The STAR project aimed to strengthen the capacity of youth workers and young people to recognise, prevent, and address addictions through an innovative and comprehensive framework. Our main goal was to connect the expertise of three organisations from the Czech Republic, Spain, and Italy, and transform it into accessible tools and practices. We wanted to engage youth workers and youngsters in meaningful learning experiences that would enhance their knowledge of addictions, their ability to identify early signs, and their skills to respond effectively. A key objective was to empower youth communities by providing resources that promoted healthier lifestyles, emotional management, and critical awareness of the social and environmental dimensions of addiction. At the same time, we sought to reduce stigma by encouraging open dialogue and inclusive practices. Ultimately, STAR was designed to contribute to long-term resilience in youth communities, ensuring that prevention and support strategies were sustainable and adaptable across diverse contexts.
The STAR project was created in response to the growing and alarming prevalence of addictions among young people across Europe. Substance abuse significantly affects their health, relationships, education, and employment, increasing the risk of exclusion and marginalization. Our partnership identified an urgent need to equip youth workers and youngsters with tools to understand, prevent, and address addictions. The project also responded to the lack of existing educational frameworks combining emotional management, environmental impact, and stigma reduction. Through STAR, we aimed to fill this gap by promoting inclusion, well-being, and healthier lifestyles. The need for an effective and innovative strategy to tackle the root causes of addiction (such as trauma, misinformation, and lack of support) was central to the motivation for applying. We believed that empowering youth communities and their educators would be a key step in building more resilient and inclusive societies.