Our objective was to create and scale a coherent Future Narratives methodology that strengthens youth work by integrating narrative literacy and Futures Literacy. We aimed to: develop a structured curriculum and mini‑MOOC; train and mentor practitioners to adapt the method to local contexts; engage young people in co‑creating preferred futures; build a digital Knowledge Hub and community of practice; and promote inclusion, media literacy, and democratic participation. We sought to broaden Future Narratives into a critical societal practice for inclusive change; deconstruct and reconstruct elements of our methodology for use in diverse contexts, including with less advantaged groups; analyse pilot implementation across countries to ensure transferability and impact. Overall, we wanted to enhance Future Narratives and create further resources to address identified needs: increased awareness of the role of narratives in personal and social life; support for self-agency and empowerment of youth; development of the ability to perceive, understand, influence and shape past, current and future narratives; and promotion more inclusive, diverse futures, recognising youth as active agents of change and co-creator of future realities.
In recent years, young people across Europe have been growing up in a context marked by rapid change, social fragmentation, digital overload and widespread misinformation, which often generate feelings of uncertainty, disconnection and lack of control over their futures. In this context, there is a profound need for inclusive, futures-oriented youth work that equips young people to critically navigate complexity, resist disinformation and exclusion, and actively engage in shaping more just and sustainable societies, empowering them from the bottom up to act as active agents in shaping their present and future, rather than passive subjects of change. In our first Future Narratives project, we introduced youth organisations and young people to a new approach, which combines narrative literacy with future literacy. We witnessed a strong positive impact on their agency and participation, and so aimed to formalise and expand our methodology by developing an innovative, adaptable and systematised methodology. We addressed the need for a coherent and transferable framework, supported by inclusive facilitation guidance.