Nordic-Baltic Youth Empowerment Project: Youth Initiatives for a Better Future represents a collaborative endeavour initiated by the Nordic Council of Ministers' office in Latvia, in partnership with the European Movement in Latvia as the principal coordinator with partners in Norway, Finland and Lithuania.
40 youngsters from 4 countries – Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Norway – participated in the project. The project coordinated by the European Movement – Latvia resulted in compilation of 33 youth initiatives. The goal of the project is twofold: to identify youth initiatives that have initiated positive changes in the local school, neighborhood, city, region, or the whole country, and to encourage and motivate others to take the initiative and implement ideas for a better future. Youngsters from four countries gathered, selected and evaluated the most powerful initiatives in their country, and turned those into sketches for the artist Jurijs Tatarkins to transform into 15 pieces of art.
The compilation of all 33 youth initiatives have been turned into inspirational material, which will be available in schools, libraries, and youth centers in various Latvian cities. The results will be disseminated in each participating country to raise the confidence of youngsters in the power of initiating significant changes in their school, city, region or the entire country.
The project called for a proactive engagement from the youth. During the project, participants familiarises themselves with various societal spheres, got insight into the decision-making processes and community enhancement and learned what initiatives tend to start social transformation. The project concept embodies the ideals of participation, empowerment and inclusivity for the youth, concerning issues that directly impact their lives and society at large.
This project resulted in bolstered youth-led initiatives and youngsters equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to translate diverse visions into tangible actions. Participants seem to feel more empowered as dynamic contributors and decision-makers to sculpt their futures and, by extension, the future of our society.
Overview of Activities
The project outlines a series of structured activities designed to foster youth participation and civic engagement across Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Norway. Throughout the project the following activities have been carried out:
- Workshop No. 1 in Latvia, March 2024,
- Workshop No. 2 in Norway, May 2024,
- Result dissemination at the Democracy festival in Kuldīga in August 2024,
- Result dissemination at the Youth Festival Kopums in Līgatne in August 2024,
- Presentation of the results at the first Nordic-Baltic Youth Summit in Vilnius in September 2024.
The project was implemented, and materials were produced in collaboration with project partners: European Movement in Latvia, the Lithuanian youth organisation LiJOT, the Finnish youth organisations Rozentāls-seura and Inarin kunta, and the Norwegian municipal organisation KS.
