ACCESS aimed to support the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in Europe through global citizenship education, thereby contributing to sustainable development, strengthening European identity, and promoting active citizenship. We therefore sought to develop inclusive methodologies for global citizenship education, strengthen the active citizenship of young people with fewer opportunities, and equip youth workers with global citizenship education methodologies. To this end, the project aimed to improve the inclusive nature of the global citizenship education activities carried out by the partners; to create an educational tool designed by and for young people with fewer opportunities; and to write an accompanying booklet making this tool accessible to as many people as possible. Using GCE methodologies, we wanted to empower young people to take ownership of their learning about sustainable development and citizenship issues. At the same time, we also wanted to equip educators by offering them suitable activities through a methodological toolkit.
The ACCESS project arose from the observation that, in Europe, young people with fewer opportunities are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion and discrimination. This reality, highlighted by several European studies, limits their participation in civic life and their ability to engage with major societal issues. The partners identified a strong need to strengthen GCE's actions targeting these groups. GCE plays an essential role in enabling young people to better understand the complex and interdependent issues of the contemporary world, such as inequalities and SDGs. The project follows these key principles: - Supporting young people to enable them to understand global issues and become agents of change; - Helping educators across Europe to address complex topics by providing them with the keys to understanding; - Supporting active citizenship and ethics in lifelong learning. The project also responds to a need for inclusive educational resources in GCE. By directly involving young people with fewer opportunities in the design of a ready-to-use educational tool, the project promotes their empowerment.