The project aimed to make the international solidarity (is) sector more inclusive and participatory by strengthening the role of young adults within organizations. Our overarching goal was to support their full and meaningful participation in their projects and structures at the european level, through the creation of an interactive and reflective toolbox. More concretely, we aimed to: 1) strengthen the skills of staff members, volunteers, and organizational leaders so they can better support young adults’ engagement; 2) expand and structure the range of methodological tools, adaptable to the sector’s diverse realities; 3) create intergenerational spaces that foster the exchange of experiences and inclusive practices. The project thus aimed to reduce barriers to engagement, encourage cooperation across generations and cultures, and promote a transversal approach to inclusion within their practices. By bringing together young adults, volunteers, and professionals, it aimed to sustainably reinforce the cohesion and the representativeness of the associative sector.
We applied to this project in order to address a need clearly expressed by French international solidarity (IS) organizations: strengthening the inclusion of young adults within their practices and structures. Since the early 2000s, the sector has been moving toward more participatory approaches, yet young adults are still often viewed as “beneficiaries” rather than actors. This observation, shared within Coordination SUD’s Youth and International Solidarity Commission (CJSI), highlighted a lack of concrete tools and adapted methodologies to support this shift in mindset. The project therefore equipped sector professionals to foster meaningful youth participation through the co‑creation of a toolbox informed by European experiences. It addressed several needs: improving understanding of young adults and the barriers they face to participation, supporting their integration within organizations, and gathering methodological resources to strengthen collective practices. This collective framework has contributed to a lasting capacity-building process within the IS sector, promoting greater inclusion and civic participation.