Context:
“Participate and Decide, young people struggling” is a scenario that integrates youth. 35 young Europeans between the ages of 17 and 29, from nine different countries, will form discussion groups to build a dialogue with political decision-makers, with the aim of understanding what goes on behind political decision-making

Background to this project:
One of our main objectives is to encourage youth in the construction of Europe, and they have one clear message: they want to be heard and be considered as fully-fledged participants, they want to play their part in the construction of Europe and have an influence in the debate on its future.

Objectives of this project:
Boost solidarity and social cohesion in the European Union and stimulate mutual understanding between youth of different countries. The training and interaction programme provided will encourage networking, constructive interaction, problem and conflict resolution.

Number and profile of participants:
The 35 participants range from 17 to 29 years old and originate from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Italia, France – Martinique, Georgia, Palestine y Spain. They want to participate in the proposed project whose mission is to offer youth the appropriate tools for their present and future, encouraging active participation through actions that meet their needs, and the coordination of efforts towards fostering their inclusion in the policies and actions developed on a European level.

Description of activities:
To fulfil our final project goal, our route is to follow the steps required to prepare a European Directive developed by the young people.
We will work in groups and speak to political decision-makers on one hand, whilst we will study mechanisms to prepare a European directive, on the other. We will ask questions, debate and above all, we will create a multinational youth working group who have different concerns but with one final objective.
Along this route, we will break our project down into parts and phases Each one has its start point and participatory objective, as well as learning about how the European institutions work, and the roles of those responsible for decision-making within these institutions.

Methodology to be used for the execution of this project:
The main theme is coordination between young people from each location to brings their requests and areas that concern them; and the difficulties they face in communication with decision-makers.
Working methods will combine informal and semi-formal education from a participatory and purely practical point of view, in which the young people themselves will coordinate in order to reach the project’s objectives.
The informal education will be gained through practice, and through the relationships and coordination activities required for implementing the website and virtual forum. The relationships and debates developed in the international meeting will provide the young participants with communicative, problem-solving and organisational tools, and practical knowledge of participatory democracy.

Brief description of the predicted results and impacts:
“Participate and Decide – young people struggling” will benefit those involved and their immediate outer circle during the project’s life cycle; as the virtual youth forum will collect their proposals, opinions and ideas. It will also provide information, being a communication and dissemination channel for the young people involved and the youth in their area. The teamwork developed during the project’s nine months duration will also strengthen the young people involved in voluntary social entrepreneurship and give them new lifelong skills. By actively participating in voluntary service, they develop many skills that improve their personal, social and professional path, as well as contributing to their community.
Considering that the Canary Islands comprises of eight, individually distinct islands, the chosen headquarters for the project will be Tenerife, together with La Gomera. This will ensure that the project gains the greatest possible diffusion among the regional population and, above all, among the youth who themselves who are indirectly involved in the entire process, in addition to the fact that the outcome of this project will be broadcast on Canary Island’s television channels.
Potential long term benefits:
Form a group of youth leaders through the participation of other young people involved in the project, from start to finish; these young people will feel motivated by the process and will want to maintain the leadership.
Involve those who directly benefit from the initiative so that they can take part in the planning, execution, evaluation and continuity processes. If beneficiaries view the project as their own, they will do everything they can to see that it continues.