EUTROPIAN

Research & Action

Young People for Resilient Communities (YoReC)

About YoReC

YoReC, an Erasmus+ funded initiative, empowers young people to take an active role in building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities and democracies across Europe. By combining innovative tools, storytelling, and networking, YoReC builds youth engagement, civic participation, and social cohesion and as a result, strengthens democracy. Through collaboration with diverse partners, the project creates frameworks and digital resources that support local communities and address shared challenges like sustainability, democracy, and inclusion.

Aim of the Project

Modern societies face growing challenges, from climate change to social inequality. Young people, often marginalized in decision-making, hold the potential to lead transformative community efforts. YoReC’s mission is to empower them to build strong, resilient, and inclusive communities.

The project develops tools and strategies to inspire active citizenship among youth, equipping them with the skills and confidence to contribute meaningfully to their environments. Through storytelling, networking, and digital innovation, YoReC strengthens bonds within communities, leading to more sustainable societies and democracies. 

Key project outputs include:

  • YoReC Research: Comprehensive research on youth participation and programs aiming at enhancing democratic and communal resiliency. 
  • YoReC Toolkit: Practical methodologies and resources for building youth engagement through storytelling and community-based approaches.
  • YoReC APP and Archive: A digital hub for youth to document and share stories of community resilience.
  • YoReC Network: A collaborative network connecting youth organizations, local stakeholders, and institutions to scale impact and sustain results.

Eutropian's role in YoReC

Eutropian’s Hungarian partner organisation, Cooperative City Budapest, plays a central role in YoReC, particularly as the lead coordinator of piloting activities in the project and, in-particular, pilot developer in Budapest. With its focus on urban research and collaborative practices, Cooperative City ensures the project’s methodologies are applied effectively and adapted to local contexts.

About the partners

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YoReC brings together organizations with complementary expertise to achieve its mission. Key partners include:

  • Associazione per l’Ecomuseo Casilino ad Duas Lauros (Italy): Project coordinator, with extensive experience in heritage and youth engagement.
  • Comparative Research Network (Germany): Lead for research and toolkit development, focusing on digital tools and civic participation.
  • ARCSS (Portugal): Dissemination lead, specializing in social inclusion and cultural programming.
  • Cooperative City Nonprofit Ltd. (Hungary): Lead of pilot activities and local engagement in Budapest.
  • Organization Earth (Greece): Specialist in experiential education and sustainability practices.
  • Storie di Mondi Possibili (Italy): Lead for digital storytelling and archiving tools.

Piloting in Budapest

The YoReC piloting process in Budapest, led by Cooperative City, builds on the success of the Katalizátor Programme, a civic education initiative for high school students in Budapest. Running from September 2025 to August 2026, the pilot will adapt and expand Katalizátor’s model, integrating YoReC’s storytelling, resilience-building tools and other project innovations.

Through 10-biweekly workshops, guest speaker sessions, and experiential learning activities, the program will engage youth in hands-on civic/democratic education and community project work. This pilot not only refines the Katalizátor approach but also serves as a blueprint for scaling youth engagement initiatives across Budapest and beyond, connecting local efforts with YoReC’s European network.

  • Participants: Youth living and/or studying in secondary-education in Budapest between the age of 16-19.
  • Partners: Schools in Budapest, the Municipality of Újbuda, and grassroots organizations.
  • Goals: To test and refine YoReC’s tools, while empowering Hungarian youth to become leaders in their communities.

Approaches/Methods

The YoReC project employs innovative and youth-centered approaches to build civic/political participation and community resilience:

  • Storytelling for Engagement: Empowering youth to share and document their community experiences, honing empathy and a sense of belonging.
  • Participatory Workshops and Regular Meetings: Hands-on sessions designed to teach civic skills, encourage dialogue, and develop actionable projects.
  • Experiential Learning: Visits to public and civic institutions, NGOs, and local organizations to provide real-world insights into democratic processes.
  • Network Building: Connecting youth with local stakeholders and European partners to create lasting collaborative frameworks.
  • Digital Tools: Leveraging the YoReC APP and Archive to enable storytelling, collaboration, and dissemination across regions.

Social Impact Projects: Guiding participants in designing and implementing community initiatives that address local challenges.

 

Partners

Project and partner info

Duration: Starting 09/2024 with expected ending 08/2026

Contact: Lukács Hayes, Eutropian GmbH, Cooperative City Nonprofit Ltd.

E-mail: lukacs.hayes@eutropian.org 

Partners: Associazione per l’Ecomuseo Casilino ad Duas Lauros (Italy), Comparative Research Network (Germany), ARCSS (Portugal), Organization Earth (Greece), Storie di Mondi Possibili (Italy)

 

Contact Lukács

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