We have long sensed the need to provide high-interest activities that motivate young people (including youth from immigrant backgrounds) to stay committed to programs over time. These young people are often excluded and unaware of their rights and opportunities to participate. Our consortia aims to design a model on youth long term programme which has increased the capacity of youth to articulate opinions and be engaged with decision makers. European Youth Political Participation Is Shrinking, and With it Comes the Threat of Disengagement and Misinformation. Civic engagement is most commonly associated with socioeconomic status and education, both of which are less accessible to immigrant youth. We are striving to move from one off programs to regular weekly programming that will better feed the movement for young people.
We applied for this project to facilitate youth involvement in civic engagement, with a focus on marginalized communities such as the immigrant-origin youth. We have witnessed decreasing political participation in the young generation of Europeans, which has resulted from lack of knowledge and little space to articulate opinions. Youth in immigrant communities in particular have additional challenges, including social isolation and cultural barriers that inhibit participation in the community. Our many efforts showed that it was essential to use more open approaches so they could express their concerns and interact with those who make the decisions. The project also seeks to employ debating and discussing as strategies for bridging that gap, enhancing understanding and confidence, and creating a sense of being part of something. We aim to empower young people by giving a voice and public speaking opportunities so they become socially active citizens who will speak up and defend their rights as well as the issues that matter to them.