Promoting Equal and Pacific youth-led Communities

"<< Background >>We applied to tackle the low civic engagement of youth online, despite high internet usage. Eurostat 2021 data show that 95% of EU youth aged 20–24 are daily internet users, but only 11% engage in civic or political activities online. Young people, though digitally active, use the internet mainly for entertainment and lack safe, inclusive spaces for democratic participation. The pandemic also amplified the spread of fake news, further distancing youth from civic engagement. Our needs analysis revealed a clear demand to empower youth with skills to build peaceful, democratic online communities. The project supports youth participation in decision-making, fosters dialogue with institutions, and strengthens youth-led initiatives during the post-pandemic recovery. It is fully aligned with the missions of the partner organisations, already active in cross-border initiatives promoting active citizenship, peacebuilding, and digital literacy. Through tailored activities, we aim to create a sustainable, engaged, and empowered European youth network.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to empower young Europeans to actively shape democratic, peaceful communities both online and offline, following the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027 principles: engage, empower, connect. Specifically, we aimed to:Train 12 young EU citizens (19–24) to build youth-led communities based on peace, non-violence, and non-discrimination, enhancing their relational and civic skills.Promote direct youth participation in political and negotiation processes, including peacebuilding, by fostering dialogue with public authorities and stakeholders.Amplify youth voices by enabling them to contribute to policy reforms, create recommendations, and take part in decision-making processes.Raise awareness among young people and youth NGOs on peace-building, democratic participation, and community engagement.Additionally, the project addressed the digital dimension by promoting safe online spaces. Through training, national ""Hubs of Dialogue,"" and a communication campaign targeting 20,000 people, we aim to strengthen youth leadership in shaping a peaceful, inclusive Europe.<< Implementation >>Project Management and Coordination (Sept 2023–Feb 2025):Led by INSTYTUT ROZWOJU SPORTU I EDUKACJI (Poland).Management Plan, monitoring reports, financial tracking, monthly virtual meetings (Zoom, Drive, email).Results: 1 Project Management Plan, 3 monitoring updates through meetings, 1 final report to NA.Training in Communities-Building Based on Peace (Sept 2023–May 2024):4 transnational training sessions (Greece, Italy, Poland).12 young people trained (3 per partner country), aged 19–24.Topics: fact-checking, social media engagement, peace-building, legal advocacy.Results: 12 certificates awarded, 12 satisfaction questionnaires collected.Hubs of Dialogue – National Events (June 2024–Feb 2025):3 national events (Poland, Italy, Greece).Each event: 3 trained youth, 15 local youth, 3 Public Authorities, 1 NGO.Results: over 60 participants involved, youth recommendations presented.Dissemination and Communication (Sept 2023–Feb 2025):Led by CrowdAid.Project identity created, social media campaign, newsletters, final online conference.Results: over 20,000 people reached, strong visibility and engagement achieved.<< Results >>The project achieved the following concrete outputs and results:Youth Training:12 young Europeans (aged 19–24) trained through 4 transnational sessions.Participants gained skills in peace-building, digital engagement, fact-checking, and policy advocacy.12 certificates of attendance issued.National “Hubs of Dialogue” Events:3 national events organized in Poland, Italy, and Greece.Over 60 participants engaged (youth, Public Authorities, NGOs).Youth presented bottom-up recommendations for policy and community improvements.Communication and Outreach:Visual identity (logo, materials) developed.Communication campaign reached over 20,000 people via social media and newsletters.Online final conference organized, promoting project results.Management and Monitoring Outputs:1 Project Management Plan created.3 internal monitoring reports and 1 final evaluation report produced.High partner satisfaction and smooth coordination maintained throughout the project.Impact:Strengthened youth engagement in democratic processes.Increased awareness on building safe, peaceful online and offline communities.Built a foundation for future youth-led civic initiatives across borders."