The primary objective of NETYOUTH was to reduce the communication gap between young Europeans and local authorities. This involved analyzing the communication styles and content preferred by youth on social networks and developing strategies to engage them in promoting European values. In addition to the primary objective, other specific goals included: - Identifying aspects of local society most important to young people through social media analysis. - Establishing effective communication channels to engage young people. - Analyzing the use of digital media and networks at the local level in collaboration with public administrations and local associations. - Identifying topics of interest to European youth and their evolution, fostering innovation and the exchange of good practices. - Relating these topics to European values and encouraging youth participation in local policies. - Testing and adjusting the communication model with data from the European Youth Euro-barometer and observing trends.
The consortium applied to the NETYOUTH project to address the significant communication gap between young Europeans and local entities. All the partners, who regularly engage with young adults in their work, shared a common concern about this issue. This need arose from the noticeable lack of youth participation in local political life, despite the fact that young people play a crucial role in shaping the future of European values and culture. The consortium observed that social media has a profound influence on young Europeans, affecting how they communicate and what they value. Recognizing this, the project was designed to use social media as a tool to engage with young people, promoting European values and culture, and ultimately reducing the communication gap. By fostering this engagement, the project aimed to enhance young people's active participation in their communities and in the broader European context.