During the project, we achieved the following goals: - Learned more about the Community Development principles and adapt the relevant to the work of partners - Levelled up and mentored 4 international NGOs/communities to get to a higher and wider level in their youth activities locally and internationally - Raised the topic of the importance of community development and introduced the tools to youth work networks and umbrella organisations - Raised the quality of the local and international youth work in the communities by adding at least 10 new activities in each of the organisations - Developed a useful digital and print Guide "101 Ideas for Youth Community Development" - Created online dissemination event with 140 registrations and attendees - Reinforced synergies between partner organisations for future international cooperation - Got the first KA2 Small-Scale experience to broaden work horizons. The small-scale partnership was a great opportunity for our organisations because all partners had complementing experience in youth work, empowerment, coaching, mentorship, facilitation, community management, media and digital tools, and we could learn from each other during the extensive project work.
The motivation for the Level Up project arose from the shared goal of four organisations from Finland, Estonia, Bulgaria, and Spain to elevate their communities and better support young people with fewer opportunities. Each organisation had distinct needs but a common purpose: to enhance youth development through peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. Rooted in the EU Youth Strategy’s pillars—Engage, Connect, Empower—the project aimed to foster meaningful connections and empower youth. The partners identified specific needs: Finland wanted to explore KA1 and KA2 Erasmus+ Youth opportunities and add them to their regular calendar activities Estonia wanted to enhance and promote digital youth work opportunities wider in Europe and get experience in KA2 Spain aimed to offer more online activities and build partnerships for ESC Bulgaria sought to expand opportunities in rural areas and online. By collaborating, the organisations could address these needs while learning from each other. Peer-to-peer learning involved young members at every stage, creating new opportunities for youth engagement and development. The project also provided a chance to expand networks and connect with broader European youth work initiatives.