In Europe, youth involvement in community life is vital for development. Since Covid-19, youth work faces challenges like limited financial support, decreased visibility, and lower engagement. The role of youth work in addressing evolving needs, influenced by digitalisation and social media, has grown more complex. There remains a critical need to improve the quality of youth work, recognise youth workers as active agents, and address the disconnect felt by many, especially in rural areas. The COM project aimed to create a comprehensive toolset for youth workers using digitalisation and non-formal education. These tools strengthened the capacity of youth workers, enabling them to effectively support and engage young people with fewer opportunities, including those in rural areas. Furthermore, the project focused on developing competencies for less-experienced organisations in this field. Additionally, the project contributed to supporting and recognising youth workers in local communities across countries. This was achieved by promoting youth work practices that enhanced visibility at the European level, fostered dialogue with stakeholders, and addressed the specific needs of communities through transnational cooperation.
At the time of application, youth workers faced a wide range of challenges that worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic. A mix between insecurity and disengagement called for immediate action which settled the grounds for the development of the Communities Organising Movements (COM) project. Throughout the project lifespan, the partners worked together to find alternatives and actions to improve the outreach of young people and develop innovative ways to motivate and empower them. These actions were extended to improve youth work professionals’ competences and improve their role as active agents in their communities as it is important to consider these professionals’ impact on young people with fewer opportunities. These actions were reinforced by the possibility of acting at the European level, allowing less-experienced organisations to develop their experience and advocate for the possibilities of youth work by continuously supporting young people with fewer opportunities including those who live in rural areas.