Europe is at a crossroads. Euroscepticism is rising, solidarity is being tested, and the climate emergency is being pushed to the margins. In the middle of all of this โ young people, and the question of whether they have a real voice in shaping what comes next. This seminar is built around that question.
Citizens of Europe e.V. is organising Participate! โ Empowering Youth in Europe โ a one-week Erasmus+ seminar in Berlin bringing together 24 participants from across Europe to strengthen youth participation, tackle shared challenges, and connect with changemakers who are already doing the work.
What Is This Seminar About?
Participate! focuses on what unites Europe in a moment of pressure and fragmentation: solidarity, democracy, and the rule of law. Through a mix of interactive sessions, expert exchanges, field visits to Berlin initiatives, and hands-on project development, participants explore how to turn the challenges facing young people into real opportunities for civic engagement and meaningful participation.
This is not a passive conference. It is a working week โ and participants leave with a concrete toolbox, a stronger network, and a project idea ready to pitch.
What to Expect
๐ Identifying Challenges & Barriers
๐บ๏ธ Mapping the landscape โ what obstacles do young people face when trying to engage in civic and political life across different European countries
๐ Case studies โ from bureaucratic hurdles to lack of resources, how these challenges manifest in practice
๐ค Sharing Experiences & Best Practices
๐ฌ Peer learning โ participants share their own experiences, successes, failures, and lessons learned
๐งฐ Toolkits and methods โ exploring proven formats for dialogue between youth and decision-makers: youth councils, participatory budgeting, digital platforms
๐ Cross-border collaboration โ adapting successful models from one country to another
๐ก Trends, Methods & Innovations in Youth Participation
๐ Current trends โ from digital activism to local community projects, what is actually working right now
๐จ Creative methods โ workshop on innovative formats including gamification, art-based participation, and storytelling for advocacy
๐ช Critical reflection โ what are the limits of participation? How do we ensure inclusivity and avoid tokenism?
๐๏ธ Field Visits โ Inspiring Initiatives in Germany
๐ถ Visits to local projects and organisations pioneering youth participation in Berlin โ meeting the people making it happen
๐ Developing Your Own Projects
๐ก Ideation lab โ from concept to action, participants develop their own initiatives during the week
๐ค Pitch training โ learn how to present ideas effectively to stakeholders and funders
What You Will Gain
๐ Expand your network โ build lasting connections with like-minded people from across Europe
๐งฐ Fresh inspiration โ leave with a toolbox of ideas, methods, and strategies to use in your own context
๐ฌ Deep understanding of participation โ from formal structures to grassroots movements
โก Readiness to act โ skills to advise, motivate, and mobilise young people in your community
Who Should Apply?
๐น Youth workers, trainers, youth leaders, and youth project managers
๐น Youth policy makers and youth coaches
๐น Volunteering mentors and youth researchers
๐น Anyone genuinely interested in youth work and politics
๐น Living in an Erasmus+ programme country
๐น Able to work in English
Costs
๐ถ No participation fee
๐ฝ๏ธ Accommodation and meals free of charge โ accommodation in 3 to 4 bed rooms
โ๏ธ Travel reimbursement up to โฌ360 depending on country of origin and mode of transport
๐ Youthpass Certificate provided upon completion
Training Details
๐ Activity Dates: 23 May 2026 โ 30 May 2026
๐ Location: Germany
๐ค Activity Type: Seminar
๐ท๏ธ Training overview: http://trainings.salto-youth.net/14757
๐ Date of selection: 11 May 2026
Deadline
โฐ 08 May 2026
Eligible Countries
๐ฆ๐น Austria ๐ง๐ช Belgium ๐ง๐ฌ Bulgaria ๐ญ๐ท Croatia ๐จ๐พ Cyprus ๐จ๐ฟ Czechia ๐ฉ๐ฐ Denmark ๐ช๐ช Estonia ๐ซ๐ฎ Finland ๐ซ๐ท France ๐ฉ๐ช Germany ๐ฌ๐ท Greece ๐ญ๐บ Hungary ๐ฎ๐ธ Iceland ๐ฎ๐ช Ireland ๐ฎ๐น Italy ๐ฑ๐ป Latvia ๐ฑ๐ฎ Liechtenstein ๐ฑ๐น Lithuania ๐ฑ๐บ Luxembourg ๐ฒ๐น Malta ๐ณ๐ฑ Netherlands ๐ณ๐ด Norway ๐ต๐ฑ Poland ๐ต๐น Portugal ๐ฒ๐ฐ North Macedonia ๐ท๐ด Romania ๐ท๐ธ Serbia ๐ธ๐ฐ Slovakia ๐ธ๐ฎ Slovenia ๐ช๐ธ Spain ๐ธ๐ช Sweden ๐จ๐ญ Switzerland ๐น๐ท Tรผrkiye
Contact
๐ค Tobias Kunow โ Citizens of Europe e.V.
๐ง tobias.kunow@citizens-of-europe.eu
๐ +49 170 412 1411
๐ฌ Curious about how Erasmus+ seminars and training activities work before applying? This complete guide to Erasmus+ covers everything you need to know: https://youthworkshub.org/15096/
Apply
๐ http://trainings.salto-youth.net/14757
โImportant Notice
Youth Works Hub does not represent or act on behalf of any organization listed on this platform. All project details are sourced directly from official ESC and Erasmus+ databases. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official project page or contact the hosting organization directly. Youth Works Hub is not responsible for any changes made to project details after publication.





