🚀 Launching IN.PACT: A Shared Commitment to Youth Participation and International Cooperation 🌍

💡 What does it take to empower youth as changemakers in their communities?

Learn how the IN.PACT project is equipping young people with participatory skills to drive social inclusion and resilience across Europe. 🌱

In November, together with our partners we officially launched the IN.PACT project—a two-year Erasmus+ initiative aimed at equipping young people and youth workers with participatory skills to foster inclusion and resilience. The kickoff meeting brought together four organizations from Spain, France, Italy, and Belgium, setting the stage for a transformative collaboration. 🤝

The project is organized within the Erasmus+ KA220-YOU program and aims to foster youth participation by training facilitators and reducing the marginalization of at-risk young people. It is a joint effort led by four organizations: Gaia Education, Mundus, Grain&Sens, and Inesto. Each of these partners brings different experiences, backgrounds, and energy. 💪

🎯 Project Objectives

IN.PACT addresses pressing issues faced by young Europeans, particularly those in vulnerable situations such as NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and young migrants. By providing tools, training, and spaces for meaningful engagement, IN.PACT empowers these individuals to become changemakers in their communities. 🛠️

The project focuses on three key objectives:

1. Creating a Collaborative Network: An interactive online platform will connect youth organizations across Europe, facilitating the exchange of best practices and participatory methodologies. This network will foster a community of practice that supports mutual learning and amplifies impact. 🌐

2. Enhancing Skills and Capacities: Through a hybrid training program, youth workers and facilitators will gain practical skills in leadership, facilitation, and community engagement. These modules, validated by a Community of Practices (CoP), ensure the training meets the diverse needs of participants. 📚

3. Reducing Marginalization: By engaging directly with marginalized groups, IN.PACT promotes inclusion and empowers youth to lead local initiatives, contributing to a greater sense of belonging and active citizenship. 🤗

Right now, we are in the early stages of the project. While much of the journey is still ahead, the direction we are heading is already clear. An important value that defines IN.PACT is mutual learning. We want organizations from diverse contexts and with diverse experiences to exchange and explore innovative methods, and share practices that work and reflect on those that did not prove to succeed. This exchange is not only enriching on a practical level. Apart from being a learning opportunity, it is an expression of solidarity and cooperation across borders. 🌈

Youth participation is another key value for us. The project seeks to map good participatory practices that are already working and that are already supporting the growth of the youth. Both in the private and in the public sector. Those practices are now being identified and analyzed. We will then carefully meet each of those who implemented those practices to understand better and to capture the heart of it. The goal is to create a Handbook and a Training Package—materials that will later support youth leaders and trainers in their work. Those materials will allow them to access the set of Participatory Practices that proved to be successful in empowering the youth. We believe that true change happens when we learn from one another and grow side by side. That solidarity is what makes international collaboration so impactful. 🌱

We are particularly excited about the innovative "Smart Labs," which will serve as participatory spaces for hands-on learning. These labs will act as incubators for social innovation, where young people can experiment with new ideas, develop leadership skills, and drive community projects. 💡

As a collective, the IN.PACT partners are committed to co-creating a roadmap for sustainable impact. The project outcomes will include a training manual, an interactive map of participatory practices, and replicable guidelines for Smart Labs—ensuring that the work continues beyond the project's lifecycle. 🗺️

Together, we are cultivating the next generation of leaders who will champion inclusivity, collaboration, and innovation. IN.PACT is more than a project; it is a call to action for youth empowerment and participatory change across Europe. 🌟

Funded by the European Union, IN.PACT is a testament to the power of collective action to shape a brighter, more inclusive future. 🇪🇺

We are excited to see how this journey develops and what it will bring us. To witness how this collective effort will evolve, inspire, and contribute to a more connected and participatory Europe. 🚀

Read the full brochure here.