Humanness - EU social challanges and civic engagement for solidarity

<< Background >>European Union countries are participatory democracies, but active citizenship and trust in EU institutions remain challenges for many young Europeans. The COVID-19 crisis worsened poverty and social exclusion, with 25.4% of youth aged 15-29 at risk in 2020, according to Eurostat. These barriers hinder participation in socio-democratic processes and community development.Uganda, as a solidarity partner in Africa, faces similar challenges with 78% of its population under 30 and the highest youth unemployment rate in Africa. This partnership provided a unique opportunity to foster intercultural dialogue and strengthen relationships among youth workers, enhancing mutual cooperation and knowledge sharing.Humanness addressed these shared issues through a European-African toolkit for youth engagement, focusing on informal education, civic involvement, and professional guidelines for youth workers. By leveraging EU and Ugandan expertise, the project bridged gaps in methodologies, empowered youth workers, and fostered active citizenship. This collaboration strengthened solidarity and established a replicable model for youth engagement within and beyond the EU.<< Objectives >>Directly linked to the priority of “Common values, civic engagement and participation,” we successfully achieved the main objective: promoting partnerships to encourage peace, solidarity, and social justice among young people in diverse contexts. By fostering knowledge sharing on social cohesion, democracy, intercultural understanding, and inclusivity, the project effectively supported social development.The specific objectives were to develop strategic tools and methodologies to enhance youth workers’ social and professional skills in the field of youth involvement and social engagement, also increasing their capacity to operate jointly at a transnational level. This facilitated the engagement, social inclusion, and competence development of marginalized young people, contributing to the additional priority of “Promoting active citizenship, young people’s sense of initiative, and youth entrepreneurship, including social entrepreneurship”Through collaboration among partners, the project raised awareness of EU core values, democracy, and rule of law. It strengthened civic spaces for youth, empowering them to actively participate in their communities and promoting intercultural dialogue as a sustainable framework for engagement.<< Implementation >>We implemented activities to foster active citizenship and youth engagement across several work packages. In WP2, we mapped youth-focused solidarity efforts through research and interviews, creating a map included in the Humanness Toolkit. WP3 involved developing the Youth Community Engagement Model, creating tools for youth workers based on focus group feedback. WP4 organized the School of Active Citizenship in Uganda, offering a training for youth workers, which included non-formal education, cultural exchanges, and testing the Humanness Toolkit. In WP5, we focused on communication through a strategy, digital content, and events to share results. Finally, WP6 implemented a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation process to assess impact, ensuring long-term sustainability.<< Results >>The HUMANNNESS project achieved the following concrete results:R1 – A comprehensive mapping of youth-related active citizenship activities and projects promoted by grassroots movements and civil society organizations, integrated into the Humanness Toolkit.R2 – The creation of the Humanness Toolkit, a freely accessible tool offering an engagement model based on mapped cases. It includes practical guidelines for youth workers and professionals, focusing on marginalized youth in rural areas and suburbs.R3 – Uganda School for Active Citizenship: A youth work camp in Kapir sub-county, Ngora District (Eastern Uganda), involving EU and non-EU youth workers to address global solidarity challenges and promote civic engagement values.R4 – A Humanness Communication Campaign targeting marginalized youth through a digital dissemination strategy, using tailored tools to increase outreach and awareness among specific groups.