With its Erasmus+ Key Action 2, the European Union is providing support for cooperation projects between organisations. These aim to exchange good practice, use new technologies, develop innovative teaching and learning methods, support non-formal learning and develop common tools and activities at local, regional, national or European level. In the Framework of the Generation Europe network, the European Union has co-funded the following partnerships:

Youth Voices Rising: Empowering Through Local and EU Advocacy

Cooperation Partnership in Youth | 01 April 2025 – 31 May 2027

The project is designed to equip young people with the skills to influence policy-making and enhance their civic participation. By promoting youth work as a powerful solution to challenges in society, we aim to empower young people with fewer opportunities and their organisations to become active participants in democratic life. Through innovative training, international lobbying activities, and targeted social media knowledge transfer, we will support them in driving change within their communities and advocating for better youth work conditions across Europe.

Our approach combines research with practical application. We will begin by identifying current needs and then roll out a series of specialised training modules on advocacy and international lobbying. A core element is our multiplier training, which will enable youth workers to teach these advocacy skills at a local level. Participants will also engage in hands-on lobbying activities to make their voices heard directly.

The project’s impact will be multi-layered: We will cultivate a cohort of competent young advocates and enhance the advocacy potential of their sending organisations and our network as a whole. Key outcomes will include the creation of new advocacy training materials and the successful implementation of youth-led campaigns and strategies. Ultimately, “Youth Voices Rising” will foster a stronger network of youth organisations, contribute to improved youth work policies, and ensure greater youth participation in the democratic processes that shape their future.

Coordinator: Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk e.V. (Dortmund, Germany) | Project Partners: Jugendakademie Walberberg (Bornheim, Germany) | Stiftung Europäische Jugendbildungs- und Jugendbegegnungsstätte Weimar (Weimar, Germany) | Internationales Forum Burg Liebenzell e.V. (Bad Liebenzell, Germany) | Associazione Interculturale NUR (Cagliari, Italy) | YouthCoop – Cooperativa para o Desenvolvimento e Cidadania CRL (Agualva-Cacém, Portugal) | Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány (Budapest, Hungary) | KIRKO S.E. (Thessaloniki, Greece) | Irenia, Jocs de Pau (La Nou de Berguedà, Spain)

Network for Active Improvement of Youth Work

Cooperation Partnership in Youth | 01 March 2022 – 31 May 2025

The project was an integral part of Generation Europe – The Academy in the 2021-2025 funding period, uniting 42 youth work organisations from 14 European countries. It was designed to strengthen youth work structures and actively engage young people with fewer opportunities, both in their local communities and across Europe. Developed in direct response to urgent challenges, the project addressed the needs of a post-pandemic landscape marked by increasing uncertainty. With youth work organisations facing significant challenges in youth engagement, rising mental health concerns, and increased workloads, there was a pressing need for innovative and effective practises.

The project focused on several key areas: It improved connections between local and European youth work by sharing best practises, developing joint advocacy strategies, and training professionals. Building on the success of previous collaborations to ensure continuity, we tackled systemic issues such as the lack of structured local youth work and insufficient support from policymakers. A central part of our work was also to develop better tools and methods for value-based education and to improve participatory approaches for youth workers on the ground, empowering them to better support the young people they work with. The success of the project is also evident in the key publications:

  • Generation Europe Booklets
    This is a series of five booklets for youth workers: How to set up a youth group for active citizenship? How to do strategic youth work for inclusion? How do we promote the physical and mental wellbeing of participants and youth leaders? How do we facilitate youth engagement in participatory processes at local level? How do we connect young people with their local communities? The booklets are a support and resource for the community of practice. The brochures can be downloaded here. There is also a list of useful links and references.
  • Take Power. Handbook to Get Started With Advocacy and Lobbying
    Youth work is an essential component of functioning democracies and contributes to social equality and inclusion. However, it cannot be taken for granted that those who decide on the social framework and financial resources are aware of the specific needs that young people and youth work professionals have. This handbook is a comprehensive guide for advocacy and lobbying and is aimed at all those in the field who want to help improve the conditions for young people and the structures in which they can become active.
  • Discussing Civic Education. Handout on Different Understandings of the Term and Common Solutions
    Civic education plays an important role in empowering young people to be active and engaged citizens. Within the Generation Europe – The Academy network, however, there were different understandings of the term civic education. This made collaboration on this topic challenging at times. This handout documents the network’s efforts to develop a common understanding by interviewing participants and analysing their responses in order to deepen the dialogue between the network partners.

