Backslash

A mark of punctuation ( \ ) introduced in 1960 as a deliberate way to convert two ALGOL symbols (“up” and “down” carets) into ASCII by using the new backslash and its traditional opposite number, the virgule or slant ( / )

What is Backslash?

Welcome to BACKSLASH, a non-governmental youth organization based in Valencia, Spain that is dedicated to empowering young people and promoting social inclusion through education and training. Our team includes 4 paid staff members, 10 external collaborators, and 15 volunteers who are passionate about making a positive impact in their community.

At BACKSLASH, our mission is to support the sustainable development of local communities and empower individuals through education, human rights, democratic values, and international cooperation. To achieve this, we are divided into the following departments and focus on the following key areas:

  • Entrepreneurship: We support youth entrepreneurship, career orientation, mentoring, and active youth participation. We believe that empowering young people to become successful entrepreneurs helps to create a more vibrant and sustainable local economy.
  • Social Rights: We promote social inclusion, gender equality, European citizenship, youth and children’s rights, and support for migrants and refugees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and we work to ensure that marginalized groups have equal access to opportunities.
  • Culture: We support contemporary culture, cultural democratization, cultural heritage, artistic expression, and young artists. We believe that culture plays a vital role in promoting understanding and tolerance, and we strive to create opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience and engage with culture.
  • Environment: We promote environmental protection, sustainability, climate action, circular economy, and environmental education. We believe that it is our responsibility to protect and preserve the natural world for future generations, and we work to educate and engage people in environmental issues.
  • Communication and IT: We develop e-learning tools, mobile applications, and video animations to support the work of our other departments and to promote learning and engagement among young people.

BACKSLASH has participated in numerous EU projects, including over 15 KA2 projects and 120+ KA1 projects through the Erasmus+ programme, which focuses on entrepreneurship, social inclusion, environmental issues, and culture. We have also worked on a project under the REC (Rights, Equality and Citizenship) programme to combat gender-based violence in schools, and have participated in the Europe for Citizens and Creative Europe programmes to promote active citizenship and support the contemporary culture sector. In addition, we have been accredited as a Host Entrepreneur through the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme and have hosted New Entrepreneurs from other countries to mentor them in starting their own businesses. We are also proud to be a part of the European Solidarity Corps, sending over 20 volunteers per year to collaborate with institutions across Europe.

In addition to our EU-funded projects, BACKSLASH is also a member of CONNECT International, a Brussels-based network of organizations that promotes the mainstreaming of digital rights and the digital agenda in Europe. We are also members of the PRISMA European Network, the European Network of Innovation for Inclusion, and the Anna Lindh Foundation. These partnerships allow us to share knowledge, resources, and best practices with like-minded organizations and to have a greater impact on our local and global communities.

BACKSLASH actively participates in the local youth council and contributes to the improvement of the youth policies of the city and region, working closely with both administrations and representatives. The organization has its offices in the building of the youth department of the Municipality, where also advises youth about the possibilities that Europe brings them in terms of work, education, training, and volunteering, promoting a wider idea of European citizenship and cross-border mobility.

Publications

-(2019) Training methodology for youth entrepreneurship: ISBN 978- 619-7534-00-5

-(2019) Evaluation methodology to identify youth at risk of exclusion: ISBN 978- 619-7534-08-5

-(2019) Metodología de formación en emprendimiento juvenil: ISBN 978- 619-7534-00-9

-(2019) Metodología de evaluación para identificar jóvenes en riesgo de exclusión: ISBN 978- 619-7534-09-2

-(2020) Career orientation for youth – VOCCESS Methodology

-(2020) Innovative methodology for Career Orientation and Career Education – ASIN: B087NR93T3

-(2021) BITE of Art, Contemporary Art Business Model

-(2021) Entrepreneurship training and evaluation Methodology

-(2021) Education for Gender Equality – Handbook for teachers and educators

Our expertise

European Projects

 

Entrepreneurship

 

Participation

 

Some numbers

154

Erasmus+ KA1 Projects

22

Erasmus+ KA2 Projects

1437

Participants in our projects