By implementing the ATOM project, we achieved several local and transnational key objectives: 1. We promoted social inclusion among young people by fostering intercultural, social, and critical thinking skills through the innovative VIBES methodology. 2. We enhanced professional development of youth workers equipping them with innovative tools and methodologies to better support and engage with marginalized youth. We offered transnational training opportunities, fostering international sharing of professional knowledge. 3. We addressed the barriers faced by young people in accessing new opportunities by designing an empowerment non-formal pathway (ATOM Workshops) based on the principles of unity and diversity. These workshops were intended to help young people unlock their potential and become active members of their communities. 4. We established the ATOM Communities and organized events to promote equity and equality, ensuring that the project's impact would be sustainable. ATOM improved outreach to disadvantaged youth, creating inclusive environments that promote equity and equality. By supporting youth workers' development and sharing methods to reach marginalized youth, ATOM contributed to the European Youth Work Agenda.
Based on EUROSTAT data, in 2020, 25.4% of young people aged 15-29 in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The economic crisis of the past years, enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated social exclusion and poverty among young people, as shown in Italy (+28.8%), Greece (+32.8%), and Lithuania (+21.4%). Social inclusion is a key-topic in the EU Youth Strategy, which emphasizes equal opportunities, youth work potential, a cross-sector approach, intercultural awareness, and youth rights education. These points prompted the creation of the ATOM project, aimed at contributing to the EU Youth Strategy using an innovative approach, the VIBES method. The project addresses the needs of three specific target-groups: 1. Participant organisations (PO), that need to acquire and improve professional skills for their staff through innovative approaches. 2. Youth Workers (YW), in need for more transnational training opportunities to improve their continuous training. 3. Young people (YP), that need more opportunities for their future and spaces to grow, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.