Act local – connect European – think global! There is a lot going on in the network of Generation Europe – The Academy. Here you can find recent updates and reports on activities in our network.
The MAKE USE youth group from Larissa, Greece, is showing how young people can actively shape their local environment. Coordinated by our partner organisation Synergy of Music Theatre (SMouTh), the group has carried out an impressive series of creative and educational initiatives this year. Their projects combine artistic expression, environmental awareness and community engagement.
The local youth group of our Spanish partner organisation Irenia, Jocs de Pau from La Nou de Berguedà, has reached an important milestone in its work: in September, it presented its activities to the Parliament of Catalonia in Barcelona. There, the young activists met with three Members of Parliament from the governing party to present their work to date and discuss the next steps.
What does it take to create real change in a community? For the young people in the network of Generation Europe – The Academy, the answer often lies in a powerful four-step approach. The “Soqquadro” initiative in Rome is a perfect example for this: Responding to the lack of an inclusive youth-led space, they took a room in a local youth centre and transformed it into a vibrant cultural hub.
What does ‘home’ mean? Is it a physical place, a community, a family or a feeling? Three local groups from the Generation Europe – The Academy network are currently addressing these profound questions in their project ‘beLONGing home’. In this extraordinary collaboration, young people from Ukraine and Munich (Germany) are exploring together what it means to feel a sense of belonging – across geographical and biographical boundaries.
Being active – for yourself, for others, and for the community: Under this motto, the local youth group of Generation Europe – The Academy in Telšiai, Lithuania, is making its mark. By setting up a new music room in their youth centre and organising an intercultural cooking event, they are putting self-organised participation into practice.
Summer in Portugal – that sounds like sun, community and carefree days. In Évora, about a 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.
Within Generation Europe, the local youth groups from Bochum and Nordhausen (Germany) work closely with their international project partners. But Bochum and Nordhausen are twin towns, so the two groups have also formed an additional network. As in the previous year, the group from Nordhausen invited the Bochum group to the traditional Rolandsfest.
How can we work together to redesign the spaces we live in every day? As part of the Generation Europe – The Academy network, our local group from Florence has taken a practical approach to this question. Together with other young artists, they carried out a collective experiment in public space that reflected many local realities.
School and participatory youth work, are these two completely separate worlds? Not at all! Youth Coop, the local project partner of Generation Europe – The Academy from Sintra, Portugal, was invited to present its work at a colloquium.
Act local – connect European – think global: As part of Generation Europe – The Academy, the local youth groups continue to be active in their cities and communities this year. The projects planned by the young people are diverse, but have a common basis: they enable participation and advocate positive change. Here are 22 […]