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Contributed by Solidarity Tracks. In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, the role of young people in shaping their communities and contributing to the broader European context is essential. With this understanding in mind, the Power Youth Up project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme, has been initiated since 2021 to promote creativity and engagement among […]

Exciting Highlights from the Youth Worker Multiplier Event in Santa Cruz de Tenerife! On Thursday, 23rd November 2023, Santa Cruz de Tenerife's youth workers gathered at Espacio El Molino for a transformative day dedicated to empowering our youth! Spearheaded by our esteemed Councilwoman of Education and Youth, Charín González, the event was a melting pot of innovation, collaboration, and inspiration. The event was focused in showing the results from the project “Power Youth Up”.

The “Power Youth Up” project, financed by the National Agency of Portugal, within the Erasmus Plus project for KA2, has ended. Here, we reflect on it.

In the framework of the Power Youth Up project, we participated from the 20th to the 27th of April 2023 in the Training of Trainers in Puerto de la Cruz, hosted by our partners POD. The training was highly interactive as the youth workers brought their own knowledge, skills, and insights with them. As FITT, we presented two activities that we proposed for Intellectual Output 2, which are innovative and creative methods we hadn't used before. These activities are "Green Action through Photovoice" and "Participatory Art Activity" using Wall Murals or Ceramics. We also enjoyed most of the activities proposed by our partners but chose to pilot the "Eco Rally" activity proposed by our partners, Solidarity Track from Greece and "Plastic Crafts," proposed by Youth Coop from Portugal.

Six youth work and community engagement European NGOs gathered in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, in a collaborative crescendo, combining forces for the 'Power Youth Up' Training of Trainers. Join us as we experiment and reflect on an inspiring week about the methods developed over a project's year. Our goal was simple: to exchange knowledge and insights to empower trainers, engage young people, and learn new methodologies to make a difference in our communities.

April 2023 saw Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, become a melting pot of innovation for the 'Power Youth Up' initiative. Over seven days, youth workers across Europe shared, learnt, and enhanced methods, all with a singular goal: crafting dynamic, inviting community spaces that resonate with the youth.

Solidarity Tracks welcomed "Power Youth Up" project partners in Lefkada for our 3rd Transnational Project Meeting. In the historic heart of Lefkas, Greece, from the 11th to 15th of October, the 'Power Youth Up' project took centre stage.  With an agenda to reimagine youth and community spaces and reinforce their role in Europe's fabric, partners across the continent shared insights and experiences from their local realities. They set a plan for developing innovative strategies to engage young people in creative and inclusive activities.

Our first "Transnational Meeting" was a fantastic opportunity for partners to unite and recognize each other's involvement in the Power Youth Up project. Over three days, youth coordinators and Youth Workers gathered in Lisbon to review objectives and strategies, and establish an action plan. Visits to inspiring educational spaces in Almada and Sintra allowed us to witness the reality of our host organizations, Novo Mundo and Youth Coop. The meeting aimed to align practices, methodologies, and concepts that form the foundation of Power Youth Up. Despite coming from diverse backgrounds, we discovered common challenges in our work with young people.

The second group meeting had several important goals: to implement the project and plan the current and long-term steps; to understand the specificity of the Italian reality of the Centro Fonti San Lorenzo; to encourage group team building regarding the new project phases, which will see the partners collaborate more intensely; and to get to know the Italian culture by experiencing the territory together. They were intense days full of exchanges, satisfying in terms of objectives and rich in ideas, also for the Recanati environment and the activities of Centro Fonti San Lorenzo.

In collaboration with FITT, the 'Power Youth Up' project develops methods that enhance young people's abilities to innovate and actively engage at a community level, empowering youth through creativity and European active citizenship. This project not only voices the concerns of the youth but also shapes the future leaders in the post-COVID era by unveiling digital tools, innovative methods, and nurturing environments that encourage creativity.