“Speak Up! Stand Out!” aims to tackle the youth’s need to develop their social competences (especially those related to communication) empowering the work and the skills of NGOs, youth workers, volunteers and local youth groups. The project wants to address the needs for youth to build and develop their communication skills, their social interactions and the quality of their relationships, as they feel the lack of them originates misunderstandings and exclusion. By helping NGOs, youth workers, volunteers and local groups to better interact with youth and adapt their communication strategies to the local needs, we intend to set the base of a “common language” that allows organizations to better reach youth and helps youth express their daily goals, needs and obstacles more effectively. We want to reach and involve in particular youth with fewer opportunities, as it is easier for them to distance themselves from their community, something they perceive as foreign and unable to listen and to understand. The project aims to stimulate organizations in creating opportunities that can satisfy the specific needs of youth and increase the level and the quality of the interactions between local groups, administrations and youth with fewer opportunities. “Speak Up! Stand Out!” plans to reach the following goals: CAPACITY BUILDING: This Training offers the chance for participant NGOs to improve their abilities and develop their soft skills, in particular in terms of communication. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION: We want the project to help to the participants and their organizations renew and adapt their communication strategies to their working contexts and the target groups they plan to reach. This will be done providing and exchanging with them knowledge, practices, methods and strategies. The topics will be approached in its various aspects through dedicated sessions and activities regarding also intercultural, non-violent, assertive, empathetic and non-verbal communication, negotiation simulations, and workshops dedicated to storytelling, public speaking and body language. INCLUSION AND EMPATHY: The training’s multicultural context and the activities’ structure will help participants reflect on the inclusivity aspects of their projects and how to increase it. We will encourage them to practice active listening and empathy, fundamental aspects for a sincere, coherent and effective communication. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: The continuous exchange and conversations will offer participants the chance to improve the quality of their interactions and to discuss with others ideas and projects they want to develop. We intend to support and foster cooperation at a local, national and international level, especially involving organizations with less experience, which are often closer to our target groups (youth with fewer opportunities) and might struggle to reach experienced partners who can contribute to their initiatives. ERASMUS+ PROGRAMME: Participants will be involved in informative sessions about the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ Programme and the various initiatives it supports. It will be a way to bring visibility to the Programme and to successful projects developed by participants. LIFELONG LEARNING: Participants will be encouraged to recognize and improve their soft skills. They will learn about the 8 Key Competences for lifelong learning, the ETS (European Training Strategy) model of competences, the YouthPass model and about Open Badges as assessment tools for competences and quality of learning.