The project had the following main objectives, which align with the EU priorities of common values, civic participation, and engagement: Enhancing young people's knowledge of European institutions by promoting non-formal education to improve civic competences among first-time voters with fewer opportunities. Enabling young participants to collaborate with peers from different countries to empower them and foster a sense of shared values and belonging to the European community. Encouraging project participants to take part in the European Parliament elections in 2024, as well as equipping them to act as digital leaders with the necessary knowledge and attitudes to serve as information multipliers among other young people. Increasing interest in the European Parliament elections, particularly among first-time voters across EU member states.
The idea for the YOUTH2EU project arose because we observed that young people face numerous barriers that hinder their participation in elections and public life. Our partner organizations identified several key issues affecting youth that can be addressed through this project. One of the main challenges we noticed is the lack of political awareness among young people. Many of them lack sufficient knowledge about government policies, the activities of public institutions, and decision-making processes. This leads to a lack of interest in politics and reluctance to participate in elections. There is also a lack of political engagement—youth often fail to see the connection between politics and their daily lives, which results in them not feeling the need to engage in the electoral process. Young people frequently do not believe that politics can address their concerns, such as education, healthcare, or transportation. Our goal with this project was to respond to these needs by creating a social campaign that would draw young people’s attention to the importance of participating in elections and show how their vote can influence the future of their lives and society.