The purpose of the #YouEU project is to reinvigorate the relationship of European Youth with the EU and promote active youth participation in the EU democratic life by harnessing the potential of digital tools and promoting e-participation. The encouragement of youth participation in the democratic life constitutes a fundamental aim of the EU enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty. More recently, Ursula von der Leyen in her Agenda for Europe marks the salience of citizens’ participation in shaping the agenda and the future for Europe: “I want Europeans to build the future of our Union […] I want citizens to have their say at a Conference on the Future of Europe, to start in 2020 and run for two years. At the same time, migration, climate change or more recently COVID-19 demonstrate the interdependence and the salience of European Union in collectively addressing the future challenges. Interestingly, these issues are the ones that considered the most important by the European Youth. OBJECTIVES Enhance the capacity of youth workers and CSOs professionals to support young people on using digital democracy tools so as to better understand the EU democracy and to contribute in EU democracy processes • Raise awareness and educate youth on e-democracy and participation concepts, tools and their potential • Strengthen transnational cooperation among youth and foster an EU digital public sphere • Prepare youth for participation in the Conference for the Future of Europe • Foster understanding and a sense of a common European identity RESULTS 1. The #YouEU Toolkit, an e-publication in the form of e-book with embedded links. It will be available in (6) languages in electronic format 2. The E-course addressed to youth aged 16-24 for e-participation and empowerment in EU democratic life 3. The #YouEU Platform available in English and all participating country languages, user-led and with real-time content update 4. The #YouEU experience: Lessons on e-participation and youth empowerment with youth views recounting their experiences on applying digital tools for participation in EU affairs 5. Delivery of education and awareness raising seminars with young persons in five (5 countries) to a total of 300 participants 6. Five (5) multiplier events The project is a transnational cooperation of organisations in Greece, Spain, Austria, Bulgaria and North Macedonia and will have 24 months duration. The results of the project are contributing to the goals of the EU Youth Policy and to the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027. The project is also in line with The Paris Declaration of 2015 “'Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education. Also, the project is grounded and adheres to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The overall objective of the #YouEU project was to harness the potential of digital tools to promote the participation of youth in the democratic life in the EU. The five specific objectives of the project were to: • Enhance the capacity of youth workers and CSOs professionals to support young people on using digital democracy tools so as to understand the EU democracy better and to contribute in EU democracy processes • Raise awareness and educate youth on e-democracy and participation concepts, tools and their potential • Strengthen transnational cooperation among youth and foster an EU digital public sphere • Encourage youth participation in the Conference on the Future of Europe • Foster understanding and a sense of a common European identity among youth
To foster young people’s participation in democratic life is to empower them and provide them with the means and ways to become actors in their life and their world. Amidst the rise of populism and a return to nationalist discourses, the idea of the YouEU project was created based on the need to nurture youth engagement and strengthen their connection to the EU project giving EU democracy a youth revamping. A well-informed young generation confidently engaging with digital democracy tools and making its claims open to the public sphere will foster active EU citizenship and will build a sense of European identity. At the same time, youth workers should be properly prepared in order to facilitate this process. Encouraging youth participation has been high on the EU scholarly and policy agendas over the recent decades, especially after the end of what was coined 'the permissive consensus' in EU affairs and as the EU democratic deficit was beginning to be a key issue on the agenda. Within this concept, the #YouEU project aimed to reinvigorate the relationship of European youth with the EU and promote active youth participation in the EU democratic life by harnessing the potential of digital tools and promoting e-participation.