The EmpowerCanvas project was designed with the overarching goal of empowering at-risk youth by strengthening resilience, emotional well-being, and employability skills through art and mindfulness. The project’s objectives are: (1) Engage at-risk youth in mindful art activities and mindfulness resources to enhance emotional well-being, resilience, and both personal and professional growth; (2) Design and develop a resilience-building board game that integrates art and mindfulness into an interactive and engaging tool; (3) Create a digital platform that equips youth workers with innovative tools, resources, and methods for supporting resilience in vulnerable young people; (4) Organise a participatory visit in Portugal to exchange good practices, validate identified needs, and consolidate the project’s outputs; (5) Deliver three workshops to train youth workers and educators on the effective use of the platform and board game; (6) Disseminate project insights, methods, and best practices to at least 1,500 stakeholders to ensure long-term impact and sustainability; (7) Actively support the EU Youth Goals 2021–2027 by contributing to Engage, Connect, and Empower, reinforcing the project’s alignment with European youth priorities.
The EmpowerCanvas project was developed to respond to the urgent challenges faced by at-risk youth across Europe, many of whom struggle with poverty, migration, minority status, unemployment, and discrimination. These factors increase vulnerability to social isolation, poor mental health, and limited employability. We applied to create innovative and accessible tools that build resilience, emotional well-being, and transferable life skills. By integrating art and mindfulness, the project fosters coping strategies, agency, and confidence, directly supporting the EU Youth Goals 2021–2027 to Engage, Connect, and Empower young people. Research such as Arts and Mindfulness Education for Human Flourishing (2023) and Mindfulness as Art Education, Self-Inquiry, and Artmaking (2023) highlights the potential of this approach for socio-emotional learning, resilience, and critical thinking. EmpowerCanvas addresses unmet needs by: (1) developing creative resources linking art, mindfulness, and resilience; (2) providing training and tools for youth workers; (3) equipping youth with employability skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and communication; and (4) fostering transnational cooperation to share knowledge and best practices.