To empower all young individuals to become architects of their own futures, cultivating resilience and life skills needed to navigate a rapidly changing world. We aspired for them to emerge as active citizens, agents of solidarity, and catalysts for positive transformation within communities throughout Europe while also striving to mitigate the social exclusion of any young person. Open Minds leveraged technology and the arts as mediums to inspire and introduce young people to the concept of radical inclusion through social innovations. Participants were taught to co-create solutions for societal issues, drawing upon interdisciplinary knowledge alongside cutting-edge technologies. They engaged in collaborative innovation and co-design at the confluence of science, humanities, and arts, laying the groundwork for the development of inclusive and accessible communities. The project successfully established a network comprising 253 young individuals, 30 youth workers, and 31 organisations from civil society organisations, formal and higher education, research, the business sector, and policy-making spheres, all committed to the mission of fostering a truly inclusive Europe.
Radical Inclusion transcends traditional accessibility compliance. It advocates for integrating a wide array of perspectives and experiences at the initial stages of design, fostering a mindset where accessibility and inclusion are embedded within all design endeavours. Radical Inclusion challenges the notion that it is an ‘impairment’ that restricts someone’s full and effective engagement in society. It highlights how historically constructed disabling environments are the true barriers to participation. We can actively involve affected individuals in the solution design process, in collaboration with a diverse group of innovators, entrepreneurs and policymakers. The method includes those from marginalised communities to mitigate the hidden barriers and biases leading to their exclusion. It stresses the critical need to identify and confront these invisible impediments, which result in the oversight of invaluable talent, expertise, and experience. Through this project, we aimed to address these needs by cultivating environments where every individual has the opportunity to contribute fully and effectively, enriching society as a whole with their diverse capabilities and insights.