GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly is the sovereign organ of the Agency. It is composed of the Members of the Agency and takes place in spring every year. The Governing Board convenes the Assembly and agrees on the agenda, which is sent to Members in advance. One representative per organisation (Member, Affiliated Organisation, Co-operating Organisation) is invited to participate at this event. Every third year there is a so-called big General Assembly (2013, 2016, 2019…) when up to 5 representatives per organisation can participate.

The General Assembly is an important occasion for all of our members to come together to see what has been happening throughout the year (at European, national and local level), to share best practices from their own organisations, to comment and plan on ERYICA’s work programme for the upcoming year, and to be involved in deciding possible initiatives and activities.

The operational processes of Eryica, its staff, governing board, and members, is laid out in the organisation's statutes. The statutes are agreed by the General Assembly, with the most recent statutes being adopted at the 26th meeting of the General Assembly, in Luxembourg, on the 18th April 2015.

 

Functions of the Governing Board and its Members

  • The Governing Board prepares the sessions of the General Assembly and executes its decisions in concentration with the Director. It ensures that the decisions of the General Assembly, as well as the commitments and obligations incurred by the Agency, are respected.

  • It also assists and supervises the various activities of the Agency and the implementation of the annual Work Programme, including the projects (initiated by members) that are selected as ERYICA’s ones.

  • It monitors the day-to-day management of the Agency, and reports on that to the General Assembly. It arranges the representation of the Agency.

  • It shall fulfil its functions in close collaboration with the Director.

  • The Governing Board meets four times a year, of which one in correspondence with the General Assembly of the Agency.

The present composition of the ERYICA Governing Board, elected during the 27th General Assembly in Helsinki, Finland, is as follows. Hover over their photos below for further details.

Jaana Fedotoff - President Linkedin Organization: Koordinaatti – National Centre of expertise for Youth Information and Counselling Country: Finland Email: Jaana.Fedotoff@ouka.fi Jaana Fedotoff has worked at the Finnish National Centre of expertise for Youth Information and Counselling Koordinaatti since the centre was established in 2006. She has a Master’s Degree in Humanities (Degree Programme NGO and Youth Work) and she is a Vocational Teacher. Jaana has also studied a number of other subjects, such as journalism and mass communication in University of Tampere. Very early on her work started to evolve around communication as well as youth information, counselling and guidance at national and European level. That is the path she has been following ever since. Jaana has been actively involved in ERYICA issues and projects since 1988 and is qualified ERYICA trainer. She has been as the president of ERYICA since April 2016. Jaana is a member in many expert groups and projects in Finland. From 2000 to 2013 she was a member of the steering group of European Union’s Youth in Action programme and participated in several international projects in a variety of roles. She is a member of the National Euroguidance Steering group, EU32 National group and also a member of the URAA! -project dealing with multisectoral career guidance competences in low-threshold services for young people

Jaana Fedotoff
- President

Linkedin

Organization: Koordinaatti – National Centre of expertise for Youth Information and Counselling

Country: Finland

Email: Jaana.Fedotoff@ouka.fi

Jaana Fedotoff has worked at the Finnish National Centre of expertise for Youth Information and Counselling Koordinaatti since the centre was established in 2006. She has a Master’s Degree in Humanities (Degree Programme NGO and Youth Work) and she is a Vocational Teacher.
Jaana has also studied a number of other subjects, such as journalism and mass communication in University of Tampere.
Very early on her work started to evolve around communication as well as youth information, counselling and guidance at national and European level. That is the path she has been following ever since. Jaana has been actively involved in ERYICA issues and projects since 1988 and is qualified ERYICA trainer. She has been as the president of ERYICA since April 2016. Jaana is a member in many expert groups and projects in Finland.

