Our project aimed to increase youth involvement in community and government activities, making their voices heard. We worked with partner organizations to encourage ongoing, meaningful conversations, hoping to boost democracy at the local level and foster a stronger connection to Europe. We wanted youth to play a bigger role in their communities, improving transparency, democracy, and a sense of belonging, locally and globally. We believed this would bring them closer to the EU, sharing best practices and insights for better community integration. The goal was to make decision-making more inclusive and improve the quality and ownership of local policies among the youth. Our partners worked to engage and support youth to be active citizens. We used the project to motivate young people to participate in policy and decision-making, enhancing democratic involvement and encouraging active, informed participation in local and civil matters. We aimed to boost civic engagement and emphasize the importance of active citizenship. Our efforts sought to strengthen democracy by fostering grassroots discussions and participation. The project also aimed to establish lasting dialogue practices in partner countries, focusing on EU discussions.
We applied for this project because we identified a pressing need to harness the youthful energy that is pivotal for the advancement of our societies. Recognizing the significant impact young individuals can have on societal development, policy formation, and program development, we understood the necessity of engaging them in meaningful ways. Youth are an untapped resource in many regions experiencing economic growth, societal expansion, and political transitions. We focused on equipping young youth with the essential human and social capital skills to become responsible, productive citizens. We, along with all project partners, see the necessity for active citizenship among the youth, a quality currently lacking in our societies. We aimed to promote the civil participation of youth in their communities. We also understood the importance of Civil and Democratic Participation, which highlights the need to prioritize civil learning and democratic participation as key components of NFE for social work. We aimed to foster a learning environment conducive to active citizenship. It is a new pathway for mobilizing civil participation through collaboration with project partners, youth workers, the youth, and the local community.