Written by: Eirini Kareta, EU Programme Manager and Business Development
In a time when global challenges seem overwhelming, hope is sought from young people. Bold, passionate, and unafraid to confront issues head-on, they’re reshaping the world around them. The EU/UK Youth Stronger Together project has been a unique initiative designed to unite young people from the UK and the EU, providing them with opportunities to build lasting relationships, tackle shared challenges, and shape the future.
Though political tides have shifted, the shared values between the EU and the UK remain unshaken – democracy, international cooperation, and the pursuit of a peaceful, inclusive world. These are the principles that inspired the EU/UK Youth Stronger Together project, a two-year initiative, launched in February 2023 and co-funded by the European Union. By offering young people aged 15 to 30 the chance to collaborate on issues such as climate change, employment, human rights, and social cohesion, the project aims to strengthen the bonds between the UK and the EU for the benefit of all.
At the heart of this initiative lies the powerful concept of togetherness. The project is about building meaningful, enduring relationships. It recognises that despite their differences, young people in the UK and the EU are bound by common values and shared challenges. Together, they are stronger – and together, they can make a difference. From its outset, the project has actively sought to understand the needs of young people across both regions. By conducting stakeholder mapping and focus groups with youth organisations, it has begun identifying the challenges and opportunities for young people when it comes to EU/UK relations. These voices have become the compass guiding the project’s direction.
The EU/UK Youth Stronger Together project works through four key strands to empower young people. The first of these is Connecting Schools. The project aims to inspire young people aged 15 to 18 to embrace their roles as changemakers. By connecting schools and facilitating international partnerships, students have been collaborating on social action projects, learning what it means to be active global citizens. The second strand worked on co-shaping positive narratives. Our partner, the European Movement International (EMI), gathered young people’s views through an online survey across the UK, to inform the shared futures social media campaign focused on positive stories. Through this campaign, the collaborators concentrated on what unites us rather than what divides us, whether it’s human rights, the environment, or international cooperation, aiming to change the way we think about EU-UK relations,
The third strand was connecting youth organisations. Youth organisations are the backbone of change, and this project aims to strengthen their capacity. By fostering connections between youth leaders, policy makers, and practitioners, young people are gaining the tools they need to drive positive transformation. New partnerships are forming across Europe and the UK, and youth voices are being amplified in ways that resonate far beyond national borders.
The final strand was connecting young leaders, young journalists and your activists to harness their talents and to co-create positive narratives about their shared futures. Journalism is a powerful tool, and through this project, young journalists have received training in responsible reporting and fact-checking and joined live sessions with BBC experts. Some of them seized the opportunity to cover youth events across Europe, letting the voices of their generation be heard on a larger stage. Change doesn’t happen in isolation, and by linking young activists from both sides of the Channel, the project promotes shared values and highlights the role youth can play in bringing peace, cohesion, and positive change to society.
One of the most impactful outcomes of the project has been the Youth Recommendations Report, launched on 7 November 2024, during the Youth Dialogue event organised by the EU Delegation in the UK. This report was developed in consultation with 120 youth organisations across the EU and the UK, capturing their collective voice on key issues and opportunities for strengthening youth cooperation. Looking ahead, the project will focus on disseminating the report among policy influencers and stakeholders to ensure its recommendations spark meaningful action. Additionally, the team is working to establish a Network of EU/UK Youth Organisations, laying the groundwork for sustained collaboration and shared initiatives that will empower young people for years to come.
Since its launch, the EU/UK Youth Stronger Together project has reached a wide and diverse audience. Schools across Europe and the UK have engaged in international partnerships, collaborating on social action projects. Webinars have brought together thousands of students and teachers to discuss pressing global issues like climate change, refugee integration, and the dangers of fake news. Young journalists and content creators are receiving professional training in responsible journalism, with some even travelling to key youth events around Europe to report on the issues that matter most to their generation. Additionally, youth organisations from the UK and the EU are forging deeper connections, participating in focus groups, and strengthening networks that will support youth cooperation for years to come. Through these various activities, the project is not only fostering meaningful connections but also creating a platform for youth voices to shape the future. Whether it’s through creative competitions, youth-led films, or collaborative workshops, the young participants are actively contributing to a stronger, more unified Europe.
At its core, the EU/UK Youth Stronger Together project is about empowering young people to not only dream of a better future but to actively shape it. However, most importantly, it’s about the power of connection. In a world full of division, this project stands as a testament to the strength we find in working together.
“It feels like a really important time for young people to experience differences. Division, the rise of populism, etc. It just feels like reaching out to each other is more important than ever. This recommendation is really close to our hearts at the moment.” - (Samantha Anderson, National Youth Advocacy Service Cymru)
“The more collaboration, the less misunderstanding and the better generation of future young leaders in the EU and the UK.” - Young Focus Group Participant
“It’s linked to education and understanding. Accessibility-wise, there’s an information gap about what this would actually mean. If you want to involve young people, they need to know what it means to influence policy and whether it would have any kind of impact.” - Savannah Hanson, ConnectFutures