From 2000 to 2013 she was a member of the steering group of European Union’s Youth in Action programme and participated in several international projects in a variety of roles. She is a member of the National Euroguidance Steering group, EU32 National group and also a member of the URAA! -project dealing with multisectoral career guidance competences in low-threshold services for young people

Jaana Fedotoff

 
Josep Moliné i Soler - Vice President Organization: ACJ – Catalan Youth Agency Country: Spain Email: jmoline@gencat.cat Pep Moliné i Soler was born in Barcelona in 1980. He lives in Sitges. Graduate in Marketing and Communication. He is currently the director of International Projects and Cooperation of the Catalan Youth Agency (Government of Catalonia). He has been linked to the field of youth policy and youth associations movement for many years. He became part of the coordinating team of the National Youth Plan of Catalonia 2000-2010 and he helped to organize the 3rd Congress of the Youth of Catalonia held in 2002 at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In 2003 he was also part of the editorial team of the publication "Project of 2001-2003 National Youth Plan Territory." He has also been Secretary General of a youth organization in Catalonia and he has been a member of the youth policy committee of the Parliament of Catalonia. Also in 2009, he was elected board member of the “Foundation Triangle Jove” by the assembly of the National Youth Council of Catalonia for a period of two years. He has published several articles about youth policies in Catalonia. One of his main passions is to follow FC Barcelona team. He likes playing tennis, running and swimming through the Sitges’s beaches.

Josep Moliné i Soler
- Vice President

Organization: ACJ – Catalan Youth Agency

Country: Spain

Email: jmoline@gencat.cat

Pep Moliné i Soler was born in Barcelona in 1980. He lives in Sitges. Graduate in Marketing and Communication. He is currently the director of International Projects and Cooperation of the Catalan Youth Agency (Government of Catalonia).

He has been linked to the field of youth policy and youth associations movement for many years. He became part of the coordinating team of the National Youth Plan of Catalonia 2000-2010 and he helped to organize the 3rd Congress of the Youth of Catalonia held in 2002 at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In 2003 he was also part of the editorial team of the publication "Project of 2001-2003 National Youth Plan Territory."

He has also been Secretary General of a youth organization in Catalonia and he has been a member of the youth policy committee of the Parliament of Catalonia. Also in 2009, he was elected board member of the “Foundation Triangle Jove” by the assembly of the National Youth Council of Catalonia for a period of two years.

He has published several articles about youth policies in Catalonia.

One of his main passions is to follow FC Barcelona team. He likes playing tennis, running and swimming through the Sitges’s beaches.

Josep Moliné i Soler

Menelaos A. Menelaou Member of the Governing Board Organization: Youth Board of Cyprus Country: Cyprus Email: director@onek.org.cy Menelaos holds a Bsc in Public and Business Administration from the University of Cyprus and an MBA from the Cardiff University. Since 2017 he is the Executive Director of the Youth Board of Cyprus, the public competent authority responsible for all youth matters in Cyprus, including policy making and programs implementation. He is also the Director of the National Agency of Erasmus+ (Youth), the European Solidarity Corps and Eurodesk. Furthermore, he is a member of the Bureau of the Steering Committee on Youth of the Council of Europe. In the past he has worked as the Operations Manager of the Centre for Entrepreneurship of the University of Cyprus, as CEO of Diogenes Business incubator and the Head of Careers Office of the University of Cyprus. Design Thinking enthusiast. Promoter of innovation and new ideas. Husband and proud father of one. Last but not least basketball addict.

Menelaos A. Menelaou
Member of the Governing Board

Organization: Youth Board of Cyprus

Country: Cyprus
Email: director@onek.org.cy

Menelaos holds a Bsc in Public and Business Administration from the University of Cyprus and an MBA from the Cardiff University. Since 2017 he is the Executive Director of the Youth Board of Cyprus, the public competent authority responsible for all youth matters in Cyprus, including policy making and programs implementation. He is also the Director of the National Agency of Erasmus+ (Youth), the European Solidarity Corps and Eurodesk. Furthermore, he is a member of the Bureau of the Steering Committee on Youth of the Council of Europe.

In the past he has worked as the Operations Manager of the Centre for Entrepreneurship of the University of Cyprus, as CEO of Diogenes Business incubator and the Head of Careers Office of the University of Cyprus.

Design Thinking enthusiast. Promoter of innovation and new ideas. Husband and proud father of one. Last but not least basketball addict.

