- Perception of EU Institutions: The EP and other EU bodies are perceived as distant and irrelevant by many young people, with European identity rarely seen as important, leading to indifference. - Need for VAA Improvement: VAA apps must adapt to changing user needs to effectively reach those with low political interest by allowing easy comparison of views with parties and politicians. - Visibility of Young People's Issues: Young people's concerns are underrepresented at national and European levels, with youth often a minority among voters and the political class generally over 50. ____________________________________ In our project, we aimed to: - Increase young people's interest in politics, particularly European issues, and demonstrate the connection between politics and their everyday lives. - Ensure that leading European VAA (Virtual Assistant Applications) become co-created by young people, making them more appealing and relevant to their concerns, and thus more widely used by them. - Develop and test strategies to strengthen the voice of young people before the 2024 European Parliament elections. - Create engaging and persuasive methods for addressing political topics at the European level that resonate with young people
The background to the project was the collaboration of partner organisations in the Vote Match Europe coalition of organisations developing VAA applications. Our organisations decided to work together to include young people in the project and to tailor our apps to topics important to them and their needs. - Low Political Interest: Young people's interest in politics, especially European issues, is minimal, with low participation in European elections among the youngest voters. - Research Findings: Studies (e.g., Youth 2018, 2021 in Poland) show low political interest among youth, linked to disillusionment with democracy and a shift towards authoritarian movements. - Low Voter Turnout: Low youth turnout in elections and rising popularity of radical parties reflect a lack of engagement. - Disconnect with Daily Life: Young people see little connection between EU issues and their daily lives, feel powerless to influence them, and distrust EU institutions. (Continuation in the next field)