EPIC_IDEA – Empowering youth Participation for Inclusive and plural Communities

The project “EPIC_IDEA – Empowering youth Participation for Inclusive and plural Communities”, funded by the CERV programme of the European Commission, is coordinated by ICEI, in partnership with ACI-Diversit, RPCI and UNITED and aims to encourage and increase the civic participation of citizens, and specifically of the younger generations, and their sense of belonging to the values ​​of Europe.

EPIC_IDEA is promoted by a partnership of organisations from 4 European countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal and Hungary) and is aimed at youth workers, young people and institutions through training and capacity building processes, creation and support of network relationships, activation at local, national and international level and advocacy.

The project aims to involve young people and youth workers from the four partner countries in addressing issues such as inclusion and diversity through a series of local, national and European initiatives. The Kick Off Meeting in Spain will mark the beginning of the journey, introducing methodologies such as Anti-Rumours and Future Thinking, with the aim of creating a Community of Shared Practices.

The young people will then be the protagonists of surveys, interviews and workshops, as well as participating in national and international events, where through peer comparison they will be able to acquire skills and design actions to promote diversity. They will then be involved in local anti-rumour actions and in the creation of a digital platform to share ideas and visions on the future. Finally, the young participants will have the opportunity to dialogue with policy makers at local, national and international level. A final event in Strasbourg will be organized to strengthen the role and contribution of the new generations in the decision-making processes of the European Union.

The overall objective of the project is to promote the democratic participation of citizens, in particular the younger generations, by strengthening their sense of belonging to the values ​​of the EU.

Young people will be involved in the debate on the future of Europe, helping to create a new narrative that ensures an authentic and effective bottom-up approach, capable of promoting inclusive and diverse societies. In particular, the project aims to:

1. Increase the awareness of youth workers and the younger generations on the values ​​of the EU and the role of young people as protagonists of the future of Europe.

2. Increase the engagement of the younger generations in their local communities to promote diverse and inclusive societies.

3. Support the younger generations in effectively promoting their views and proposals for the future of the EU, addressed to policy makers at local, national and European level.