Networks / European Peer Training Organisation (EPTO)

www.epto.org

The European Peer Training Organisation (EPTO) educates youth leaders to discuss issues related to prejudice and discrimination, to lead workshops that challenge stereotypes, and to become activists against exclusion within their youth organisations and schools.

Its mission statement is:

‘To promote personal responsibility against prejudice and discrimination by increasing consciousness and understanding using educational interactive methods that create a respectful environment for everybody.’

Through train-the-trainer programmes, peer trainer conferences, multi-day and short-term workshops, a newsletter and website, EPTO provides not only a conduit for the delivery of the A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Peer Training programme, but also functions as a network of youth leaders in itself, from which new methodologies are developed and exchanged, cooperative programmes are generated, and young people can influence European youth and educational policy.

Originally set up by and still closely affiliated to CEJI, EPTO became an independent association in 2006, with an independent board and its own coordinator.

EPTO’s current actions include participation in a European Youth Forum-supported faith-based expert group, which aims to mainstream inter-faith dialogue in European youth policies and to develop initiatives under this topic, and in the All Different, All Equal Campaign of the Council of Europe, to which EPTO has been an active contributor.

EPTO is also involved in the development of new training modules on Gender and Homophobia, Disability, and Migration.

EPTO works closely with other networks including:

• The International Gay Lesbian Youth Organisation (IGLYO)
• The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU)
• The Youth Express Network (YEN)
• L'Association de la Fondation Etudiante pour la Ville (AFEV)
• The European Network Against Racism (ENAR)
• The European Roma Information Office (ERIO)