, Professor Alan Irwin will then contextualise the project in his introductory speech about the history and future of citizen social science. 

Session 2: Key findings and experiences related to the development, practices and evaluation of youth citizen social science

After presentations of the conceptual framework for youth citizen social science and research findings, there will be a "walk- and talk"- session in the exhibition area, where small groups discuss and identify some key potentials and challenges related to youth citizen social science.

These issues will inform a roundtable discussion, where young citizen scientists, representatives from the European Commission, academia and related EU citizen science projects will reflect on how citizen social science can be further improved and supported. So far, Policy Officer Gabriella Leo from the European Commission, DG R&I, Open science and Research Infrastructure Unit; Professor of Theory of Science Dick Kasperowski from Gothenburg University; Scientific Coordinator and COESO project coordinator Alessia Smaniotto; and, Science Adviser Asya Salnikova from the Time4Cs project will participate in the discussions.

Session 3: Findings from YouCount on social inclusion and innovation - implications for social sciences and social and youth policymaking

The next session after the lunch break, will focus on the role of citizen social science for social change through social innovation and policymaking. After a presentation of results concerning social innovation, we will look closer into the findings from the social inclusion research and discuss the most important and interesting findings in interactive group discussions. 

Young citizen scientists, social scientists including Josep Perelló, CoAct project coordinator and OpenSystems-UB research; key stakeholders such as Deputy Head of Unit Mina Stareva from the European Commission, Fair Societies & Cultural Heritage; representative from the European Youth Forum Boshko Stankovski; Sandra Paola Alvarez from the International Organisation of Migration Europe; and, Tomas De Groote from Sociale InnovatieFabriek will share their own perspectives.

Session 4: You Count's overall impact and way forward in the European and international context.

This session will look closer into the possible impact of youth citizen social science based in the findings from the YouCount project, and then discuss implications for the European and international context featuring Claudia Fabó Cartas, Project officer at ECSA and Project Manager of the EU-funded project ECS, and Laone Bukamu Hulela, Director of Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) who will share closing remarks.

Agenda