This project was an initiative for young people with fewer opportunities, including those of migrant backgrounds and asylum seekers aged 14–17, living in isolated, disadvantaged rural communities in Cork. This youth-created project, "Active Citizens Break Down Stereotypes, "aimed to: - To raise awareness and challenge the public's prejudicial and stereotypical perceptions of young people of migrant origin based on negative media representation. - To foster a sense of youth active citizenship based on EU values by empowering them to connect with the local TDs, decision-makers, youth workers, and international NGOs and charities for a more inclusive society. -To bring more youngsters with fewer opportunities, including those of migrant backgrounds, to the Erasmus+ youth participation field. This was our first-ever youth participation project and it was in line with current EU policies like: -Erasmus+ 2021-2027 Diversity and Inclusion's priority -YouthPass' digital competencies -EU Youth Strategies 2019-2027 principle to connect, Engage, and Empower the youth. -EU Youth Goals and United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goals 2030 -The National Strategy on Children and Young People's Participation in Decision-making 2015–2020, -EU Active Citizenship and democratic values in Youth Life principles. -Erasmus+ 2023 Programme Guide on Quality of learning using non-formal education methodologies using a youth-led and youth-centered approach to meet the Erasmus+ Youth Quality Before exploring their needs for this project, they requested that the reader answer two basic questions in order to better understand their needs. The question was as follows: "If you are given a holiday in Afghanistan, how happy will you be to go there? If your country is always negatively represented in the media to the general public, how proud will you feel to be identified as coming from there? ". Based on our WhatsApp group survey responses for 2019 and November 2022, 97% of youngsters said that negative representation in the media influences how they feel perceived by the public and often hinders them from feeling socially included. Also a 14-year-old girl stated, "Because I come from Afghanistan, I often have fewer friends... I love social inclusion, but I hate answering the question, Where do you come from? Parents of three Irish boys of migrant backgrounds stated, "Most international charities' advertisements (video and photo), images, and messages shared about Global South countries are embarrassing to us; we feel ashamed in front of our friends who do not come there, and it creates in us a complex of inferiority. Often, they also want to prevent most of us from effectively integrating our Irish community to feel as active EU citizens as we should". Other youths said, "Amongst all youths in Ireland, no one will like to have a friend who is portrayed on social media or media in general as poor or whose country is portrayed as such; for us, it is human nature. It decreases our value as a potential active member of society.". We believe these stereotypes need to be broken. Based on Aljazeera, "Charities often use images of impoverished children of the Global South to appeal for monetary donations from prospective Western donors" (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2015/2/7/does-charity-have-an-image-problem). "These affect us, but most of us prefer not to talk about them due to fear of being labeled". Based on our focus group and discussion youth club members had with the National Youth Council of Ireland in November 2022 on social justice and media representation, it was clear that negative representation of any youth group often creates a form of identity conflict, low self-esteem, hating self-origin, and lack of confidence. Other youths often want to be cool by all means so as not to be identified as friends coming from a poor country or continent. As a result of this silence and shame, the majority is hindered from integrating into society, as most feel judged without actually being at the time and also being labeled without actually being known personally. A Youth activist from Serbia Olga Dević asked a question: "Why aren’t young people involved in decision-making processes that affect their lives? and Nick Henderson CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, once stated, "The power of change lies with young people." We want to end with a poem by a 14-year-old girl living in a rural direct provision in Co. Cork that says, "An ideal inclusive society will be a yummy dish for every EU society if it's cooked with a positive representation of all parties..". Minister of State for Community Development, Integration, and Charities, Mr. Joe O'Brien, said, " A more inclusive Ireland will organically begin with positive representation of all groups living in Ireland.". This youth's project idea was polished following Léargas recommendations during the Erasmus+ Clinic titled "Be the Spark" on Zoom and at the TempleBar Galeries.Dublin