Across countries and regions, youth are disengaged and underrepresented in democratic processes; they often lack trust in democratic institutions and elected leaders, and are less likely to participate in public life. The project addresses this widespread challenge by promoting the participation of young citizens (ages 16-24) in the democratic and civic life, through a series of iterative steps:
Objectives
The project will seek to address these needs by achieving the following specific objectives:
- To equip teachers/educators/youth workers with a set of practical tools to educate and empower youth to participate meaningfully in democratic processes.
- To form a cross-country European network of youth advocacy groups with shared interests and strategic objectives.
- To train and mentor youth with the capacity to meaningfully engage in democratic decision-making processes.
- To facilitate dialogue and engagement between youth and relevant decision-makers at all levels, around issues raised by youth in the implementing countries.
Activities
- Collaborating with teachers, educators and youth workers to develop educational tools and activities aimed at strengthening civic competencies and boosting the active participation of youth, at all levels
- Organizing a series of major events (Active Youth Forum – AYF) in Cluj-Napoca (RO), Genova (IT), Sarajevo (BiH) and Brussels (European level), which will enhance young people’s civic skills and foster strategic networking and learning across countries and communities.
- Facilitating dialogue (Civic Cafés) between young people and decision-makers, about topics identified by youth as important and relevant to them.
- Forming youth advocacy groups (YAGs) within and across countries, who will mobilize support around issues that are important to them; and present a series of concrete policy recommendations to decision-making authorities at relevant levels.
By actively engaging youth in democratic processes and providing them with the tools, platforms, and opportunities to voice their concerns, ASPYRE EUROPE empowers a new generation of informed and active citizens ready to shape their communities, their countries, and the future of Europe.
Technical Details
| Project Title: | ASPYRE EUROPE: Actions Supporting the Participation of Youth through Relevant Education EUROPE |
| Timeline: | 1 August 2024 – 31 July 2026 (24 Months) |
| Granting Authority: | European Commission-EU (EACEA, CERV-2023-CITIZENS-CIV) |
| Project Location: | Romania, Italy, Bosnia & Herzegovina |
| Beneficiaries: | Youth, teachers/educators/youth workers and decision-makers |
| Coordinator: | Polylogos (Romania) |
| Partners: | Agora (Italy) NIT (BiH) Youth for Peace (BiH) |
| Contact: | contact@polylogos.eu |
Events
- WP1 Grand Opening ASPYRE EUROPE. Link.
- WP2 Impact Evaluation Meeting. Link.
- WP3 Co-Creation Workshop in Romania. Link.
- WP4 Co-Creation Workshop in Italy. Link.
- WP5 Co-Creation Workshop in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Link.
- WP6 Active Youth Forum in Romania. Link.
- WP7 Active Youth Forum in Italy. Link.
- WP8 Active Youth Forum in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Link.
- WP9 Civic Cafés Romania. Link.
- WP10 Civic Cafés Italy. Link.
- WP11 Civic Cafés Bosnia & Herzegovina. Link.
- WP12 Active Youth Forum EUROPE. Link.
Toolkit on Democracy and Youth Civic Participation
Below you can download our toolkit.
Policy Recommendations by Youth
Below are the policy recommendations presented by youth during the Civic Cafés at local levels in Romania, Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Consortium Partners
