The project aimed to strengthen the role of young people and youth organisations in development work and global citizenship. We worked to increase civic engagement by helping youth and youth workers understand the SDGs and EU development policy. A key achievement was the production of an in-depth research study, which now provides valuable knowledge and rich material that enriches our youth work approach. Through this research, training and new non-formal activities, youth workers gained knowledge, skills and practical tools to support young people in becoming active citizens. By working in partnership, we exchanged practices and created shared resources that promote youth participation in community and youth-led development projects, supported by both online and offline tools. The project also raised awareness of the SDGs among youth, helping them engage more confidently at local, national and international levels.
We applied for this project as a partnership of organisations committed to strengthening volunteering, youth participation and development work within our communities. We recognised that many young people and youth organisations were interested in contributing to global development, yet lacked knowledge, skills and practical opportunities to engage in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The project addressed this need by providing training, non-formal learning activities, research and awareness tools that helped youth workers and young people understand and participate in development work at local, national and international level. By the end of the project, partners expressed high satisfaction with the cooperation, the developed resources and the positive response from young people. As a result, we are now planning to create a permanent network focused on youth engagement in development work and the SDGs, supporting continued cooperation, exchange of good practice and future joint initiatives across Europe