Menelaos A. Menelaou

Kadri Koort - Member of the Governing Board Linkedin Organization: ENTK - Eesti Noorsootöö Keskus Country: Email: Kadri.Koort@entk.ee Kadri has graduated Youth Work speciality at Pedagogical College of Tallinn and Education Management master’s degree at the University of Tallinn. In her master's thesis, she looked deeply into the occurrence of hidden curriculum as a social and physical phenomenon in general education schools, which generated her interest to culture, attitudes, and values of organisations. She has been working in youth work field since 2008 in different environments (camps, centres, school, online) and levels (local, national, international). She has experience with projects, coordinating and analysing youth work and youth information services. Her job as a youth information chief expert of Inclusion and Competitiveness Unit at Estonian Youth Work Centre is to coordinate and support youth information developments on a national level. Her work is to deliver information to young people, provide training and sources to professionals, organising youth consultations, events and seminars, and coordinating networks. Estonian Youth Work Centre has nationwide youth information website www.teeviit.ee .

Kadri Koort
- Member of the Governing Board

Linkedin

Organization: ENTK - Eesti Noorsootöö Keskus

Country:

Email:Kadri.Koort@entk.ee

Kadri has graduated Youth Work speciality at Pedagogical College of Tallinn and Education Management master’s degree at the University of Tallinn. In her master's thesis, she looked deeply into the occurrence of hidden curriculum as a social and physical phenomenon in general education schools, which generated her interest to culture, attitudes, and values of organisations.

She has been working in youth work field since 2008 in different environments (camps, centres, school, online) and levels (local, national, international). She has experience with projects, coordinating and analysing youth work and youth information services.

Her job as a youth information chief expert of Inclusion and Competitiveness Unit at Estonian Youth Work Centre is to coordinate and support youth information developments on a national level. Her work is to deliver information to young people, provide training and sources to professionals, organising youth consultations, events and seminars, and coordinating networks. Estonian Youth Work Centre has nationwide youth information website www.teeviit.ee.

Kadri Koort

Patrick J Burke - Member of the Governing Board Linkedin Organization: Youth Work Ireland Country: Ireland Email: pburke@youthworkireland.ie Dr. Patrick J Burke (CEO Youth Work Ireland) has over thirty years’ experience working in the Community and Voluntary sector. Initially he volunteered in his local Youth Club in the village of Ardmore, Co. Waterford: This was followed by a period as a volunteer in various youth groups in Cork city while he worked for a number of years in the Private Sector in the area of Importation and Sales. In the early nineties he moved into direct target front line youth work in various suburbs of Dublin including Tallaght and Ballyfermot. After a number of years in development work in South America he returned to Ireland to lead a community development project in Wexford. He then spent five years as Manager of a Neighbourhood Youth Project in Blanchardstown, Dublin. In 2003 he was appointed Director of Threshold, the National Housing Agency. He was subsequently appointed CEO of the Simon Communities of Ireland. In 2011 he returned to youth work when he was appointed CEO of Youth Work Ireland. He is currently a member of the Board of ERYICA. His primary degrees are in Politics and Philosophy (BA Hon) & Theology (STB) and he holds a Masters in Sociology from Inistituto Pedro de Cordoba,Santiago, Chile. He has recently been awarded and Doctorate in Governance from the School of Law, Queens University, Belfast.

Patrick J Burke
- Member of the Governing Board

Linkedin

Organization: Youth Work Ireland

Country: Ireland

Email: pburke@youthworkireland.ie

Dr. Patrick J Burke (CEO Youth Work Ireland) has over thirty years’ experience working in the Community and Voluntary sector. Initially he volunteered in his local Youth Club in the village of Ardmore, Co. Waterford: This was followed by a period as a volunteer in various youth groups in Cork city while he worked for a number of years in the Private Sector in the area of Importation and Sales. In the early nineties he moved into direct target front line youth work in various suburbs of Dublin including Tallaght and Ballyfermot. After a number of years in development work in South America he returned to Ireland to lead a community development project in Wexford. He then spent five years as Manager of a Neighbourhood Youth Project in Blanchardstown, Dublin. In 2003 he was appointed Director of Threshold, the National Housing Agency. He was subsequently appointed CEO of the Simon Communities of Ireland. In 2011 he returned to youth work when he was appointed CEO of Youth Work Ireland. He is currently a member of the Board of ERYICA.

His primary degrees are in Politics and Philosophy (BA Hon) & Theology (STB) and he holds a Masters in Sociology from Inistituto Pedro de Cordoba,Santiago, Chile. He has recently been awarded and Doctorate in Governance from the School of Law, Queens University, Belfast.

