“Active Citizens, Creative Minds” is a Youth Exchange created by five partner organisations: Coconut Italia (Italy), Aktive Kosmos (Spain), Twoja (Poland), Pangea (Turkey), and Active Be Cicleta (Romania). The idea started from a shared concern: many local young people feel unheard when it comes to decisions that affect their cities and neighbourhoods. In Imperia, youth often speak about the lack of cultural opportunities, difficulties in accessing decent jobs, or the feeling that their voices are not heard by decision-makers. In Poland and Romania, many young people struggle with emigration and reduced opportunities in smaller towns. In Spain and Turkey, civic engagement is still a challenge, with many young citizens lacking trust in institutions. We realised that young people need tools to express themselves and also find a way to transform their frustration into something positive. After several discussions, we concluded that art, particularly photography and storytelling, can become the instrument that will connect youth and the wider society. These methods are safe, creative, and powerful enough to open community discussions and motivate change. Our Youth Exchange will take place during 10 months (February -December 2026) and aims to: A. To give participants a better understanding of what it means to be an active citizen, how social or cultural barriers affect participation and what actions they can take. B. To teach participants how to use creative methods like photovoice and storytelling in order to underline community issues in a way that others will understand and take action. C. To build young people’s confidence, teamwork, and leadership so that after the project, they can start small actions in their towns and motivate others to get involved.