We sought to create sustainable opportunities for young people to express themselves in creative ways while ensuring that social inclusion remained at the core of every step. Our goal was to develop methodologies that placed young people at the core of their creation, ensuring their active participation in shaping inclusive youth work practices. Developing and improving youth work practices was also a key focus. We aimed for joint learning and cross-sectoral collaboration by exchanging best practices, learning from each other’s approaches, and creating synergies between local initiatives. The project set out to achieve 3 key objectives: - To empower young people to promote social inclusion by identifying and highlighting positive examples within their communities. - To develop innovative tools and methodologies for educators, teachers, parents, and professionals involved in the education and upbringing of young people. - To enhance social inclusion education by increasing inclusive practices in youth work, making youth work more attractive, relevant, and impactful.
We applied to address the evolving needs of young people, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly impacted their lives. Youth had shifted much of their education, communication, and social interactions to online realm, leading to a growing need for methodologies that could support their transition back to offline, in-person engagement. As organizations actively working with youth we recognized the necessity of integrating new approaches in youth work that would facilitate social inclusion and enhance the overall quality and adaptability of youth work practices. The idea emerged directly from young people, reflecting their need for diverse forms of self-expression and learning. We observed the lack of accessible spaces to engage in artistic expression while also developing new skills. Although various youth work existed across Europe, the use of art, especially comic art was underrepresented in these activities. Given this gap, we were motivated to develop innovative tools that would allow youth to reconnect with the physical world through creativity, and enhance the capacity of youth workers and organizations, with new methods that incorporated art as a central tool for engagement.