Patrick J Burke

Matjaž Medvešek - Member of the Governing Board Linkedin Organization: MISSS - Mladinsko Informativno Svetovalno Sredisce Slovenije Country: Slovenia Email: matjaz@misss.org Matjaž Medvešekis educated as a social worker and works as youth worker since 1995. He is dedicated to youth information training activities andis a certified ERYICA trainer for different training modules. In 2012 he became the director ofMISSS - Youth Information and Counselling Centre of Slovenia and been elected as ERYICA Governing Board member in 2015. Matjaž Medvešekis educated as a social worker and as such works as youth information worker since 1995. He started to developyouth information and counselling network in Slovenia and national youth information training modules soon after taking his job position at MISSS. As a member of ERYICA Trainers Pool and working groups on development of basic and advanced youth information training programs he started train following modules: MBTC, YIntro, Digital YIntro Youth Information Ambassadors and JIMMY. He also developed a street work programme in order to organize youngsters in local community and teaching young people of using less risky forms of behaviour. Matjaž published, together in cooperation with a group of authors, a National concept of youth information work in Slovenia (2003) , National standards on youth information (2007), MBTC training manual for youth information workers (2005) and assisted a survey Youth information needs and youth participation (2005). In 2016 he became a member of European Commissions Expert group on Risks, opportunities and implications of digitalisationfor youth, youth work and youth policy.

Matjaž Medvešek
- Member of the Governing Board

Linkedin

Organization: MISSS - Mladinsko Informativno Svetovalno Sredisce Slovenije

Country: Slovenia

Email: matjaz@misss.org

Matjaž Medvešekis educated as a social worker and works as youth worker since 1995. He is dedicated to youth information training activities andis a certified ERYICA trainer for different training modules.

In 2012 he became the director ofMISSS - Youth Information and Counselling Centre of Slovenia and been elected as ERYICA Governing Board member in 2015.

Matjaž Medvešekis educated as a social worker and as such works as youth information worker since 1995. He started to developyouth information and counselling network in Slovenia and national youth information training modules soon after taking his job position at MISSS.

As a member of ERYICA Trainers Pool and working groups on development of basic and advanced youth information training programs he started train following modules: MBTC, YIntro, Digital YIntro Youth Information Ambassadors and JIMMY.

He also developed a street work programme in order to organize youngsters in local community and teaching young people of using less risky forms of behaviour.

Matjaž published, together in cooperation with a group of authors, a National concept of youth information work in Slovenia (2003) , National standards on youth information (2007), MBTC training manual for youth information workers (2005) and assisted a survey Youth information needs and youth participation (2005).

In 2016 he became a member of European Commissions Expert group on Risks, opportunities and implications of digitalisationfor youth, youth work and youth policy.

Matjaž Medvešek

Claire Conlon - Member ofthe Governing Board Linkedin Organization: CIDJ - Centre d'information et de documentation jeunesse Country: France Email: ClaireCONLON@cidj.com Claire studied applied languages, librarianship, information sciences and teaching French as a foreign language. Her studies included Erasmus opportunities in Germany and in Ireland. She then worked and lived in Dublin for three years. A Youth Information worker with CIDJ, the French national Youth Information Centre since 1996, she has extensive experience of Youth Information at local, regional, national and European level. Her experience covers delivering information and counselling to young people, writing information contents, providing training to professionals, organising events and seminars, and coordinating networks. Her job as Head of European and International Affairs at CIDJ is fully dedicated to European cooperation. She has been committed to ERYICA since 2003.

Claire Conlon
- Member ofthe Governing Board

Linkedin

Organization: CIDJ - Centre d'information et de documentation jeunesse

Country: France

Email: ClaireCONLON@cidj.com

Claire studied applied languages, librarianship, information sciences and teaching French as a foreign language. Her studies included Erasmus opportunities in Germany and in Ireland. She then worked and lived in Dublin for three years.

A Youth Information worker with CIDJ, the French national Youth Information Centre since 1996, she has extensive experience of Youth Information at local, regional, national and European level. Her experience covers delivering information and counselling to young people, writing information contents, providing training to professionals, organising events and seminars, and coordinating networks.

Her job as Head of European and International Affairs at CIDJ is fully dedicated to European cooperation. She has been committed to ERYICA since 2003.

Claire Conlon