Young people across Europe and Africa face rising inequalities, shrinking civic spaces and low participation in democratic life. The HUMANNESS: EU Social Challenges and Civic Engagement for Solidarity project was created as a collective response to these issues. Funded by Erasmus+ KA2, it was coordinated by Libera (Italy) in collaboration with Between (Portugal), OBESSU (Belgium), Hope for Children CRC Policy Centre (Cyprus), and the Intercultural Development Agency (Uganda). The project ran from 2022 to 2024. The project aimed to prioritise youth work in the pursuit of social justice by equipping youth workers and marginalised young people with the tools to become agents of inclusion and solidarity.
Participatory mapping of needs and practices
The first step was a transnational mapping exercise across five countries. More than 100 youth workers participated in focus groups and interviews to identify the main social challenges faced by young people, which included economic insecurity, discrimination, a lack of civic education and weak institutional recognition of youth work. The research also collected and analysed 57 good practices of youth engagement, ranging from grassroots solidarity networks in Portugal to student-led initiatives in Belgium. These provided evidence-based strategies that shaped the project’s tools and training.
The mapping exercise revealed a fundamental principle: participation is most effective when young people are involved at every stage, from design to implementation. HUMANNESS based its approach on non-formal education, intercultural dialogue and peer-to-peer mentoring, equipping youth workers with practical methods for engaging with those most at risk of exclusion. By testing and refining these methods in different contexts, the project transformed theory into practice, demonstrating that empowerment and inclusion can be realised through creativity and collaboration.
The Humanness Toolkit
One of the main outputs was the Humanness Toolkit for Youth Engagement, co-created by the partner organisations. It provides resources, case studies, and strategies to prevent marginalisation and to promote active participation. The toolkit has already been used in training sessions with over 80 youth workers in Europe and Africa, equipping them with adaptable methodologies that can be applied in schools, NGOs, community centres, and informal groups. It stands as a lasting resource that continues beyond the project’s timeline.
The School of Humanness in Uganda
A notable milestone was the School of Active Citizenship, which took place in Soroti, Uganda, from 30 May to 6 June 2024. More than 40 youth workers from Europe and Africa took part in an intensive programme of workshops, community visits and intercultural exchange. Themes included solidarity, justice, child protection, democracy, and sustainable development. Participants also visited the village of Omiito, where they collaborated with local initiatives to transform the area into an Environmental Education Centre. They also met with the Italian Ambassador in Kampala to discuss international cooperation.
The School enhanced participants’ facilitation, intercultural dialogue, and democratic leadership skills. It also introduced the Youth Community Engagement Model, which provides professional guidelines to help youth workers enhance their capacity to foster civic participation. Participants reported greater confidence in engaging with marginalised young people, and many began to adapt the model to their own local contexts, whether working with migrant young people in Italy, in rural Ugandan communities, or with student unions in Belgium.
Results and impact of the youth work
The final conference, ‘The Role of Youth Work in Advancing Social Justice‘, took place in Brussels in October 2024. It brought together more than 70 stakeholders, including youth organisations, policymakers, and networks such as the World Scout Movement and the European Youth Forum. The conference provided an opportunity to present project results and advocate for stronger institutional recognition of youth work. Participants emphasised the importance of incorporating solidarity, active citizenship, and intercultural learning into European and national youth strategies.
Over the course of two years, the HUMANNESS project directly engaged with over 150 youth workers and educators, while indirectly impacting the lives of hundreds of young individuals through workshops, community activities, and solidarity initiatives. The project produced three key results:
- A mapping report of youth solidarity practices in Europe and Africa.
- A toolkit for youth engagement, which is now freely available to practitioners.
- A Youth Community Engagement Model that was tested and validated in Uganda.
These outputs contribute to strengthening youth participation, preventing exclusion and reducing the risk of polarisation and radicalisation among vulnerable groups.
The project also reinforced international networks that will continue beyond its official end. Libera connected HUMANNESS with its wider alliances: PLACE in Africa, CHANCE in Europe and ALAS in Latin America. This ensures that knowledge and practices circulate across continents. OBESSU integrated the findings into its student union structures, while Hope for Children and Between used them to strengthen their local programmes. The partnerships established with Ugandan communities and NGOs remain active, demonstrating that HUMANNESS laid the foundations for long-term cooperation.
HUMANNESS demonstrates that young people are active agents of change, not passive subjects; that solidarity must lie at the heart of democracy; and that building inclusive, resilient societies requires investment in youth work. Through its mapping, toolkit, school and model, HUMANNESS has demonstrated that an alternative path is possible, where participation replaces exclusion and justice is defined by the opportunities provided to future generations. Without young people, there can be no future. Without solidarity, there can be no justice.
