Future Narratives 2.0

<< Background >>In recent years, young people across Europe have been growing up in a context marked by rapid change, social fragmentation, digital overload and widespread misinformation, which often generate feelings of uncertainty, disconnection and lack of control over their futures. In this context, there is a profound need for inclusive, futures-oriented youth work that equips young people to critically navigate complexity, resist disinformation and exclusion, and actively engage in shaping more just and sustainable societies, empowering them from the bottom up to act as active agents in shaping their present and future, rather than passive subjects of change.In our first Future Narratives project, we introduced youth organisations and young people to a new approach, which combines narrative literacy with future literacy. We witnessed a strong positive impact on their agency and participation, and so aimed to formalise and expand our methodology by developing an innovative, adaptable and systematised methodology. We addressed the need for a coherent and transferable framework, supported by inclusive facilitation guidance.<< Objectives >>Our objective was to create and scale a coherent Future Narratives methodology that strengthens youth work by integrating narrative literacy and Futures Literacy. We aimed to: develop a structured curriculum and mini‑MOOC; train and mentor practitioners to adapt the method to local contexts; engage young people in co‑creating preferred futures; build a digital Knowledge Hub and community of practice; and promote inclusion, media literacy, and democratic participation. We sought to broaden Future Narratives into a critical societal practice for inclusive change; deconstruct and reconstruct elements of our methodology for use in diverse contexts, including with less advantaged groups; analyse pilot implementation across countries to ensure transferability and impact. Overall, we wanted to enhance Future Narratives and create further resources to address identified needs: increased awareness of the role of narratives in personal and social life; support for self-agency and empowerment of youth; development of the ability to perceive, understand, influence and shape past, current and future narratives; and promotion more inclusive, diverse futures, recognising youth as active agents of change and co-creator of future realities.<< Implementation >>We co‑designed the methodology through qualitative research, engagement with external experts, and a 4‑day LTTA to share and enhance partner expertise. Based on the resulting draft curriculum, partners trained youth workers, educators and practitioners in Germany, Greece, Spain, and Sweden, mentored and guided training participants in holding local workshops with young people. We also hosted a transnational workshop and the public Future Narratives Festival in Ferrara. We launched an enhanced digital Knowledge Hub with a mini‑MOOC, videos, and a members’ area, and held transnational online events to connect practitioners, young people and stakeholders. We shared our approach and its results through online and in-person events and communication tools (social media, newsletters, blog posts, press). Based on participant feedback and evaluation, we defined the Future Narratives Curriculum for Youth Work, including theoretical and methodological contexts, an accessible and adaptable pathway for implementation, and guidance on inclusive facilitation. << Results >>Future Narratives Curriculum for Youth Work providing theoretical knowledge, methodological and practical tools, and accessible guidance for use and adaptation, designed to enable youth work supporting young people in critically engaging with the future, building agency and co-creating alternative narratives.Future Narratives Knowledge Hub, a digital platform enhanced in performance, sustainability and accessibility, with a mini-MOOC to introduce practitioners to our methodology and its application, a searchable library of curated and created resources, and a members’ area with additional resources.Training of 37 youth workers and practitioners in four countries, developing their capacity in the Future Narratives methodology and activating their skills through local workshops with over 200 young people.A transnational workshop and a Future Narratives Festival bringing together youth workers and young people to share and develop their experiences and present their perspectives and the project’s results, creating an ongoing community of practice.Overall, our project resulted in increased knowledge, awareness, and capacity both for the immediate target groups, the local social ecosystem and the general public.