Make peace visible - European youth as agents of social change

<< Background >>Youth today face immense challenges in their lives. Many feel disconnected, lonely, and cynical, and trust in democratic institutions is low. To address these issues, new methods are needed that promote participation, inclusion, community, and well-being. This project empowered 14-year-olds in three countries to work together on projects that improve their social environment.As well, we strongly believe in the need for a transformative shift in the formal education system which often focuses on structured, standardized methods, which can limit youths' potential and creativity. This project offered the opportunity to address these limitations by integrating non-formal education activities that can reshape how young people perceive learning. Learning is not confined to the classroom—it takes place in a variety of ways, through experiences, interactions, and hands-on activities. Non-formal approaches can spark curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper connection to the real world, all of which are essential for youth to thrive in today’s fast-evolving society. The project was beneficial for the youth and a rewarding growth experience for the educators too, as they expanded their skills in youth development and engagement.<< Objectives >>By implementing this project, we aimed to enhance youth participation and gain insights into how young people and professionals working with them in three different countries perceive the integration of non-formal education methods in formal educational settings. We wanted to understand the similarities and differences in their perspectives and explore how professionals working with youth could adapt and refine these processes for even greater impact. Our goal was to discover how this international cooperation could leverage common ground, foster shared learning, and identify innovative strategies to improve learning processes and collaboration in the future.Through this project we strengthened youth voices, promoted their well-being, and built future skills by focusing on peace-building, media awareness, and positive social change. In add, there was a need to provide professionals in both formal and non-formal education with effective tools to support youth in their development as active citizens and engaged community members.<< Implementation >>1.Trainings for teachers, youth workers 2. Empowering youth: 3 action weeks were conducted (Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga) designed to engage youth in non-formal education activities focused on peace education, leadership, and community engagement. Youth gained hands-on experience as peace builders, actively improving their communities and enhancing the well-being of hundreds of local residents.1 international youth event was organized in Estonia, bringing together young people from Tallinn, Helsinki and Riga for a cross-cultural exchange focused on peace education via creativity.3. Visibility activities - wider societal impact through media Youth-led initiatives were showcased across various media platforms, reaching hundreds of people and inspiring other Estonian, Finnish and Latvian youth to take action for peace and social change. The output of our project included also a successful communication campaign centered on peace education. This campaign was designed to reach diverse age groups, raising awareness about the program’s goals, activities, and outcomes. By promoting peace education in a way that resonated with different segments of the community, we were able to foster greater understanding and interest in the initiative.<< Results >>The project offered the training, tools and action weeks of peace education method to the eighth graders of 4 middle schools and professionals in Tallinn, Helsinki and Riga. The activities included:- 3 coach trainings (Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga) - 43 educators were trained, 7 days spent on learining- 3 action weeks (Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga) - 266 youth took part in the project, 15 days spent on strategic conext: observation, resource scouting, solution development, reflection. - 26 peace projects was implemented by youth- production of 26 videos were prepared and published- 6 local premieres in Tallinn, Helsinki and Riga- 1 international action week in Estonia, Laulasmaa with 43 participating youth plus the international team members- publication of the videos on media- communications and media relations - articles and news in every partners social media platforms, in Estonia-19 media coverages were published, national media platform ERR, Jupiter Io published the videos created with youth, short stories were screened in the local buses, YT, IG, FB, TV3.- production of material packages for formal- and non-formal educatiocors