Challenge

How to strengthen participation is a question that permeates the substance of democracy at all levels (from local to the European). Encouraging youth participation has been high on the EU scholarly and policy agendas over the recent decades especially after the end of what was coined 'the permissive consensus' in the EU affairs and as the EU democratic deficit was beginning to be key issue on the agenda. The encouragement of youth participation in the democratic life constitutes a fundamental aim of the EU enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty.

Amidst the rise of populism and a return to nationalist discourses there is a need to nurture youth engagement and to strengthen their connection to the EU project giving EU democracy a youth revamping. The 2019 EP Elections Turnout marked a positive turn to youth participation and interest of young people. In addition, the participation of youth in global movements (climate change, MeToo and others) manifest young people’s passion and enthusiasm to make a stand and have a say in their future and contradict the often-mentioned generalisation of youth apathy.

Objective

The overall objective of #YouEu is to harness the potential of digital tools to promote the participation of youth in the democratic life in the EU.

Innovation

Key innovative aspect of the project is the development of the #YouEU platform which will host the forward-looking e-course but more importantly it will serve as Digital public sphere and an aggregator of issues and claims of youth addressed to EU institutions. Users of the platform will be able to find materials to study and learn more, build networks and issue coalitions, publicly post their concerns and communicate with the EU institutions.

Action

• Development of a toolkit for e-participation in the EU democratic life

This toolkit responds to the need for identification and availability of concrete tools in the field of e-participation and e-democracy. The toolkit will be available for the general public and stakeholders, as an e-book, in English and in all partners languages.

• Develop an e-course on participation and engagement in the EU democratic life

The e-course aims to inform and educate young persons in active citizenship and participation in the democratic life of the EU with the use of digital tools. The e-course is forward-looking and innovative as it will go beyond existing methodologies and materials on promotion of active citizenship and engagement and will combine a comprehension of essential concepts that constitute the EU democratic system with practical knowledge on e-participation via digital means.

Key themes explored will be: a) discussion of key concepts of EU democracy ; b) participation and active citizenship; b) Available tools for e-participation and the purposes they serve.

• Develop the #YouEU digital platform for promoting youth e-participation  

The #YouEU digital platform for promoting youth e-participation will act as the digital transnational public sphere that will bring together youth from the participating countries and ultimately from all over Europe to communicate, share issues and build claims together. Its purpose will be to function as a learning, collaborative, deliberative space among youth to learn by doing and participating to the EU democratic life. Its establishment bears practical salience but also seeks to serve as a symbol for EU youth cooperation towards a European youth public sphere.

• Rekindling the youth connection to the EU democratic life 

This activity is the culmination of the project experience as it seeks to put in test the developed #YouEU e-course and digital platform. The aim is to evaluate the relevance and effectiveness of the #YouEU approach, course and resources.

• Consortium

University of Peloponnese - GR

Family and Childcare Center - branch in Skopje MK

Die Berater Unternehmensberatungs Gesellschaft MBH -  AT

Sdrudzenie Znam I Moga - BG

International Consulting and Mobility Agency Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada  - ES

BeKnown S.P.C.  - GR

Funded by: Erasmus+

Duration: 10/02/2021-09/02/2023