Summer in Portugal – that sounds like sun, community and carefree days. In Évora, a good hundred kilometres east of Lisbon, there is much more going on: Together with our partner organisation Oficina Fermento, the local youth group of Generation Europe – The Academy is showing how to make a real difference at a local level and strengthen social participation for all.
At the heart of their commitment this summer are the “Semanas Artisticas”, the artistic weeks. As part of this non-formal education project, Oficina Fermento and the youth group are organising 15 five-day arts and crafts camps for children from the region. What makes this project special is its inclusive concept: in each camp, five children with special needs come together with about 15 other children.
Art Is a Language For All
The young organisers create a safe spaces where experimenting, making mistakes and joint discovery is possible. Or as it says on Oficina Fermento’s Instagram channel: “Here, art is not just an activity: it is language, it is thought, it is care.” This creates a social experience that reflects the real world and in which all participants learn to interact with each other – regardless of their background or abilities. For the young people in the local group, helping to run the camps is a learning process in itself, where they can take on responsibility and contribute their own ideas.
More Opportunities Through European Funding
In order to be able to implement their projects on this scale, the youth group successfully applied for additional funding under the title ‘Generation Europe in Évora’. The funding comes from the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), an EU programme that gives young people between 18 and 30 the opportunity to get involved in projects that benefit a social and diverse Europe. This additional support significantly expands the group’s scope for action and is a good example of how European programmes can strengthen local grassroots engagement.
Next Step: Local Elections
However, the group’s commitment is not limited to working with children. The next step from social to political participation is already imminent: the young people are currently preparing an information campaign for the local elections in Portugal, which will take place on 12 October. Their aim is to motivate young people to exercise their right to vote and at the same time to ensure that the perspectives and concerns of young people are heard in local politics. From September, they will start with local activities and public relations work, together with university students.
The activities in Évora show how the concept of Generation Europe – The Academy is put into practice: acting locally while keeping a firm focus on major social issues such as inclusion and democracy. As part of the Generation Europe network, the group is also in exchange with its partner organisations in Bochum (Germany) and Rome (Italy), which brings additional European perspectives to the local work.
For more photos, videos and insights follow Oficina Fermento on Instagram! Current insights into the work of other local groups can also be found at @generationeurope_network.
