A youth centre is missing, the bus connection does not work, affordable housing is becoming harder to find – and when decisions are made, young people are often not at the table. If you want to change this, you need allies, a clear plan and a good understanding of where decisions are prepared at the local level.
This is what the Local Lobbying Trainings are all about. They will take place this autumn in six European countries as part of Youth Voices Rising. The trainings are for young people who want to make a difference in their municipality, city or region: whether in youth groups, associations, initiatives, informal projects or on an issue for which they have not yet found the right approach. The first training session will take place from 14 to 18 September 2026 in Bad Liebenzell, Germany. Further trainings will follow in Italy, Spain, Hungary, Portugal and Greece.
Next stop: Bad Liebenzell
Young people aged between 18 and 30 can apply for the first training event in Bad Liebenzell. The invitation is open to everyone who is interested in social or political issues and wants to learn how to represent local concerns effectively.
The training will focus on real issues from local contexts. Participants will develop ideas and action plans, formulate clear messages, explore local decision-making processes and prepare for dialogue with politicians, administration and other stakeholders. Peer learning and interactive methods will help them bring together experiences from different places and share knowledge. Participation in the trainings is free of charge. The full Call for Participants for the first training is available here for download (pdf | German).
Methods from the Network
The local trainings are made possible by the Erasmus+ cooperation partnership Youth Voices Rising. Before this new series of events, active young people and youth workers from the six participating countries had already prepared for it through a Multiplier Training for Local Lobbyists. A comprehensive report presents the methods and topics behind the training. The partner organisations are now using these experiences, together with further materials developed in the network of Generation Europe – The Academy, such as the handbook Take Power – Get Started With Advocacy and Lobbying. By this, the trainings translate knowledge from European cooperation into local learning spaces, combining it with other experiences accumulated in the Generation Europe network across several project phases.
Training Locations and Dates
Youth Voices Rising is carried out by nine European partner organisations. The local trainings will take place at the following dates and locations:
- Bad Liebenzell, Germany: 14–18 September 2026
- Cagliari, Italy: 17–19 September 2026
- El Prat (Barcelona), Spain: 19–20 September 2026
- Budapest, Hungary: 2–3 October 2026
- Sintra, Portugal: 21–22 November 2026
- Thessaloniki, Greece: date to be added
Youth Voices Rising
Overall, Youth Voices Rising supports young people in bringing their experiences and demands to the different political levels. The project started with a Needs Analysis, followed by joint method development, an International Lobbying Training, and the Multiplier Training event. With the Local Lobbying Trainings, these tools are now being shared with local groups and communities.
Young people who want to take part in the first local training in Bad Liebenzell can apply until 19 July 2026. Further details regarding the trainings in the other countries will follow. More information about the overall project is available on the Youth Voices Rising page of Generation Europe – The Academy.
The cooperation partnership Youth Voices Rising is co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.