YouLeaders: great ideas and innovation at the Final Event in Trapani
The final event of the YouLeaders European project took place at Beehive - Valore Sud in Trapani on September 24, 2024, marking a significant success. This initiative centered on youth engagement and entrepreneurship, uniting young leaders and organizations from Spain and Portugal with local Sicilian entrepreneurs. Together, they celebrated the project's achievements and explored the opportunities available to young people in the field of social innovation.
YouLeaders – Youth Community Leaders in Rural Areas of South Western Europe – is a project selected and co-funded by the Erasmus+ program and the National Youth Agency (Italy). Its aim is to promote active citizenship and stimulate youth initiatives in the rural areas of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Since the project's launch in 2022, over 90 young people aged 14 to 19 have participated in capacity-building programs, acquiring and enhancing essential entrepreneurial and social skills needed to navigate the job market and promote community initiatives.
The event that talks about young leaders and innovative ideas
The day began with a welcome from representatives of the Agrigento and Trapani Community Foundation, who introduced the event and outlined the agenda. Following this, representatives from Cáritas Portuguesa, Rosto Solidário, Fundación Galicia Europa, LUG Open Factory, and Link Campus University provided an overview of the various phases of the project and the results achieved throughout its implementation.
One of the project's key achievements presente is the YouLeaders Toolkit, a valuable practical resource offering guidelines and tools for developing skills in leadership, entrepreneurship, and social innovation. The toolkit, available in five languages, garnered significant interest among attendants, who had the chance to explore its utility for replicating the project’s educational approach within their communities.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of projects developed by the young leaders who participated in YouLeaders. Groups of young individuals aged 14 to 19 impressed attendees with their innovative proposals.
From integrating financial education into school curricula to planting urban forests and utilizing technology to combat gender-based violence, these European youth demonstrated their potential to drive significant changes in their communities.
* "Hearing my peers’ ideas made me realize that, despite our differences, we share the same challenges. The YouLeaders project was also a way to understand that through dialogue and teamwork, we can find innovative solutions. We can even turn our dreams into reality!"*
The event concluded with a roundtable discussion on youth entrepreneurship, moderated by Gianfranco Incandela, during which other young leaders and local entrepreneurs shared their experiences and success stories. This gathering provided an important opportunity for participants to exchange ideas and foster new collaborations.
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A Guided Tour by Youth for Youth: “Discover Trapani: A Peer-Led Journey”
The following day, while the YouLeaders project committee met to discuss final decisions, the local youth guided their peers from Spain and Portugal on a tour of the city and its surroundings.
“At first, we all kept a bit of distance; we were afraid to talk because of the language barrier. But then we took the leap and understood each other! We even came up with games that didn’t require words. I hope we can do things like this again because it was amazing!”
The testimonials from the young participants showcased the tangible impact of the project in terms of personal growth and skill acquisition. Informal interactions facilitated the formation of new relationships among participants, concluding a rich experience filled with insights and ideas for the future of youth entrepreneurship in Europe.
About the YouLeaders Project
YouLeaders is a project selected and co-funded by the Erasmus+ program and the Italian National Youth Agency as part of Key Action 2 – Cooperation Partnerships in Youth. It is coordinated by the Fondazione Comunitaria di Agrigento e Trapani in collaboration with Link Campus University (Italy), LUG Open Factory (Spain), Fundación Galicia Europa (Spain), Cáritas Portuguesa (Portugal), and Rosto Solidário (Portugal).
For more information about the project’s activities, please visit our website, follow us on social media, or reach out to Alisa Marghella at a.marghella@fcagrigentotrapani.it.