Conclusion of the ENGAGE Project

Over the past two years, the Erasmus+ project ENGAGE has supported youth leaders and young people in advocating for democratic participation, European values, and social justice. To this end, AWO International, together with its partner organizations — EuroEd and the New Horizons Foundation from Romania, INEX from the Czech Republic, and Roudel and Parcours le Monde from France—has developed knowledge, methods, and materials. Now, as the project comes to a close, we are taking stock.

Our Achievements

• A strategy for inclusive education based on research involving more than 650 youth leaders, educators, and young people. Research - Engage Youth
• Guidelines for ethical communication and inclusion in youth work. Research - Engage Youth
• An online course with 10 modules and 20 practical methods. Course - Engage Youth
• Over 50 resources, including podcasts, videos, and infographics. Home - Engage Youth
• A methods handbook for youth leaders (German: Booklet ENGAGE Methods) (English: Booklet ENGAGE Methods)
• National training sessions in the partner countries and
• an international study tour to the Czech Republic

The Heart of the Project: the Encounters

The project thrived on exchange. The partner organizations met online and in person at locations in Iași, Toulouse, Berlin, and Prague. During their visits, which lasted several days, they learned a great deal from one another: how other organizations work in youth education and how to jointly manage an international youth education project. In the process, they gained knowledge in international project management, intercultural learning, and working in intercultural teams.

At the heart of the project, however, were the young people. A highlight was the educational trip to the Czech Republic, where 20 youth leaders from four countries came together for three days. They tried out new methods, exchanged ideas and experiences, and listened to one another.

The pilot sessions were also an important part of the project. During these sessions, the participants learned new methods that they immediately tried out in their own youth groups. In this way, theory was transformed into something that works in everyday life.

Get Involved

The project may have come to an end, but the materials are still available. The online course also remains open to anyone interested, free of charge. Here, youth leaders can easily gain knowledge on topics such as inclusion, diversity, and social justice, and at the same time learn how to share this knowledge with young people and encourage them to actively participate in democratic life. All materials, reports, and information can be found at engageyouth.ro. Follow @engageyouths on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates.