Juventude Vila Fonche held the encounter "Entre Arcos e Barca" which brought together 24 young people from 2 municipalities (Arcos de Valdevez and Ponte da Barca) to present its work, opportunities and programs that are available to young people at a national level and international. The young people who participated in that activity had different backgrounds and needs and some of us had already participated in projects under the Erasmus + program (youth exchanges in Portugal and abroad). During the activity, using non-formal education, we were challenged to identify youth issues and the communities to which we belong. After this identification we get together in groups to find solutions to the problems/needs identified. One of the problems identified by us was the generalized disinterest of youth in civic and political participation. In order to work on that issue with other young people, we decided, with the support of Juventude de Vila Fonche, to present an international youth exchange under the Erasmus + Programme, as this program allows us to discuss this topic with young people from other European countries and can create a great young people and their communities. Thus, "YES - Young European Speaks" has emerged which aims not only to motivate young people to participate actively in society, but also to give them the tools to do so in an assertive and clear way. Through the involvement and empowerment of young people, youth policy can contribute to the success of the vision of a continent where young people can seize opportunities and be identified with European values. The last few years are marked by a growing polarization of political discussions. The rise of populism and extremism in all important questions like "Brexit", migration, changes in the labor market, etc., threatens our understanding of democracy. At the same time, the amount of framing, false information and lies in the media is increasing. Developing communicative and argumentative skills is mandatory in this setting because non-extreme, moderate positions are more difficult to express because they are the result of a commitment process in listening to the various parts, which makes their expression more complex. The differences in cultural, social and economic level need to maintain the spirit of strength and congregation, at a time when walls are erected and nationalist rhetoric was once again popular. We propose to combat the lack of interest of young people in the active life of society by using non-formal education methods, a unique mechanism in the development of such skills. The main objectives of this project are: - development of critical thinking; - encourage young people to participate actively in society and in their communities; - create a space where young people will learn new strategies and tools that will awaken them to active participation; - develop abilities of self-confidence, self-knowledge, self-reflection, flexibility, empathy, communication and argumentation; - stimulate reflection on current issues and the ability to question, present proposals, articulate responses; - comprehending different points of view and how they mark the experience in society and the political decision; - promote cultural exchanges and their respect and appreciation, creating a sense of European citizenship; - promote moments of sharing, living and learning that enrich the work of the associations involved.