Coordinator: Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk e.V. (Dortmund, Germany) | Project Partners: Associació Càlam – Art, Educació, Sostenibilitat (Spain) | Esplora (Italy) | Fundacja IRSE (Poland) | Irenia, Jocs de Pau (Spain) | Jugendakademie Walberberg (Germany) | Landeshauptstadt München, Pädagogisches Institut – Zentrum für Kommunales Bildungsmanagement (Germany) | MTÜ Noored Toredate Mõtetega (Estonia) | Oficina Fermento – Cooperativa para o Desenvolvimento de Cidadania Ativa (Portugal) | Synergy of Music Theatre (Greece) | Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány (Hungary) | YouthCoop – Cooperativa para o Desenvolvimento e Cidadania CRL (Agualva-Cacém, Portugal)

Generation Europe: The Ambassadors

Strategic Partnership in Youth | 01 February 2021 – 31 December 2023

The project was developed to create an innovative framework for promoting civic education and democratic engagement among young Europeans. Drafted in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it was designed to address long-standing challenges in youth work, particularly the lack of access to civic education for young people from marginalised groups and the need for greater diversity among youth work professionals. Our core objective was to empower young people by establishing a peer-to-peer education model. To achieve this, we prioritised the active involvement of marginalised youth, not just as participants but as co-creators and professionals. The project was implemented through a series of international training courses, collaborative digital meetings, and annual conferences, leading to two main achievements:

  • First, we established the Ambassador Network, a sustainable and diverse group of young engaged people. Through dedicated training, they were equipped with essential skills in critical thinking, communication, and civic education. Over the course of the programme, more than 140 young people were trained to become active multipliers for European democratic values and to act as mentors in their local communities. Acting as mentors and role models, they now bridge gaps in their local communities, foster a more inclusive culture in youth work, and share their experiences through peer-learning formats like buddy group meetings.
  • Second, in close collaboration with the Ambassadors, we developed the Guide to Activism. This comprehensive online guide serves as a low-threshold, practical tool that empowers other young people to become active on local or European issues. To ensure its relevance and accessibility, the guide was created with direct input and feedback from the network. Responding to the emerging mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, both the guide and the training programme were enhanced with resources and strategies to support the well-being of young people.

The project has successfully created lasting outcomes. We have built a sustainable network of skilled young professionals who are actively diversifying the field of youth work and influencing policy at both local and international levels. The Guide to Activism provides a tangible resource that will continue to support youth-led engagement, ensuring that the project’s impact endures.

Coordinator: Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk e.V. (Dortmund, Germany) | Project Partners: MTÜ Noored Toredate Mõtetega (Estonia) | Fundacja Borussia (Poland) | YouthCoop – Cooperativa para o Desenvolvimento e Cidadania CRL (Agualva-Cacém, Portugal) | Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány (Hungary) | Ung i Kungsbacka (Sweden) , Associació Càlam – Art, Educació, Sostenibilitat (Spain) | Landeshauptstadt München, Pädagogisches Institut – Zentrum für Kommunales Bildungsmanagement (Germany) | Synergy of Music Theatre (Greece) | Stadt Bochum (Germany)

Generation Europe Methodenbox und Guidance Papers.

Network for Active European Citizenship

Strategic Partnership in Youth | 01 September 2018 – 31 May 2021

The project was developed from a key observation within our network: many young people, particularly those with fewer opportunities, often describe themselves as non-political. However, we noticed that they readily engage with political topics when the issues directly affect their personal lives or local environment. Based on this insight, the project pursued three main objectives: to make democratic education more accessible, to equip youth work organisations with the right tools, and to build lasting connections between youth work practice and policy-making. The project’s activities were structured around creating three key intellectual outputs:

  • First, to bridge the gap between grassroots experience and policy-making, we developed the Generation Europe Guidance Papers. This was a collaborative process where regional advocacy groups conducted research, held discussions with local youth groups to identify their needs, and then entered into a dialogue with political representatives. The resulting papers provide concrete recommendations for action to improve the conditions for youth work on a political level.
  • Second, to support professionals on the ground, we created a practical Generation Europe Method Box. The network was mobilised to collect, adapt, and develop new methods for Active European Citizenship that are specifically designed to be approachable and accessible for diverse target groups. These methods were tested and refined in real youth activities, ensuring their effectiveness.
  • Third, in cooperation with politik-digital e.V., we developed the Digital.D liquid democracy platform. This tool was implemented to foster communication and decision-making across our international partnerships. Its importance grew immensely during the Corona crisis, becoming a vital part of a new digital pedagogical concept that kept international collaboration alive. For anyone interested, we have made the source code of Digital D available online.

Despite challenges, the project successfully achieved all its goals. We have created new strategies to support Active European Citizenship, provided tangible tools for youth workers, and established a strong, sustainable network that connects practitioners with policymakers. This ensures that the dialogue continues and that the conditions for accessible, impactful youth work will be improved in the long term.

Coordinator: Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk e.V. (Dortmund, Germany) |Project Partners: Koinoniki Synetairistiki Epichirisi Syllogikis Kai Koinonikis Ofeleias Eyforia (Greece) | politik-digital e.V. (Germany) , Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány (Hungary) | Outward Bound România (Romania), MTÜ Noored Toredate Mõtetega (Estonia) | Centro di Creazione e Cultura (Italy) , GARE – Associação para a Promoção de uma Cultura de Segurança Rodoviária (Portugal) , Stiftung Europäische Jugendbildungs- und Jugendbegegnungsstätte Weimar (Germany) | FGU Roskilde (Denmark) | Associació Càlam – Art, Educació, Sostenibilitat (Spain) | Oulun Nuoret Kotkat Piirijärjestö ry (Finland) | Esplora (Italy)