Young people are becoming a driving force for change in European regions
The municipality of Alba Iulia, as the lead partner of the project, organized the official launch event for the ForYouth project in May 2025. The project, titled “Finding new ways to engage, connect, and empower youth” (ForYouth), is funded by the Interreg Europe program for 2025–2029 under Policy Objective 6—Better Governance, with the specific objective of Policy Management.
The goal of the ForYouth project is to support European regions in developing and improving public policies that promote the engagement of young people in civic and democratic life. Through a joint process of learning and the exchange of best practices among public authorities and civil society actors, the ForYouth program seeks to bridge the gap between young people and decision-making institutions. In this way, young people will be encouraged to contribute meaningfully to the progress and development of society.
At the online kick-off event, representatives of the seven project partners met with the project leader:
- City of Šibenik – CROATIA
- Beira Baixa Intermunicipal Association – PORTUGAL
- Municipality of Storfors – SWEDEN
- Municipality of Murcia – SPAIN
- University of Economics in Bratislava (represented by the Faculty of Business Management) – SLOVAKIA
- City of Magdeburg – GERMANY
- Municipality of Sireți – MOLDOVA
The partners are jointly analyzing existing policies, identifying challenges, and developing action plans to create sustainable mechanisms for the active participation of young people in their communities.
During the kick-off meeting of the ForYouth project, the municipality of Alba Iulia presented the initiative’s overall goals for the next four years. This was followed by an introduction of the project partners, as well as discussions on financial matters, communication strategies, and the dissemination of activities.
Youth engagement is of fundamental importance in all policy areas that affect their lives, as stated in the EU Youth Strategy (2019–2027). The project aims to develop frameworks and tools that resonate with young people, encouraging them to strengthen their voice in decision-making processes by leveraging resources and fostering cross-sectoral collaboration.
The innovative nature of the project stems from both its theme and the structure of its partnership. This theme—aligning urban strategies with the interests of young people—filled a gap between the participating regions and the partnership, as it brings together regions with such contrasting characteristics regarding youth: some are characterized by exceptionally low birth rates and an aging population, while others, in contrast to many other areas, have a high proportion of young people.
The overall goal is to improve policies that enable the active participation of youth in decision-making processes and community life, leading to the creation of an environment in which young people feel empowered to contribute meaningfully to social progress and development. This main goal will be achieved by focusing on:
Addressing barriers and administrative hurdles to fostering a sense of appreciation among young people and encouraging them to consider the prospect of settling in their hometowns and actively engaging in the community;
Engaging stakeholders;
Transferring knowledge and experience from these more developed regions to those with fewer resources for youth;
Developing tools and mechanisms based on the experience gained;
Achieving social inclusion, integrating young emigrants, and integrating young diaspora communities.
All of this will take place within the framework of territorial cooperation among partner regions and through the exchange of best practices in the field of youth engagement.
More information about the ForYouth project is available on the
